NordicTrack T7.5 treadmill vs SE9i elliptical

This is a comparison between the Nordictrack T7.5 treadmill and the SE9i elliptical including pros, cons and alternatives. Follow the links for more details

Overview and review of the Nordictrack SE9i $1799

This is a review of the Nordictrack SE9i model. You will learn about the specifics, pros, cons, and alternatives of this elliptical to make a decision. This article was originally published in "Which elliptical to get from Nordictrack".

Overview of the SE9i elliptical

The SE9i elliptical is the flagship rear-drive elliptical from Nordictrack. Its main features are a 7-inch touch screen, 18-flywheel, and 10% incline. The full list of features includes:

7” Smart HD Touchscreen
Includes 1-Year NordicTrack iFit® membership**
Integrated Tablet Holder
0 - 10° Power Adjustable Incline
Auxiliary Music Port
Two 2” Digitally Amplified Speakers
Integrated, QuickTouch™ Handle Controls

Adjustable, Oversized Cushion Pedals
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
SoftTouch™ Upper Body Grips

Rear Drive
18 Lb. Effective Inertia-enhanced Flywheel
SMR™ Silent Magnetic Resistance
24 Digital Resistance Levels
10% Power Adjustable Incline
One Touch® Controls
Commercial Solid Steel Construction
EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
iFit Bluetooth® Smart Chest Strap Included
325 Lb. User Weight Capacity

30 Preset Workout Apps
Integrated Handle Controls for Ramp and Resistance
Out-of-the-Box Easy Assembly
Rear-mounted Transport Wheels
Water Bottle Holder
Vertical SpaceSaver® Design
78.7" L x 31.9" W x 66.4" H Footprint
10-Year Frame Warranty
2-Year Parts Warranty
1-Year Labor Warranty

This is the fancy version of the two rear-drive Nordictrack ellipticals with a touch screen. If you do not need a touch screen you can go for the SE7i instead.

Pros of the SE9i

The pros of the SE9i are:

Price
Touch screen

Compared to the rest of the Nordictrack portfolio the SE9i is relatively cheap, even though it is the most expensive rear-drive elliptical in stock. Compared to the lower cost SE7i it has the advantage of the 7-inch touch screen.

Cons of the SE9i elliptical

The cons of the Se9i elliptical are:

18-pound flywheel
Size
Price

For buying something rather low tier from a vendor the price is still pretty high. If you want to save money, go all the way and get a machine that has been stripped of most things and focuses on the essentials. Otherwise, go for a different vendor or fitness machine where you can acquire the top tier products for $2000.

Alternatives to the Se9i elliptical

The alternatives to the SE9i elliptical are:

The Nordictrack SE7i saves you an additional $600 by cutting out the touch screen in exchange for a backlit display. This will help you to save further money.

The concept 2 rower is a great alternative for someone who wants to go hard but has problems standing for along time. You have two different models you can choose from, the Model E and model D.

The Rogue echo bike at $700 is, in my opinion, one of the strongest contestants for the best home gym workout machine. It is compact, affordable and packs a punch.

Summary for the SE9i elliptical

All in all, the Se9i is a rear-drive elliptical with a touch screen that has seen its best days. Newer designs have taken over and offer better value for money from Nordictrack. The only thing which would tempt me to go for a rear-drive is the folding option and if I was 20 years older.

Overview and review of the NordicTrack T7.5 1599

This is a review of the NordicTrack NordicTrack T7.5s 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 T7.5

The T7.5 is a good treadmill to get in the UK market from Nordictrack. If you want to spend more than 1000 this is the solid choice which covers all bases. The main features are the 7 HD Touchscreen, 3.0 CHP motor, and the 12% incline. The full list of features includes the following options:

Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
iFit Integrated
7" HD Touch Screen Display
Two 2” Bluetooth Digitally Amplified Speakers

3.0 CHP Motor
0% - 12% Digital Incline
0 – 22 km/h Speed
Onetouch™ Controls
1.9” Precision and Balanced Non-Flex Rollers
125kg Max User Weight
EKG Handgrips

FlexSelect™ Cushioning
51 x 152 cm Tread Belt
AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan

SpaceSaver® Design with EasyLift™ Assist
Assembled Dimensions - 187L x 91W x 151H cm
Product Weight 96kg
Boxed Weight 116kg
Folded Dimensions - 110L x 91W x 178H cm
Boxed Dimensions - 213L x 83W x 41H cm
Warranty - Lifetime Frame Warranty, 10-year Motor Warranty, 2-Year Parts & Labour upon warranty registration within 28 days of purchase.

This is the solid choice in the middle of the portfolio from Nordictrack for the UK Market. Some options above might be a little overkill to buy in bulk or use at home while the models which are below in price might fall short in longevity or experience.

Pros of the Nordictrack T7.5

The pros of the Nordictrack T7.5 are:

Good value for money
Fits most needs
More modern than some other models available in the UK

The T7.5 treadmill is a good value for the money treadmill in the Nordictrack UK line up. It covers all the bases and goes the extra mile with the 7-inch touchscreen. Yes, there are other machines which have bigger screens or more incline. Do you really need this? Probably not.

With an incline of 12%, a powerful motor, and some entertainment on the small screen you keep everyone happy. None of the main components goes to the max, but that is exactly good for fitting the most needs without spending too much money.

Compared to the S line and the C-line of Nordictrack treadmills is the T line the more modern one which is also being marketed and sold in the US. For the S and C-line, this is not the case anymore so you are better off to invest in a product line that the vendor is still interested in.

Cons of the Nordictrack T7.5

The cons of the Nordictrack T7.5 are:

No 40% incline
No mega screen

You get what you pay for. While the T7.5 is still a model which will put you back more than 1000 and therefore is solid on all basis you also can not expect any wonders. If you want a modern model with a mega screen or 40% or a combination of both you will catapult the budget in the 2000s. Therefore, you might miss these features on the T7,5. Personally, I don't think these are really necessary, but the market is moving towards the multimedia experience.

Alternatives to the Nordictrack T7.5

Alternatives to the T7.5 are:

If you want an elliptical instead of a treadmill you can opt for the FS5i instead of the T7.5. With this elliptical, you get the free stride technology from Nordictrack which makes it a 3 in 1 machine. You can use it as a stepper, treadmill, and elliptical. While this is a big step in the versatility you lose some points in stability. The design is more error-prone than a classical elliptical or treadmill design.

If you want to go below the 1000 mark you can go for the concept 2 model D. This is a solid rower used in many gyms around the world. It does not come with a lot of multimedia options, but it does fulfill the cardio requirements and leaves your knees and ankles in tact.

My personal favorite option is the Rogue Echo bike. This machine comes in at a good price, is solid and covers all your cardio needs ina compact design. Rogue has definitely done a good job by putting a competitive airbike out there which leaves nothing to be desired in quality.

Summary for the Nordictrack T7.5

The T7.5 is probably the most balanced option for a treadmill in the UK from Nordictrack to date. Compared to the C and S series and is newer and provides good value for money. If you have more money to spend you might want to wait for some of the newest models from the states to arrive. But if you want a solid machine now, go for the T7.5.