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Withings ScanWatch Nova – where elegance and health tracking meet. Running review. by Paul E King first appeared on Pocketables.
With the world’s eyes on France for some reason this week, Withings has decided to get into the game by launching the Withings Health Games, a two- week challenge encouraging people to go for a medal in their health journey.
The games run until August 11, 2024 and pit Withings users against themselves (and possibly others) using an Acti-score… want a gold in dishwashing? Might be yours for the taking. Bronze in dog walking? You can do better.
Due to some other games going on in my life I managed to miss this announcement and the Withings games have been going on for a couple of days. So catch up!
The Withings Health Games should appear in your Withings app and probably require one of their amazing watches, which I highly recommend.
Want to feel like an organized sports professional? Participate in the Withings Health Games by Paul E King first appeared on Pocketables.
With the world’s eyes on France for some reason this week, Withings has decided to get into the game by launching the Withings Health Games, a two- week challenge encouraging people to go for a medal in their health journey.
The games run until August 11, 2024 and pit Withings users against themselves (and possibly others) using an Acti-score… want a gold in dishwashing? Might be yours for the taking. Bronze in dog walking? You can do better.
Due to some other games going on in my life I managed to miss this announcement and the Withings games have been going on for a couple of days. So catch up!
The Withings Health Games should appear in your Withings app and probably require one of their amazing watches, which I highly recommend.
Want to feel like an organized sports professional? Participate in the Withings Health Games by Paul E King first appeared on Pocketables.
With the world’s eyes on France for some reason this week, Withings has decided to get into the game by launching the Withings Health Games, a two- week challenge encouraging people to go for a medal in their health journey.
The games run until August 11, 2024 and pit Withings users against themselves (and possibly others) using an Acti-score… want a gold in dishwashing? Might be yours for the taking. Bronze in dog walking? You can do better.
Due to some other games going on in my life I managed to miss this announcement and the Withings games have been going on for a couple of days. So catch up!
The Withings Health Games should appear in your Withings app and probably require one of their amazing watches, which I highly recommend.
Want to feel like an organized sports professional? Participate in the Withings Health Games by Paul E King first appeared on Pocketables.
How important is monitoring and managing your health? If youre like me and you have numerous chronic health conditions, you may be looking for something that can help you monitor those conditions outside of a doctors office. The Withings Body Scan scale is designed to help people with heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions. It is more than just your average bathroom scale; it is the most advanced bathroom scale ever made and provides professional-level measurements in the comfort of your own home.
It’s the nature of my job to always be sporting one, if not two, overtly techy wearables, typically with colorful, AMOLED displays and gym rat aesthetics. This is fantastic for someone who keeps up with modern gadgetry, works out regularly, and can probably do a handful of pull-ups (spoiler, I cannot), but what about anyone looking to venture out of the house without broadcasting they religiously track steps? The Withings ScanWatch 2 is just the device. Its elegant, analog design suggests a cocktail bar more than a curl bar, yet it quietly tracks a handful of advanced health stats and activity data like any modern smartwatch.
The ScanWatch 2 is a beautiful, luxury wearable with an analog aesthetic and hidden smarts.
At first glance, the ScanWatch 2 is simply a stylish timepiece, and a gorgeous one at that. With clean lines and premium build materials, the watch seamlessly blends into any business casual wardrobe (though it doesn’t look out of place with jeans and a t-shirt either). Its stainless steel case features a protruding rotating crown and is available in either 42mm or 38mm, each offering a small range of color options. In the larger size, shoppers will find black or pearl white choices. In 38mm, the options expand to also include sand or blue faces with gold cases. Covered in sapphire glass, each display features a standard clock face plus a secondary dial for tracking your step goal.
And then things start to get interesting. Like the original ScanWatch, the new generation features a small grayscale OLED display, the official “window” into the watch’s undercover features. With a turn of the digital crown, users can check their heart rate, temperature variation, steps, and distance, start a workout or breathwork session, take an ECG or SpO2 measurement, and access the device’s settings. Notably, there isn’t a screen for sleep tracking, which feels like a slight oversight as the ScanWatch 2 can actually track your sleep patterns. This display space is small, measuring just .63 inches, but I find it plenty useful for completing basic tasks and checking stats.
Fortunately, the device records a ton of key stats worth checking. Like the original, the ScanWatch 2 tracks steps, distance, calories, workouts, heart rate, and blood oxygen. As mentioned, it also offers on-demand SpO2 readings as well as on-demand ECG recordings with FDA-approved atrial fibrillation detection. The latter makes the watch a particularly strong contender for shoppers antsy to keep tabs on their heart health and thanks to its timeless look, it’s a great pick for senior users who may be reluctant to wear a modern smartwatch.
The device is also a detailed sleep tracker, measuring sleep stages, duration, interruptions, and regularity. I found these sleep stats comparable to my Oura Ring 3; however, occasionally, the watch overestimates my sleep, counting time in bed as time asleep. (Granted, I should have been sleeping rather than reading until all hours of the night.) Unlike the original model, the 2’s PPG sensor now measures your respiratory rate.
