Concept2 RowErg vs NordicTrack RW900 2026

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The Concept2 RowErg has been the default recommendation for home rowers since the early 2000s. No subscription, no touchscreen, no connected fitness ecosystem — just a flywheel, a chain, and a performance monitor that tells you exactly how hard you are working. It is the machine used in professional gyms, military fitness programs, and CrossFit boxes worldwide.

The NordicTrack RW900 is a different proposition: a 22" HD touchscreen, live and on-demand classes through iFIT, a sleek frame, and a magnetic resistance system that makes it significantly quieter than the Concept2's air flywheel.

My pick for most buyers is the Concept2 RowErg. The screen on the RW900 is genuinely impressive, but the iFIT subscription at $39/month means you pay nearly $500 in year one on top of the machine's purchase price — and without the subscription, the NordicTrack is a worse rower than the Concept2 at a higher price. If you specifically want coached sessions on a screen and that model works for your budget, the RW900 earns its place. Most people will be better served by the machine that rowing coaches, competitive athletes, and fitness directors worldwide still put in their facilities.

## Quick Picks

## What the NordicTrack RW900 Actually Adds

The RW900 is NordicTrack's flagship rower. The centrepiece is a 22" full HD touchscreen — larger than most tablets and mounted at eye level. iFIT integration means live instructor-led rowing classes, scenic rows through global waterways, and the ability for the machine to automatically adjust resistance to match the workout.

That automatic resistance adjustment is a genuine differentiator. When an iFIT instructor says "take it to a 6 out of 10 effort", the RW900 can set the resistance automatically rather than requiring manual input. For users who find self-pacing difficult or who thrive with external motivation, this removes a real barrier.

The magnetic resistance system is also meaningfully quieter than the Concept2's air flywheel. Air rowers create a consistent whooshing sound that some people find energising and others find genuinely disruptive in an apartment, during early morning sessions, or in rooms adjacent to sleeping family members. The RW900's magnetic system operates at a fraction of the noise level.

The RW900 folds for storage, has a weight capacity of 250 lb, and includes a 30-day iFIT trial. Build quality is solid but not in the same bracket as the Concept2 — more polished aesthetics, slightly less industrial durability.

The catch is the subscription. iFIT costs $39/month (or around $396/year on an annual plan) after the trial ends. At that rate, the RW900 costs $1,995 in year one and around $400 every year thereafter. The Concept2 at $990 with no subscription costs $990 total. Over three years, the Concept2 costs $990. The RW900 costs $2,795.

## The Concept2 RowErg — Why It's Still the Standard

The Concept2 RowErg has been in continuous production since 1981. The PM5 performance monitor — included on all current models — tracks split time, watts, calories, stroke rate, and pace in real time. It connects to heart rate monitors, third-party apps, and the Concept2 online logbook, which tracks every metre you have ever rowed and lets you compare performance against a global community.

The flywheel resistance is dynamic: the harder you pull, the more resistance you feel. This means the Concept2 naturally scales to any fitness level — a beginner pulling lightly gets a workout appropriate to their ability, and an elite athlete going full effort gets a different experience on the same machine. No resistance setting is required. This self-calibrating quality is part of why it works for everyone from rehabilitation patients to Olympic athletes.

Concept2 quality is built for commercial gym use. The frame, chain, and flywheel are designed to last 20+ years of daily use. Multiple forum threads exist of people using 15-year-old Concept2 units that still register within 1-2% accuracy of when they were new. Used Concept2 units from the early 2010s sell for $500-700 on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist because demand consistently exceeds supply. That is the resale market telling you something about long-term value.

The PM5 monitor connects to Concept2's online logbook, Garmin Connect, Polar, and dozens of third-party fitness platforms including RowPro. You are not locked into any ecosystem. Third-party apps like ErgData and Hydrow (yes, Hydrow streams workouts to Concept2 screens via Bluetooth) mean you can get coached content on the Concept2 if you want it, without being required to.

