Test the Withings Move ECG, an effective watch to ensure your fitness

The French brand Withings started its comeback with a brand new mid-range model: Withings Move ECG. From a price and equipment point of view, this connected watch is located just below the Withings Steel and above the Withings Move.Read this Withings move reviews to discover more.

Let’s start with the design we do not like, even if it is very subjective. The ECG Move largely shares the aesthetic codes of the Withings Move, with sparkling color elements, very rounded shapes and a box that seems relatively thick, all giving a slightly childish silhouette to the product.

But the Move ECG offers a more classic design than that of his little sister. We have the choice between a black or white dial, combined with a black, yellow, gray, coral, blue or green bracelet. If the finish of the watch itself is good, the plastic bracelet still looks as good cheap. And we regret once more to access only one length of bracelet, which hang flaccidly the unused part when you have a small wrist.

In terms of autonomy, the watch has the undeniable advantage of not having to be recharged, thanks to its battery designed to last a year. This Move works with the mobile health app from Withings (iOS and Android), sober and functional.

The ECG rivals the Apple Watch

The watch is waterproof up to 50 meters (5 ATM). This means that you can wear it to do the dishes, in the shower and at the pool (remember to rinse it if it has been in contact with chlorine or cleaning products) but you can not dive in. sea ​​with. This is a good point to follow swimming practice. Another good surprise, the presence of an altimeter, not obvious at this price level. This sensor allows you to count the stages up and down, Unfortunately, Withings does not take full advantage of this altimeter. It does not provide details of the differences in your sporting assignments. It only displays an “elevation” number, ie it adds up all the altitudes without providing an average.

We can also regret for this tariff not to have GPS. But it is fortunately compensated in part by that of the smartphone that starts in training mode. Then we retrieve his route, after the fact, on the application. The distance is, she, accessible live when you launch an activity on the smartphone.

On the cardiac side, Withings’s watch is a real paradox. It offers an extremely rare feature by allowing to perform an electrocardiogram. It is even more accurate than the Apple Watch because of the presence of three electrodes against one for the product of Apple. Useful for detecting cardiac arrhythmias. This requires opening the application on his smartphone, and then press the right side button, then hold his fingers on the ring. The operation lasts 30 seconds.

But at the same time, the watch does not allow to track the heart rate continuously. It is necessary to ask and to take the measurement punctually. This is a very big drawback for athletes who will not have access to any live cardiac data during and after their sporting sessions.

The data is reliable

We compared the results of the watch with those of an Apple Watch Series 3 and we found relatively similar results in our workouts, except of course the heart rate that is not available on the Withings. Compared to the Move, the ECG Move also tracks much more physical activity daily.

Regarding the calories counted, the Withings data seem much more reliable than those usually displayed by connected watches of this range and have a tendency to overestimate things. We recorded, for example, an expenditure of 487 kcal for a distance of 7.46 km and a pace of 6’42. Quite consistent given our profile. Likewise for step counting, the Withings ECG shows lower numbers than the norm and therefore less flattering but much closer to reality.

The sleep monitoring is at the level of the rest of the performances and represents rather finely the different phases of falling asleep, without confusing your inactivity with a small sum. Rather well played, since the watch does not rely on it for cardiac monitoring.

In the end, Withings makes a nice proposal for a connected watch to follow your daily physical activity or your fitness. But you will not have to rely on it to prepare a half marathon!

The verdict of the test

This Move ECG is part of the Withings watches, which are in a category apart with their watch design and their total absence of digital screens. For users who do not want to clutter both a bracelet and a classic watch, this is an interesting alternative and a two-in-one practice in everyday life. With a little more “health” to the key. For a very affordable price, this Move ECG offers the possibility of performing an electrocardiogram. On the other hand, it is not recommended for sportsmen, for lack of continuous cardiac monitoring and GPS.

