Information on how to run faster, lift stronger and think deeper

Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical vs Nordictrack X9i treadmill

Posted by Pascal Landshoeft

Mar 28, 2021 9:00:00 AM

Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical vs Nordictrack X9i treadmill

This is a comparison of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical and the Nordictrack X9i treadmill including pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.

If you want the most up to date news or ask direct questions, then you can follow me on Instagram.

Click for Instagram

 

Overview and review of the X9i 2199

Overview of the Nordictrack X9i

 
The X9i treadmill comes in at a price of 2199 pounds at the time of writing. Its main features are the 3 horsepower motor, 40% incline, and 7-inch touch screen. With this, it is a treadmill at the higher end of the price spectrum and relatively big features and incline and screen real estate.  The full list of features runs as follows:
 
  • 7" HD Touch Screen Display
  • iFit Integrated
  • Smart BlueTooth Chestbelt included
  • Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
  • Dual 3-Inch Speakers
  • Reflex™ Cushioning
  • Tablet Holder Included
  • 55 x 152 cm Tread Belt
 
  • Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans
  • 3.6 CHP Motor
  • 0 – 40% Incline - 0 – 6% Power Decline
  • 0 – 20 km/h Speed
  • 2.5” Precision-machined and
    Balanced Non-flex Rollers
  • EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
  • 135kg Max User Weight
  • Out-of-the-box Easy Assembly
  • Large Boxed Item - This item can only be delivered or delivered and installed to a ground floor room location.
  • Free Installation Included With Mainland Customers
  • Product Weight 135kg
  • Boxed Weight 175kg
  • Assembled Dimensions - 178L x 100W x 181H cm
  • Boxed Dimensions - 227L x 103W x 64H cm
  • Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.
 
All of this makes the X9 a good machine for the UK market if you are interested in a 40% incline and a touchscreen. 
 

Pros of the Nordictrack X9i 

 
The pros of the X9i are 
 
  • 40% Incline
  • 7-inch touch screen
The X9i shines on the incline and the touch screen options. This is a high-end treadmill that you can either use at home or in a commercial setting. 
 

Cons of the Nordictrack X9i

 
  • Price
  • Older model
2000 pounds is a high price for a treadmill either to buy for your home or in bulk. Really think hard about whether you will need the 40% incline on a regular as this is the main reason for driving the price up. If you only will use it occasionally you might want to look into other options with less incline. 
 
Another point is that the X9i is one of the older models in the Nordictrack incline treadmills line up. The newer models are the X11i, x22i, and the X32i. These models are not available in the UK yet, but you may want to have a close look at the US website first. Especially if you can wait for half a year to a year with your purchase.  
 

Alternatives to the Nordictrack X9i

 
Alternatives to the Nordictrakc X9i are:
 
 
The Nordictrack FS5i is a three in one elliptical which can be used as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical which is available in the UK. This might be the better choice for someone who buys for use at home by multiple people. Especially the fitness levels are a bit lower. A commercial buyer might not want to go this way, is the ellipticals with the flywheel in the middle are more error-prone than the front / rear-drive flywheels or treadmills. Commercial buyers with space might want to split up their fleet in specialized machines. 
 
If you are really sure that you need the 40% incline but want to save a little bit of money you can go for the X7i instead of the X9i. It is basically the same machine, except that the screen is not a touch screen. This city a little of the budget while you still almost get the same specifications for what you are buying. If you are insisting on a 40% incline and think that this is your main use case you right also want to look at the VersaClimber product range. This is usually the better pick for maximizing the calories burned per minute.
 
The Nordictrack C7.5 would be the treadmill of choice of you ditch the idea of a 40% incline. This is a solid machine for home or commercial use which is more affordable and still does the trick. Definitely look in this area of the Nordictrack portfolio if you think %40 is overkill (which I would say in 999 out of 1000 cases).
 
