Withings ScanWatch Review - Is it better than the Steel HR?!?!

We review the ScanWatch from Withings! We generally like the new(ish) ScanWatch and find its a big improvement over the SteelHR - however there are some small issues that may be deal breakers for some people. So we go over the pros and cons to find out if it's the right watch for you!
Buy your own: geni.us/NbrId (Amazon)
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Chris G
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[@rarenium2500]

The timer issue is fixed, after the countdown you end up at the timer option again. And the limit on workouts in the menu is 8 now instead of 5. Just upgraded from the Steel HR and it feels like an upgrade. Like how the dials move to clear the display if they are in front of it and the feedback from the crown. And it looks fantastic. The strap is a bit boring, 20mm if you want to change. The app is more or less the same, somewhat boring and I cant find the "set goals" option.

[@ComputerStuff]

They must have been listening! Glad to hear they are making improvements to the software. This is unusual for them. Appreciate you're commenting!

[@kirkwagner461]

I had a Steel HR for 3-4 years, and now have a Scanwatch. I'm not someone who works out a lot, and I wanted something I could wear daily and still get some metric about my daily activity levels. I've gotten compliments about it, and people are surprised it has fitness features, as most people think those can only be had from bulkier hunks of plastic, and/or something with an Apples price tag.

[@ComputerStuff]

I'm glad you like the watch, Kirk!

[@d-fro8964]

Appreciate the in-depth review and pointing out the pros/cons. I especially like that you stated when you buy a product, if the UI is lacking, there's no guarantee that it will be improved with updates. Withings has proved so with the steel hr. I have it, and during workouts I find that using the timer/stopwatch is so inconvenient that I switch to using my phone or $20 casio watch. It should be able to save a set timer, set through either the watch or the app. The fact that the digital display can't be set to always on is also a huge misstep. At least give us the option to sacrifice battery to keep it always on, or when using the timer/stopwatch. Seeing in your review that these issues have not been fixed kept me from buying it right away so thank you, keep it up.

[@ComputerStuff]

Thanks for watching Dylan. Yeah I wish Withings would list to its customers more. They seem to be very tone deaf in regards to customer feedback.

[@johnolthuis1952]

I have both the Steel HR and the Scanwatch. I never take my Steel HR off. I do renovations, work on the car, shower, swim and of course, exercise with it.( I switch arms occasionally to keep my tan even.. 😊) Charge is good for a month and charges super fast when needed. I have the Withings scale and mattress pad sleep monitor as well. My only issue with the HR was I scratched and then the glass shattered. It was under warranty so they replaced the whole watch. I now use self healing silicone lens covers. They provide excellent protection and last several months. The Scanwatch is even better, unfortunately for me, my wife has decided it is hers..😢 She loves it. If you want a durable, sophisticated and attractive watch then get a Withings.

[@ComputerStuff]

Glad you like your watch!

[@JH-1775]

Great review. From my perspective, I really like the classic watch look and have found the general fitness and health features at about the right level for me. Very nice design and a great app for tracking my goals and overall fitness. Withings just gets better with every new design and isn’t as ubiquitous as the Apple Watch. I like that.

[@ComputerStuff]

We're currently reviewing Apple Watch 7 - I still don't love Apple Watch - and I so wanted to love the ScanWatch but the 5 workouts thing really killed it for me! Among a couple other things! That said any manufacturer willing to distance themselves from the Apple Watch is OK by me!

[@hhinck6961]

The step accuracy was a little annoying but mainly bought it for its heart monitoring. The Withing ScanWatch that my husband was finally able to purchase in June 2021, albeit from Germany's Amazon, since the FDA hadn't quite approved it in the US yet, he found out his heart was in Afib again in October. It was awesome to know so fast, as he only had to wait 3 weeks (that long because the watch was still waiting for the American FDA approval, so had to do a separate tests to prove the same thing) vs 4 years ago of not even knowing for several months that he was in Afib until he happened to find out when he had an EKG before his hernia operation. But by then, the extra wait time, caused extra stress on his heart valves that almost caused him to have open heart surgery (even with a 2nd opinion). This time when they reset his heart rhythm again with cardioversion so much sooner, his valves weren't stressed as long as before, and is good to go for hopefully la ong time. But what a piece of mind, having the watch vs constantly physically measuring the heartbeat rhythms on your wrist or wondering if there's more of a reason to you being tired. I'm sold!

