We reviewed Withings’ Scanwatch Horizon not too long ago and found that the manufacturer did have some good, core ideas, but it was also a pretty high price for what some might consider a slightly compromised smartwatch experience.
However, if you’re looking for a hybrid smartwatch and aren’t willing to spend £500, Withings still has you covered. The Scanwatch Light is much cheaper, in fact you can now buy it for just over £230, and not only has some of the price dropped, some of the weight has dropped as well.
The dial itself is 37mm, which takes us out of classic masculine territory, where 44 or even 46mm are more natural sizes. That doesn’t mean the materials are immune, as the case itself is made of stainless steel with Gorilla Glass on the front to protect against scratches and, in the worst case, cracking, and it’s even available in five different colors for selection.
At the top of the watch face we find the small OLED display we’ve already described in our Scanwatch Horizon review, which activates with just a tap and can give you a series of progressions regarding the number of steps you’ve taken or when scrolling sideways Notification of small and superficial information.
There’s an identical PPG sensor at the bottom, which provides heart rate monitoring and a range of other parameters, which will no doubt be of interest to those who come to Withings primarily for health monitoring. This watch has 5TM certification, making it safe for diving and use in saltwater and chlorinated water.
Since the watch face itself is smaller, the OLED panel is correspondingly smaller, but here, the Scanwatch Light benefits from white text on a black background, so I personally had no trouble deciphering its content. I can also confirm that 30 days of use on a single charge is pretty accurate.
I salute Withings for their design philosophy, they certainly know who their customers are and what they want. However, I will say that due to its smaller size, the Scanwatch Light should be a bit cheaper than it is. As it is right now, it’s too close to a watch that gives you a little more, and if it were priced a little lower, it would be an easier pill to swallow.
But that doesn’t mean the features are disappointing, quite the opposite. Withings offers sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, water authentication, and excellent notification support, all in a hybrid framework that not everyone realizes you’re actually wearing a slightly smarter watch.
Here is an ad:
