The F63 and F65 are Sole’s two most affordable treadmills to date and they both have a lot of great features to offer (especially for their respective prices).
I mean, heavy duty frames, powerful motors, long warranties… what’s not to like here?
Well, the F63 and F65 are priced similarly and when you check out their stats, it’s not that easy to spot the differences – especially with the updated F65.
There are a few subtle differences, but basically, the F65 has a slightly larger running surface and a larger console.
And both treadmills come with the same motor, same speed/incline ranges, and identical warranties.
So, does it make sense to spend the extra cash and get the F65 or is it better to save your money and go with the more affordable F63?
Well, that’s what I’m here to help you answer.
In this article, I’ll provide a comprehensive, head-to-head comparison of all the specs and features Sole’s F63 and F65 have to offer.
I’ll also offer my 2 cents regarding which treadmill I personally think is the better buy.
After reading, you’ll know which treadmill is the better option for your home gym.
The Sole F65 comes with a running surface that’s 2″ wider, a larger console, and a more robust frame, but it comes with the same motor and warranty as the more affordable F63. Larger users might appreciate the extra room, but smaller folks might want to save the money and go with the F63.
Sole F63 | Sole F65 | |
---|---|---|
Running Surface | 20″ x 60″ | 22″ x 60″ |
Motor | 3.0 HP | 3.0 HP |
Weight limit | 325 lb | 325 lb |
Assembled weight | 224 lb | 267 lb |
Features | 6.5″ LCD console 10 workout programs Bluetooth speakers USB charging port Cooling fan | 9″ LCD console 10 workout programs Bluetooth speakers USB charging port Cooling fan |
Warranty | Lifetime frame/motor 2 year deck/parts 1 year labor | Lifetime frame/motor 2 year deck/parts 1 year labor |
Price* | ~$1099 | ~$1,399 |
*prices may vary a bit throughout year
Sole’s F63 vs The F65
If you’re familiar with my work, you probably know that I’m a big Sole fan.
I’m fond of this brand because their cardio machines are usually the heaviest-duty in their price ranges and they’re backed by generous warranties.
And when it comes to treadmills, their motors and running surfaces are usually more impressive than the majority of the competitors.
That said, Sole’s tech features haven’t always been the most up to date, but this all changed when they updated most of their consoles in ’23.
Now you’ll find touchscreen consoles with built-in entertainment apps and streaming options on most Sole treadmills.
That said, the treadmills we’re here to discuss now are the only 2 models that haven’t received console upgrades yet.
As I’m writing this, the F63 and the F65 are their two most affordable treadmills to choose from, but we’ll talk price a little more in a bit.
Let’s start with the important stuff first.
Running Surface
I always check out a treadmill’s running surface first because I think this is one of the most important specs to consider before buying any treadmill.
And that’s because the running surface tells you exactly how much room you’ll have when using said treadmill.
And if it’s too small, you aren’t going to feel comfortable using the treadmill for long.
Luckily, neither the F63 or F65 have that issue – both come with pretty spacious running surfaces.
To be a little more specific, the F63 comes with a running surface of 20″ x 60″ and the F65 comes with a running surface of 22″ x 60″.
So, the F65 is 2″ wider than the F63.
As a guy who’s used to a 22″ wide treadmill (I currently own Horizon’s 7.8 AT and love it), I’d have a hard time dropping down to a more narrow belt.
But at the same time, would it really effect the quality of my workouts?
No, not really.
The 22″ wide belt on the F65 will offer a slightly more luxurious feel, but at the end of the day, both treadmills are easily large enough for folks of all sizes to safely use.
So, I don’t think this difference alone would necessarily be enough to warrant the extra cash, but let’s keep moving along.
I also like to compare assembled weights because I feel like this spec gives us an objective way to compare “heavy-dutiness” between machines.
With heavier treadmills being preferred because they’ll be less likely to wobble, wiggle, or really move in any other unwanted fashion during workouts.
