Nordictrack GX 4.4 vs X7i

This is a comparison of the Nordictrack GX4.4 and X7i including pros, cons, and alternatives . Follow the links for more details.

Overview and review of the NordicTrack X7i 1899

This is a review of the NordicTrack X7i including pros, cons, and alternatives. This article has been originally published in “which NordicTrack treadmill or elliptical to get in the UK”. Follow the links for more details.

Overview of the X7i

The Nordictrack X7i is a treadmill with 40% incline, a 2.75 CHP motor, and a 7-inch Backlit display. If you have a bit of money to spend on a treadmill from Nordictrack in the UK, I think this is the model to get. The full list of features includes:

7" Backlit Display
iFit Bluetooth Compatible - 1 Year Membership Included
BLE Chestbelt Compatible
Dual 3-Inch Speakers

Reflex™ Cushioning
Tablet Holder Included
55 x 152 cm Tread Belt
Dual AutoBreeze™ Workout Fans

2.75 CHP Motor
0 – 40% Incline - 0 – 3% Power Decline
0 – 20 km/h Speed
2.5” Precision-machined and
Balanced Non-flex Rollers
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
115kg 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.
Product Weight 172kg
Boxed Weight 182kg
Assembled Dimensions - 177L x 100W x 183H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 193L x 102W x 82H cm
Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

The X7i is a good option if you can afford it for a purchase from Nordictrack in the UK as it is part of the more modern product ranges of Nordictrack compared to other models available in the UK line up.

Pros of the Nordictrack X7i

Pros of the Nordictrack X7i are:

Good value for money
40% incline

The Nordictrack X7i treadmill is a good value for money in the UK line up, especially for home use. You will get the 40% incline at a reasonable price and not leave money on the table as with the S50. Of course, this is only going to make sense, if you are intending to use this feature on a regular basis. Otherwise, you can go for a cheaper model with a lower incline.

Cons of the NordicTrack X7I

The cons of the Nordictrack X7i are:

Price
40% incline

While it is a great feature to have, especially if you want to burn a lot of calories in a short period of time, the 40% incline is not necessarily a feature you need. This is one of the main drivers of price and makes this comparatively expensive to models which only have a 12 - 15% incline. That is more than enough if you are only running.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack X7i

Alternatives to the Nordictrack X7i are:

The Nordictrack T 7.5 is a good alternative to the X7i if you do not need the 40% incline. With this machine, you will get a stronger motor and a 7 inch HD touch screen instead of a backlit display. It is also slightly less costly than the X7i. Unless you can make a really comüelling case on why you need up to 40% of incline, this is the machine to get. Commercial buyers also might want to consider this machine instead as 3 CHP give it a longer lifetime.

The Nordictrack FS5i is the elliptical available in the Uk from Nordictrack which is in the same budget range as the X7i. If you want to provide for the entire family and go a bit easier on the joints, this might be the better option for you. This elliptical has the free stride technology which makes it a three in one machine for running, stepping, and as an elliptical. Some people find it hard to get used to keeüing the balance on such a machine and it does burn fewer calories per minute than a regular treadmill.

The VersaClimber H/HP is the home use version of the VersaClimber line up. It has been stripped of some commercial warranties to make it more affordable for home use. The VersaClimber is the ultimate machine to maximize the calories burned per minute in your home. It will also eat up a lot less space than a treadmill or elliptical. If you want to work your core and burn a lot of calories, this is the machine to get. The only downside of this machine is that it is not really for beginners. You need a certain degree of fitness to work with this and not turn it into complete frustration. Don't get a VersaClimber as an "I want to get fit" item. It is more suited to "I want to go to beast mode and do not have the time to go on a one hour run each day" bracket.

The Rogue echo bike is the compromise solution between space, budget, and calories burned per minute. I personally think this is the ideal machine for a home gym for many uses at a reasonable price when it comes to cardio. The cons os this machine are that it comes with no fans, multimedia or any other little niceties to make your workout less challenging. It is a compact, sturdy, bike. It does not care to entertain you to keep you motivated.

Summary of the Nordictrack X7i

I personally think this is the best buy for a 40% treadmill in the UK line up of Nordictrack. It is also a very good value for money option, as you can definitely go wrong with the outdated S series which is still listed on the Uk website.

Overview and review of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 Pro 649 / 799 (UK / US)

This article discusses the pros, cons, and alternatives for the Nordictrack GX 4.4.This review was originally posted in “Which Nordictrack bike to get”. Follow the links for more details.

The NordicTrack GX 4.4 is the little brother of the GX 4.6 which has been stripped of the touchscreen and heart rate monitor. The GX line is only available in the UK and has been replaced with the "Grand Tour" line in the US undergoing a rebranding. The main features of the GX 4.4 are its 5-inch Backlit Display, 9kg flywheel, and 125kg max capacity. The full list of features includes:

5" Backlit Display
iFit Bluetooth - 1 Years Membership Included
Smart BlueTooth (BLE) Chestbelt Compatible
Dual 2-Inch Speakers

Upright Frame
9kg Flywheel
25 Digital Resistance Levels
Onetouch™ Controls
EKG Handgrips
125kg Max User Weight

Oversized Cushioned Seat
Vertical and Horizontal Seat Adjustment
Extra-wide Ergonomic Pedals with Adjustable Straps
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

Water Bottle Holder
Product Weight 48kg
Box Weight 57kg
Front-mounted Transport Wheels
30 Workouts Apps
Assembled Dimensions - 105L x 59W x 161H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 108L x 65W x 39H cm
Warranty - 2 Years parts and labor; 5-year frame guarantee upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This bike shaves off 350 pounds compared to its bigger brother, the GX 4.6. This is achieved by swapping the 7-inch touch screen for a 5-inch backlit screen, getting a smaller flywheel, and not shipping a heart rate monitor with the machine. This is the middle of the G series from Nordictrack available in the UK. You are compromising on features and on price.

