Nordictrack X9i treadmill vs ACT 7 elliptical
This is a comparison of the Nordictrack X9i and ACT7 elliptical. Learn about pros, cons, and alternatives. Follow the links for more details.
Overview and review of the ACT commercial 7 1899
This is a review of the NordicTrack ACT 7 commercial 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.
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Overview of the ACT commercial 7
The
ACT Commercial 7 elliptical is a center drive elliptical which is very compact for home use or having a fleet in a commercial gym. The main features are a 7 inch HD touchscreen, 22" stride, and an integrated tablet holder. The full list of features includes:
- 7" HD Touchscreen Display
- Includes 1 Years iFit Family Membership
- iFit Integrated
- Integrated Tablet Holder
- IPod Compatible Audio (2 - 2" Speakers)
- Center Drive
- 18" – 22" Adjustable Stride
- 24 Digital Resistance Levels
- OneTouch® Controls
- EKG Grip Pulse Heart Rate Monitor
- Soft Touch™ Upper Body Grips
- Max User Weight 135kg
- Adjustable Oversized Cushion Pedals
- AutoBreeze™ Workout Fan
- Included Water Bottle Holder
- Transport Wheels
- Product Weight 107kg
- Boxed Weight 125kg
- Assembled Dimensions - 182L x 81W x 170H cm
- Boxed Dimensions - 131L x 75W x 64H cm
- Warranty - 5-Year Frame Warranty, 2-Year Parts and Labour Warranty, subject to registration within 28 days of purchase
The
ACT 7 commercial is a good option for anyone who wants an elliptical that does not eat up too much space. It is still a big machine but compared to rear- or front-drive ellipticals it is a lot smaller.
Pros of the ACT 7 commercial
The main point that the CT 7 commercial has going for it is that it is a space saver. The center flywheel makes it possible to bring the machine in a little. Compared to the newer elliptical models it is less error-prone as it has not the three in one design which makes the design more stable.
Cons of the ACT7 commercial
- Old model
- relatively high price
The
ACT models are relatively old and Nordictrack has renewed and modernized their center flywheel product range with models like the FS7i which use Free stride. Free Stride enables the elliptical to be used as a treadmill, elliptical, and stepper. So if you can get your hand on one of the free stride models that might be money spend better. Just observe when they make their way from the US to the UK, if you can wait for your purchase.
Alternatives to the ACT 7 commercial
The
Nordictrack X7i is a good alternative to the
ACT 7 commercial in case you prefer a treadmill rather than an elliptical for your home gym. The
X7i provides a treadmill that can go up to a 40% incline and a 2.75 CHP motor. Best for home gym use. If you are a commercial buyer you might want to look for treadmill motors in the 3 - 4 CHP range to make sure that they will last longer, as they will have to take more miles.
The
Nordictrack FS5i is an alternative elliptical to the
ACT 7 commercial. It will take up more space, but comes in at a lower and provides a longer stride. You will also be able to use the Free stride technology which makes this a three in one machine. If you have space and want an elliptical, this might be the better option than the
ACT 7.
The
TrueForm Runner is a self-propelled treadmill that is targeted at high-performance athletes. This is a great option if you want to do sprints with abrupt starts and stops or very gradual acceleration. Commercial gym owners might be tempted by the savings in electricity, as this machine does not have a motor. The belt rests on bearing which makes it possible to propel it yourself. The
TrueForm runner i generally considered one of the best of this kind of treadmills, This is also a reason why it comes in at a high price.
The
Assault air runner is a cheaper alternative to the
TrueForm runner in the self-propelled treadmill space. While the cost is lower the reviews of this treadmill usually are not as positive as for the
TrueForm runner. Main reason being is that the
TrueForm runner seems to have a better calibration of the bearing. The
Assault air runner tends to make you faster than you actually are which can create a weird experience.
Last but not least I personally like the
Rogue Echo bike a lot. Especially for use in a home gym. It is compact, sturdy, and comes in at a reasonable price for what you are getting. It is space-efficient and ideal for doing a 20-minute workout which will burn the maximum of calories.
Summary for the ACT 7 commercial
The
ACT 7 commercial is a great compact elliptical for home use or in tight gym settings. It will also be less prone to error than the other free stride models of Nordictrack based on the design. Overall, the
ACT 7 commercial is not a focus design of Nordictrack's, but still available for purchase in the Uk market.
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
- 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
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%.