Withings ScanWatch Nova review: Nobody will know it’s a smartwatch
The ScanWatch nova is a superb hybrid smartwatch, with a prestige design matched by intelligent features.
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Pros
- Stunning
- Weeks of battery
- Two bands in the box
Cons
- Uncomfortable to sleep with
- Notifications hard to read
- No integrated GPS
Without a doubt, the Withings ScanWatch Nova is the nicest watch I have ever wrapped around my wrist. It’s masculine, stylish, and elegant.
It’s also a decent smartwatch. For basic (and even some not-so-basic) health tracking, the ScanWatch Nova does a solid job of keeping tabs on your activity, body temperature and heart rate.
But some of the things that make the ScanWatch Nova such an impressive fashion piece also hold back its smartwatch features. It’s too big and bulky to be comfortable to sleep with, and the control through the crown can get frustrating.
But as a hybrid watch, this is an exceptionally well-crafted product.
What is the Withings ScanWatch Nova offering?
Announced back in December 2023, the ScanWatch Nova is a premium hybrid smartwatch from Withings.
Like the ScanWatch light, the Nova features an analogue display on a 42 mm watch face, with a small LCD at the top of the watch face that displays all the smartwatch information you need.
There’s also a second smaller dial on the bottom half of the watch that displays your progress towards your daily step goal with steps from 0-100.
The design of the ScanWatch Nova is everything. It’s a 10 ATM watch, with an iconic diver style. It boasts a stainless-steel case and sapphire glass for a robust, scratch-resistant design, a ceramic rotating bezel and hands that glow subtly at night.
The crown on the right side of the watch lets you scroll through the different smartwatch functions, from starting a run to taking a blood oxygen reading.
It’s got a pretty full selection of health tracking features too, which includes body temperature, blood oxygen, ECG, heart rate, sleep and more detail within those.
The Nova comes with both an oyster metal and a fluoroelastomer sport band in the box, which can be easily swapped. The latches are pretty small, but I found them easier to open than an Apple Watch.
There’s also a range of third-party bands you could buy to give the Nova a different look and feel.
Despite all the smart health tracking inside, the lack of a touchscreen means that Withings can pack 30 days worth of battery life inside the ScanWatch Nova.
Because of the smaller LCD, you typically use the Withings app on your phone to access the bulk of your health data.
What does the ScanWatch Nova do well?
The style of the ScanWatch Nova is perfect. I’m not a watch guy by any stretch of the imagination, but there is a pure elegance about this watch that no other smartwatch has come close to achieving.
It looks like a timepiece you would see wrapped around a Hollywood celebrity’s wrist, particularly with the oyster metal band. The blue highlight of the watch face and rotating bezel on my review unit (you can also buy a green or black version) helps capture that feeling of extravagance that isn’t representative of the price tag.
Because the watch is predominantly analogue, with a small LCD that only kicks in when you ask it to (or you get a notification), the battery life is fantastic. Reviewing this side by side with the Apple Watch Series 10, which needs some time on the charger every day, being able to last 3–4 weeks is seriously impressive.
I did find it was more in the 24-28 day range before I needed to recharge, but that really depends on how you use the watch itself.
Unlike the ScanWatch Lite, the Nova has a few extra health sensors inside. It can measure your Blood Oxygen level and your body temperature, which can provide insights into when you are getting sick or get more profound insights into your sleep quality.
Withings is, at its core, a health company, so the data it collects is robust and, importantly, easy to track over time. The Withings app has had a few updates since my last Withings review, and it has become even easier to track and share your data with a health professional.
What could the ScanWatch Nova improve?
The greatest challenge I had with the ScanWatch Nova over the past month or so I’ve been testing it is that its size and weight makes it uncomfortable to wear at night for sleep tracking.
This isn’t a problem unique to the Nova, though – I said the same thing about the Galaxy Watch Ultra earlier this year.
I don’t see how there’s a way to work around this, though. Withings already offers its Sleep Analyser, which does track a lot of the same sleep data points, though not your resting body temperature.
As an activity tracker, the fact the Nova doesn’t have integrated GPS means that for accurate activity tracking, you need to carry your phone with you on a run.
Having said that, though, I don’t think this is the best device for runners. This is a smartwatch for those who want style with some activity tracking, rather than an activity tracker that looks pretty good.
It’s also not the best device for receiving notifications, as the LCD is too small to see anything besides a single scrolling line, which is a terrible way to read. I switched notifications off entirely, and didn’t miss them at all.
Verdict
With no apps, limited notifications and a focus on health rather than “smart” features, the ScanWatch Nova is not a device aimed at fitness aficionados looking to push their health to the extreme.
This is a smartwatch for businessmen. It’s for men (Note: It is extremely masculine. Withings has announced the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant, which will be much better suited for lady’s wrists) who want to track a bit of their activity and health but primarily want a stylish watch that looks fantastic.
The ScanWatch Nova succeeds on both those fronts. With its long battery life and impressive health credentials, it’s definitely worth consideration, especially given its price – while still premium – is a fraction of the price you might expect for a premium, elegant wristwatch.
