Sole’s F63 and Horizon’s 7.0 AT are easily two of the best home treadmills in the ~$1k price range.
Both models come with strong motors, spacious running surfaces, and great warranties.
And both are surprisingly heavy-duty for such affordable home treadmills.
If you’re looking for a great treadmill that won’t break your budget, either model would be a safe bet.
But which model is better?
Thats a tough one because these two treadmills are so evenly matched… but that’s not gonna stop me from trying anyway.
In this article, I’ll provide a head-to-head comparison of these two popular budget treadmills.
We’ll take a close look at all the specs and features these machines have to offer in order to see how these models really stack up to each other.
After reading, you’ll know which one is the better fit for your home gym.
These two treadmills are very similar, but Horizon’s 7.0 AT is heavier-duty, comes with a better warranty, and is a bit cheaper, making it the better buy in my humble opinion.
| Sole F63 | Horizon 7.0 AT | |
| Running surface | 20″ x 60″ | 20″ x 60″ |
| Motor | 3.0 HP 2.36″/1.8″ rollers | 3.0 CHP 2.36″/1.6″ rollers |
| Speed/incline | 0 – 12 mph 15 levels | 0 – 12 mph 0 – 15% |
| Size | 77″ x 35″ x 67″ 224 lb assembled weight | 76″ x 35″ x 66″ 277 lb assembled weight |
| Console | 6.5″ LCD | 7.25″ LCD |
| Warranty | Lifetime frame/motor 2 year parts 1 year labor | Lifetime frame/motor 3 year parts 1 year labor |
| Price | ~$1200 | ~$1000 |
Sole’s F63 vs Horizon’s 7.0 AT
Sole and Horizon are two of my favorite home fitness brands and I think they both provide some of the best cardio machines around.
Both brands specialize in producing heavy-duty products with strong components.
Both brands also offer some of the best warranties in the biz.
Sole and Horizon also both have fairly large treadmill lineups, giving us several models to choose from in various price ranges.
The F63 is Sole’s most affordable treadmill to date (usually going for somewhere around $1100), while the 7.0 AT is one of Horizon’s most affordable options (but they do offer two models that are more affordable), selling for around $999.
Let’s start things off with on a rundown on the performance side of things.
Running Surface
The running surface tells us the physical dimensions of the belt and it’s an important performance spec to consider.
Mostly because this dimension tells us how much room we’ll have at our disposal during workouts – and if you’re like me, having more room is a good thing.
This is especially true for larger and taller folks because the last thing you want to worry about is running out of room (literally).
Luckily, this won’t be an issue with either of these treadmills.
The F63 and 7.0 AT both come with a 20″ x 60″ running surface, so both will have plenty of room for walkers and runners to stretch out fully during workouts.
More expensive treadmills will sometimes come with wider, 22″ widths, but you won’t see this in the $1k price range.
Overall, both treadmills come with the same spacious running surface.
Motor
Moving on, let’s talk motors.
The motor is the heart of a treadmill, powering every workout you’ll ever complete on it.
Treadmill motors come in various sizes and generally speaking, it’s always beneficial to have a more powerful motor.
This is because stronger motors can provide the same output without having to work as hard.
And this allows stronger motors to operate more smoothly, but it also means they should last longer (although this isn’t necessarily a given).
FYI, most home treadmills come with motors somewhere in the 2 – 4 HP range, with 3 HP being a smart cutoff for people who plan on running regularly.
With this in mind, the F63 and 7.0 AT both come with a 3.0 HP motor.
Technically, the 7.0 AT comes with a 3.0 “C”HP motor, with the ‘C’ standing for ‘continuous’.
The CHP indicates the horsepower the motor can sustain over time, while HP just refers to the motors maximum operating power.
It’s hard to really compare “CHP” motors to “HP” motors, but “CHP” is generally the preferred rating.
So, could the 7.0 AT’s treadmill be a little stronger than the F63’s?… maybe, but I doubt it would be enough to make any real functional difference.
Both treadmills also come with the same 12 mph top speed and same impressive 15% max incline.
The last thing I wanna look at here is roller size, another important spec when comparing treadmills.
The rollers are the components at each end of the deck that allow the belt to glide smoothly and having larger rollers is always a good thing.
Bigger rollers make for an overall heavier-duty machine, but they also put less stress on the belt, prolonging its life.
The F63 comes with 2.36″ front rollers and 1.8″ rear rollers and the 7.0 AT comes with 2.36″ front rollers and 1.6″ rear rollers.
So, technically speaking, the F63’s rollers are a tiny bit larger, but again, not enough to make any real difference.
Overall, both treadmills come with essentially the same strength motor and the same size rollers.
Frames
Alright, let’s take a look at the frames.
In terms of size, these two treadmills are almost identical. Check out their assembled dimensions (L x W x H):
- Sole’s F63: 77″ x 35″ x 67″
- Horizon’s 7.0 AT: 76″ x 35″ x 66″
So when it comes to the footprint, or how much floorspace you’ll need to fit these machines, there’s no real difference worth speaking of.
When we check out the weights, however, we see a pretty big difference.
FYI, I love comparing assembled weights because this spec gives us a great idea as to how robust or heavy-duty a machine really is.
And seeing a heavier machine is always better when it comes to stability.
