The Withings BeamO is a rare wellness gadget that is truly unique. Dubbed a “multiscope,” it’s an app-connected thermometer with electrodes to measure ECG and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and a stethoscope to listen to your heart and lungs. All this is packed into a compact rectangular gadget that resembles a TV remote.
At $249.95, BeamO is a tough sell compared to just buying a generic stethoscope and infrared thermometer from a drugstore, and you need a Withings+ Premium subscription ($9.95 a month) to get any sort of evaluation of your data. Read on for all the details of my experience testing BeamO and a verdict on whether it’s worth the money.
Design and sensors: A 4-in-1 health testing device
Despite being a new and innovative gadget, the Withings BeamO feels a little old school. The design reminds me of a cross between a Roku remote and a screen-equipped universal device controller. Most of the front is taken up by a 16-bit LCD, with a physical control wheel and buttons below to navigate the simple interface.
Wings beam o
Overall, the Beamo measures 1.5 x 0.7 x 5.4 inches (LWH) and weighs 2.8 ounces. Apart from its sensor and display, it has a simple white case similar to a basic thermometer. In fact, a contactless thermometer rests on top of the instrument, with a concave side and a rim. Holds the stethoscope below.
Beam O’s metal plates (Credit: Andrew Gebart)
On one side is a pair of metal plates at the top and bottom, which act as electrodes for ECG readings. On the bottom plate is a small black circle labeled SpO2. On the other side of the device is a USB-C port for recharging or connecting headphones using an included adapter, so you can listen to a stethoscope.
Setup and App: Easy to use, but limited without a subscription
BeamO is packaged with a cloth carrying pouch, a charging cord, headphone adapter, and some paperwork, including Quick Start and product guides.
what’s in the box (Credit: Andrew Gebart)
To set it up, you’ll need a phone running at least Android 9 or iOS 16. Download the Withings app and create an account, which involves filling in personal information such as your name, birthday, assigned gender (male or female), height, weight and location. Then press the plus button in the upper right corner to add the device.
For setup, you’ll need to allow the app to detect nearby devices. It will also prompt you to enable notifications and accurate location detection. Then, press and hold the button on BeamO for three seconds to turn it on, and it will display a QR code that you’ll scan when prompted in the app. From there, simply enter your Wi-Fi information, and the device will install updates to finish the process.
The app then shows tutorials on how to use BeamO for best results. You can view any readings you take with BeamO on the app’s home page. Most apps aren’t device-specific, but the Share tab lets you generate reports from your readings to send to your doctor, and the Achieve tab offers programs to improve your health. Tap the device icon in the upper-right corner of the Home tab to adjust settings such as Wi-Fi.
From left to right: the main page of the app, an ECG reading, and a stethoscope recording (Credit: Withings/PCmag)
The Home tab of the Withings app gets more detailed if you sign up for the company’s premium service, called Withings+. The $9.95 monthly/$99.50 annual subscription adds AI insights to the data you collect and gives you the option to have your ECGs regularly reviewed by a cardiologist. Otherwise, it uses your device data to offer a wellness score called Vitality (which measures your energy) and Health (which focuses on trends). For this story, I tested BeamO without a Withings+ subscription.
Even without a subscription, a cardiologist will review your initial ECG before you can continue using the device to take measurements, though this step didn’t tell me anything other than unlocking the feature. And without a premium subscription, all data collected from BeamO is presented in the app without context. For example, you can use the app to listen to a recording of your lungs from a stethoscope, and it will tell you if it detected any abnormal sounds and how many, but none of that means anything. Similarly, an ECG does not provide a diagnosis. Instead, it just shows a line graph taken to represent the measurements.
Interface and Controls: Check-up at home in under a minute
After the setup is complete, you can use BeamO yourself and let the app collect your data in the background. Tap the center button on the device to wake it up, then select your profile from the list of options. Tap the wheel around the button to scroll, or tap the left side of the button to go back.
Choose your profile to get started. (Credit: Andrew Gebart)
After selecting your profile, you can choose which test you want to take. Note that the device itself won’t show you how to take each test, so you’ll need to go back to the app if you need a refresher.
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To read the thermometer, you can place the device on or near your forehead. The app recommends moving the hair out of the way and slowly moving the device from the center of your forehead to one side of your temple.
