NordicTrack RW900 Review 2026: Is This Premium Smart Rower Worth It?

The NordicTrack RW900 is a connected, magnetic-resistance rowing machine built around a 24-inch pivoting touchscreen and NordicTrack’s iFIT training platform. It’s designed for people who want a guided, entertainment-driven cardio experience rather than a bare-bones performance tool — think of it as the rowing equivalent of a Peloton bike, not a CrossFit box erg.

Its biggest strengths are build quality, a genuinely large and usable display, and quiet, smooth resistance that most households won’t find disruptive. Its biggest weakness is dependency: the machine is built around iFIT, and without an active subscription, a large part of what you paid for goes unused. Add in a premium price tag, a permanent footprint that doesn’t fold or tuck away, and a resistance ceiling that experienced rowers can eventually outgrow, and the RW900 becomes a very good machine for a specific kind of buyer — not a universal recommendation.

This review is based on NordicTrack’s official published specifications, verified retailer listings, and published third-party testing and reporting. LiftQube has not conducted independent hands-on lab testing of this specific unit, and we say so clearly anywhere it matters.

Quick Verdict

Best for	iFIT/connected-fitness fans, beginner-to-intermediate rowers, buyers who want a large screen for entertainment and guided workouts
Not ideal for	Competitive/advanced rowers, no-subscription buyers, small apartments with limited permanent floor space
Resistance	Magnetic (Silent Magnetic Resistance / SMR), 26 digital levels, auto-adjusts via SmartAdjust
Display	24″ HD pivoting touchscreen
iFIT	Effectively required for full functionality; Pro tier ($39/mo or $396/yr) needed for the touchscreen experience
Noise	Quiet resistance system; some seat-rail and impact noise remains
Storage	Does not fold; no confirmed vertical storage — plan for a permanent footprint
Weight capacity	300 lbs
Warranty	10-year frame, 2-year parts (including electronics/screen), 1-year labor
Overall value	Strong if you’ll actually use iFIT; weaker if you want a subscription-free machine

A Note on the Current 2026 Model

Before anything else: if you’ve read older reviews of the RW900, some of the specs won’t match what NordicTrack currently sells. Earlier-generation reviews commonly cite a 22-inch touchscreen and a 250-lb weight capacity. Those figures describe a previous version of the machine.

The current RW900 (model NTRW19425), as listed on NordicTrack’s own product and rowers comparison pages, ships with a 24-inch pivoting HD touchscreen and a 300-lb maximum user weight. Multiple current retailer listings (Dick’s Sporting Goods, HSN, Abt Electronics) confirm the same footprint, weight capacity, and warranty terms as NordicTrack’s own site, so we’re treating those as reliable for the current model. Where we couldn’t get retailers and NordicTrack to agree — assembled unit weight, for instance, is listed anywhere from about 140 to 158 lbs depending on the source — we say so rather than picking a number and presenting it as fact.

If you’re comparing older articles against this one, assume this guide reflects the newer, larger-screen, higher-capacity version unless we specifically flag something as a previous-generation detail.

NordicTrack RW900: Key Specifications

Spec	Detail
Resistance type	Silent Magnetic Resistance (SMR), digital
Resistance levels	26, with SmartAdjust automatic adjustment
Touchscreen	24″ HD, pivoting
Footprint	80.1″ L x 21.8″ W x 52.7″ H
In-box weight	158 lbs
Maximum user weight	300 lbs
Frame materials	Steel frame, aluminum seat rail
Connectivity	Bluetooth headphone support, USB-C charging port
Audio	Two 2″ speakers
Folding/storage	Does not fold; vertical storage not confirmed by the manufacturer
iFIT requirement	Pro membership needed for full touchscreen/streaming experience
Warranty	10-year frame, 2-year parts (includes electronics and screen), 1-year labor

What Is the NordicTrack RW900?

The RW900 sits at the top of NordicTrack’s rowing lineup, above the smaller-screen RW700. It’s a magnetic-resistance rower built to pair with iFIT’s library of trainer-led and scenic rowing workouts, using automatic resistance changes (SmartAdjust) so the machine — not you — handles intensity adjustments mid-session. It’s aimed at people who respond well to structured, coached workouts and want a machine that can double as an entertainment hub, not at rowers chasing a 2K personal record.

