Best for Home Use
Best for Serious Runners
Best for Walkers
Best for Seniors
Matrix T50 Review
The Matrix T50 is an excellent home treadmill for walkers and runners. Along with the T70, it’s one of two non-folding treadmills in the new Matrix Fitness residential series. This well-equipped cardio trainer has a 3.25 CHP motor, a two-ply 60″ x 20″ track, and power incline with settings up to 15 percent. Owners can find just the right amount of on-board training and entertainment through a choice of three consoles. Three highlights are touchscreen workout displays, high fidelity speakers, and interactive videos filmed in scenic destinations.
This durable home treadmill comes from a longtime leader in the commercial fitness industry. The Matrix T50 has a 400-pound user weight capacity (just like club trainers) and a generous warranty including seven years on parts and five years on any console. It’s a strong choice for anyone seeking a long term home fitness solution.
Note: The Matrix TF50 ($2,799) is a folding version of this model.
During a visit to the Johnson Fitness and Wellness Store, editors Brian Boyce and Jessica Jones got to try out the T50 touchscreen and immersive technology. Photo by: Oleksandr Kosheliev / TreadmilReviews.net
What We Like:
- Custom Consoles: Matrix home treadmills are sold with a choice of consoles: XR, XER, and XIR. Each console has water bottle holders, a reading rack, a wireless heart rate monitor, an energy saving mode, and ViaFit connectivity for automatic fitness tracking. Additionally, the XER and XIR have touchscreen displays, speakers, and 14 apps ranging from MyFitnessPal to Twitter and Hulu. The XIR also has a web browser.
- Virtual Active With Passport: Train with high-definition video that adjusts to your pace. Virtual Active workouts coordinate the sights and sounds of scenic destinations with the intensity of your treadmill training. Three videos are included with the XER and XIR consoles (and others are sold separately). Destinations include the American Southwest and Venice. Depending on your console choice, you can enjoy the view through a 6″ or 10″ screen. The T50 is Passport-ready too, which means you can send Virtual Active video to your own TV for an even more immersive experience.
- Data Tracking: Seeing charts of your progress can be wonderfully motivating. Matrix home treadmills make it easy to automatically track your fitness activity through a variety of mobile apps. See your total calories burned over time, chart your distance, graph your heart rate data, and more.
- Track Length: The T50 treadmill track size is the industry standard 60″ long by 20″ wide. Superior to many home treadmill tracks, it’s two-ply and 2.2 mm thick.
- Cushioning: The T50 has a patented 1″ deck with industrial grade shock absorption, making treadmill training much gentler on the joints compared to outdoor running. Trainees can also tilt the treadmill track to relieve pressure from their knees.
- Incline: The Matrix T50 treadmill track has power incline settings from zero to 15 percent. The automated incline is especially engaging with the Virtual Active video workouts described above.
- High Speed: Top speed is 12.5 mph.
- Wireless Telemetry: Contact heart rate sensors are built into the T50’s aluminum handrails. Additionally, all Matrix home treadmill consoles have wireless heart rate receivers.
- Speakers: The XER and XIR Matrix consoles have 3W and 5W speakers. Play your MP3s or use the treadmill speakers with Netflix, Hulu, and other apps.
- Motor: The 3.25 CHP motor can serve just about any trainee. However, for the most intense training consider moving up to the Matrix T70, which has a commercial-grade motor.
- Warranty: Matrix treadmills have competitive home warranties. This model is sold with lifetime protection for the frame, motor, and cushioning; seven years for parts; and two years for labor. Each console has a five-year warranty.
Matrix T50 Treadmill - Key Specs:
| Star Rating: | 4.75-stars |
|---|---|
| Motor: | 3.25 HP |
| Incline: | 0 - 15% |
| Running Area: | 20" x 60" |
| Folding: | No |
| Top Speed: | 12.5 MPH |
| Weight Capacity: | 400 LBS |
| Dimensions: | 77.4" L x 36" W x 60.6" H |
| Built-In Programs: | Varies |
- Extra Expense: Passport Players and additional Virtual Active videos are sold separately.
Our Verdict:
The Matrix T50 is sized and powered for trainees of all sizes. Sold with a choice of enticing consoles, it has especially wide appeal. At $3K, the machine costs quite a bit more more than the average home cardio trainer, but the price isn’t unreasonable for a treadmill of this quality. This Matrix T50 is best for users seeking luxury and long-term value.