The limitation people cite most often: the PM5 monitor looks dated. It is a simple LCD screen with basic metrics. There is no HD video, no live streaming, no virtual coach. If visual motivation is what drives you to the machine every day, the Concept2 does not scratch that itch. This is a real consideration, not a dismissible one. Equipment you do not use is not a good investment at any price.

The Concept2 is also louder than magnetic rowers. The air flywheel at high intensity creates significant noise. For early morning sessions in an apartment building, or in a room directly below a sleeping child, this is a practical constraint worth planning around.

## Head-to-Head: Concept2 RowErg vs NordicTrack RW900

## Who the NordicTrack RW900 Is Right For

Screen-motivated exercisers who need external structure. If you know from experience that you will use cardio equipment consistently only when there is a class, an instructor, and a leaderboard, the RW900 is a serious option. The iFIT library is large — hundreds of rowing sessions with scenery-adjusted rows and instructor-led HIIT. For people who find unstructured cardio difficult to sustain, the subscription-plus-machine model has a real return on investment if it means actually using the equipment.

People training in shared living spaces where noise matters. The RW900's magnetic resistance is substantially quieter than the Concept2. For apartment buildings, terraced houses, or any situation where a loud whooshing machine at 6am is genuinely problematic, the RW900 solves that problem.

Buyers who already have an iFIT subscription from another NordicTrack device. If your household already has a NordicTrack treadmill or bike on iFIT, adding the RW900 does not increase your subscription cost. In that scenario, the iFIT subscription cost argument against the RW900 disappears, and you are comparing two pieces of hardware directly.

## Who the Concept2 RowErg Is Right For

Performance-focused rowers. If you want to row for times, compare splits, track watts, or participate in Concept2's ranking challenges and virtual races, the PM5 monitor and Concept2 logbook are the only option. No other home rowing machine connects to the global competitive rowing community the same way.

Most home gym users who self-motivate. If you can get on a cardio machine and do 20-30 minutes at a steady pace or interval effort without needing external accountability, the Concept2 gives you a better rowing experience per dollar than anything else available. The machine is not exciting — it is excellent.

Anyone planning to train for a long time. Cardio equipment is a long game. The machine you buy today needs to be worth maintaining, repairing, and upgrading when components wear. The Concept2 frame warranty is 2 years (parts and labour), but the machines routinely last 15-20+ years. The RW900's 10-year frame warranty sounds superior, but NordicTrack's track record on long-term support for discontinued connected-fitness devices is less reassuring. When the screen software is no longer supported, a $1,599 machine becomes significantly less useful. The Concept2 has no screen to obsolete.

Budget-conscious buyers who also value resale. A 5-year-old Concept2 sells for more than a brand new budget rower. The investment holds in a way that connected fitness equipment rarely does.

## Subscription Maths: The Full Cost Comparison

This deserves its own section because it fundamentally changes which machine is the better financial decision.

Year 1: - Concept2 RowErg: $990 - NordicTrack RW900: $1,599 + $396 (annual iFIT) = $1,995

Year 3: - Concept2: $990 (no additional cost) - NordicTrack: $1,599 + $792 (2 years iFIT) = $2,391

Year 5: - Concept2: $990 - NordicTrack: $1,599 + $1,584 (4 years iFIT) = $3,183

These figures assume annual iFIT pricing. Monthly billing ($39/month) adds $468/year instead of $396. The gap widens further.

If you cancel iFIT on the RW900 after year one, you have a magnetic rower with no classes and a large touchscreen showing a splash page. It still works as a rower — the 26 magnetic resistance levels remain manually selectable. But the core value proposition of the purchase disappears, and you have paid $1,599 for a machine that competes with the Concept2 on hardware alone, where it loses.

## Noise and Space

The Concept2 folds vertically for storage — standing approximately 25" wide x 54" tall when upright. A storage wheel on the base makes it easy to roll into a corner between sessions, which matters in a room that doubles as a gym. It separates into two pieces for moving through doorways or storing in tight spaces. Assembly and disassembly takes about 30 seconds.