[@ComputerStuff]

Great!

[@joelfreed8080]

As someone who hated and tried three different times the Apple Watch I was thrilled to discover this one. It’s a mechanical watch lover looking for a smart watch the Apple little square black box on the wrist didn’t work for me. I do agree with you the accuracy is questionable. Especially when it comes to steps my iPhone will show 2000 steps more than the watch. Their support desk tells me they’re watch algorithm works by sensing the footfalls and therefore doesn’t record “falls steps” and do other devices. It’s good enough for me to give me a general sense of where I am with regard to heartbeat in a fib. The EKG works but once your heart rate goes down to 50 or less it just says unknown. Thanks again for the review

[@ComputerStuff]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Joel. It's strange, other reviewers have had accuracy issues with the ScanWatch as well but Withings seems to pass it off pretty often. Oh well - its definitely a unique smart watch!

[@mickaelsflow6774]

Wait, are we saying podometers on phone are better now? That's not often I hear that. It wasn't the case on my own devices.

[@mannykhan7752]

Great review and for the cons that you pointed out, I don't think this watch is designed for hardcore fitness enthusiasts. Its target audience is someone who likes classic look as well as light to moderate fitness activity for the day. If you want more features and options for fitness, you might wanna go for a Garmin or Fitbit or Apple.

[@angelogeorgescu6391]

Thanks for the review. Good overview. Would of liked more visual comparison with other brands and b-roll to better see the watch.

[@ComputerStuff]

Thanks for the feedback Angelo! We'll keep it in mind for future videos!

[@beny4175]

Appreciate the note that unintentional wrist bends don't activate the button. The fossil gen 6 did that for me and it was irritating enough for me to want to return it

[@ComputerStuff]

Yeah this watch held up well during workouts, but the limit to 5 workouts and lack of continuous timer was a dealbreaker for me.

[@miloslukic3677]

I think that domed crystal was actually a good choice. The sapphire used on this watch does not seem to have anti-reflective coating and if it was flat, you wouldn't be able to see the dial in certain angles due to lighting. Other than that, it comes down to personal preference (like aesthetics of polar grit x pro, yuck :D). The watch is also pretty accurate (unless lifting weights or very intensive workouts). That said, I think it is a great review, I also found the timer and limited exercise list frustrating, none of the other reviews point that out.

[@ComputerStuff]

Thanks for watching and commenting Milos. I'm glad you like your ScanWatch!

[@iainmcguire7190]

Yeah, this review demonstrates a total misunderstanding of how light and flat surfaces interact

[@germie7666]

Interesting review. As you summed it up, this is a normal daily watch with some basic smarts and very good battery life. If you need heaps of apps or want to track full workouts, get an Apple, Garmin or Fitbit.

[@brynjarjonsson5229]

Do it record naps? I have Steel HR and that watch dont.

[@karlstrand3328]

I’ve had a black Steel HR for 3+ years. The analog hands are pretty much unreadable in bright sunlight or dim light, in other words lighting has to be near perfect to even see the black analog hands. The LED display is also nearly impossible to see in bright sunlight, but easy to see in dim light. My crystal cracked within a few months, I bought a new generic flat sapphire crystal off eBay, popped it in, been good to go ever since. Sometimes it takes too long for the HR function to show a valid number, wish there was a way to “ping” the HR sensor to acquire a new signal.

