Matrix’s T50 is a non-folding treadmill with impressive performance specs and a great warranty, but honestly, it’s the option to choose between 4 different consoles that grabs my attention most.
As with most Matrix treadmills, you get to choose between a simple, LCD display and 3 HD touchscreens of various sizes.
The highest-end of which consists of a 22″ HD touchscreen that’s iFit compatible, pre-loaded with entertainment apps, and able to screen mirror anything from your phone.
Yup, that means you could access any fitness app you want and view it right there on your treadmill… cool indeed.
The biggest downside to going with the T50 is the price, but otherwise there’s really no denying that this treadmill is awesome.
The real question is whether or not it’s the right option for you – and that’s what I’m here to help with.
In this review, I’ll be going over everything the T50 has to offer, but I’ll also be comparing it to some of the other top comps in its price range.
This way you can see how it stacks up against the competition.
After reading, you’ll know whether or not Matrix’s T50 is worth investing in.
Let’s begin.
The Matrix Treadmill T50
Matrix is the top brand in the Johnson Health Tech portfolio and they provide both commercial-grade and residential fitness equipment.
They’re a well-respected brand and I put ’em on the same pedestal as Life Fitness or Precor (residential lineups of course) – in other words, they’re a notch or so higher up the food chain than brands like Sole or NordicTrack.
Speaking of NordicTrack, Matrix machines are also compatible with iFit, so they can definitely fulfill your streaming needs.
Although unlike NordicTrack, you don’t need a membership to take advantage of all their other cool features.
Anyway, Matrix doesn’t have a huge residential lineup, but they do offer 5 different treadmills to choose from.
The T50 we’re here to go over now falls in the middle of that lineup and it’s pretty identical to their TF50, with the exception of one small difference.
The TF50 folds and the T50 does not.
At the time time of writing this, the T50 has a starting price of around $4k, but the price will vary quite a bit depending on which console you go with.
Let’s start things off with a rundown on the performance side of things.
Pros
- 3.25 CHP motor
- 20″ x 60″ running surface
- Heavy-duty frame
- 400 lb weight limit
- Top speed of 12.5 mph
- Top incline of 15%
- Large rollers
- Choice of console
- iFit compatible
- Entertainment apps (depending on console)
- Screen Mirroring (depending on console)
- Bluetooth
- Internet browser (depending on console)
- Built-in workouts
- Safety rail
- Great warranty
Cons
- Running surface could be a bit wider
- Advanced consoles are pricey
Running Surface
This spec tells us how much usable space we’ll have on a treadmill and it’s an important one to consider before buying any machine.
More specifically, the running surface refers to the physical dimensions of the belt, measured in inches (well, here in the States anyway).
Treadmills come in various sizes and the amount of space you need depends largely on your height – taller folks often have longer strides and require a longer deck to fully stretch out.
A treadmill’s width isn’t quite as important, although having a wider belt is always nice because it makes for a more spacious feel.
I doubt anyone likes feeling like they might step off the treadmill if they sway too much to one side or the other.
Anyway, with this in mind, the T50 comes with a running surface of 20″ x 60″.
This is plenty of room for walkers and runners of all heights to comfortably workout without having to shorten their stride or feel cramped.
But I have to say, for this price range, I’d like to see an even more spacious 22″ width.
Plenty of more affordable treadmills, like Horizon’s 7.8 AT or Sole’s F85, come with 22″ x 60″ running surfaces, as does Life Fitness’s similarly-priced T5.
So, a larger running surface would be nice, but again, it isn’t a necessity.
Something I really like about the T50 though, is how robust it is.
This is a heavy treadmill, weighing in at around 315 lb, so you won’t have to worry about it feeling wobbly on ya while you use it.
It also comes with an impressive 400 lb weight limit, so it can handle users of all sizes safely.
I mentioned it earlier, but I want to say it again – the T50 doesn’t fold, so you need to make sure you have enough floor space to accommodate it.
In terms of size, it has a footprint of 81″ x 35″, which is pretty average for a home treadmill.
But for a third time, this bad boy doesn’t fold.
Overall though, the T50 is large, heavy-duty treadmill with a running surface large enough to comfortably fit folks of all heights.
A little extra wiggle room in the width would be nice, but I don’t consider it a dealbreaker by any means.
Motor
A treadmill’s running surface is important, but so is its motor.
You want to make sure your treadmill has a motor strong enough to support everything you’ll be putting it through.
And if that includes running regularly, you’re gonna want to go with a treadmill with at least 3 HP under the hood.
The T50 comes with a 3.25 CHP, DC motor that can reach a top speed of 12.5 mph and can incline up to 15%.
This motor is strong enough to support walkers and runners alike and with a top speed of 12.5 mph, it can actually go a little faster than most home treadmills that top out at 12 mph.
I can’t imagine many folks will need that extra 0.5 mph, but I guess it’s nice to know you have it if the occasion ever arises.
In terms of horsepower, there are certainly stronger treadmills out there for this price, but Life Fitness and Precor use 3.0 CHP motors in their home lineups, so there must be something to it.
