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2026 comparison
Updated Jan 16, 2026
|Sources: Amazon, ManufacturerWithings ScanWatch Nova vs Apple Watch Ultra 2
Time to compare Withings ScanWatch Nova with Apple Watch Ultra 2. We will cover the essentials so you can buy with confidence.
Ratings: 4★ vs 4.7★
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Withings ScanWatch Nova
★4
(268)•Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android (Android 9+)
Operating System:HealthSense™ OS (Proprietary)
Case Size:42mm (42 mm diameter / 1.65 in; 12.8 mm thickness)
Case Material:Case: Polished stainless steel; Bezel: Ceramic and stainless steel (rotating); Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
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Apple Watch Ultra 2
★4.7
(1,082)•Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later with iOS 18 or later
Operating System:watchOS
Case Size:49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D)
Case Material:Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black finish)
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Comparison: Withings ScanWatch Nova vs Apple Watch Ultra 2
Withings ScanWatch Nova
★4(268)Amazon
Apple Watch Ultra 2
★4.7(1,082)Amazon
| Criterion | Withings ScanWatch Nova | Apple Watch Ultra 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★4(268)Amazon | ★4.7(1,082)Amazon |
Compatibility | iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android (Android 9+) | iPhone Xs or later with iOS 18 or later |
Operating System | HealthSense™ OS (Proprietary) | watchOS |
Case Size | 42mm (42 mm diameter / 1.65 in; 12.8 mm thickness) | 49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D) |
Case Material | Case: Polished stainless steel; Bezel: Ceramic and stainless steel (rotating); Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal | Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black finish) |
Display Type | Grayscale OLED (0.63 inch) + Analog hands (Hybrid) | Always-On Retina LTPO2 OLED (flat sapphire crystal display) |
Display Size | 0.63 in (digital screen) | 1185 sq mm display area |
Resolution | 14,504 pixels (282 PPI) | 410 x 502 pixels (326 ppi) |
Always On Display | Yes (Analog hands always visible) | Yes |
Water Resistance | 10 ATM (100 meters) | 100 m (ISO 22810); 40 m recreational high-speed water sports (EN13319) |
Durability | Sapphire crystal face; Stainless steel case; Ceramic bezel; 5-year guarantee (region dependent) | IP6X dust resistant; tested to MIL-STD 810H (altitude, high/low temp, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, ice/freezing rain, shock/vibration) |
GPS | Connected GPS (Requires smartphone connection) | Precision dual-frequency GPS: L1 and L5 (GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou) |
Connectivity | Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) | LTE and UMTS (Cellular is standard); Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip |
NFC Payments | No (Not supported) | Apple Pay |
Sensors | Multi-wavelength PPG (Heart rate/SpO2); TempTech24/7 Module (Body temp); High Dynamic Range Accelerometer; Altimeter; ECG electrodes | Electrical heart sensor (ECG app); 3rd-generation optical heart sensor; temperature sensing; depth gauge (±1 m accuracy); water temperature sensor; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope; ambient light sensor; blood oxygen sensor (feature availability subject to US patent rulings) |
Health Features | ECG (AFib detection); Body temperature variation (day/night); Blood oxygen (SpO2); Sleep quality score; Respiratory scan; Heart rate variability (HRV) | ECG app; High/low heart rate notifications; Irregular rhythm notifications; Sleep tracking with stages; Sleep apnea notifications; Vitals app; Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates; Noise app |
Workout Modes | 40+ sports modes; Automatic activity detection (Walking, Running, Swimming, Cycling); Fitness Level (VO2 max estimation) | Customizable Action Button for instant workout start; Advanced running metrics (stride length, ground contact time); Multisport; Swimming; Hiking; Diving (Oceanic+ app required for dive computer functions) |
Storage | Free unlimited online storage; 7 days of data stored on watch | 64GB |
