Smartwatches / Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) vs Fitbit Sense 2
Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) vs Fitbit Sense 2
Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm)
A month of battery, an ECG and real watch hands — with no apps and no on-board GPS.
Wins overall by 0.1 points
Quick Verdict
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) wins by 0.1 points, which is not enough to settle it. ECG and a unique stress sensor on any phone — behind the steepest subscription wall here. Pick on the specs that matter to you, not the overall score.
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) and Fitbit Sense 2 are both closely matched smartwatch models, and the Fitbit Sense 2 is $350 cheaper than the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) ($249.95 vs $599.95). On Display, the Fitbit Sense 2 leads (6.4 vs 3.0/10) — panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight. On Build & Durability, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads (9.4 vs 6.6/10) — case and glass materials, water and dust ratings, and how well it survives daily wear. On Fitness & GPS, the Fitbit Sense 2 leads (6.4 vs 4.5/10) — workout tracking, GPS accuracy, sport modes and training analysis. Overall, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores 6.4/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 6.3/10 for the Fitbit Sense 2, though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $599.95 | $249.95 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2022 |
| Phone Compatibility | iOS and Android both fully supported — this is one of only three watches here that does not punish you for your phone choice. Nothing is gated to a Withings-branded handset because Withings does not make phones. | Both iOS and Android — Google states most phones running Android 11.0 or iOS 16.4 or newer. A Google Account and internet access are required for full functionality. No feature is gated to a Pixel phone. |
| Claimed Battery Life (hrs) | 720✓ | 144 |
| What the Battery Claim Assumes | Sources conflict: Withings' own US shop page states 'up to 35 days'; the Amazon listing title states '30-Day Battery Life'. Either figure assumes the tiny greyscale sub-dial rather than a colour touchscreen, connected GPS (borrowing the phone's radio rather than its own), and no continuous SpO2. The 720 hours recorded here is the conservative 30-day reading. | Google's '6+ day' claim assumes the always-on display OFF and GPS used sparingly. Turning on the always-on display or tracking daily GPS runs pulls it well below a week; overnight sleep tracking is included in the claim, unlike Apple's. |
| Case Size (mm) | 39 | 41 |
| Display | Analogue hands over a small greyscale OLED sub-dial — there is no colour touchscreen | 1.58-inch AMOLED with an optional always-on mode. Peak brightness is not published by Google. |
| Operating System | Withings proprietary firmware (no third-party OS) | Fitbit OS (proprietary) |
| Third-Party Apps | None. There is no app store and no third-party apps — the watch shows a small greyscale sub-dial and notifications only. This is a health instrument in a dress-watch case, not a smartwatch platform. | Effectively none. Google shut Fitbit Studio in 2023, leaving Sense 2 and Versa 4 with third-party WATCH FACES but no third-party apps, and third-party faces and apps were pulled entirely for EU users in 2024. Fitbit OS is a closed platform with a shrinking gallery. |
| Health Features Enabled in the US | ECG with AFib detection, SpO2, 24/7 wrist temperature, respiratory scan, sleep staging with HRV, and cycle tracking — all available in the US. Withings' ECG holds regulatory clearance; the blood-pressure device Withings sells (BPM) is a separate cuff product, not part of this watch. | ECG app with AFib detection and irregular rhythm notifications, SpO2, skin temperature and the continuous cEDA stress sensor are all available in the US. There is no blood pressure and no hypertension notification. |
| Subscription Wall | Withings+ is optional and includes a one-month trial. All baseline health data — ECG, SpO2, temperature, sleep score — is available without paying. Withings+ adds programmes, deeper reports and coaching. | The heaviest subscription wall here. The Fitbit app is now the Google Health app; Google Health Premium (3 months included, then paid) gates the Daily Readiness Score, the on-demand workout library and the Google Health Coach. Raw steps, heart rate, sleep stages and ECG remain free. |
| LTE Option | No LTE variant exists; the watch has no cellular radio and no standalone GPS. | None — no cellular variant of Sense 2 exists. |
| Water & Dust Rating | 5 ATM (50 m), swimproof | Water resistant to 50 m |
| Battery Replacement | Withings sells the watch as a sealed unit; there is no published consumer battery-replacement service, but at 30+ days per charge the cell sees a fraction of the cycles of a daily-charge watch. | Google does not offer battery replacement for Fitbit watches; a degraded battery means a replacement device. |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Two-tone gold and steel with cream dial, Silver steel with white dial | Shadow Grey / Graphite |
Category Scores
Battery Life
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 9.6 against 8.0 — a 1.6-point margin on real endurance between charges, judged against what the claim actually assumes rather than the headline number. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Health Tracking
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.4 — a 0.6-point margin on depth of heart, sleep and body metrics that are genuinely enabled and cleared for use in the US. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Fitness & GPS
The Fitbit Sense 2 leads clearly here, 6.4 against 4.5 — a 1.9-point margin on workout tracking, GPS accuracy, sport modes and training analysis. If that is what you are buying for, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Freedom
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 9.0 — a 0.5-point margin on the category's trap dimension: how much of the watch still works on a phone other than the maker's own. 10 means full parity on iOS and Android; 1 means one phone brand or nothing. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
App Ecosystem
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 2.0 against 1.5 — a 0.5-point margin on whether there is a real third-party app store on the wrist or a handful of proprietary mini-apps. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Display
The Fitbit Sense 2 leads clearly here, 6.4 against 3.0 — a 3.4-point margin on panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight. If that is what you are buying for, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Durability
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 9.4 against 6.6 — a 2.8-point margin on case and glass materials, water and dust ratings, and how well it survives daily wear. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) leads clearly here, 5.5 against 5.0 — a 0.5-point margin on what you get for the money once LTE upcharges and subscriptions are counted in. If that is what you are buying for, the Fitbit Sense 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) if…
- • Build & Durability matters most to you — the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores 9.4/10 here (case and glass materials, water and dust ratings, and how well it survives daily wear).