The Withings ScanWatch 2 also packs a new temperature sensor for measuring fluctuations daily and overnight, as well as during workouts. The TempTech24/7 module monitors skin and ambient temperatures to distinguish potential symptoms from environmental conditions. I didn’t receive any elevated temperatures during my testing, but theoretically, the tool could be useful for determining oncoming illness. Temperature sensing is a growing trend in the wearables market, and such trackers can now be found on most of the top devices. Adding this capability is an important upgrade for the company to make to keep up with the competition.
The new generation ScanWatch adds 24-hour temperature monitoring and on-device cycle tracking.
Likewise, the new model also adds on-device women’s cycle tracking. This includes period predictions on the wrist plus the ability to log flow trends and symptoms. You can still do much more from the app than on the device, but it is nice to see this access available. I am always grateful for the prioritizing of women’s health tracking, and it’s not a surprise to see a health-focused brand do so.
And yet, as mentioned at the start, this is a health-monitoring hybrid device, not a dedicated fitness tracker. Though I found the ScanWatch 2 extremely comfortable for all-day wear and sleep tracking, it isn’t meant for fitness buffs. It doesn’t pack some crucial tools for athletes, namely built-in GPS. At this point in a review, I would typically include a mapped outdoor workout to show the accuracy of a wearable’s GPS, but in this case, the data collected simply relies on your paired phone, not the watch itself.
I don’t love pocketing a phone on long runs, so the lack of built-in GPS is disappointing at this price point. However, the decision directs my attention back to the device’s intended audience. With over 40 sports modes and useful activity analysis, the ScanWatch 2 is certainly a reliable activity tracker for those interested in the basics, but it’s not a sports watch for serious athletes.
The ScanWatch 2 is lacking in both smart features and tools for athletes, including built-in GPS.
It’s also very limited in smart features, offering just band-style notifications that can be cumbersome to read. I usually don’t wait for the entire message but merely use the alert to determine whether I need to grab my phone. I would have liked to see Withings add music controls to the newest generation as well as digital payment support. I don’t mind the lack of apps and phone call support because, in my opinion, those features are beyond the scope of what a hybrid device needs to offer. If you find them important, this is not the watch for you.
Before you bail on the idea of a ScanWatch 2, I saved the discussion of the best feature for last. The watch can last up to 30 days between charges, a staggering stat compared to most leading smartwatches. During this review, the device easily surpassed two full weeks with regular workouts, notifications, and feature use (I’ve yet to kill the battery). Granted, I did disable Raise to Wake after the first day, as that feature will definitely drain power quickly. However, and I cannot stress this enough, there is no feeling of luxury I appreciate more than having no idea where a device’s charger is because it rarely needs it. This is an exaggeration, I’m terribly anal about organization, but the point is, you will rarely need to charge your watch and are very unlikely to find yourself with a dead device unexpectedly.
The biggest strength of the ScanWatch 2 is its phenomenal up-to-30-day battery life.
When you do need to power up, the ScanWatch 2 ships with a proprietary charger that reminds me of child-proofing devices. You need to ensure the watch is placed in the correct orientation, then pull on the spring-loaded end to fit the watch in place. It’s straightforward despite its funky shape and securely holds the watch for effective charging. Reloading from 0 to 100 percent battery will take about 2 hours, which is long, but again, you won’t need to do it often.
The ScanWatch 2 is an attractive buy, but it’s not the only device worth considering. Check out these alternatives for more options.
| Withings ScanWatch 2 | |
|---|---|
| Display | 0.63-inch OLED 16-bit Grayscale color 282ppi |
| Dimensions and weight | 38 or 42mm case 18 or 20mm band 38mm case: 34.6g without band 42mm case: 52.6g without band |
| Build materials | Stainless steel case and crown Sapphire Glass display |
| Battery | Up to 30 days in smartwatch mode 2-hour charging time |
| IP rating | 5ATM |
| Sensors | TempTech24/7 Module High Dynamic Range Accelerometer Multi-wavelength PPG 16 channels Altimeter |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth LE |
| Compatibility | Android 9 and higher iOS 15 and higher |
The Withings ScanWatch 2 features a water resistance rating of 5ATM.
In some regions, the use of the device’s ECG app requires a physician to enable it. As such, a free virtual appointment is scheduled by Withings for users at set up. This chat is an opportunity to learn more about the device’s abilities and the health benefits of ECG readings. My appointment took roughly 15 minutes. You must also be 22 or older to use the ECG feature.
The Withings ScanWatch 2 offers connected GPS, so you will need to bring your phone on runs and rides to track your route.
The Withings ScanWatch 2 is safe to wear in the shower thanks to its 5ATM water resistance rating. With that said, all wearables are subject to damage when exposed to steam or corrosive materials like shampoos.
The Withings ScanWatch 2 is FDA approved.
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