Anyway, the F63 and 7.0 AT weigh the following:
- Sole F63: 224 lb
- Horizon 7.0 AT: 277 lb
Horizon’s treadmill weighs about 50 lb more than Sole’s… and the F63 isn’t a lightweight treadmill by any means.
This speaks more to the robustness of Horizon’s treadmills than anything else – they seriously make some of the heaviest treadmills out there (believe me, I know, I own their 7.8 AT and it weighs like a 100 lb more than this).
And keep in mind, the F65 and 7.0 AT have the same dimensions.
I’m guessing a big part of this extra weight is from the huge uprights and consoles Horizon uses, but either way, all of this bulk is going to make for a very stable treadmill.
The 7.0 AT weighs a lot more, but both treadmills come with the same 325 lb weight limit, so no difference there.
Oh, and both treadmills can fold vertically for easy storage after workouts, so no differences there either.
Overall, the F65 and 7.0 AT take up about the same amount of floorspace and they come with the same weight capacity, but the 7.0 AT weighs a lot more.
Warranties
Sole and Horizon back their F63 and 7.0 AT with the following home warranties:
| Sole F63 | Horizon 7.0 AT | |
| Frame | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Motor | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Parts | 2 years | 3 years |
| Labor | 1 year | 1 year |
Ok, so I think both brands offer great warranties here.
You can’t beat a lifetime frame/motor guarantee (NordicTrack, take notes) and a year on labor is standard for any treadmill.
Sole offers 2 years on parts, which is good for this price range, but Horizon’s 3 year parts warranty is obviously a little better.
Overall, both brands offer great warranties, but Horizon’s warranty is better.
Features
That about does it for the performance specs, so let’s move on and talk console features.
| Sole F63 | Horizon 7.0 AT | |
| Console | 6.5″ LCD | 7.25″ LCD |
| Workouts | 7 + 2 custom | 7 |
| Bluetooth/bluetooth speakers | Yes | Yes |
| USB charging | Yes | Yes |
| Cooling fan | Yes | Yes |
| Tablet holder | Yes | Yes |
| Quick-touch keys | Yes | Yes |
| Custom interval buttons | No | Yes |
| Quick-dial controls | No | Yes |
The F63 is the only treadmill in Sole’s lineup that didn’t get a snazzy new touchscreen upgrade, so it still comes with a 6.5″ LCD console.
It’s simple, but gets the job done.
This console comes equipped with 7 workout profiles, as well as 2 custom options.
It’s also bluetooth compatible with Sole+, Sole’s free streaming app that gives you free access to instructor-led workouts.
The F63 also comes with bluetooth speakers, USB charging, a cooling fan, room for 2 water bottles, and a tablet holder.
Horizon’s console is very similar.
The 7.0 AT comes with a 7.25″ LCD console that comes with 7 workout programs and it too comes with bluetooth speakers, USB charging, a cooling fan, water bottle holders, and a tablet holder.
That said, the 7.0 AT does come with a couple of neat features not found on the F63.
The first is custom interval buttons, that allow you to rapidly save speed/incline settings to create your own custom intervals.
This means in manual mode you can hit these buttons and switch instantly between 2 custom-set speed/incline settings (creating your own intervals).
The unique feature is the quick dial speed/incline wheels, which happen to be a personal favorite of mine.
Instead of pushing an “up/down” button to change your speed/incline, you can spin the dial.
I know it’s a small thing, but man, these dials are convenient.
Overall though, the F63 and 7.0 AT are very similar with regards to their console features.
Price
Before we wrap things up, I want to mention briefly on the prices for these two treadmills.
The F63 and 7.0 AT usually cost the following:
- Sole F63: $1,199
- Horizon 7.0 AT: $999
Now Sole’s prices will vary a little throughout the year, but generally speaking the F63 costs $100 – $200 more than the 7.0 AT.
Based on what these treadmills have to offer, I think both are very reasonably priced, but Horizon’s price is obviously a bit better.
I’d also like to give Horizon kudos for not raising the price on the 7.0 AT, as many other brands have been doing recently.
Of course the second I write this, it’ll be my luck and Horizon will increase their price…
If this happens, please leave a comment below and let me know.
There was a time when the F63 was also priced at $999, but alas, it’s now a little higher.
Regardless, when it comes to price, Horizon’s winning.
Final Thoughts
Well, that about does it.
The F63 and 7.0 AT are both great treadmills with a lot to offer folks looking for an affordable machine that’s built to perform.
And in terms of performance, these two treadmills are pretty evenly matched.
The only real difference is that the 7.0 AT is so much heavier, which I do see as an advantage.
As seen above, there are a few subtle differences with regards to the console features (quick-dial controls, interval buttons), but I’m not sure these alone would be significant enough to give either treadmill much of an advantage.
The warranty and price differences though, when combined, certainly do give Horizon’s 7.0 AT the advantage.
So if I was choosing between these treadmills today, I’d definitely go with the 7.0 AT.
I mean it matches the F63 in every performance spec, is heavier-duty, comes with a longer warranty, and is cheaper.
Kind of an easy call.
Plus, as a Horizon owner, I’ve fallen in love with those quick-dial speed/incline controls.
But if you’re still stuck trying to decide, don’t fret – both of these treadmills are great choices.