Tests with a stethoscope last 15 seconds, during which the app recommends minimizing movement. While it’s monitoring your heart, it also suggests holding your breath. When you choose a stethoscope, it gives you the option to listen to your heart or lungs. For each, the app outlines different places to hold the device on your chest or back. Select one to start reading and then place the device on the corresponding point on your body. That point will turn green on the display when complete, and you can continue reading at other suggested points to collect more data.
Choose your position when using the stethoscope. (Credit: Andrew Gebart)
For the ECG and SpO2 tests, you’ll rest your index fingers on the electrodes, and the app will instruct you to place your arms on your lap or table and be quiet for a 30-second period without speaking. When you take this test, watch the device’s screen as it will tell you if you need to apply more or less pressure to the electrodes. You’ll also want to make sure your right index finger is actually covering the little black sensor on the electrode, or the test won’t measure your SpO2.
During any stethoscope test, you can plug in a pair of wired headphones using the adapter and listen to the recording.
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I tested the BeamO’s thermometer function next to a $10 under-the-tongue model I picked up at my nearest drugstore, and the readings matched perfectly. The ECG graph and SpO2 numbers looked the same from my collection of smartwatches. I don’t have a stethoscope on hand, but those BeamO readings didn’t say much anyway. The device just identified the presence of sounds and let me play back the recording.
Using the thermometer function was faster and easier than sticking the normal model under my tongue. The BeamO read my temperature in a few seconds, while the drugstore model needed about a minute and would have been too uncomfortable to use if I was really sick and had a stuffy nose.
Plug in headphones using the included adapter. (Credit: Andrew Gebart)
I also got a big kick out of plugging in a pair of headphones and listening to my heart or lungs in action. My biggest disappointment with the device is that it doesn’t actually provide any takeaways from these readings. Even the ECG showed only one graph, despite the fact that it was reviewed by a doctor. Perhaps this review was only for regulatory reasons. A disclaimer during setup notes that the ECG is not designed to detect heart attacks or other medical conditions.
The app notes that by listening with a stethoscope, you can detect problems like a heart murmur or asthma, but it doesn’t seem to happen automatically. I have asthma, and the graph simply noted the presence of the noise without explaining what might be causing it.
Unless you’re actually trained in what to listen for, the benefit of BeamO is that you’ll be able to send these readings to your doctor. This alone may be worth the price for families who need to closely track a medical condition, but for most people, it feels too much outside of a regular doctor’s visit.
App functionality aside, if you’re trying to replicate the BeamO’s sensor, you can do so for much less. Yes, BeamO’s thermometer is easier to use than the under-the-tongue drugstore version, but you can easily find infrared forehead thermometers that offer this convenience for around $10. A simple stethoscope can be had for as little as $7. If you have a smartwatch or fitness tracker made in the last few years, chances are it already has ECG and SpO2 functionality.
Verdict: Helpful for some households
The Withings BeamO is an impressive modern gadget that can be useful in the right home. Families looking to closely track a medical condition will appreciate its ease of use, and the ability to quickly take multiple tests with a single device and then send the results to their doctor. All of its sensors worked well in my testing, but you’ll need a Withings+ subscription to get the most out of the device, including access to a cardiologist. While a multiscope combination of a thermometer, a stethoscope, an ECG, and an SpO2 test can work for almost anyone, it’s too much for most people, and too expensive, especially since it doesn’t provide any insight into its readings without a subscription. The Withings Beamo is indeed a unique wellness device, but it stops short of being a practical upgrade for most homes.
About our expert
Andrew Gabbert
Senior Writer, Smart Home and Wearables
Experience
I’m a senior writer for PCMag covering smart home and wearable devices. I’ve been reporting on tech professionally for almost a decade and have been passionate about it for even longer. Before joining PCMag, I made educational videos for Abt Electronics, an electronics store in Illinois, and before that, I spent eight years covering the smart home market for CNET.
I have developed many flavors of nerddom in my personal life. I am an avid board gamer and video gamer. I love fantasy football, which I see as a combination of role-playing games and sports. Plus, I can talk to you about craft beer for hours and am on a personal quest to do a beer flight at every microbrewery in my hometown of Chicago.
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