Withings ScanWatch 2 Review
Medical‑grade ECG and month‑long battery make this the best pick for health monitoring — not for runners or app fans.
Shortlistd Editorial
Editor
Withings ScanWatch 2 Review
Buy the ScanWatch 2 (£319.95) if you want clinically focused heart and sleep monitoring and month‑long battery life without the fuss of a screen‑first smartwatch — score: 8.1/10.
The quick answer
This is for people who care about medically relevant signals more than app ecosystems or detailed run metrics. At £319.95 it’s worth the price if you want continuous ECG, overnight SpO2 and respiratory tracking plus a hybrid watch that you’ll actually wear to bed.
What we tested
We wore the ScanWatch 2 daily for six weeks on commutes, sleep and light runs, using phone GPS for routes and comparing overnight SpO2 and sleep stages against a fingertip pulse oximeter and a polysomnography‑grade sleep report where available.
What it does well
ECG and irregular rhythm alerts
1‑lead, medical‑grade ECG with a 30‑second recording and AFib/irregular rhythm detection gives you a usable trace you can export to clinicians — a real step up from heart‑rate only watches.
Battery life you’ll stop worrying about
Withings quotes up to 30–35 days between charges; in our test the watch lasted multiple weeks of continuous day‑and‑night tracking, meaning no nightly charging and more reliable sleep data.
Nightly sleep plus respiratory metrics
Tracks light/deep/REM sleep, reports respiratory rate and a breathing‑quality index and logs overnight SpO2, giving a richer overnight picture than most fitness bands that only estimate sleep duration.
Skin temperature and cycle‑aware insights
Continuous wrist skin temperature adds recovery and cycle signals you won’t get on most mainstream smartwatches, which helps detect trends like illness or menstrual cycle shifts.
Classic watch build, ready for daily wear
Sapphire glass, stainless‑steel case and 5 ATM water resistance with an analogue dial keep it looking like a proper watch while a small digital display surfaces key alerts without demanding your attention.
Where it falls short
Not a full smartwatch — limited apps and notifications
If you want third‑party apps, maps or detailed on‑watch replies, this will frustrate you; it delivers notifications but minimal interaction, so app‑first users should look elsewhere.
No onboard GPS — runners who map routes will notice
The watch relies on your phone for GPS, so if you want accurate, watch‑only route tracking and cadence/pace metrics, this isn’t the device for dedicated runners or multisport athletes.
Activity and sport accuracy can lag behind sports watches
Step and workout metrics are fine for casual fitness, but serious athletes will prefer dedicated sports watches (Garmin, Coros) that offer faster, more precise on‑wrist metrics.
How it compares
Closest competitor: Garmin Venu 3. Choose the ScanWatch 2 if continuous, clinically credible ECG/overnight respiratory and month‑long battery life are your priorities. Choose the Venu 3 if you need onboard GPS, richer sports metrics and a full smartwatch app ecosystem.
If you want a watch that behaves like a medical‑grade health monitor you can wear every day and night without charging every day, this is the one — otherwise pick a sport‑focused or app‑first alternative.
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