Withings ScanWatch 2 Review

Withings ScanWatch 2 introduction:

The Withings ScanWatch 2 is a hybrid smartwatch combining classic design with advanced health features. It offers 24/7 heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen tracking, ECG, and sleep analysis. Featuring a sleek analog display with a small digital screen, it seamlessly blends style with smart health tracking. With a long battery life of up to 30 days and water resistance, it’s perfect for everyday wear while keeping track of vital health metrics.

The Withings ScanWatch 2 ($349.95) retains the stylish analog design, remarkable 30-day battery life, and medical-grade ECG functionality of its predecessor, while adding some enhanced health-tracking features. This new model includes continuous body temperature monitoring and overnight heart rate variability (HRV) tracking. Though these upgrades are beneficial, they may not justify the $50 price hike, particularly with many budget-friendly smartwatches offering similar features. The ScanWatch 2 is a solid option if you prefer discreet health tracking over wearing an obvious fitness device, but the $159.95 Fitbit Charge 6, which also offers ECG, HRV, and skin temperature tracking, remains a more affordable Editors’ Choice.

Price and Availability 

The ScanWatch 2, like its predecessor, comes in two bezel sizes: 38mm and 42mm. Unlike the first-generation model, which was priced at $279.99 for the smaller version and $299.99 for the larger, the ScanWatch 2 is set at $349.95, regardless of size. It offers various bezel and band color combinations, including silver/black (both sizes), silver/white (both sizes), rose gold/sand (38mm), and rose gold/blue (38mm). The watch face color complements the band on each model. For this review, Withings provided the 42mm silver/black version.

For a more budget-friendly option, Withings offers the $249.95 ScanWatch Light, featuring a smaller 37mm case. This version lacks some key features found in the ScanWatch 2, such as built-in GPS, atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection, and support for blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), body temperature, and ECG monitoring.

Appearance and Design

The ScanWatch 2 retains the design of its predecessor, featuring two circular insets positioned behind the analog clock hands. The upper inset is a small, monochrome OLED display that cycles through health data and notifications, while the lower inset is an analog dial with a single hand that tracks your daily step progress.

As someone with a petite frame, I found the 42mm ScanWatch 2 overly large for my wrist, though it would likely suit men or those with larger wrists. For a better fit, the 37mm ScanWatch Light felt more comfortable on my wrist, leading me to believe the 38mm version of the ScanWatch 2 would be a better option for me.

Small Screen

The ScanWatch 2 features a 0.63-inch grayscale OLED display, which is an improvement in size and quality over the 0.54-inch PMOLED monochrome screen of the original model. However, the display remains quite small, which is a notable drawback of its minimalist design. Reading text on the tiny screen can be challenging, particularly if you’re trying to quickly check your heart rate during a workout.

Unlike Apple, Garmin, or Fitbit devices that showcase your fitness and health data on a larger, more vibrant screen, the ScanWatch 2 opts for subtlety. Its minimal display isn’t ideal for those who prefer at-a-glance access to their stats, despite being slightly bigger and clearer than its predecessor.

Simple Controls

The ScanWatch 2 lacks touch capabilities, requiring all navigation to be handled through a button on the right side, which can be pressed and rotated. Pressing the button wakes the display, while turning it lets you scroll through various health metrics and settings, including calories burned, ECG readings, heart rate, step count, workouts, and more.

As a competitive runner accustomed to the touchscreens on many GPS sports watches, adjusting to the ScanWatch 2’s button controls took me a few days. However, once I became familiar with it, navigating the watch to check heart rate or start a cardio workout was simple and straightforward.

Heath and Fitness Tracking 
Advanced Wellness and Recovery Insights 

With the addition of Withings’ HealthSense Gen 3 software and TempTech24/7 module, the ScanWatch 2 offers continuous body temperature monitoring throughout the day. This marks a significant upgrade over the original ScanWatch, which runs on the older HealthSense Gen 2 software and lacks body temperature tracking. This feature is especially beneficial for those seeking accurate menstrual cycle tracking or more detailed insights into recovery and overall health.

The ScanWatch 2 allows you to monitor fluctuations in your baseline temperatures both during the day and night, track temperature zones during exercise, observe average temperatures while awake, and check post-workout recovery temperatures. In contrast, the Fitbit Charge 6 and most other wearables that track body temperature only do so during sleep.

The second-generation ScanWatch introduces overnight heart rate variability (HRV) tracking, which adds a valuable health metric to its feature set. HRV is an important indicator of the balance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Monitoring HRV overnight provides a reliable measure of recovery, as research shows that higher HRV values suggest your heart is prepared to handle physical and mental stress. On the other hand, a decline in your average overnight HRV may signal overtraining or insufficient recovery from physical or emotional stress, while consistently high HRV levels indicate a well-balanced and healthy nervous system.

The remaining fitness and health tracking features of the ScanWatch 2 closely resemble those of its predecessor.

Helpful Fitness Data 

On the ScanWatch 2, you can view a range of health metrics, including breathing rate, heart rate, sleep data, and step count. These metrics can be customized and managed via the free Withings Health Mate app, available for both Android and iOS. The watch also allows you to log menstrual cycle details directly on the device. For more comprehensive insights, such as menstrual cycle forecasts, the Health Mate app provides in-depth analysis.

Both the ScanWatch and ScanWatch 2 offer heart health features like medical-grade ECG measurements with AFib detection, daily and overnight heart rate averages, and customizable high and low heart rate alerts. Sleep tracking, workout monitoring, and respiratory data are consistent between the two models, with detailed analyses available through the app. Additionally, the ScanWatch 2, like its predecessor, includes onboard GPS.

The Health Mate app’s free version provides access to all fundamental health data collected by the ScanWatch 2. When purchasing the watch directly from Withings, you receive a one-month trial of Withings+, the app’s premium version. After the trial period, you can either switch to the free version or opt for a subscription, which costs $9.95 per month or $99.50 annually. The premium version includes features like a Health Improvement Score for tracking progress, daily wellness guidance, and a library of recipes and workouts.

Accurate Heart Rate Recordings

To assess the accuracy of the ScanWatch 2’s heart rate monitor, I compared it during several runs with a Fitbit Charge 5, a Garmin Forerunner 265 running watch ($449.99), and a Polar OH1 heart rate monitor ($59.95).

Initially, I anticipated that the stylish ScanWatch 2 might lag behind in performance, potentially showing inaccuracies in heart rate or monitoring gaps during my runs. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the heart rate, distance, and pace measurements from the ScanWatch 2 closely matched those of the Garmin Forerunner 265. On multiple occasions, the ScanWatch 2’s heart rate readings were even in perfect alignment with those from the Polar armband. In contrast, the Fitbit Charge 5, which is a few years old and has been succeeded by the Charge 6, showed the least accuracy in these tests.

ECG Measurements 

When you initiate an ECG measurement with the ScanWatch 2, you’ll feel a single vibration to signal the start, followed by two quick vibrations to indicate that the recording is complete. If your phone is nearby, you can view the ECG trace in real-time through the app. However, if you don’t have your phone with you, you can still perform the ECG directly from the watch and review the results later. Once the measurement is finished, the ScanWatch 2 displays your heart rate, a lead D1 ECG trace, and a rhythm classification indicating one of three possible outcomes: normal sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, or inconclusive. The app also allows you to share your ECG results with a healthcare provider directly.

Battery Life and Charging

Powers Through a Month

A key highlight of Withings’ watches is their impressive battery longevity. Like its predecessor, the second-generation ScanWatch promises up to 30 days of battery life under regular use. My tests confirmed that the battery can easily last a full month between charges if GPS is not in use. Even with GPS activated for outdoor workouts, the ScanWatch 2 surpasses the Garmin Forerunner 265, which offers up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. Additionally, the ScanWatch 2 features a rapid charging capability, typically reaching a full charge in under two hours from empty.

Cheaply Made Charger 

My only concern with the ScanWatch 2 is the design of its charger, which consists of a flimsy plastic cradle. It’s best to place the charger on a stable, flat surface to avoid any disruptions, as the watch does not securely snap into the dock. If the charger is jostled or tilted, the ScanWatch 2 may not align properly, leading to incomplete charging. The watch is compatible only with this proprietary charger, and if it’s lost or damaged, a replacement can be purchased from Withings for $25.

Verdict: A Discreet, Pricey Wellness Wearable

The Withings ScanWatch 2 retains the elegant design of its predecessor while enhancing its health monitoring features. This updated model keeps the classic look but adds continuous body temperature tracking and overnight heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring. These new capabilities offer valuable insights into recovery, menstrual cycle tracking, and overall stress levels. For those seeking a sophisticated wellness wearable with comprehensive health analytics and impressive battery life, the ScanWatch 2 is a strong choice. However, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Fitbit Charge 6 provides similar health tracking features, a color touch screen, and is priced approximately $200 less, making it our Editors’ Choice for fitness trackers.