- • Battery Life matters most to you — the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores 9.6/10 here (real endurance between charges, judged against what the claim actually assumes rather than the headline number).
- • Health Tracking matters most to you — the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores 8.0/10 here (depth of heart, sleep and body metrics that are genuinely enabled and cleared for use in the US).
- • Your main use case is long-battery.
Choose the Fitbit Sense 2 if…
- • Display matters most to you — the Fitbit Sense 2 scores 6.4/10 here (panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight).
- • Fitness & GPS matters most to you — the Fitbit Sense 2 scores 6.4/10 here (workout tracking, GPS accuracy, sport modes and training analysis).
- • You want to spend less — it's $350 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm)
Pros
- +Works identically on iPhone and Android — no ecosystem trap at all
- +A month per charge versus a day for Apple and Samsung
- +Sapphire crystal, steel bracelet and Super-LumiNova on a watch that also runs an ECG
- +No subscription is needed to see any health metric
- +Two-year warranty
Cons
- −No app ecosystem whatsoever — notifications and a greyscale sub-dial are the entire smart layer
- −No on-board GPS: workouts borrow your phone's location, so you must carry the phone
- −$599.95 is Apple Watch Ultra money for a watch that cannot run a single third-party app
- −Withings' own page says 35 days and the Amazon listing says 30 — the maker's own claim is inconsistent
- −The Amazon ASIN here is the gold two-tone variant; confirm the finish before buying
Fitbit Sense 2
Pros
- +Works properly on both iPhone and Android with nothing gated by phone brand
- +The cEDA continuous stress sensor is genuinely unique in this comparison
- +ECG plus six days of battery, which no Apple or Samsung watch gets close to
- +Google is still selling and discounting it — around $200 direct — four years after launch
Cons
- −Daily Readiness Score, the workout library and Google Health Coach all sit behind Google Health Premium once the 3-month trial ends
- −No third-party apps at all — Fitbit Studio was shut in 2023 and EU users lost third-party faces too
- −2022 hardware at a $249.95 list price, sold beside a $249 Apple Watch SE 3 with newer silicon
- −No blood pressure, no hypertension notifications, no LTE
- −Google will not replace the battery
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) or Fitbit Sense 2 better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Display, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) or the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Fitbit Sense 2 scores higher on Display (6.4/10 vs 3.0/10) — panel type, brightness, always-on behaviour and legibility in sunlight.
Which is better for Build & Durability, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) or the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores higher on Build & Durability (9.4/10 vs 6.6/10) — case and glass materials, water and dust ratings, and how well it survives daily wear.
Which is better for Fitness & GPS, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) or the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Fitbit Sense 2 scores higher on Fitness & GPS (6.4/10 vs 4.5/10) — workout tracking, GPS accuracy, sport modes and training analysis.
Which is better for Battery Life, the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) or the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) scores higher on Battery Life (9.6/10 vs 8.0/10) — real endurance between charges, judged against what the claim actually assumes rather than the headline number.
Is the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) worth the price difference over the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Fitbit Sense 2 is the cheaper option at $249.95 versus $599.95. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Display.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) is the better fit if you mainly care about long-battery. The Fitbit Sense 2 is the better fit for iphone or android.
What's the warranty on the Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) vs the Fitbit Sense 2?+
The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant (39mm) ships with a 24-month warranty; the Fitbit Sense 2 ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS, Aluminum) — $249.00
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.