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by Sander Saar
An overview of the benefits of smart scales and an introduction to the three tested models: Withings Cardio, QardioBase, and Xiaomi Mi Body Scale. Along the way it covers Physical Design and Usability, Measurement Features and Accuracy and App Ecosystem and Integration. Final thoughts on overall value, consistency, and a recommendation on which smart scale is best to buy.
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An overview of the benefits of smart scales and an introduction to the three tested models: Withings Cardio, QardioBase, and Xiaomi Mi Body Scale.
On screen: A man sits on a gray couch in front of three smart scales while enthusiastically talking and gesturing to the camera.
A comparison of the scales' physical dimensions, battery life, screen displays, and price points.
On screen: A top-down view shows three smart scales lined up side by side on a wood floor as a person steps on each to compare measurement speeds.
Testing and comparing the metrics provided, measurement accuracy, and consistency across all three scales.
On screen: A man speaks to the camera while sitting on a couch with smart scales behind him as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth graphics appear above them.
An evaluation of each companion mobile app, usability, third-party platform integration, and data visualization.
On screen: A person holds an iPhone and an Android phone side by side, interacting with the Qardio companion app on both screens.
Final thoughts on overall value, consistency, and a recommendation on which smart scale is best to buy.
On screen: A man sits on a grey couch gesturing expressively with smart scales displayed behind him.
What the footage shows, shot by shot. It is derived from the video itself, independent of the commentary. Timestamps link to the exact second.
0:00–0:03 A man sits on a gray sofa in front of three smart scales, speaking to the camera.
0:03–0:09 The host continues talking enthusiastically while gesturing toward the smart scales behind him.
0:10–0:11 A stylized title card graphic displaying 'SMART SCALES' against a textured blue and purple background. On screen: SMART SCALES WITHINGS VS XIAOMI VS QARDIO
0:15–0:24 A man sits on a gray sofa speaking directly to the camera with three smart scales displayed behind him.
0:24–0:29 The presenter continues talking while an image of an antique Salter's spring balance scale appears on the right. On screen: Gilai Collectibles SALTER'S SPRING BALANCE WARRANTED
0:29–0:45 A man sits on a gray couch in front of three smart scales while enthusiastically talking and gesturing to the camera.
0:45–0:54 The presenter speaks enthusiastically to the camera while gesturing, sitting on a sofa with several smart scales lined up behind him.
0:54–1:06 A man speaks on a sofa flanked by smart scales as graphic overlays of the Fitbit Aria and Garmin scales appear. On screen: 165.2 8.4
1:07–1:22 A man speaks directly to the camera while gesturing toward three smart scales arranged behind him. On screen: Withings QARDIO NI
1:22–1:35 A man in a grey athletic shirt gestures with his hand as he explains the criteria for selecting smart scales with scales visible in the background. On screen: 1. User experience 2. Measurements / accuracy
1:35–1:41 A man speaks directly to the camera while text bullet points appear beside him. On screen: 1. User experience 2. Measurements / accuracy 3. App / Integration
1:41–1:45 The presenter gestures enthusiastically with both hands seated in front of three smart scales.
1:45–2:05 A person arranges three different smart scales side by side on a wooden floor, displaying their physical dimensions. On screen: QARDIO Withings 12.5 in 32 c 12.8 in 32.5 c 11.7 in 29.8 cm 32 cm
2:05–2:08 A low-angle shot panning across three smart scales laid side by side on a wooden floor under a sofa.
2:08–2:15 A low-angle view showing three smart scales stacked on top of each other with thickness measurements overlaid. On screen: 0.86 in 2.2 0.6 in 1.5 0.7 in 1.8 2.2 cm 1.5 cm 1.8 cm 0. 0
2:15–2:19 A top-down view of the underside of the white Xiaomi smart scale with its open battery compartment containing four AAA batteries. On screen: MI 小米体重秤
2:19–2:24 The camera tilts over the bottom of the round QardioBase scale, showing its battery compartment filled with eight AAA batteries. On screen: Energizer AAA ALCALINE
2:24–2:27 A top-down view shows the back panel of the white Withings Body Cardio smart scale sitting on a wooden floor. On screen: Body Cardio
2:27–2:31 A close-up pan along the side edge of the Withings scale highlights its micro-USB charging port and power button.