I would also suggest that perhaps all treadmill motors aren’t created equal – I would expect Matrix’s 3.25 CHP motor to maybe be a little more sophisticated than a cheaper brands 3.25 CHP motor, but who knows.
Either way, the T50 has enough muscle to provide smooth belt operation without straining to keep up.
Matrix also uses 2.4″ rollers on this treadmill, which is pretty large for a home treadmill.
Having larger rollers is a good thing because they usually make for smoother belt action, not to mention improved overall treadmill heavy-dutiness.
For the sake of comparison, most elite home treadmills come with rollers somewhere in the 2- 3″ range, so Matrix is doing pretty good here.
Overall, the T50 scores highly with its powerful motor and large rollers and its speed and incline capabilities allow it to challenge folks of all fitness levels.
Features
The Matrix T50 comes with the following features:
Choice of console- Matrix offers 4 different consoles to choose from, ranging from the simple LCD XR to the XUR that comes with a 22″ HD touchscreen. In between, you’ve also got a 10″ and 16″ touchscreen consoles (XER and XIR, respectively) to choose from as well. The features you get will depend on which console you go with, as will the price. Going with the highest-end XUR adds about $2k to the base price.
iFit- all of the consoles are compatible with iFit, the popular fitness streaming app that gives you access to instructor-led workouts and metric tracking. The touchscreens allow you to view the workouts directly through the consoles, with the XR you have to sync with your phone via bluetooth. Matrix throws in a free 30 day trial with purchase, then it’ll cost ya around $39/month to continue using this app. The great news though, unlike NordicTrack and ProForm treadmills, you don’t have to keep an iFit membership to use all the other features the T50 has to offer.
Entertainment apps- if you go with one of the touchscreen consoles, you’ll be able to enjoy entertainment apps like Netflix, Hulu, or YouTube directly from the console. You’ll still have to have your own subscriptions of course.
Screen mirroring- this feature allows you to connect your phone or tablet up to the console and view anything from your device directly through your console (only available on touchscreen consoles). This is a great feature because it allows you to see any entertainment or fitness app through the T50’s console.
Web browser- the XUR, XER, and XIR consoles come with a built-in browser, so you can search the internet during workouts.
Bluetooth- all consoles are bluetooth compatible with headphones (if applicable) and heart rate monitors.
Workouts- all consoles come with built-in workout programs as well, ranging from 5 on the XR to 13 on the XUR.
Safety rail- you’ll notice this treadmill comes with a built-in rail that goes across the entire front of the console, giving you a handy place to grab for balance anytime you need. The therapist in me appreciates this extra safety feature.
Water bottle holders- and finally, there’s enough room to hold 2 beverages, so you shouldn’t have to worry about hydration during workouts.
Assembly
White glove delivery is kinda required when purchasing the T50 and not only does it include the cost of delivery, but it also includes professional assembly.
And given the weight of this treadmill, it wouldn’t be an awful idea to have a team of pros come in and get it placed wherever it needs to go.
However, if for some reason white glove delivery isn’t available in your area, Matrix will refund the cost and drop it off at your front door.
Luckily, putting this treadmill together shouldn’t be that challenging.
The main deck is pre-assembled, so you’d be responsible for attaching each upright, snaking the cables through the right upright (which can be a little more annoying than it should be at times), connecting the handles, console, and a few covers.
The hardest part of assembling the T50 will be getting the parts to your desired room before you start – again, this is a heavy treadmill.
Otherwise, assembly is straightforward.
Warranty
Matrix backs their Treadmill T50 with the following home warranty:
- Lifetime frame
- Lifetime motor
- Lifetime cushioning
- 7 years parts
- 2 years labor
This is a really good warranty.
The lifetime frame/motor guarantees should be expected in this price range, but that doesn’t mean it’s a given.
And 7 years on parts is very generous, especially considering this is where most breakdowns are likely to occur.
Two years on labor is also better than the 1 year labor warranty most brands offer.
In terms of the comps, Life Fitness’ warranties are similar, although they only back their motors with 10 years and only offer 1 year labor warranties.
Precor offers 10 years on their parts, but again, only a year for labor.
Overall, Matrix’s warranty here is awesome and I see it as just another indicator of how well-built this machine is.
Final Thoughts
Ok, I think that’ll about do it.
In terms of performance and features, the T50 kinda has it all.
The only downside I see (other than the cost) is that I wish they had given this treadmill a 22″ x 60″ running surface because the extra little width is nice.
But otherwise, this is a powerful, well-built treadmill that comes with a great warranty.
And with the option to choose between a simple LCD console and 3 HD touchscreens of various sizes, you get a lot of control over how fancy you want to go.
And like I said in the intro, I think it’s the consoles that set Matrix apart from most other elite brands.
When you look at Life Fitness or Precor’s similarly-priced treadmills, their consoles don’t come close to Matrix’s XIR or XUR options.
And in terms of performance specs, the T50 is right there with anything Life Fitness or Precor has to offer in this price range.
So, long-story-short, if you’re looking for an elite home treadmill with some serious console game, I think Matrix’s T50 is one of the best options out there.
(And if you like this treadmill but needing a folding deck, check out their TF50, which does fold.)
