I’ve never really respected hybrid smartwatches. Companies slap analog hands on a digital watch and call it a hybrid, but the design still feels like a piece of tech on your wrist. To be a true hybrid, classic watchmaking and aesthetics must be given more than a passing nod. No one is expecting high horology, but more can be done to win the respect of watch enthusiasts. Withings attempts to strike that balance with the ScanWatch 2. It features a premium build quality and an ambitious array of smartwatch features, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it should wind up on your wrist.
Withings ScanWatch 2
The Withings ScanWatch 2 features impressive battery life and a premium build, making it an attractive choice as a hybrid smartwatch. Its dial is protected by sapphire crystal, giving users added peace of mind for daily wear. It sports an upgraded PPG sensor, setting it apart from the ScanWatch Light.
Price and availability
Amazon and Withings are the places to go
The Withings ScanWatch 2 is available through Withings for $349. The price is the same whether you choose the 42 or 38mm diameters, with additional leather, fluoroelastomer, and stainless steel bands available for an additional cost. You have several dial colors and case combinations, with Black and Pearl White offered on the 42mm silver case back version. In addition to Black and Pearl White, Withings offers Sand and Blue dials, with a rose gold case finish for the 38mm variant.
Design and display
It’s a blend of new and old
It’s clear from the design that Withings wanted to lean into the analog watch aesthetic with the ScanWatch 2. Aside from the discreet grayscale display at the 12 o’clock position, nothing about the device screams “smartwatch.” Despite being a tad thicker than your average dress watch, the ScanWatch 2 is easy to wear — at just over 52g (35 for the 38mm version), it felt comfortable on my seven-inch wrist. For comparison, it’s the same weight as the smaller Galaxy Watch 6 Classic. Weight is especially important if you want to use your watch for sleep tracking, as nothing is more distracting than a bulky watch while you’re trying to get your slumber.
I love that Withings chose sapphire crystal to protect the dial. It’s a trend that has reached sub-$500 analog watches, and I’m glad to see that being reflected with smartwatches. It gives the wearer extra peace of mind, and any watch-wearer knows the sudden pang of horror when you scrape your watch face against a surface with just mineral crystal protecting you from scratches.
Unfortunately, the sapphire is slightly domed without any anti-reflective coating, creating quite a few reflections in almost any lighting. Viewing can be particularly challenging outdoors, especially against the black watchface. I hope Withings considers an AR coating for future versions, as it’s fairly common on watches using sapphire crystal.
Simple applied indices mark the time, with only an hour and minute hand on the dial. I like that Withings took the time to lume the hands. It’s not exactly the Super Luminova you’ll find on your favorite Seiko, but its soft blue hue gets the job done in the dark. I’m disappointed that the sub-dial at the 6 o’clock position only tracks steps. It was a missed opportunity to feature a running secondhand, giving the watch even more of an analog feel.
The crown at 3 o’clock handles all watch functions. It’s solid stainless steel, with a satisfying rotation as you cycle through the menus. The ScanWatch 2 rotates its hands to the 10 and 2 o’clock position whenever you access the menus, allowing for easy visibility. It’s a small feature but proof Withings put thought and care into the device’s design. The stainless steel case feels premium, and the ScanWatch 2 offers 50 meters of water resistance.
Haptics are outstanding on the ScanWatch. I highly recommend muting them overnight or leaving the watch on a soft surface because it will sound like a ‘90s pager vibrating against your nightstand if you don’t wear your watch for sleep tracking. Either way, you’ll never miss a notification or be unsure of an incoming call with your ScanWatch.
The 0.63-inch grayscale LCD handles notifications and readouts. It gets reasonably bright, and I never had an issue seeing text in daylight. It’s a pixelated experience, but I was pleasantly surprised by how readable even X (artist formerly known as Twitter) notifications were as they scrolled by. I could even read Whatsapp messages — handy for knowing which queries needed an immediate response.
A basic app but it gets the job done
The Withings companion app handles data collection and settings for the ScanWatch 2. It’s part of a larger ecosystem featuring various health and lifestyle tech. All told I found the app relatively inoffensive, with information and data displayed clearly. Even though it worked well, it’s not the most intuitive experience. Some sensors and tracking data are turned off by default, with notifications not allowed either. I found myself digging through the menus to ensure all of the watch’s features were running.