The last option would be to go for something completely different. The Rogue Echo bike coma in at a price of about 700 pounds. It is compact, easy to move, and you can burn a lot of calories per minute with the interval settings. This is the machine that I got for my personal gym as I prefer tor un outdoors. 
 

Summary for the Nordictrack X9i

 
Nordictrack X9i is one of the most modern incline treadmills available for the UK market from Nordictrack at the moment. Still, you are investing a lot of money into a machine that has been overtaken with new models in the US. I am personally not a fan of spending a lot of money on something which I know will be outdated very soon. Combined with the fact that most people do not get a lot of use out of the 40% incline option the X9i is not one of my favorite options and would go for the X7i instead to save some money if you are insisting on 40%.

Overview and review of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical

This is an overview of the Horizon fitness Evolve 5 elliptical including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article was first published in Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?

For the most up to date information and asking direct questions you can follow me on Instagram.

Related Articles

Which Horizon fitness treadmill to get?
Which Horizon fitness bike to get?
Which Horizon fitness elliptical to get?
 
Which Nordictrack treadmill to get?
Which Nordictrack elliptical to get?
Which Nordictrack bike to get?
 
Which Cardio Equipment to get from TITAN?
Which conditioning equipment to get from Rogue Fitness?
 
 

Overview of the Evolve 5 elliptical  $1,399

 
The Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical is the current flagship elliptical in the Horizon lineup. It’s main distinguishing feature is the big flywheel which provides a smoother ride and lower need for maintenance. This is the right choice if you like Horizon and the idea of an elliptical and do not want to compromise. The full specifications of this machine run as follows:
 
Frame Type: Sic Star Folding
Flywheel:23
Stride Length: 20
Incline Range: N/A
Resistance Range: 20 Electronically adjustable
Step on height (inches): 10
Extras: Built-in speakers, Energy Saver Mode, Passport ready, Tablet rack, Water Bottle holder
Electrical requirements: 110 lot and 220 Volt
Weight: 181 lbs.
Assembled dimensions: 69" x 28" x 69"
Max user weight: 300
Warranty - Frame: Lifetime
Warranty - Brake: 3 years
Warranty - Flywheel: N/A
Warranty - Parts: 3 years
Warranty - Labor: 1 year
 

Pros of the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The pros are the Horizon Evolve 5 elliptical are:
 
  • Big flywheel
  • Foldable
 
This elliptical has all the bells and whistles and the biggest flywheel that Horizon currently offers. With the finding mechanic, it takes up considerably less space when it is not in use. If you want the most amount of elliptical money can buy from Horizon, then this is the model for you.
 

Cons of the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The cons of the Horizon Evolve 5 are:
 
  • Price
  • Console
 
With $1400 the Horizon Evolve 5 is the highest priced elliptical in the Horizon lineup. For that high price, I think you get not a lot of extra compared to the Evolve 3 or AE 7.0. The only thing the Evolve 5 has going for it is the big flywheel. This is only relevant when you either go very hard at it or intend to be a lot of mileage on it in a short frame of time. The console is not internet-ready and only gives you updates about the preloaded workouts.
 

Alternatives to the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
Alternatives to the Horizon Evolve 5 are:
 
 
The Evolve 3 is in my opinion the better option if you buy into the idea of a foldable elliptical. It costs less and almost does the same as the Horizon Evolve 5 except for a smaller flywheel.
 
The Nordictrack SE 7i is the entry-level elliptical from Nordictrack. If Horizon is out of stock or you want to compare prices you can go with this one too.
 
The Rogue Echo Bike is is my opinion the best option for homeowners who want to go hard at it on a small footprint on a bike. Its low-budget competitor is the TITAN fan bike.
 

Conclusion for the Evolve 5 elliptical

 
The Horizon Evolve 5 is great when you like to buy the best and have berthing for your home gym elliptical. For commercial use I think the folding approach to the frame is not a great idea as it provides too much opportunity for things to break. For home gym users I think that the AE 7.0 Elliptical is a better value for money.
 

Topics: Cardio, Horizon, Elliptical