NordicTrack RW900 Design and Build Quality

The RW900 uses a steel main frame with an aluminum seat rail, which is a sensible combination: steel for rigidity under load, aluminum to keep the rail lighter and smoother. Build quality across owner reports and retailer reviews is consistently described as solid, with a stable base during hard pulls and no notable frame flex.

The unit ships and weighs in the neighborhood of 140–158 lbs depending on the source, which is heavy enough that stability isn’t a concern, but also heavy enough that repositioning it solo, even with any front transport wheels, takes some effort. There’s no folding mechanism, so what you unbox is the footprint you’ll be living with.

NordicTrack RW900 Rowing Performance

Based on manufacturer specifications and published third-party reviews, the RW900’s stroke feels smooth and consistent thanks to what NordicTrack calls an “inertia-enhanced” flywheel, which is designed to reduce the jerkiness that can show up in cheaper magnetic rowers during the catch and drive.

For beginner and intermediate rowers, that consistency is a genuine benefit — it makes it easier to learn and maintain proper form. For advanced rowers used to the variable, breath-like resistance of an air rower, magnetic resistance will feel more uniform and less responsive to how hard you pull. That’s not a flaw so much as a different category of machine, and it’s worth understanding before you buy.

NordicTrack RW900 Resistance System

The RW900 uses 26 digital levels of Silent Magnetic Resistance, adjustable manually via the console or automatically through SmartAdjust, which shifts resistance in real time to match an iFIT trainer’s cues.

Is 26 levels enough? For most home users, yes — it offers a meaningful range from recovery-pace rowing to a genuinely demanding pull. Whether SmartAdjust “genuinely improves” your workouts depends on how much you want the machine making decisions for you. It’s a real convenience for people who find manually adjusting resistance mid-workout annoying, but it also means the auto-adjust features are meaningfully tied to having an active iFIT subscription — without it, you lose the mechanism as well as the class content.

The honest limitation for advanced or competitive rowers: magnetic resistance, no matter how many digital levels it offers, doesn’t replicate the feel of accelerating water or a spinning flywheel against air the way rowers training for events like the Concept2 RowErg specifications describe. If your training is performance-focused rather than fitness-focused, that’s a real consideration.

24-Inch Touchscreen and User Experience

The 24-inch HD touchscreen is the RW900’s headline feature, and it’s a genuine upgrade over the older 22-inch version found on prior RW900 listings. It pivots so you can angle it for off-rower content, which matters because iFIT’s off-equipment workouts (strength, yoga, stretching) are part of the appeal for buyers who want one subscription covering more than rowing.

Is it worth paying for? If you plan to use iFIT’s workout library regularly, yes — the extra size over the RW700’s smaller 10-inch screen (or Hydrow Wave’s 16-inch screen) makes trainer-led sessions and scenic rows meaningfully more immersive. If you mainly want a monitor for tracking stroke rate and distance, a smaller, cheaper screen or a phone/tablet holder does the same job for far less money, which is exactly the model Concept2 uses with its PM5 monitor plus device stand.

iFIT on the NordicTrack RW900

iFIT is not really optional on this machine — it’s built into how the RW900 is designed to function. Based on iFIT’s own membership information, the platform is currently offered in two tiers: Train, aimed at app-only or non-screen equipment use, and Pro, which is required to unlock the full touchscreen, streaming, and SmartAdjust experience on machines like the RW900. Pro membership runs roughly $39 per month or about $396 per year, though promotional and bundled pricing can differ, so it’s worth confirming the current rate before you buy.

What you get with an active membership: a library reported at more than 10,000 trainer-led and scenic workouts, automatic resistance adjustment through SmartAdjust, activity syncing with services like Strava, Garmin Connect, and Apple Health, and access to select streaming entertainment apps on the touchscreen. Without a subscription, you can still row manually using the console’s basic on-demand features, but you lose the automatic resistance matching, the bulk of the class library, and most of what makes the large screen worth having.