Speaker Mic | No (No built-in speaker or microphone) | Dual speakers (40% louder than Series 8); Three-microphone array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation |
Calls | No (Notification alerts only) | Yes (Cellular, Wi-Fi, and iPhone tethering) |
Battery | Up to 30 days (Standard use); Rechargeable Lithium-ion | Up to 36 hours (normal use); Up to 72 hours (Low Power Mode) |
Charging | USB-C compatible docking station (approx. 2 hours to 100%) | Fast charging capable (0–80% in approx. 1 hour); USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable included |
Weight | 63 g (2.22 oz) without wristband | 61.4 g (Natural Titanium); 61.8 g (Black Titanium) [case only] |
Band Sizes | Fits wrist sizes (approx. 163–239 mm); Standard 20 mm lug width | Trail Loop (S/M, M/L); Alpine Loop (S, M, L); Ocean Band (One Size); fits 130–210mm wrists depending on selection |
Extras | Luminova hands/indexes; Digital crown for navigation; Stopwatch; Timer; Alarm; Breathwork; Apple Health & Google Fit sync | S9 SiP with 4-core Neural Engine; Double tap gesture; On-device Siri; Precision Finding for iPhone 15/16 lineup; 86-decibel Siren; Night Mode (Modular Ultra face) |
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Withings ScanWatch Nova
Rating:★4(268)Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone (iOS 15+) and Android (Android 9+)
Operating System:HealthSense™ OS (Proprietary)
Case Size:42mm (42 mm diameter / 1.65 in; 12.8 mm thickness)
Case Material:Case: Polished stainless steel; Bezel: Ceramic and stainless steel (rotating); Glass: Anti-reflective sapphire crystal
Display Type:Grayscale OLED (0.63 inch) + Analog hands (Hybrid)
Display Size:0.63 in (digital screen)
Resolution:14,504 pixels (282 PPI)
Always On Display:Yes (Analog hands always visible)
Water Resistance:10 ATM (100 meters)
Durability:Sapphire crystal face; Stainless steel case; Ceramic bezel; 5-year guarantee (region dependent)
GPS:Connected GPS (Requires smartphone connection)
Connectivity:Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
NFC Payments:No (Not supported)
Sensors:Multi-wavelength PPG (Heart rate/SpO2); TempTech24/7 Module (Body temp); High Dynamic Range Accelerometer; Altimeter; ECG electrodes
Health Features:ECG (AFib detection); Body temperature variation (day/night); Blood oxygen (SpO2); Sleep quality score; Respiratory scan; Heart rate variability (HRV)
Workout Modes:40+ sports modes; Automatic activity detection (Walking, Running, Swimming, Cycling); Fitness Level (VO2 max estimation)
Storage:Free unlimited online storage; 7 days of data stored on watch
Speaker Mic:No (No built-in speaker or microphone)
Calls:No (Notification alerts only)
Battery:Up to 30 days (Standard use); Rechargeable Lithium-ion
Charging:USB-C compatible docking station (approx. 2 hours to 100%)
Weight:63 g (2.22 oz) without wristband
Band Sizes:Fits wrist sizes (approx. 163–239 mm); Standard 20 mm lug width
Extras:Luminova hands/indexes; Digital crown for navigation; Stopwatch; Timer; Alarm; Breathwork; Apple Health & Google Fit sync
✓ Pros:
- • Elegant 'diver' aesthetic with ceramic bezel and sapphire glass
- • Clinical-grade health sensors (ECG, SpO2, Temperature) in a non-intrusive form factor
- • Exceptional battery life (30 days) compared to standard smartwatches
- • Water-resistant to 10 ATM (100m), suitable for swimming and snorkeling
- • Distraction-free interface with a small, discreet digital screen
✗ Cons:
- • Small monochrome screen limits notification readability and smart features
- • No built-in GPS (relies on phone connection for tracking routes)
- • No music controls, NFC payments, or third-party apps
- • Heavy on the wrist (63g watch head only) due to steel construction
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2
Rating:★4.7(1,082)Amazon
Compatibility:iPhone Xs or later with iOS 18 or later
Operating System:watchOS
Case Size:49mm (49mm H x 44mm W x 14.4mm D)
Case Material:Aerospace-grade titanium (Natural or Black finish)
Display Type:Always-On Retina LTPO2 OLED (flat sapphire crystal display)
Display Size:1185 sq mm display area
Resolution:410 x 502 pixels (326 ppi)
Always On Display:Yes