The RW900 also folds but differently — it pivots upward to reduce its floor footprint. The folded RW900 takes up less floor space than the Concept2 stored vertically for some room configurations, but requires ceiling clearance of around 7 feet in folded position due to the touchscreen arm angle.

Both machines need approximately 8 feet of clear rowing space when in use — 9 feet if you are tall.

Noise: at moderate effort, the Concept2 registers around 70-75 dB at close range. The RW900 at similar effort is around 55-60 dB. That difference — roughly equivalent to a conversation versus a running refrigerator — is real and meaningful for noise-sensitive situations.

## Concept2 Model D vs Model E — Worth Knowing

The current Concept2 lineup includes the Model D (standard legs, lower seat height) and Model E (taller legs, higher seat height, easier on-off for those with knee or hip issues). Both use the same PM5 monitor and flywheel. The Model E costs around $1,190 versus the Model D at $990. For most users, the Model D is the right choice. The Model E is worth the premium if getting on and off a low seat is genuinely difficult.

## FAQ

Does the NordicTrack RW900 work without an iFIT subscription? Yes, the rower functions without iFIT. You can manually select resistance levels and row without the subscription. However, all class content, scenic rows, and automatic resistance adjustment require iFIT. Without the subscription, the touchscreen displays basic metrics — the same data the Concept2 PM5 shows, but on a 22" screen.

Can I get coached rowing workouts on a Concept2? Yes. Multiple third-party apps connect to the PM5 monitor via Bluetooth. ErgData (free) provides structured workouts. Several rowing coaches publish free programming on YouTube. Hydrow's app allows Hydrow-coached sessions on Concept2 hardware. You are not limited to self-directed training.

Which rower is better for beginners? The Concept2 is better for building correct rowing technique because the PM5 gives immediate feedback on stroke rate and split pace — the two metrics a coach would use to evaluate form. The RW900's iFIT instructors also teach form, and visual motivation helps some beginners stay consistent. Both are valid starting points.

How long does a Concept2 last? The machines are built for commercial use and routinely last 15-20+ years. The PM5 monitor can be replaced independently if it fails. Active Concept2 machines from the early 2010s are common on the used market. Concept2 has continued to support older units with spare parts for decades.

Is the NordicTrack RW900 available without iFIT? The hardware ships with a 30-day free trial. After that, iFIT costs $39/month or around $396/year. There is no purchase option that removes iFIT from the pricing — it is part of the product model.

## What to Avoid

Buying a budget magnetic rower as a compromise. Machines in the $400-600 range solve the noise problem but lack the structural quality for daily use over years. The frame flexes, the resistance is inconsistent, and they accumulate in garages. If budget is the constraint, a used Concept2 from Facebook Marketplace at $600-700 beats a new budget rower at any price.

Assuming the iFIT subscription is optional in practice. The RW900 without iFIT is a $1,599 magnetic rower with a large blank screen. If you buy it expecting to use it subscription-free, you are overpaying for hardware. The subscription is not optional if you want what you paid for.

Ignoring the resale market for the Concept2. If you are not sure about committing to rowing, a used Concept2 from a reputable seller at $600-700 is a lower-risk entry point than a new connected fitness machine. It will also resell at roughly what you paid if rowing does not stick.

Buying the Model E when the Model D is sufficient. The Model E costs $200 more for taller legs. For most people, the standard Model D height is fine. The E is worth it only if on/off access is a genuine physical consideration.

## What I'd Buy Today

The Concept2 RowErg is my pick for most people. It is a better rowing machine, has a lower total cost of ownership, folds for storage in any space, and will still be working correctly in 15 years. The performance monitor gives everything a serious home rower needs.

The NordicTrack RW900 earns serious consideration if you are confident you need the external motivation of live classes, you already have iFIT on another device, or you have a noise constraint that makes an air rower genuinely impractical. In those specific situations, the premium and the subscription are justified.

For everyone else: the Concept2 has been the right answer for 40 years, and that has not changed.

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