[@Tryumph70]

Buenas noches, tal vez alguien pueda ayudarme. Acabo de comprar en una tienda online este producto. He recibido algo...parecido. En la caja no aparece como hr sport ni multisport, solamente como hr. Al abrirlo encuentro un producto similar, casi igual, la esfera añade abajo 5 ATM, la marca está escrita toda en negro, sin la letra y en rojo... Qué ocurre? Gracias.

[@carolynspinagrzywacz8691]

Do you think the Withings HR Sport may be a better option than the Scanwatch? Thanks

[@ComputerStuff]

I preferred the ScanWatch to the HR Sport. It has "more bang".

[@R4PTORZWIN]

I was considering this or the Fitbit Sense and I ended up going with the Fitbit Sense due to the better accuracy. Like you I viewed the Scanwatch as a casual fitness tracker.

[@ComputerStuff]

Do you like the Fitbit?

[@R4PTORZWIN]

@@ComputerStuff I think the Fitbit is pretty good. I use it with the Withings Body + scale and Hydrate Spark water bottle, as they all sync the Fitbit app. So I can track my sleep patterns, sleep duration, activity level, work out frequency, potential stress levels with RHR & HRV, food intake, water intake, weight, and estimated body composition. The slightly better battery life and lower price is what edged me to picking the Fitbit over the Apple Watch.

[@Bgsqlila]

I think it would work for me. Has anyone used this for POTS tracking or sleep apnea? I believe it’s supposed to detect sleep apnea.

[@hlwimmer]

... it does do sleep tracking and will monitor "breathing disturbances", but doesn't outright say "apnea" (but that's kind of what it indicates)

[@AD-xn7pt]

How's this compared to a Fitbit charge, strictly only comparing 'health features' and how accurately it tracks stats. Not comparing looks or 'smartwatch' features

[@ComputerStuff]

I demo'd a FitBit Charge for a month or so and wasn't impressed. I didn't find its metrics or stats to be accurate and found myself having to correct for its assessments more than relying on them. By all accounts I'd sooner trust the ScanWatch than the Charge although I'd take that with a grain of salt. If you're looking for the best HEALTH tracker and can get past the smart watch crap (which I am not a fan of), the Apple Watch, and it pains me to say, is the best health tracker you can buy.

[@kaykhan4100]

I am looking for a watch to wear to work which would not look like the regular ugly smart watches as I love my classic watches. Since I'll only be wearing it to the office, maybe this is it. I wish it had better movement options other than just walking but then I'll probably only be looking at steps walking to and from work. I'm thinking of buying a Garmin instinct solar for my outdoor activities. Ahhhh choices!!

[@ohmyrufiohhh1303]

Lol what if you are both? I'm athletic and like all the different metrics and capabilities the apple watch has. However, I am also the in office guy that likes to look sharp. In my opinion the apple watch looks awful in business casual attire. But I also feel like wearing the withings watch to the gym and for workouts is a bit much. I'd also be afraid to damage or scratch it from the workouts I do.

[@ComputerStuff]

You're speaking my gospel Rufio. Apple Watch - best all around fitness tracker but looks goofy and I hate the touch screen. ScanWatch - looks great but sub par fitness tracker. First world problems! haha

[@ReneOo]

Bubble looks cool!!!

[@ComputerStuff]

😎

[@hlwimmer]

TL;DR: use a comma versus an ampersand: "health, fitness" versus "health & fitness" Thanks for the in-depth review, Chris. I purchased a "used" ScanWatch for $200 that was indistinguishable from new. Simultaneously, I purchased an Amazfit GTR-4 for the same price, so I've been able to compare them dollar-for-dollar: one on the right wrist, one on the left. I'm not engaging much with the public at the moment, so fashion-be-damned ... (continued below)

[@hlwimmer]