Who benefits: people who like structured coaching, variety, and accountability, and who don’t mind an ongoing subscription cost on top of the hardware. Who might be better served elsewhere: anyone who wants to buy a machine once and never think about a monthly bill again — that buyer is better matched to a subscription-free rower like the Concept2 RowErg.

NordicTrack RW900 Comfort

Seat

The seat is described across manufacturer and retailer listings as ergonomically molded and padded. Comfort on longer sessions will vary by body type, which is true of essentially every rowing machine.

Handle

NordicTrack’s “Soft Touch” ergonomic handle is designed to stay comfortable through a full session and is a point retailers and reviewers consistently mention positively.

Footrests

The pedals are oversized with adjustable nylon straps, intended to accommodate a wide range of shoe sizes securely.

Rail

The aluminum seat rail is designed for smooth glide; NordicTrack’s published max user height guidance and rail length should be checked against your own height before buying if you’re on the taller end, since exact rail length isn’t independently confirmed in every source we reviewed.

Screen Position

The pivoting 24-inch screen adjusts for viewing angle, which is genuinely useful both during rowing and when using the machine for off-rower iFIT content.

NordicTrack RW900 Noise Level

Magnetic resistance systems are inherently quieter than air rowers, because there’s no fan blade pulling air through a housing — the RW900’s SMR system works through magnetic braking rather than air resistance, which is the main reason it’s described as quiet across reviews.

That said, “quiet” doesn’t mean silent. Seat-rail movement, footplate contact, and general handle-and-chain mechanical noise are all still present, and how much vibration transfers to your floor depends heavily on what’s underneath the machine — a rubber mat or interlocking floor tiles will cut down transmitted noise and protect flooring in an apartment or upstairs room. For genuinely noise-sensitive situations (thin floors, downstairs neighbors), we’d recommend a mat as a near-mandatory accessory rather than an optional extra. If a rowing machine specifically for an apartment is your priority, our guide to the best rowing machines for apartments breaks down noise and footprint trade-offs across several models, not just this one.

NordicTrack RW900 Size and Storage

The current RW900’s footprint is 80.1 inches long, 21.8 inches wide, and 52.7 inches tall. That’s a fairly standard length for a rowing machine, but it’s still over 6.5 feet — measure your workout area, including clearance for the full stroke length and getting on and off the machine, before ordering.

This is a spot where buyers should be careful: some retailer listings for the RW900 mention vertical storage, while others make no such claim, and NordicTrack’s own official spec sheets don’t describe a folding or vertical-storage mechanism for this model. Unlike the Concept2 RowErg, which splits into two pieces and stands upright in a closet, or the Hydrow Wave, which can store vertically, the RW900 should be planned for as a permanent, dedicated footprint unless you can independently confirm otherwise with the retailer before buying. That makes it a tougher fit for small apartments and multi-use rooms, and a better fit for a garage, basement, or dedicated home gym space. If floor space is genuinely tight, our best rowing machines for apartments guide covers several options built specifically around fold-flat or vertical storage.

Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Large, genuinely useful 24″ pivoting touchscreen	Premium price, often $1,999–$2,499 depending on retailer and promotions
Smooth, quiet magnetic resistance	Effectively requires an ongoing iFIT Pro subscription to use fully
Solid steel/aluminum build quality	Large, permanent footprint — no confirmed folding or vertical storage
26 resistance levels with automatic adjustment	Magnetic resistance has a lower ceiling for advanced/competitive rowers
Strong warranty on frame and parts	Heavy unit (140–158 lbs) makes repositioning difficult
Syncs with Strava, Garmin, and Apple Health	Screen/electronics parts warranty is shorter (2 years) than the frame

Who Should Buy the NordicTrack RW900?