2:31–2:44 A low-angle view demonstrates the physical profile of each scale on a wooden floor, showing a hand pressing the QardioBase scale to highlight its wobble.
2:45–3:00 A top-down view shows bare feet stepping onto three smart scales placed side-by-side on a wooden floor to demonstrate their display readouts. On screen: QARDIO Withings 00:02:46:15 71.3 00:02:52:23 72.8 SAM kg 72.7 00:02:59:06 Fat 13.2
3:00–3:22 A top-down view shows three smart scales lined up side by side on a wood floor as a person steps on each to compare measurement speeds. On screen: QARDIO ni Withings 72.8 water (%) 59.9 19 sec 00:03:02:24 00:03:11:16 28 sec 38 sec 00:03:20:07 pwu (m/s) 5.9
3:22–3:28 A high-angle camera pans right over three smart scales resting side by side on a light wooden floor. On screen: QARDIO
3:28–3:37 A top-down shot displaying three smart scales laid out on a wooden floor with animated graphic overlays comparing their prices. On screen: QARDIO $ 159 £ / € 160 $ 50 £ / € 45 $ 119 £ / € 120 £ / € £ /
3:37–3:46 A high-angle shot shows a user stepping onto the Xiaomi smart scale to measure their weight. On screen: MI 0.0 71.9
3:46–3:50 A top-down view shows the Withings Body Cardio smart scale resting on a wooden floor.
3:50–3:54 A high-angle shot pans across a light wooden floor to center on the circular QardioBase smart scale. On screen: QARDIO
3:54–3:59 The host sits on a gray sofa gesturing with both hands while all three smart scales rest behind him.
3:59–4:01 The host is shown in a closer medium shot explaining the extended features of the smart scales.
4:01–4:12 A top-down view shows three smart scales lined up side by side on a light wooden floor. On screen: Weight Body Mass Index (BMI) Fat Mass Muscle mass Water mass Bone Mass
4:12–4:16 A man in a light grey t-shirt sits on a sofa, speaking and gesturing with smart scales positioned behind him.
4:16–4:22 A close-up shot panning down onto a white Withings smart scale lying on a wooden floor. On screen: Withings + Heart Rate + Pulse Wave Velocity
4:22–4:26 The presenter gestures enthusiastically while talking directly to the camera with scales arranged in the background.
4:26–4:35 A top-down view shows the white Xiaomi Mi Body Composition Scale on a wooden floor as feature descriptions appear on screen. On screen: + Visceral Fat Level + Basal Metabolism + Body Score
4:35–4:42 A man sits on a grey sofa speaking to the camera and gestures towards the round QardioBase scale displayed behind him.
4:42–4:49 In a closer shot, the man continues discussing the smart scales' multi-user profile functionality while gesturing with both hands.
4:49–4:53 A man sits on a grey couch talking enthusiastically while gesturing towards three smart scales placed behind him.
4:53–4:58 Top-down view of feet wearing striped socks stepping on a white Withings smart scale display. On screen: kg 74.8 Body (%),
4:58–5:15 A man sits on a couch and gestures while talking to the camera with three smart scales displayed behind him.
5:15–5:17 A man in a light grey shirt sits on a sofa and gestures while speaking directly to the camera, with smart scales placed behind him.
5:18–5:32 A man sits on a couch speaking while a comparison bar chart of weight measurements for three smart scales is shown on the upper right. On screen: Weight 74 68 62 56 50 72kg Xiaomi Mi Body Scale QardioBase Withings Cardio
5:32–5:34 A man speaks and gestures directly to the camera while seated on a sofa with smart scales lined up behind him.
5:35–5:42 The presenter gestures toward a water mass percentage comparison chart overlaid on the left side of the screen. On screen: Water Mass % 0.65 0.488 0.325 0.163 0 56% 56.1% Xiaomi Mi Body Scale QardioBase Withings Cardio 63% 58.6% 59% 59.1%
5:42–6:04 A man gestures towards on-screen bar graphs comparing the water and fat mass consistency of the smart scales. On screen: Water Mass % 0.65 0.488 0.325 0.163 0 56% 56.1% Xiaomi Mi Body Scale QardioBase 63% 58.6% 59% 59.1% Withings Cardio Fat Mass % 0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 18.2% 14%…
6:04–6:10 A man sits on a grey sofa speaking to the camera with three smart scales displayed behind him.
