Withings ScanWatch 2

The Withings ScanWatch 2 is a hybrid watch: real analog hands and a dial on the outside, health sensors and a small OLED display on the inside. Withings announced it on 31 August 2023 as the flagship of a new ScanWatch generation, together with the cheaper ScanWatch Light, and presented it as a watch that tracks health day and night rather than a mini smartphone on the wrist. This page is a spec-and-information-based review built from Withings' launch press release, its support documentation and its current product pages, and it marks where a figure has changed since launch.

Where it sits in the lineup

The ScanWatch 2 follows the original ScanWatch from 2020 and replaces it as Withings' top hybrid model. Withings opened pre-orders on its own website on launch day at 349.95 US dollars, 349.95 euros or 319.95 pounds, with wider retail availability from October 2023. It comes in two case sizes, 38 mm and 42 mm. The ScanWatch Light, a 37 mm model priced at 249.95 US dollars at launch, shares the display and software but drops several sensors, and you can read about it on the Withings ScanWatch Light page. Against a full smartwatch such as the Apple Watch Series 10, the ScanWatch 2 trades apps and screen real estate for battery life and a classic look, and the ScanWatch 2 vs Apple Watch Series 10 table makes the trade-off visible.

Design and display

The 38 mm version has a case diameter of 38.4 mm, a thickness of 13.4 mm and a weight of 34.6 g without the wristband, with an 18 mm fluoroelastomer band that fits wrists from 146 to 211 mm. The 42 mm version is 42 mm across, 12.9 mm thick and weighs 52.6 g, with a 20 mm band for wrists from 163 to 239 mm. Withings lists a stainless steel case and sapphire glass on its current pages, and water resistance of 5 ATM, which covers swimming. The dial has analog hands for the time and a small sub-dial for steps and activity, which Withings says the Light model does not have. Above the centre sits a 0.63-inch circular OLED display with 14,504 pixels and 282 PPI. According to Withings, it shows 16 shades of grey with a brightness of 260 cd, and it presents readings such as heart rate and temperature as well as notifications and manual logging. Colours at launch were black and white for the 38 mm size and black for the 42 mm size, with silver white and rose gold variations following.

Heart, oxygen and temperature

This is the part that sets the ScanWatch 2 apart from fashion hybrids. The original ScanWatch was cleared by the FDA for atrial fibrillation detection with ECG and for SpO2, and the ScanWatch 2 builds on it with a MultiWave PPG sensor that uses four wavelengths and 16 PPG channels, and a high dynamic range accelerometer. Its stated capabilities include ECG recording with AFib detection, heart rate variability, respiratory rate and SpO2. Withings marks SpO2 on the ScanWatch 2 as non-medical in its launch release, so read that value as a wellness measure. The signature addition is TempTech 24/7, a module that combines a miniature heat flux sensor with a high-accuracy temperature sensor, alongside heart rate and accelerometer input, to follow variations in your baseline body temperature by day and night and during workouts. Withings stresses that this tracks fluctuation over time, may indicate the onset of illness and is not an on-demand thermometer.

Activity, sleep and women's health

The upgraded accelerometer allows the watch to recognise more than 40 activities automatically and track workouts with better directional accuracy. Both ScanWatch models measure steps, distance, elevation, workouts, calories, light and deep sleep, breathing disturbances, VO2 max, respiratory scan and menstrual cycle information. Withings added menstrual cycle logging to the new generation: you can record stages, symptoms, flow and period dates on the watch or in the app and receive predictions for future dates, with a downloadable report to share with a doctor. The company says this feature relies on manual logging for now rather than the temperature sensor. A PowerSense Pro update to the operating system picks the best moments to take a measurement, and the watch detects when it is not worn to avoid pointless tracking, which helps conserve battery.

Battery life

Battery life is the main selling point. At launch Withings quoted a 30-day battery life, and its current product pages state up to 35 days, with a charging time of about two hours. Both figures are manufacturer claims, and the difference suggests that the number depends on settings and software, so treat 30 days as the conservative expectation. Even then, the result is far above the one or two days of most smartwatches, and the watch can be worn day and night for sleep tracking without a nightly charge. Withings points to the small grayscale OLED display and its PowerSense Pro software, which picks the best moments for measurements, as part of the explanation.

Software and the Withings app

The watch runs Withings' own HealthSense operating system and pairs with the Withings app on iOS 15 or later and Android 9 or later. The app collects the data, shows a health improvement score with sub-scores for activity, heart health, body metrics and sleep, and builds reports that can be shared with physicians. Because the watch is not a platform for third-party apps, notifications and apps are limited compared with a full smartwatch, and none of Withings' launch material mentions calls, a speaker, contactless payments or music storage. This looks like a deliberate choice rather than an oversight, but it matters if you expect to answer messages or pay from the wrist.

Compromises to consider

• Price. At 349.95 US dollars it costs as much as many full smartwatches.
• Limited smart features. The tiny display, lack of third-party apps and absence of payments or music are real limits.
• Small display. Reading notifications and ECG results on a 0.63-inch screen is less comfortable than on a larger panel.
• Size and weight. The 42 mm model weighs 52.6 g without the band, noticeably heavier than most lifestyle watches.
• Not a medical device substitute. Features are for information and should not replace medical advice.

Putting the numbers in context

When comparing watches, note that the weights and dimensions of the two sizes differ clearly: the 38 mm version weighs only about two thirds of the 42 mm one, while the difference in features is zero. Trying them on therefore matters more than for devices that come in one size only. The same applies to the health features: they deliver trends, and if a value looks unusual the right reaction is to see a doctor, not to self-diagnose with an app. The watch is a tool that makes anomalies visible, not one that judges them.

Who it is for

The Withings ScanWatch 2 suits people who want continuous health monitoring, including ECG and temperature trends, in a watch that looks like a classic timepiece and rarely needs charging. It fits anyone who wears a watch overnight for sleep insight and does not need apps on the wrist. If you prefer a full smartwatch ecosystem, compare it with the Garmin Venu 3 or the Amazfit Balance. You can browse every model in the smartwatches category or see how it scores in our rankings.