Buy it if:

• You want guided, trainer-led workouts and don’t mind paying a monthly subscription for them
• You enjoy connected fitness and like the idea of resistance adjusting automatically to match a class
• You value having a large screen for both rowing metrics and off-rower content
• You want a quieter machine than a traditional air rower and have a dedicated, permanent spot for it
• You’re a beginner-to-intermediate rower who wants coaching and structure more than raw performance data

Avoid it if:

• You don’t want an ongoing subscription tied to your equipment
• You’re training competitively and want the resistance feel and universally comparable metrics of an air rower
• You need a machine that folds flat or stores vertically in a small space
• You’d rather spend less upfront on a simpler, subscription-free machine

NordicTrack RW900 vs. Competitors

	NordicTrack RW900	Concept2 RowErg	Hydrow Origin	Hydrow Wave
Resistance	Magnetic (26 levels)	Air (adjustable damper)	Electromagnetic	Electromagnetic
Screen	24″ pivoting touchscreen	None built-in (PM5 monitor + device holder)	22″ pivoting touchscreen	16″ fixed screen
Subscription	iFIT Pro, ~$39/mo or ~$396/yr	None required	~$44/mo	~$44/mo
Noise	Quiet	Moderate (louder at higher effort)	Very quiet	Very quiet
Storage	No confirmed folding/vertical storage	Splits into two pieces, stores vertically	Stores vertically	Stores vertically
Max user weight	300 lbs	500 lbs	375 lbs	375 lbs
Ideal user	Connected-fitness, beginner–intermediate rowers	Serious/competitive rowers, no-subscription buyers	Immersive, entertainment-focused rowers	Space-conscious immersive-rowing buyers
Value	Strong if iFIT gets used	Best long-term value, minimal ongoing cost	Higher cost, strong content library	Slightly more affordable Hydrow entry point

NordicTrack RW900 vs. Concept2 RowErg

This is the comparison most shoppers actually need, since it represents two genuinely different philosophies rather than two versions of the same thing.

RW900 advantages: a large touchscreen, automatic resistance adjustment, a substantial guided-workout library, and quieter operation — all real benefits if you want coaching and entertainment built in.

Concept2 advantages: a much lower price (around $990 for the standard-leg version, per Concept2’s official RowErg page), no subscription requirement at any point, a higher 500-lb weight capacity, the ability to split apart and store vertically, and a resistance feel and PM5 metric system that’s the accepted standard in competitive and CrossFit-style rowing.

Smart training vs. performance training is really the deciding factor: the RW900 is built for people who respond to coached, varied sessions and don’t mind a subscription; the Concept2 is built for people who want a simple, durable tool that tracks effort in a way that’s comparable to what everyone else uses, with zero ongoing cost.

For beginners, the RW900’s structure and auto-adjusted resistance can make it easier to stay consistent. For serious rowers, the Concept2’s air resistance and universal PM5 data are hard to beat. For apartments, neither is a slam dunk — the RW900’s fixed footprint cuts against it, while the Concept2’s louder air resistance at high effort cuts against it, so the right answer depends on which trade-off you can live with. For long-term value, the Concept2 wins on total cost of ownership by a wide margin, since there’s no recurring fee eating into the savings on the machine itself.

Is the NordicTrack RW900 Worth It?

Broken down by buyer type:

• Best for connected-fitness users: Yes — the touchscreen, coaching library, and automatic resistance genuinely add value if you’ll use them regularly.
• Best for serious rowers: Not the top pick — the Concept2 RowErg’s air resistance and PM5 monitor better serve performance-focused training.
• Best for apartment users: Proceed carefully — there’s no confirmed folding or vertical storage, so measure your space and consider a rowing machine built specifically for small footprints instead.
• Best for beginners: Yes — the guided structure and auto-adjusting resistance make it easier to build consistent habits.
• Best for no-subscription users: No — a meaningful share of the machine’s value is tied to an active iFIT Pro membership.

Alternatives

• Concept2 RowErg — Choose this if you want the lowest total cost of ownership, no subscription, and the training-standard air-resistance feel used in competitive rowing.
• Hydrow Origin — Choose this if you want an even more immersive, scenic on-water workout experience and don’t mind a higher monthly subscription (~$44/mo).
• Hydrow Wave — Choose this if you like the Hydrow ecosystem but want a smaller footprint and slightly lower upfront price than the Origin.
• NordicTrack RW700 — Choose this if you want the RW900’s general design and iFIT integration but can live with a smaller 10-inch screen at a lower price.
• A budget rower under $1,000 — Choose this if you’re not sure rowing will stick as a habit and want to test the waters (so to speak) before committing to a premium machine.