Well, the F63 comes with an assembled weight of 224 lb and the F65 comes with an assembled weight of 267 lb.
First of all, I’d like to point out that both of these treadmills are remarkably heavy for their price range (your average similarly priced treadmill is gonna weigh somewhere around 200 lb).
That said, the F65 is a good 40 lb heavier than the F63 (due to the larger deck size), which’ll likely add a little to the overall stability of the treadmill.
But again, both treadmills are heavy enough to offer a secure feeling during use.
And when it comes to the weight capacities, both treadmills come with a max weight limit of 325 lb, so there’s no difference whatsoever here.
Oh, and I want to point out that there is a slight difference in footprint between these treadmills, so if floorspace is a concern, this could be noteworthy.
The F63 and F65 come with the following dimensions (L x W x H when not folded):
- Sole F63: 77″ x 35″ x 67″
- Sole F65: 82.5″ x 38″ x 72″
So, the F65 is almost 6″ longer and 3″ wider than the F63, so it will take up a little more floorspace.
Overall, the F65 comes with a wider running surface and is a bigger, heavier treadmill than the F63, but both come with the same weight capacity.
Motor
Ok, time to talk motors.
The motor is the heart of a treadmill and it’s probably easy to understand how having a strong motor would be beneficial for any treadmill.
Basically, stronger motors don’t have to work as hard to provide the same output.
You’ll notice that most home treadmills offer the same max speed (12 mph) and the same max incline (15%), but that the motor strengths can vary quite a bit.
It’s true, a lot of motors can provide similar workout conditions, but again, the stronger ones can do it with less effort – which means a smoother workout for you.
Anyway, back to the treadmills at hand.
The F63 comes with a 3.0 HP motor and the F65 also comes with a 3.0 HP motor… so there’s no difference whatsoever.
And most agree runners should go with a treadmill with at least a 3.0 HP motor to ensure smooth operation and both treadmills hit this mark equally.
Both treadmills also come with the same 12 mph top speed and 15 levels of power incline, so differences when it comes to these performance metrics either.
When it comes to the rollers though, we see a very subtle difference between these two treadmills:
The F63 comes with 2.36″ front rollers and 1.8″ rear rollers, while the updated F65 comes with 2.36″ rollers in the front and rear.
FYI, the rollers are what the belt makes contact with as it glides across the deck and having larger ones is a good thing when it comes to durability and smoothness of belt action.
So, technically speaking, the F65 comes with larger rear rollers, which adds a little to the overall greater robustness of the F65 vs the F63.
But personally, I don’t think this is a huge difference.
Overall, the F63 and F65 both come with the same motor, same speed, and same incline settings, but the rear rollers on the F65 are a little larger than the F63’s.
Features
When it comes to the features found on these two treadmills, there aren’t many differences.
Sole tends to use more or less the same console design for a lot of their treadmills and this happens to be the case when it comes to the F63 and F65.
Sole F63 | Sole F65 | |
Console | 6.5″ LCD | 9″ LCD |
Workouts | 10 | 10 |
Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
USB charging | Yes | Yes |
Cooling Fan | Yes | Yes |
Tablet holder | Yes | Yes |
Both treadmills come with the same 10 workout programs, which includes 7 preset profiles, 2 custom user workouts, and a manual mode.
Speaking of heart rates, both treadmills are compatible with strap monitors for more accurate readings during workouts.
Both treadmills also come with bluetooth speakers, USB charging, built-in cooling fans, and included tablet holders.
Both treadmills come with quick-touch speed/incline buttons as well, making for more convenient selections.
Each treadmill also comes with 2 water bottle holders, so there’s no reason to get dehydrated with either model.
The only real difference I can see between these two treadmills and their included features is that the LCD console on the F65 is 2.5″ larger than the one found on the F63 (9″ vs 6.5″).