Your review correctly highlights what I've found about the ScanWatch (SW). Ultimately, the ScanWatch is the watch for me - I'll never be a triathlete, but I would have loved a black-bezel option like the Steel-HR. Both watches do the standard measurements, of course. The Amazfit (AF) adds some "smartwatch" features that AppleWatch users might be used to: music control, text replies, etc - and a beautiful high-res screen... but with a 14+ day battery life. These are fun for sure - and the Alexa add-on is a neat feature. The build quality of the AF is also a bit sub-par when compared to SW - lots of plastic and lightweight materials. Combined with the fun-factor, it feels more like a toy than a tool. However, with Withings FDA approval on most of the measurements, it seems you can't find a better health-metrics watch than the SW. I think this is where you review might be a bit flawed as you're conflating health and fitness. Sure, they're obviously paired, but someone interested in health metrics might not be interested in hard-core fitness and vice-versa. Perhaps instead of an ampersand there should be a comma: "health, fitness, and ____" ... versus combining "health and fitness" into one bucket. The fitness part is where the SW obviously fails as you keenly pointed out, but I've never needed a 10 second repeating timer for anything athletic and the idea of more than five types of activities boggles my time-starved mind. In my own case, I'm the typical "dad-bod" guy - I'm not a fitness enthusiast, but I've recently been diagnosed with the early onset of "metabolic disease", so I'm keenly interested in the health metrics of the SW. That said, the other Withings products pair with the app quite well including the Blood-pressure monitor, scale, thermometer and sleep-pad. So, for someone interested in health metrics more than fitness, this is a really great option. Those with heart concerns will also find the ECG function a nice add-on. The AppleWatch does a good many of the same things - but only18 hours of battery life kind of kills the sleep-tracking idea. The 2-week+ battery life of the SW was the deal-sealer for me. With my uses, it seems more like a 10-day charge, but way better than less-than-one. Keep fighting the good fight and thanks again for the pro-level review.

[@ComputerStuff]

Appreciate the detailed comment and support!

[@denodan]

I found mine more accurate than. My Garmin vivimove luxe, if you take HR its up there with them all. The only trouble is it only takes a hr every 5 or 10 mins, so overall average won't be as accurate. The watch is the most comfy I have ever worn. The strap I feel is comfy. Walking steps is very accurate The steel HR sport was very poor. It does more than many snart watches and ECG is as good as the apple watch. As for only having 5 favorite activities I don't find it as a disadvantage and your very unlikely for the average person to do. As for running, buy something else, it's a great watch for those who like walking and even gives a VO2 MAX something Garmin won't do if your walking and my HR, walking on my Garmin was lucky to get above 120 bpm even fast walking.

[@silberwolfSR71]

I know this comment is really old, just wanted to point out that the Garmin Venu 2 does give VO2 MAX for walking. Unfortunately it doesn't do the same for cycling though.

[@prospectball4143]

What is the best hr monitor watch

[@ComputerStuff]

Apple Watch's heart sensors are best in class IMO - better than Fitbits as well.

[@aguia52]

That's why the watch was only approved in America later...in Europe and being a European watch. it's simply spectacular, classy, ​​elegant, out of the box....but I understand that there have to be products inside the box because some people like them. Not the case with Withings

[@jimbolee1239]

The button is constantly pressed when I workout. If I cannot figure out this issue, I am definitely returning this watch.

[@ComputerStuff]

Sorry to hear. Button input when working out is such a mixed bag. I had watches that I would have assumed for sure would go off when doing pushups or the like, but didn't, then ones whose buttons were invisible to the naked eye and went off during situps.

[@matthewjcrockett]

What would you recommend instead of the scanwatch?

[@ComputerStuff]

Depends, Matthew. Are you looking for something with "classic aesthetic?" If you need an all around awesome smart watch with metrics then my current favorite is the Instinct Solar 2 - BUT, I would exactly say it looks like a watch you should wear in the board room.