If your budget also stretches to other home-gym equipment, our guides on adjustable dumbbells for a home gym and cable machines under $1,000 cover strength-training pieces that pair well with a cardio machine like the RW900.

FAQ

Is the NordicTrack RW900 worth it? For buyers who want guided workouts, a large touchscreen, and don’t mind an ongoing iFIT subscription, yes. For buyers who want a simple, subscription-free rower, it’s harder to justify given the price and recurring cost.

Is the NordicTrack RW900 good for beginners? Yes. The consistent magnetic resistance and SmartAdjust automatic adjustment make it relatively easy to learn proper form and stay within an appropriate intensity range.

Is the RW900 quiet? It’s quieter than a typical air rower thanks to its magnetic resistance system, but it isn’t silent — expect some seat-rail and footplate noise, and consider a floor mat if you’re in an apartment.

Does the NordicTrack RW900 require iFIT? Not strictly, but it’s effectively built around it. Without an iFIT Pro subscription, you lose SmartAdjust, most of the workout library, and the main reason for the large touchscreen.

Can you use the RW900 without iFIT? Yes, in a limited manual mode with basic on-console features, but the experience is significantly reduced compared to a subscribed setup.

How much space does the RW900 need? Its footprint is 80.1″ long by 21.8″ wide by 52.7″ tall, plus clearance for your full stroke and for getting on and off. Measure your space before ordering.

Is the NordicTrack RW900 good for apartments? It can work if you have a dedicated, permanent spot for it, but there’s no confirmed folding or vertical storage, so it’s not ideal for tight, multi-use spaces. Check out our best rowing machines for apartments guide for space-friendly alternatives.

What is the weight limit of the RW900? 300 lbs, per NordicTrack’s current published specifications.

How many resistance levels does the RW900 have? 26 digital levels of Silent Magnetic Resistance, with automatic adjustment available through SmartAdjust.

Is the RW900 better than Concept2? It depends on your goals. The RW900 offers more guided content and a bigger screen; the Concept2 RowErg offers a lower total cost, no subscription, and resistance feel and metrics preferred by serious and competitive rowers.

Is the RW900 good for tall users? NordicTrack doesn’t publish a specific maximum user height for this model in the sources we reviewed, so taller users should check rail length and seat position against their own height, or check with a retailer, before buying.

How much does iFIT cost? Based on iFIT’s published pricing, the Pro tier needed for full RW900 functionality runs about $39 per month or roughly $396 per year, though promotional pricing varies and should be confirmed at checkout.

Who should not buy the RW900? Buyers who don’t want a recurring subscription, competitive rowers who need air-resistance feel and universally comparable metrics, and anyone without a genuinely permanent, dedicated spot for a machine that doesn’t fold.

Final Verdict

Should you buy the NordicTrack RW900 in 2026? If you’re the kind of person who stays motivated by trainer-led classes, likes the idea of resistance adjusting automatically to match a workout, and has a permanent spot to put a roughly 80-inch-long machine, the RW900 is a well-built, genuinely capable rower that earns its premium price. The 24-inch screen and iFIT’s library are real advantages for that buyer.

If you’re chasing competitive rowing times, don’t want an ongoing subscription, or need something that tucks away in a closet, the RW900 isn’t the right tool — the Concept2 RowErg will serve you better and cost meaningfully less over time. The RW900 isn’t a bad machine for the wrong buyer; it’s simply built around a specific kind of workout experience, and the smartest purchase decision comes down to whether that experience — and its ongoing cost — is genuinely one you’ll use.

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Specifications in this review are based on NordicTrack’s official product listings, current verified retailer specification pages, and published third-party testing as of publication. Prices and subscription costs change frequently — verify current pricing directly with NordicTrack, iFIT, and Concept2 before purchasing. LiftQube has not personally lab-tested this specific unit; claims are sourced and clearly attributed throughout.