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Top Score · #1 of 5Reviewed by Mike Hun·May 19, 2026

Concept2 RowErg (Model D)

Averaged from + undefined
The verdict

The RowErg Model D is the answer when someone asks 'what rowing machine should I buy.' Forty years of refinement, used by elite rowers and Olympians, with the PM5 monitor that's the de facto standard for tracking work in watts and 500m splits. No subscription cost, no proprietary content lock-in — pair it with a free app like ErgData or pay nothing and just row. The trade-off vs the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go is content: this is a serious training tool, not an entertainment platform. For anyone who treats rowing as exercise rather than as gamified screen time, this is the right buy.

Concept2 RowErg (Model D)

Strengths

  • +Industry gold standard — used by Olympians, college crew teams, and CrossFit gyms for 40+ years
  • +PM5 performance monitor displays watts, pace, split, and 500m times, with Bluetooth + ANT+
  • +No subscription required — 30+ third-party apps (ErgData, Kinomap, Asensei) integrate natively
  • +5-year frame warranty + 2-year parts; 500 lb user weight capacity
  • +Separates into two pieces for storage; caster wheels on the front for repositioning

Watch-outs

  • −Air resistance produces a noticeable whoosh — louder than the magnetic-only NordicTrack RW600 or Sunny SF-RW5515
  • −PM5 is a numbers display, not a touchscreen — no streamed class content like the NordicTrack RW600
  • −$990 is at the price ceiling for this category — only the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go come close
  • −9' x 4' footprint when assembled is the largest in this lineup

How it compares

The gold-standard pick. Air resistance vs the magnetic NordicTrack RW600, XTERRA ERG700 (combo), Aviron Strong Go (combo), and Sunny SF-RW5515 (magnetic). No content subscription unlike NordicTrack RW600 (iFIT) and Aviron Strong Go (Aviron app). Higher user weight capacity (500 lb) than any other pick here.

Who this is for

At a glance: serious rowers, CrossFit athletes, and anyone training for performance rather than entertainment.

Why you’d buy the Concept2 RowErg (Model D)

  • Industry gold standard — used by Olympians, college crew teams, and CrossFit gyms for 40+ years.
  • PM5 performance monitor displays watts, pace, split, and 500m times, with Bluetooth + ANT+.
  • No subscription required — 30+ third-party apps (ErgData, Kinomap, Asensei) integrate natively.

Why you’d skip it

  • Air resistance produces a noticeable whoosh — louder than the magnetic-only NordicTrack RW600 or Sunny SF-RW5515.
  • PM5 is a numbers display, not a touchscreen — no streamed class content like the NordicTrack RW600.
  • $990 is at the price ceiling for this category — only the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go come close.

Rating sources

reviewed
4.9/5
“The Concept2 RowErg is the best rowing machine under $1,000 overall.”

Our 4.9 score is the average of these published ratings. More about methodology.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Concept2 RowErg (Model D) worth buying?
The RowErg Model D is the answer when someone asks 'what rowing machine should I buy.' Forty years of refinement, used by elite rowers and Olympians, with the PM5 monitor that's the de facto standard for tracking work in watts and 500m splits. No subscription cost, no proprietary content lock-in — pair it with a free app like ErgData or pay nothing and just row. The trade-off vs the NordicTrack RW600 and Aviron Strong Go is content: this is a serious training tool, not an entertainment platform. For anyone who treats rowing as exercise rather than as gamified screen time, this is the right buy.
What is the Concept2 RowErg (Model D)'s biggest strength?
Industry gold standard — used by Olympians, college crew teams, and CrossFit gyms for 40+ years
What is the main drawback of the Concept2 RowErg (Model D)?
Air resistance produces a noticeable whoosh — louder than the magnetic-only NordicTrack RW600 or Sunny SF-RW5515
What sources back the 4.9/5 rating?
Our 4.9/5 rating is the average of scores from 1 independent rowing machines under $1000 review — reviewed. Click any source on the product page to read the original review.

How it compares

See all 5 →
NordicTrack RW600
#2

NordicTrack RW600

Only pick with a built-in touchscreen — the Concept2 RowErg has a numbers display, the Aviron Strong Go requires your own iPad, the XTERRA ERG700 and Sunny SF-RW5515 have basic LCDs. Quieter than the Concept2 RowErg. Lower user capacity (250 lb) than the Concept2 RowErg's 500 lb and XTERRA ERG700's 350 lb.

XTERRA Fitness ERG700
#3

XTERRA Fitness ERG700

Dual air + magnetic resistance shared only with the Aviron Strong Go. Best warranty in this lineup (lifetime frame). Higher user capacity (350 lb) than the NordicTrack RW600 and Sunny SF-RW5515. Basic LCD console — no built-in touchscreen like the NordicTrack RW600, no iPad-required gamification like the Aviron Strong Go.

Aviron Strong Go
#4

Aviron Strong Go

Dual air + magnetic resistance — same combo as the XTERRA ERG700. Requires user-supplied iPad vs the NordicTrack RW600's built-in screen. Content focus is gamification + streaming, distinct from the NordicTrack RW600's trainer-led iFIT classes. 20-year warranty — longer than every pick except the XTERRA ERG700.

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515
#5

Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5515

Cheapest pick by a wide margin. Magnetic resistance vs the air-only Concept2 RowErg and the dual systems on the XTERRA ERG700 and Aviron Strong Go. No content/subscription model unlike the NordicTrack RW600 (iFIT) and Aviron Strong Go (Aviron app). 8 fixed levels rather than the Concept2 RowErg's infinite air scaling or NordicTrack RW600's 26 magnetic levels.

Concept2 RowErg (Model D)
4.9/5· $990
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