If you want better fit
Choose Garmin Lily 2. It scores 4.7 vs 3.5 for fit, with a 3.7 overall score.
Withings ScanWatch Nova Review
Bottom Line
Choose the ScanWatch Nova if you want a luxury-looking hybrid with excellent battery life and deep health tracking. Skip it if you need a full smartwatch, built-in GPS, rich notifications, or low price.
Best for
Best for people who want a stylish analog-looking watch with discreet health tracking, ECG, SpO2, temperature trends, steps, sleep data, and weeks-long battery life. It especially suits buyers who value classic watch design more than app-heavy smartwatch features.
Not for
Not for serious athletes or smartwatch-first users who need built-in GPS, detailed workout analytics, third-party apps, payments, replies, music controls, or a large interactive screen. Price-sensitive buyers may also find better feature depth elsewhere.
Verdict
Reviewers consistently frame the Withings ScanWatch Nova as a luxury analog-style watch first and a smartwatch second. Its strongest appeal is the combination of premium design, weeks-long battery life, and broad health tracking through ECG, SpO2, heart rate, temperature, sleep, and steps. The tradeoff is clear: its small OLED display, limited interaction, lack of built-in GPS, thin third-party app support, and high price make it less compelling for users who expect an Apple Watch-like experience. Fitness feedback is useful but uneven, with auto-detection and connected GPS drawing repeated caveats. The Nova works best as a discreet health companion for people who value classic watch styling more than full smartwatch depth.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
47 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.017 (36%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.418 (38%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.47 (15%)
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Negative 1.5-2.45 (11%)
Pros
-
Battery life was one of the strongest points, with reviewers repeatedly reporting weeks of use and little battery anxiety.
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Style and design were the most consistent strengths, with reviewers praising its analog look, elegance, premium feel, and compliment-worthy appearance.
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Comfort was a major strength across reviews, especially for all-day and overnight wear, with lighter models and comfortable bands helping.
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The companion app was repeatedly praised as clear, efficient, user-friendly, powerful, and good at presenting health and activity data.
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Health tracking accuracy was one of the most praised areas, with reviewers describing accurate sensors, useful health data, and results comparable to other devices.
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Bands were often praised for comfort, flexibility, quality, and included tools, though some reviewers found adjustment imperfect or only liked the metal band best.
Cons
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Third-party app support was a weakness, with reviewers telling app-focused buyers to look elsewhere or comparing it unfavorably with full smartwatches.
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Smartwatch features were consistently limited, with reviewers framing the Nova as a health-focused hybrid rather than a full smartwatch.
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GPS-linked tracking drew repeated complaints about connection gaps and missing map routes, reinforcing the lack of robust built-in GPS.
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Mapping evidence was negative in one review, where the app produced a black-screen map for a recorded route.
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Connected workout tracking could drop the watch connection and leave gaps, creating a Bluetooth-related caveat during GPS-linked activities.
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Workout variety was mixed: one reviewer found options limited, another called workout tracking less comprehensive, while another appreciated broad automatic activity support.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Smartwatches, this product is above average in ECG functionality, calorie tracking usefulness, app ecosystem, near average in comfort, build quality, below average in GPS accuracy, workout tracking variety, Bluetooth connectivity.
Comparison summary
47 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher22 (47%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts9 (19%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower16 (34%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GPS accuracy | 2.0 | 4.1 | -2.1 |
| ECG functionality | 4.1 | 2.5 | +1.5 |
| workout tracking variety | 2.7 | 4.3 | -1.6 |
| calorie tracking usefulness | 4.8 | 3.2 | +1.6 |
| Bluetooth connectivity | 2.2 | 3.7 | -1.5 |
| third-party app support | 1.8 | 3.2 | -1.4 |
| mapping and navigation | 2.0 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
| smartwatch features | 2.3 | 3.5 | -1.2 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better GPS accuracy
Choose Garmin Forerunner 570. It scores 4.9 vs 2.0 for GPS accuracy, with a 3.9 overall score.
If you want better Bluetooth connectivity
Choose Xiaomi Watch 2. It scores 4.8 vs 2.2 for Bluetooth connectivity, with a 3.7 overall score.
If you want better charging convenience
Choose Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4. It scores 4.6 vs 2.8 for charging convenience, with a 4.3 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: long-term replacement The reviewer liked the Nova Brilliant but probably would not replace an Apple Watch with it.
- Alternative: daily wearable preference The reviewer did not feel the need to return to the Apple Watch after using the Nova.
- More expensive: price and appearance The reviewer says the Nova is cheaper than a comparable stainless steel Apple Watch and better looking.
- More expensive: price The Brilliant model is described as cheaper than Apple Watch Ultra 2.
- Worse: case size The Brilliant version is described as smaller next to the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
- Worse: formal style The Nova is preferred over the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for wearing with formal clothing.
- Cheaper: price The Brilliant model is priced higher than the Apple Watch Series 10.
FAQ
Is the Withings ScanWatch Nova a full smartwatch?
No. Reviewers repeatedly describe it as a health-focused hybrid with basic notifications, alarms, timers, and small-screen alerts rather than a full smartwatch with apps, replies, payments, or rich interaction.
How good is the battery life?
Battery life is one of the strongest points. Reviewers reported weeks of use, low battery anxiety, and enough endurance for continuous health and sleep tracking, though heavy workouts can reduce runtime.
Is it good for serious fitness tracking?
It is better as a health tracker than a serious training watch. Reviews praised general accuracy but criticized the lack of built-in GPS, limited workout depth, and occasional auto-detection or mapping issues.
How accurate are the health sensors?
Reviewers generally found health tracking accurate, especially heart rate and ECG-related features. Blood oxygen and temperature tracking were considered useful, though SpO2 sometimes required retries and temperature usefulness was more mixed.
Is the ScanWatch Nova comfortable enough for all-day wear?
Most reviewers found it comfortable for daily and overnight wear, helped by lighter models and soft bands. Fit can still depend on the strap, and one reviewer struggled to size the metal bracelet properly.
Is the high price justified?
Reviewers were split. Many called it expensive, but several felt the premium watch design, long battery life, build quality, and health tracking could justify the cost for the right buyer.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
digitaltrends.com
- Review score
- 4.2
the-gadgeteer.com
- Review score
- 4.4
pocketables.com
- Review score
- 4.1
zdnet.com
- Review score
- 4.4
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