Ergonomics and design

Withings’ target is well defined: people who want to take advantage of connected features without having to strut around with an object that is too heavily stamped “geeks”. No screen on this Move ECG therefore. Connected via Bluetooth to the smartphone, the Move ECG has no notification or internal storage dedicated to music.

Here, sobriety is the order of the day. Lightweight (32 g) and small in size (38 x 13 mm), the watch features a metal case housing three electrodes. The first is on the back of the stainless steel watch, glued to the skin. The second is on the circular ring, also in stainless steel, and the third on the side button of the tocante. This pleasant integration is achieved without the slightest aesthetic compromise.

In terms of ergonomics, we are therefore faced with an extremely refined model. The case and the bracelet are comfortable on the wrist and in no way irritate the skin, even when wet.

The Move ECG is waterproof up to 5 ATM (50 m).

Interface

The interface of the Move ECG obviously offers an experience limited to a minimum. It must be said that, without a screen, there is not much room. No notifications or date. In addition to the hour, there is a dial graduated from 0 to 100 which indicates the current rate of accomplishment compared to the activity goal of the day. While measuring an ECG, this dial is used to count down 30 seconds, the time required to complete the operation.

The single side button has three functions:

A single press starts recording the ECG.

A long press triggers the monitoring of a sports activity. When starting a physical activity, the hands of the watch stop indicating the time and become a stopwatch indicating the time of the physical activity.

A single press also stops the vibration of an alarm. Because it is also possible to program alarms via the smartphone in order to make the watch vibrate at specific times.

Application

The Move ECG syncs with the Health Mate app available on Android and iOS. Almost complete and almost fluid, it just misses the fifth star. Its synchronization is done easily, in just a few seconds. The home screen offers a summary of the day (number of steps, physical activities performed, sleep data). It is quite possible to have access to some recorded statistics, but it is not possible to go further. For example, it is impossible to know its maximum speed or maximum heart rate.

The application does offer to configure the Move ECG but once again, the possibilities are very limited. You can only set the time and an alarm.

Uses and precision

The Move ECG does not have a heart rate monitor, it is not possible to measure your heart rate. No GPS either, so you need to bring your smartphone to follow your route. The tocante only integrates an accelerometer, an altimeter and three electrodes. If the first two allow the terminal to detect physical activity or the number of floors climbed, the last has a much more medical purpose. The Move ECG is therefore able to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG).

Equipped with only three leads, the tocante is content to detect atrial fibrillations. To do this, simply press the side button of the watch and wait thirty seconds with one finger on the button and the other on the circular ring. It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of such a measure. Compared with those of an Apple Watch, also capable of performing such a test, the results sometimes diverge.

The electrode under the housing of the Move ECG.

If the Move ECG is able to automatically identify a physical activity, it is also satisfied here with the strict minimum. The only information given is therefore the duration of the session and the distance traveled, provided it is connected to a smartphone.

Like most connected watches, the Move ECG is able to track the user’s sleep. But like its competitors, the results are sometimes a roller coaster. Especially since without a heart rate monitor, the watch is sometimes trapped during a night reading session.

Autonomy

Without screen or GPS or heart rate monitor, the Move ECG has a very convincing battery life. According to Withings, it takes a whole year to exhaust the CR2430 battery nested in the case. Despite all our good will, we did not have time to test it for such a long period (our test sample only stayed with us for two weeks).

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CONCLUSION

The Move ECG presents itself to us with a very clear bias: despite its appearance as a watch, it is more like an activity sensor, with ultimately little data collected. Without GPS, or heart rate monitor, or notifications, it will therefore be necessary to accept to be satisfied with the number of steps taken, unreliable sleep monitoring and … the electrocardiogram therefore. However, it is very difficult to determine the reliability of this function. The risk of creating false positives is still very present, despite the certifications obtained. Finally, the Move ECG is for those who want an elegant watch, connected, but not too much. For others, we recommend the Band 3 Pro from Huawei or the Pulse HR from Withings.

Withings Move ECG