Withings Body Cardio Review : What No Other Scale Has

If you want to get so extremely serious about your body that your scale can tell you if you have heart problems, Withings Body Cardio is here for you. This piece of hardware works with the ability to tell you your pulse wave velocity – that's the measure of the stiffness of your arteries – aka the velocity at which your arteries pulse through your vessels. The measurement is non-invasive, and could very well show you that you're at cardiovascular risk when you'd otherwise have no idea. So far it seems we're not at risk – so that's good!

This scale is very high-end. It's not the sort of scale you're going to end up buying if you just want to keep general track of your weight when you're trying to become just a tiny bit thinner after Thanksgiving. Instead, this is the sort of scale you get when you need, as Withing's says, "the thinnest, most stable scale available."

While SlashGear hasn't exactly tested the entire world's collection of high and low-end scales, compared to everything anyone on our staff has ever tried before, this unit is tops.

One reason why is its feet-less base design.

Two strips of robust plastic along the bottom of a flat aluminum base means you're not going to have to fuss with scale foot adjustments. You're also not going to have to worry about putting this scale on your hardwood floor or your tile floor – it's not going to scratch either one.

Carpet works fine too.

The top portion is a thick tempered glass sheet and an extremely dense foam center allows the scale to accurately find your weight without you having to worry about loosening springs and counterweights.

The scale is 0.7-inches thick, the design is extremely simple and aesthetically pleasing, and you'll be able to purchase the device in either white or black.

You'll be able to find your weight. Obviously. As you step on the scale you'll find a weight appearing as well as the potential for arrows in any one of the four corners of the scale's display. Position Control, that's called – resulting in extremely precise results.

Fat Mass can be calculated as well – and Muscle Mass. This scale shows you your body's water percentage so you know whether or not you need to head to the sink to get yourself a glass of water.

Bones, too – though you're going to have to do something a little more drastic to attain more bone mass.

Tracking all of these measurements is done through the Withings Health Mate app. You'll connect to your scale using your Android or iOS device (iPhone or iPad), using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

With this app you'll be able to set a weight goal. The goal helps you aspire to greatness, and the Health Mate app coaches you with encouraging messages and tips for continuing your journey toward a healthier you.

If you have a Withings activity tracker, your scale can tell you your previous day's steps. This is done via Wi-Fi and your smartphone's sync with both the scale and the web.

You can also have the scale tell you the weather – temperature highs and lows and forecast for the day.

This scale can work with up to 8 users, each of them recognized automatically by their weight and other measurements. Each user is connected to their own Health Mate profile automatically.

Battery is provided by a rechargeable unit inside the scale, rechargeable by micro-USB (with a cord available in the box). Each charge, says Withings, will last you one full year.

Obviously we have yet to see the scale run out of power.

The Withings Body Cardio scale will cost you $180 USD, which means you're probably not going to buy the device on a whim. If you find yourself wishing you had as much information as possible about your weight and the metrics that go along with it – not to mention pulse wave velocity, a measurement not yet available with any other scale we've yet seen on the market – there might be good reason for you to use this piece of equipment.

If you want what could very easily be the most accurate and smart scale we've ever experienced, the Withings Body Cardio is that winner. You can purchase this scale at Withings right this minute.