Water Resistance:100 m (ISO 22810); 40 m recreational high-speed water sports (EN13319)
Durability:IP6X dust resistant; tested to MIL-STD 810H (altitude, high/low temp, temperature shock, immersion, freeze/thaw, ice/freezing rain, shock/vibration)
GPS:Precision dual-frequency GPS: L1 and L5 (GPS, GNSS, Galileo, and BeiDou)
Connectivity:LTE and UMTS (Cellular is standard); Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n); Bluetooth 5.3; Second-generation Ultra Wideband chip
NFC Payments:Apple Pay
Sensors:Electrical heart sensor (ECG app); 3rd-generation optical heart sensor; temperature sensing; depth gauge (±1 m accuracy); water temperature sensor; compass; always-on altimeter; high-g accelerometer; high dynamic range gyroscope; ambient light sensor; blood oxygen sensor (feature availability subject to US patent rulings)
Health Features:ECG app; High/low heart rate notifications; Irregular rhythm notifications; Sleep tracking with stages; Sleep apnea notifications; Vitals app; Cycle tracking with retrospective ovulation estimates; Noise app
Workout Modes:Customizable Action Button for instant workout start; Advanced running metrics (stride length, ground contact time); Multisport; Swimming; Hiking; Diving (Oceanic+ app required for dive computer functions)
Storage:64GB
Speaker Mic:Dual speakers (40% louder than Series 8); Three-microphone array with beamforming and wind noise mitigation
Calls:Yes (Cellular, Wi-Fi, and iPhone tethering)
Battery:Up to 36 hours (normal use); Up to 72 hours (Low Power Mode)
Charging:Fast charging capable (0–80% in approx. 1 hour); USB-C Magnetic Fast Charging Cable included
Weight:61.4 g (Natural Titanium); 61.8 g (Black Titanium) [case only]
Band Sizes:Trail Loop (S/M, M/L); Alpine Loop (S, M, L); Ocean Band (One Size); fits 130–210mm wrists depending on selection
Extras:S9 SiP with 4-core Neural Engine; Double tap gesture; On-device Siri; Precision Finding for iPhone 15/16 lineup; 86-decibel Siren; Night Mode (Modular Ultra face)
✓ Pros:
- • Brightest Apple display ever (up to 3,000 nits) for superior outdoor visibility
- • Excellent battery life for an Apple Watch (up to 36 hours standard, 72 hours low power)
- • Rugged titanium build with sapphire crystal and 100m water resistance
- • Fast S9 SiP allows for Double Tap gesture and on-device Siri
- • Precision dual-frequency GPS (L1+L5) offers accurate tracking in dense environments
✗ Cons:
- • Large 49mm x 14.4mm casing is bulky on smaller wrists
- • Blood Oxygen feature is disabled on units sold by Apple in the US (post-Jan 2024)
- • Requires an iPhone to function; no Android compatibility
- • Expensive entry price compared to standard Series models
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Check Price on Amazon→
Which one is better?
Looking at user satisfaction (Apple Watch Ultra 2: 4.0★ vs Withings ScanWatch Nova: 4.7★), Apple Watch Ultra 2 pulls ahead. The gap is small—choose based on the priorities below.
Who should buy each?
Expert take:
- Withings ScanWatch Nova suits buyers who need Elegant 'diver' aesthetic with ceramic bezel and sapphire glass, Clinical-grade health sensors (ECG, SpO2, Temperature) in a non-intrusive form factor
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 suits buyers who want Brightest Apple display ever (up to 3,000 nits) for superior outdoor visibility, Excellent battery life for an Apple Watch (up to 36 hours standard, 72 hours low power)
Conclusion
With the key differences outlined, the decision should be clearer. Both options deliver quality—choose the one that fits your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
+Which has better value?
Withings ScanWatch Nova excels if you value elegant 'diver' aesthetic with ceramic bezel and sapphire glass. Apple Watch Ultra 2 is better if you prioritize brightest apple display ever (up to 3,000 nits) for superior outdoor visibility. Pick based on your budget and daily use.
+Is this an independent review?
Yes. We use affiliate links for monetization, but recommendations are research-driven and unbiased.
+Do newer models exist?
Check release timelines from the manufacturers and compare pricing before you buy. We refresh this page when major updates land.
Affiliate disclosure
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