6:10–6:37 A man speaks to the camera while sitting on a couch with smart scales behind him as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth graphics appear above them.
6:37–6:46 The presenter sits on a sofa in front of three smart scales, gesturing expressively as he talks directly to the camera.
6:46–6:58 Hands hold an iPhone and an Android smartphone side-by-side while navigating fitness and health integration menus. On screen: Three WiFi Call 4:35 PM 22% Health Data Activity Mindfulness Nutrition Sleep Body Measurements Health Records Reproductive Health Results Vitals Settings High…
6:58–7:11 A person holds an iPhone and an Android smartphone side by side comparing the Xiaomi Mi Fit application interface. On screen: Three WiFi Call 4:43 PM 20% Sander's result 02:14 PM synced Weight 72.8 kg 72kg 4/6 08:04 AM BMI 22.4 Body score 95 Score Body fat 18.5 % Muscle 56.2 kg…
7:11–7:19 Two smartphones are held side-by-side comparing body fat metrics before switching to the Withings Health Mate app interface on iOS and Android. On screen: Three WiFi Call 4:43 PM 20% Body fat 18.1 Normal 11.0% 17.0% 22.0% 27.0% Very low Low Borderline high High "Body fat" refers to the proportion of fat in total…
7:19–7:26 A close-up view shows a user scrolling and navigating through the Withings Health Mate app timeline and metrics simultaneously on an iPhone and an Android phone. On screen: 72.8 13.5 5.9 66 63 4:39 72.7 1.2 7,135 71 of 10,000 Tuesday, June 10, 2014 Activity - Today Timeline LAST WEIGHT WEIGHT THIS WEEK SINCE 8/4/13 0.6 72.7 kg…
7:26–7:44 Two hands hold an iPhone and an Android smartphone side by side to compare the companion scale app's data graphs. On screen: Three WiFi Call 4:39 PM 21% Weight Body Composition BMI 72.7 kg 22.2 April BODY COMPOSITION WEIGHT 76 25 4:40 PM Body Fat (%) Learn more Body Water (%) Fat…
7:44–8:06 A person holds an iPhone and an Android phone side by side, interacting with the Qardio companion app on both screens. On screen: Three WiFi Call 4:45 PM 19% LAST MEASUREMENT Mode 265 73.1 kg 16 Body Fat 18 Muscle 22.3 BMI Underweight Normal Overweight Obese 25 30 Add note > MEASUREMENT…
8:06–8:30 The speaker sits on a gray couch with three smart scales displayed behind him, gesturing actively as he addresses the camera.
8:30–8:57 A man sits on a grey couch gesturing expressively with smart scales displayed behind him.
8:57–9:12 A man sits on a grey sofa with three smart scales displayed behind him, thanking the audience and gesturing to subscribe.
9:13–9:18 Animated outro title card displaying text graphics on a textured blue and torn paper background. On screen: SMART SCALES WITHIGNS VS XIAOMI VS QARDIO BY SANDER SAAR GNS VS XIAOMI VS OADDI I BELIEVE IN TECHNOLOGY
9:18–9:22 A static black screen marks the conclusion of the video.
0:00 Speaker A: Hi everybody. Speaker A: I'm Sande and I believe in technology. Speaker A: Today, we're going to take a look at smart scales in order to help you and myself get into a better shape. Speaker A: So let's take a closer look. Speaker A: The benefits of quantifying oneself are clear. Speaker A: They help to motivate us, give us visibility and understand how well we're progressing towards our goals. Speaker A: And scales are probably one of the oldest methods of doing so.
0:27 Speaker A: Dating back to the 18th century, scales have evolved a lot over time to do much more than just show you your weight so you can be really precise in setting your goals. Speaker A: Rather than just saying I want to gain weight or want to lose weight. Speaker A: You can now set goals by changing your body composition, for example, to lose more fat and gain more muscle. Speaker A: There are a lot of smart scales out there, all the way from the Chinese manufacturers to the kind of Western flagships, and I've used many of them before.