[@matthewjcrockett]

@@ComputerStuff I'm currently wearing a Casio wave ceptor, the watch ⌚ yeah tradition with the heart ❤️ technology breathing at night etc. It would be my first step into 'smart watches' I'm in my late 30's I think I'm ok to go tradition or the new look smart watch 🤓

[@EnriqueTinkerings]

Honest feedback from experience after working with Withings support for months with no improvement. Got the latest app version. Sadly, it got worse. New problems: BPM (blood pressure devices) no longer works. It crashes the app. Old problems (not able to test) Notifications don't work. Calls are the most reliable, but the rest don't work or are unreliable. BPM results are not readable when using a dark theme. Background color competes with foreground text, making it unreadable for someone with normal vision. If you are color-blind, I imagine it would be worse.

[@ComputerStuff]

I recently did a test drive on their blood pressure monitor (the cuff on the arm) and I had a lot of issues with consistency on that, too. Not a fan of Withings as of late.

[@NorthLondonArtillery]

If you swim with watch you’ll see why the bubble glass is on all the Withings watches. It improves the visibility of the watch face.

[@ComputerStuff]

Thanks for commenting NorthLondon. Are you referring to when its under water or when you're above water and water is dripping off the glass? Either way, G Shocks, Omegas, Tissots, Garmins, all with flat glass and visibility is fine. I appreciate your comment and opinion but still don't love the curved glass. It's not a deal breaker, but I don't love it.

[@kremfraesch]

@@ComputerStuff The convex shape of the glass primarily has something to do with the design. In a similar watch style, convex polycarbonate glasses would also have been sold in the past, although there was already cheap mineral glass, but only ground flat. With sapphire, however, it hardly matters that you touch something with the glass first. It usually holds up. No quirks. A second reason why domed lenses are good on sapphire is the crystal's high refractive index. In this way, the light never falls flat on the entire watch glass. Less reflections.

[@kremfraesch]

Incidentally, the high refractive index is also the reason why sapphire glasses are usually provided with an anti-reflective coating on at least one side.

[@ComputerStuff]

@@kremfraesch The theoreticals are true here, but, practically speaking I still can't agree with their domed application. You're right, Sapphire will hold up against knocking it around, and for that matter some people even prefer the looks of the dome (I don't). But with general every day use, and I test a LOT of watches, the flat crystal on Garmins, Polars, G Shocks, Apple, has just as good if not better visibility than the Withings. The old Withins was a nightmare with its domed glass but this ScanWatch crystal, while an improvement, didn't seem all that better. I dunno - just personal experience and preference I suppose! Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Bob.

[@kremfraesch]

@@ComputerStuff It's probably just a matter of taste. :) Just one more thought. In a smartwatch with a full-size display, I probably wouldn’t find a curved glass nice either, precisely because of the distortion effects, for example. But with an analog watch, I personally find it very charming. ^^'

[@Alan01]

This is a health watch overall. Mostly for an older active person

[@ComputerStuff]

I can see this being geared for an active older person. -- I'd like to reiterate that I do like the watch overall but there were shortcomings that didn't work for me.

[@Adi-mindflowism]

I wanted one of those watches, but I'm left handed and wear my watches on my right hand. I fear that this would be an obstacle as the watch is controlled by the turn dial, that would then be on the 'wrong side'. I do not see much on the web mentioned about this and whitings don't do an inverted version for 10% of population that may want one... I have a garmin atm, but I hate their app.

[@ComputerStuff]

Garmin's app leaves a lot to be desired.

[@jonathangoldsmith7832]

Why do you need a timer to flip a steak? There has to be something fundamentally wrong with your cooking

[@ComputerStuff]

You should try and flip your steaks Jonathan Goldsmith.. I think you'll find you enjoy them more when they aren't raw on one side.

[@karlstrand3328]

You seem surprised by how the buckle works. Dude, it’s a buckle. Is it really surprising to you?

[@ComputerStuff]

Shocking.

[@karlstrand3328]

🤣🤣

[@Alan01]

Garmin's hybrid only allows 5 exercises as well.

[@ComputerStuff]

Shame. That's such a stupid restriction.

[@BorisV8V]

This is very subjective. For me, that is an excellent watch, as I simply want a good looking watch. The smart features are just bonuses that I may or may not use.