I don’t think this would make any real difference whatsoever in terms of visibility or workout quality, but bigger is always better I guess.
Warranty
Sole offers the following home warranty for the F63:
- Lifetime frame
- Lifetime motor
- 2 year deck/electronics/parts
- 1 year labor
- 90 day cosmetic items
And Sole offers this home warranty for the updated F65:
- Lifetime frame
- Lifetime motor
- 2 year deck/electronics/parts
- 1 year labor
- 90 day cosmetic items
So yes, these two warranties are identical.
There aren’t any differences in warranty coverage, so this won’t play any part in the decision making process, but I do wanna say that I think both warranties are pretty generous.
The F63 is more affordable than the F65, so I guess it’s an even better warranty for the F63, but it’s going to be hard to find a better treadmill warranty at either price.
Horizon’s warranties are a little better, but not many others are…
But still, you can’t beat a lifetime frame/motor guarantee and they aren’t that common at either price point.
Two years on parts is pretty solid for this price range too and a year on labor is pretty standard stuff.
Overall, both treadmills come with the same impressive home warranty.
Price
Alright, let’s talk dollars now.
At the time of writing this, Sole has these treadmills listed at the following prices:
Sole F63 – $1099
Sole F65 – $1,399
These prices will likely change a bit throughout the year, so I apologize if they aren’t 100% accurate by the time you read this.
But generally speaking, the F65 tends to run $300 – $400 more than the F63.
This isn’t a massive difference in price, but $300 is still $300.
Considering how similar these treadmills are, does it make sense to save the cash and go with the F63 or are the subtle upgrades worth the extra $300?
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this is a tough call.
As a larger guy, I really like the idea of having the extra wiggle room and the heavier machine, but if I was smaller, I’d probably go with the F63.
The F63 and F65 have the same motor now and even though the F65 has a larger console, the features on these 2 treadmills are pretty identical.
Sure, the console on the F65 is a little bigger, but that’s not going to make any real difference (and to me, that’s certainly not enough reason to justify the extra cost).
Speaking of cost, I think both treadmills are priced quite well.
The F63 is a whole lot of treadmill for ~$1k and when you add up all the subtle upgrades the F65 comes with, I think they do cumulatively justify the additional $300.
So, long-story-short: if I had the budget for both, I’d choose the F65 because I’m 6’1″, 200 lb and would want the larger frame.
But again, if I was a little smaller, I’d save the money and go with the F63.
If you’re still stuck between these two treadmills, don’t worry too much – they’re both great home treadmills.
Sole’s website currently listed the HP on the F65 at 3.0 not 3.25 and a weight capacity of 330 not 350. Are these numbers correct? did you get you numbers somewhere else? would those two things impact your recommendation?
Ah, you’re right, it looks like Sole has updated their F65 since I last edited this article. They’ve given it a larger console, which is nice I guess, but it looks like they’re no longer using the 3.25 HP motor, which is a bummer. I noticed they’re using smaller rollers on the F65 now too (2.36″) and they’ve also decreased their warranty for this model. With these new downgrades and the given prices at the moment, I would personally go with the F63. The running surface is a little more narrow, but it has the same motor, larger rollers, and a better warranty. Wow, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention and I’ll be updating this article shortly to reflect these changes.
A dealbreaker for me is total treadmill width.
Reason: I want a tread that fits through a front door without turning it sideways or lifting it.
That means it must be under 35.5 inches, preferably 34-35 inches.
So I urge manufacturers to pay more attention to total width in future models. Keep the 20″ wide belt, but reduce the siderails, please.
Great point – having a large, heavy-duty treadmill is great when it comes to using it, but it certainly makes ’em more difficult to move. And I also think it’s a smart idea to consider how you’re gonna get your treadmill into its final resting spot before purchasing. Thanks for bringing up this important consideration. FYI, according to Sole, the F63 is 35″ wide (the F65 is a few inches wider).