0:54 Speaker A: For example, I didn't like Fitbit Aria for the reason that they're building a closed ecosystem so it doesn't integrate with Apple Health Kit or Google Fit. Speaker A: For example, I didn't like Garmin because it had really poor app experience. Speaker A: But these three are really my top. Speaker A: In this video, I've selected three smart scales that I've used longest and I think are one of the most advanced ones out there. Speaker A: First of all, the Withings Cardio Scale, the Cardio Base, as well as the Xiaomi MI Body Scale that recently was updated.
1:22 Speaker A: There are three things that are important to me when selecting a scale. Speaker A: First of all, the overall user experience, usability and the aesthetics of the physical appearance of the scale. Speaker A: The second thing is the measurements, the accuracy and consistency. Speaker A: And a third thing is integration and the app ecosystem. Speaker A: First of all, let's take a look at the usability and the physical appearance of the scales. Speaker A: Withing's Cardio scale, it's definitely the largest in the mix, especially when you put them side by side.
1:52 Speaker A: It's 12.8 inches as a side or 32.5 centimeters, while cardio base is circular at similar diameter. Speaker A: The Xiaomi Mi Body scale is the smallest at 11.7 inches or 30 centimeters. Speaker A: Xiaomi is also the thinnest at 0.6 inch, followed by Withings at 0.7 and almost 0.9 inches for the cardio. Speaker A: While Xiaomi is powered by four AAA batteries, cardio base is powered by eight AAA batteries.
2:20 Speaker A: That's a lot of batteries and they run out relatively quickly. Speaker A: Withings has taken a more sustainable approach by including a rechargeable USB battery pack which they say you only need to charge once a year with. Speaker A: Ings and Xiaomi are both very flat and very close to the floor and they're super stable as they're square as well. Speaker A: While on the other hand with Cardio Bass I've actually slipped quite a few times because it's so instable to step on it. Speaker A: Looking at the screens, Xiaomi and Cardio have super nice discreet embedded LED screens while the one on Cardio is harder to read as it's kind of right in between your feet and you're covering it with your feet when you're stepping on it.
2:56 Speaker A: The one on Xiaomi is clear but does not show much info apart from the weight and the progress bar of the weighting Withings. Speaker A: There's a large separate screen which shows you all the metrics, but that also means that it takes the longest to take the measurements, followed by Kardia and Xiaomi being the quickest. Speaker A: You could almost weigh yourself twice on Xiaomi compared to Withings. Speaker A: That is going through all the measurements. Speaker A: That is not necessarily as that's why you have the app. Speaker A: Another key differentiation for the scales is the cost.
3:24 Speaker A: For Withing's Cardio you're looking to pay around $159. Speaker A: For cardio bass around $129. Speaker A: And Xiaomi Mi body scale you can find around 50 to $60 for measurement. Speaker A: Xiaomi is using electrodes directly on the scale for accuracy. Speaker A: On the other hand, Withings and Cardio have embedded them inside the scaled glass material. Speaker A: The downside of Xiaomi is that in wet environments it may get oxide on it, but they say it's covered with antioxidant layer for measurements.
3:55 Speaker A: Let's see how accurate and consistent they are across the board. Speaker A: All of the scales offer you so much more than just weight. Speaker A: They all also show your body mass. Speaker A: Index your fat mass, muscle mass, water mass as well as your bone mass. Speaker A: Withings calling their scale Cardio also includes other heart health related measurements such as your heart rate itself as well as pulse wave velocity which shows you how healthy your heart is.
4:22 Speaker A: Xiaomi has also got some tricks up its sleeve. Speaker A: It also include visceral fat level measurements which shows you how much fat you have in between your organs, basal metabolism, calories as well as overall body score. Speaker A: Cardiobase on the other hand doesn't include any other measurements apart from pregnancy mode which is nice to have. Speaker A: All of the scales also support multiple profiles and that works flawlessly. Speaker A: Up to five people that I've tested them with but they all promise much more.