Pros of the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The pros of the NordicTrack GX 4.4 are:

Middle of the lower price range
Focuses on the essential
Bigger flywheel than GX 4.7

The GX 4.4 is the middle of the lower price range of bikes that are available from Nordictrack in the UK. With this, it is the ideal model for someone who does not want to make a decision between saving money and having a lot of features while not spending more than 1000. If this is how you buy, this is the bike for you.

The GX 4.4 focuses on the essentials and delivers a display for entertainment and a solid bike to crunch some miles. No-fuss made and still not too cheap to make you worry about the quality of the product.

Compared to the cheapest bike in the UK Nordictrack line up, the GX 4.7, the GX 4.4 has a bigger flywheel and therefore will last longer. Whether that warrants 200 pounds more at the time of writing is a different matter.

Cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The cons of the Nordictrack GX 4.4 are:

Too many compromises
No touchscreen
Old Nordictrack model

The biggest point for me about the GX 4.4 is that it makes too many compromises for my tastes. If you are looking into the G series or Grand tour line up of Nordictrack you have decided to spend around 1000 for your home gym cardio equipment. With this you have already ruled out premium features like big inclines or screens. With the GX 4.4 you even further compromise on the lower end and neither save a lot of money or have a great experience. Not all brains are as black and white like mine but either go for the GX 4.6, if you want the ease of use and a great experience for around 1000 or go with the GX 4.7 and maximize your savings to spend on other equipment or a weekend away.

While you are still spending around 700 pounds on the GX 4.4 you neither get a timely screen or a very solid bike. Again the 4.4 is over-compromised. Either get a bike you can abuse the heck out of and has not a lot of entertainment or get a bike that entertains but can not take that much of a beating. This all depends on your user profile and what is important to you personally.

The last point about the GX 4.4 is that it is part of a family of products that is very likely to go end of life and continued under the "Grand Tour" line of product of Nordictrack. The GX bikes are available for purchase in the UK but no in the US. As the Nordictrack headquarters is in the US you can make some predictions about the distribution of models that will first be available in the US and then stretch to other parts of the globe like Europe.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack GX 4.4

Alternatives to the Nordictrack GX 4.4 are:

The GX 4.6 is the big brother of the GX 4.4. In my opinion, this is the best value for money bike from Nordictrack you can get in the 1000 budget bracket. The main differences to the GX 4.4 are that the heart rate monitor is included and, a bigger flywheel and a touch screen. As the price is currently 300 pounds higher than for the GX 4.4 you get a better screen, flywheel, and heart rate monitor for 100 pounds each. I think that is a good deal and will leave you with a more complete experience to maximize the entertainment and training options. If I buy a Nordictrack bike for under 1000 I would always go for the GX 4.6 over the GX 4.4 as I don't like to buy twice or disappointments.

The GX 4.7 is the better option for penny pinchers. I personally hate penny-pinching as it usually annoys me to look long for things and do not enjoy the process of hunting for bargains. But, if you love this and want to save every possible penny you can save, then the GX 4.7 is the better option than the GX 4.4. For saving around 200 pounds you get a smaller flywheel and squeezed everything from the G line while still getting a functioning bike.

The SE3i elliptical is the smallest rear-drive elliptical you can get from Nordictrack. This places it in the same budget bracket as the GX 4.4. Ellipticals are usually a better option when you want to accommodate the entire family rather than just the cycle enthusiast. Remember that your gym will take up community space in the home and you might want to compromise a little. In a commercial setting, an elliptical can tend to more clients than just people who are interested in biking. Beware of low ceilings with ellipticals.

The C700 is the smallest treadmill in the Nordictrack line up. This is a great treadmill for anyone who wants to walk indoors and who does not want to spend too much. If you run a retirement home and want to get people to walk more without having them out and about, this can be a good option. Maybe all the families chip in to get two of those. If you are a serious runner who puts more than 1oo miles a week on their machine, stay way clear from the C700.

The concept 2 model D rower is a good alternative if you want to take more care of your upper body when you do your cardio. Concept 2 is the worldwide industry gold standard on rowers and model D is their best seller. A great option for rowers over bikes is that you can hang them on the wall to save space. This usually does not work that well with bikes. Commercial buyers will appreciate that package deals for buying rowers in bulk from Concept 2 are easier to obtain than for Nordictrack products.

My personal favorite for home gym deployment is the Rogue Echo bike. The design focuses on a sturdy frame, cutting out all amenities except a saddle and pedals. This machine is not designed to entertain but make you sweat. For about 700 you get a machine that can take abuse and will last for a lifetime. The downside is that it will not keep you engaged that much. You will have to want to grind for this model.

Summary for the Nordictrack GX 4.4

The GX 4.4 is one of these products that emerge when the vendor wants to combine a middle option on all features. The flywheel is ok, but not great. The Screen is ok, but not great. Combined with being in the lowest budget bracket that usually does not create a great product. I get the thought process, but if you are already penny-pinching, go all the way to the floor or try to get the most value for each penny you spent. The GX 4.4 does neither of these.