While it wasn’t my experience, some Android users have complained of battery drain because of the Withings app, with Pixel users seeing the most impact.
Like most companies with health tracking devices in 2023, Withings has a subscription service that unlocks additional utility. The company did a good job of limiting the additional content to insights, allowing users to better understand the health data they are seeing and giving people more suggestions for living a healthier lifestyle. Nothing is more frustrating than putting additional sensors behind a paywall, so I’m glad Withings made the ScanWatch 2 perfectly usable without the subscription. If you want the additional insights, it will cost you $10 a month or $100 for an entire year.
Fitness and health
Plenty of tracking options in a dress watch package
Even though the ScanWatch 2 does a good job of keeping up appearances as an analog watch, it features a full range of health and activity sensors. Sleep tracking felt accurate, with my score and periods of light and deep sleep highlighted on a chart. I kept track of when I woke up during the night, and the ScanWatch 2 accurately identified all the interruptions.
It will keep track of your body temperature throughout the day, displaying any variations. At first, the watch displayed differences between my temperature while sleeping and during the day, which resulted in a higher reading. However, recently, it seems like the values have returned to normal, with the ScanWatch 2 displaying the proper variations. It also uses the temperature data to help you avoid heat exhaustion during workouts.
The ScanWatch 2 has plenty of built-in activities to choose from, ranging from ice hockey to kitesurfing. If you’re arunner, the watch will match body temperture to help you improve recovery time, giving you information on when your temps return to normal. Overall, it’s an impressive lineup of fitness tracking and features, especially given the watches' design.
The ScanWatch 2 also has a variety of heart-related monitors. It will track heart rate, with warnings for low or high values. ECG functionality is available, but the Withings app asked for two data releases I wasn’t comfortable with. The app claims it’s because I reside in New Jersey, but I’ve never had to consent to a release of information for ECG readings before. When asked, Withings mentioned that the disclosures are region-specific and only need to be completed once — hardly reassuring.
VO2 Max is monitored, along with steps, calories burned, and an altimeter to gauge how many floors you’ve traveled. Blood oxygen levels are on demand, with additional readings taken overnight during sleep. Menstrual tracking is also available through the ScanWatch 2, allowing users to track cycle phases and even moods. Additional features, such as respiratory rate tracking and workout temperature zones will be added in future updates. Unlike the less expensive ScanWatch Light, the ScanWatch 2 features an upgraded multi-channel PPG sensor, providing more accurate blood oxygen readings.
Battery life
Can last almost a month
Withings claims the ScanWatch 2 can last for up to 30 days on a single charge. And while that number might be a bit generous, the battery life is definitely impressive. I found that an entire night’s worth of sleep tracking took less than 3% of the battery — compare that to the close to 30% needed for the Google Pixel Watch 2 to track an entire sleep cycle. Standby drain was next to nothing, and I could easily see going over 3 weeks without needing a charge.
Withings included a proprietary charger for powering back up. It’s a bit slower than other smartwatches I’ve used, taking over an hour to get a full charge, but given the outsized battery life compared to the competition, I didn’t mind the extra time.
Competition
Not the only Withings to consider
The Withings ScanWatch Light provides the same analog look and feel at a lower price. It’s only available in 37mm, and the ScanWatch Light is missing a few features of its bigger brother. In addition, it doesn’t feature the analog step counter at 6 o’clock, but it is available in more color variants than the ScanWatch 2. The smaller diameter is limiting depending on your wrist size, but it might be worth considering with its $250 price point.
If you’re looking for something a bit bigger, theSamsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classicfor $349 is a good alternative. It features the return of the rotating bezel, giving it a bit of a traditional watch feel, and a sapphire crystal protects the display. You can download many apps not available on the ScanWatch 2, but you sacrifice the look and feel of an analog watch.
Should you buy it?
I found that I enjoyed the ScanWatch 2 after a couple of weeks on the wrist. At first, I was confused by what it had to offer, but once I tweaked the notification settings and turned on features in the app, the ScanWatch 2 came alive. As someone who loves traditional analog watches, I appreciate what the ScanWatch 2 brings to the table. I can get the aesthetic I want without sacrificing the health-tracking features I’d expect from a smartwatch.