[@ComputerStuff]

Then this watch sounds like its for you! Glad you like it!

[@diapasonconsulting4578]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3WpXqGwZ76Ga6c Weird dual buckle system? That's a pretty standard system, I've seen that on watches for decades

[@ComputerStuff]

It's weird! Like green eggs and ham!

[@iainmcguire7190]

It's mildly irritating that this review, and the previous review of the Withings Steel HR bang on about the time it took to bring the Scanwatch to market in the US, and the company's supposed lack of interest in doing so, when the launch was held up by legalities with the US FDA approving it for sale, with the features it purported to have, specifically the sleep monitoring. It would be nice if reviewers would refrain from complaining about things they've failed to understand, because they failed to research what they're reporting.

[@ComputerStuff]

The FDA holdbacks were specifically for marketing the watch's capabilities. They could have released the watch in the US without calling it a medical device. Which, considering its accuracy, they should have done regardless.

[@duncan.scobie]

EKG?

[@ComputerStuff]

It has it.

[@duncan.scobie]

Sorry ....I wasn't clear....what is it? Not ECG?

[@OwensB]

You’re nitpicking. How many people do more that a few things at once. Are you in a muddy river run?

[@ComputerStuff]

That's the point of this channel! To nitpick... maybe I should change the name..... 🤔

[@TeddyLearningGerman]

It’s pretty clear that this reviewer is not the target user.

[@ComputerStuff]

Obviously not. And other purchasers may not be either. Hence why I made a video to alert those other "not the target" buyers!

[@PerryPapanier]

It's called a dome crystal, not a bubble.

[@ComputerStuff]

Bubble crystal.

[@hdmedia7404]

Beware when you purchase this scanwatch : the crown tends to be a bit loose. Not a big deal but it drove me crazy coz its not that well built.

[@ComputerStuff]

Interesting, my crown was perfect. Perhaps you got a lemon. Sorry to hear you had issues.

[@hdmedia7404]

Computer Stuff I bought 3 scanwatches and mind you, all 3 had the same issue 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@ComputerStuff]

@@hdmedia7404 That's no good! Thanks for weighing in on your experience.

[@denodan]

Nothing wrong with my crown

[@iainmcguire7190]

You can't work out why you don't accidentally push the single physical button on the side of the circular watch, while exercising? But you don't think Withings designed it that way on purpose? Do you think maybe it's because you have to push and hold a physical crown, to get it to do something, while exercising? The way ... they designed it to work?

[@ComputerStuff]

Daddy, 🥶

[@argenysgarcia5100]

I don't understand how some youtubers review a product and show themselves 95% of the time. No one clicks on the video to see you for 10 mins. You're reviewing the watch, so show the damn watch!!

[@ComputerStuff]

You say that... but trust me... people love this face....

[@kelakakku]

​@@ComputerStuffbro you hearted your own comment

[@christianmonroe6804]

Everything your asking more of, could cause less battery life.

[@ComputerStuff]

Then they should engineer it better.

[@nothanksmate]

Great review. More watch. Less face.

[@ComputerStuff]

But--- but---- the face is the best looking part of the whole video!!!! 🥺🥺🥺

[@nothanksmate]

@@ComputerStuff Ok

[@abeibrahim5846]

I like to see your review of the Withings ScanWatch Horizon

[@ComputerStuff]

Yes we need to get our hands on one of those. Great idea.

[@alanlawry9386]

Do not buy, no support from Withings.

[@ComputerStuff]

Care to share a more details on your experience with their customer support?

[@paulPeasmarsh]

You forgot to mention anyone who ALREADY has AFIB this watch is not suitable. I was told that today from technical support Withings 😂what an absolute joke same as FITBIT not suitable if you already have AFIB. Only Apple watches are suitable. Samsung are not accurate enough.

[@ComputerStuff]

That's a shame but thank you for sharing this information. As much as I hate to admit it the Apple Watch is still the king of metrics.