4:49 Speaker A: But let's get into the measurements. Speaker A: None of these scales work with your socks on apart from showing you the weight, so you have to take them off always in order to see your body composition. Speaker A: In my test I used all of the three scales over a longer period of time on their own and also three at the same time for three consecutive days where I took three consecutive measurements in order to see the consistency and accuracy relative to each other metrics as well as the metrics that I took on the same scale.
5:16 Speaker A: First of all, I found that Xiaomi and Withings are most consistent for showing your weight as they were showing them consistently when taking three consecutive measurements on the same scale as well as compared to each other. Speaker A: On the other hand, Cardio based was always showing 3 or 600 more weight than the other two when looking at the body composition. Speaker A: None of them came even close and were not consistent between each other at all. Speaker A: Xiaomi was the most consistent with by taking the three consecutive measurements by only showing 0.1% variability in the measurements.
5:46 Speaker A: On the other hand, withings consistently showed 0.5 if not more variability for taking consecutive measures of the same item. Speaker A: Cardiobase was also very consistent in its composition measurements, but they were all compared to each other so different so I don't even know which one is the right one. Speaker A: Full measurements are also available in the link down below so you can go and check them out and maybe come up with your own conclusions. Speaker A: While on Xiaomi Mi Bodyscale you'd actually have to open the app in order to sync the measurements back to your phone because it's using Bluetooth only.
6:18 Speaker A: Withings as well as Cardio Bass upload them directly to the cloud through Wi Fi. Speaker A: That's really convenient. Speaker A: But on the other hand, I always looked at the measurements on my phone anyway in order to see the other measurements that were not shown on the screen in any of these cases or even show your trends how well you're progressing towards your goals. Speaker A: So in real life that wasn't really an issue. Speaker A: Talking about the apps, all of the scales come with their own iOS and Android apps. Speaker A: They all also integrate really well with Apple Healthkit as well as Google Fit.
6:47 Speaker A: So you quantified Cell fans who have activity trackers or sleep monitors can see all of your data in one place. Speaker A: All of them also support goal setting and measurements towards your goals. Speaker A: Xiaomi One is for sure the simplest on iOS as well as Android. Speaker A: It is just super clear and simple. Speaker A: All measurements are explained and shown your performance against those norms as well as you can see your own performance over time on a graph.
7:12 Speaker A: Withings is trying to do everything by building your activity feed, which is good but not great user experience and not well executed. Speaker A: It's unclear on how well I'm doing and often glitches in the interface. Speaker A: Also it's nice that they've used kind of flat design on the outside but but when going actually to see any of the graphs it's like going back five years in design. Speaker A: You also have to go to their website or a mobile webpage to see how your measurements are stacking up against the norms and what are they for.
7:44 Speaker A: Cardiobase on the other hand has also got relatively simple app but once again only shows my performance against the body mass index norms with no explanation of other measurements such as bone, fat or muscle composition and how well I'm doing against them. Speaker A: You can still see your measurements, your trends and history and also set reminders for future measurements. Speaker A: As you've learned by now, there is no perfect scale, at least none that I would trust for scientific measurements.
8:12 Speaker A: So therefore consistency is really the key and in my experience Xiaomi was the most consistent for taking those consecutive measurements. Speaker A: And ultimately it comes down to trends and seeing your progress over time, how well you're gaining your muscle, losing your fat or whatever else your goal might be. Speaker A: I will keep showing me body scales. Speaker A: I can't justify paying almost three times more for the Withings cardio or two times more for the cardio based scales.
8:39 Speaker A: They offer very similar value, none of them scientifically proven measurements. Speaker A: And actually while the activity trackers and the scales are getting better, none of these will help you get more fit than just getting out there and doing your exercise regularly. Speaker A: They would just help you to motivate you, keep you going and see your progress over time. Speaker A: Thank you very much for watching this video. Speaker A: I hope you enjoyed it. Speaker A: If you did, give it a thumbs up. Speaker A: Let's have a conversation in the comments and see some of my other videos around me here which I've done recently and subscribe to the channel to see the new ones.
9:10 Speaker A: Thanks again and I hope to see you next time.