Withings BodyScan 2 Review: $599 Smart Scale Adds Heart and Vascular Age Estimates

Withings has launched the BodyScan 2 as an update to its original BodyScan. According to Withings, the device is the world's first longevity station and the only consumer device that transforms a daily weigh-in into a complete cardiometabolic assessment, revealing whether a person's lifestyle is adding or taking years off their healthy life. The scale tracks more than 40 biomarkers and includes six-zone body composition analysis, metabolic assessment, cardiovascular insights and a calories tracker. New features include SpO2 measurements, hypertension screening, heart and vascular age estimations, and reporting on the risk of unstable glycaemia. The display has moved from the base to the cabled handlebar, a design change TechRadar said offers a more pleasing user experience.

The BodyScan 2 is built from glass and reinforced aluminum. It measures 12.8 x 14.1 x 0.7 inches, or 325 x 357 x 18.5 millimeters, and weighs 11.9 pounds, or 5.4 kilograms. It has an LCD display, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with USB Type-C charging, and WiFi connectivity. TechRadar said the scale syncs effortlessly over WiFi and praised its premium build quality. The review listed its size and weight among the drawbacks.

Pricing is the biggest barrier. TechRadar lists the BodyScan 2 at $599.95 in the United States, £449.95 in the United Kingdom and $895 in Australia. That is $200 or £100 more expensive than the original BodyScan, according to the review. Some features also require a Withings+ subscription at $9.95 or £8.95 per month. The membership provides access to clinical experts, an AI health assistant that converts health history into future progress, and a long-term assessment of aging. TechRadar said the cost places the scale in a premium-only, money-no-object category.

TechRadar compared the BodyScan 2 with cheaper alternatives. It noted that RunStar's most premium smart scale, the 8E Ultra, costs less than half the price. The review said buyers who do not need heart age, vascular age, unstable glycaemia risk and hypertension estimates can save money with other options on its best smart scales list. Still, it said the BodyScan 2's specifications set it apart from the competition and that it can report heart findings no other scale is capable of.

In its verdict, TechRadar said the BodyScan 2 offers the very best in features and build quality. It combines hardware found in advanced smartwatches and smart rings with traditional smart scale technology, producing what the review called one of the most advanced smart scales on the consumer market. The pros listed were industry-leading health metrics, premium build quality and effortless WiFi syncing. The cons were its large and heavy design, very high price and the Withings+ requirement for some features. The review also flagged that the vascular age estimation changed significantly over a couple of weeks, even though almost all other metrics were accurate.