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Withings ScanWatch Review

Withings is back with a brand new wearable to tempt traditional timepiece enthusiasts who aren’t completely sold on the smartwatch concept. Blending premium design with some core smart functionality and even smarter health features, here’s our verdict on the Withings ScanWatch.

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What we love – gorgeous design, simple interface and long-lasting battery

When we say that the Withings ScanWatch is a smartwatch for people who don’t like smartwatches – it’s definitely a compliment. The ScanWatch isn’t concerned with AMOLED displays or anything typically modern, instead the watch feels old school in a way that still looks a heck of a lot better than any other modern smartwatch.

The use of traditional, physical watch hands ensures that the time is always there when you need it, so there’s no tilt to wake feature to worry about. Just as with an analogue timepiece, a quick glance at your wrist will give you all the information you need to know.

The inclusion of a small digital display behind the watch face does give the ScanWatch smart functionality however, giving you notification updates and letting you know if someone’s calling. There’s no touchscreen involved, with navigation diverted entirely to the ScanWatch’s crown. This might seem a tad simplistic, but that’s exactly why it’s easy to use and impossible to get bogged down in menus.

Withings ScanWatch

While there’s no app library to speak of, the ScanWatch does pack some serious health tracking features. A medical grade ECG sensor is onboard to pick up any irregularities on your heart beat, alongside SpO2 tracking.

Withings claims a 30-day battery life with the ScanWatch, and it’s telling that in the two-week span of testing, including multiple tracking workouts and ECG tests, I was left with 24% after a single charge. I have no doubt that a far more moderate user could stretch the ScanWatch’s lifespan ever further.

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What we don’t like – lacklustre fitness tracking, no GPS or NFC

You’d think that for all the focus on cutting edge health tracking features, that the Withings ScanWatch could more than hold its own in the realm of fitness, but sadly not. Despite having a decent array of workouts to track, the ScanWatch’s heart rate data can vary wildly. Cardio exercises fair better, but weightlifting did not agree with the ScanWatch, as the device simply stopped tracking my heart rate at various points.

Similarly, for a fairly high-priced device, it would’ve been nice to see built-in GPS tracking or even NFC added, but sadly both of these features are lacking in the final product.

Verdict

As one of the most attractive smartwatches ever made, the Withings ScanWatch won’t be going out of style anytime soon. Throw in a month-long battery life and an easy to use interface and you’re looking at a fantastic blueprint for what should be a whole new genre of wearable devices.

Our Recombu reviews are created using data collected by Trusted Reviews Labs, utilising their testing expertise to bring you an easy-to-read, short-form review.

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