Transform your home workouts with the NordicTrack T 6.5 S Smart Treadmill. Powered by a SMART-Response motor and iFIT® interactive training (1-month membership included), this foldable treadmill auto-adjusts speed and incline to match studio classes and global courses led by expert trainers. Enjoy a 20″ × 55″ FlexSelect® deck for superior cushioning and recovery.
- Interactive iFIT Training – Access 10,000+ live and on-demand workouts; auto-adjust speed & incline to your fitness level (subscription required).
- Powerful Performance – 0–10 MPH speed range lets you sprint up to a 6-minute mile pace on demand.
- Dynamic Incline – 0–10% Auto-Adjust incline for varied terrain simulations and full-body conditioning.
- FlexSelect Cushioning – Choose between firm or soft deck settings to protect joints and enhance comfort.
- 5″ LCD Display & Device Shelf – Track live stats or stream iFIT classes from your tablet for an immersive experience.
- Foldable & Compact – Easy SpaceSaver® design with one-step hydraulic folding for quick storage.
- SmartPulse Heart-Rate – Option to add a chest strap (sold separately) for real-time heart-rate training.
| Brand | NordicTrack |
| Model | T 6.5 S |
| Color | Black |
| Motor | SMART-Response |
| Belt Size | 20″ × 55″ |
| Speed Range | 0–10 MPH |
| Incline Range | 0–10% |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 73.5″ × 36″ × 54″ |
| Weight | 203 lb |
| Folded Footprint | 36″ × 36″ |
The unit is extremely well packaged and there was no damage from shipping at all, even though the the package weighs around 140 pounds. The walking platform and motor assembly is all one piece and does not fold like other treadmills. The instructions do say that two people are required for assembly. Two people would make a couple of steps easier, but are by no means required. I was able to do it all myself. I was just barely able to lift the big piece and wrestle it into the house. 3 or 4 pounds more and I don't think I would have been able to lift it.
Once I got all the pieces inside, it was time to start assembling. The instructions are well written and it was mostly clear what had to be done. Unfortunately, I hit a snag on step 4. I got the wire through the upright and the grommet installed with little problem. The next step was to remove the screw that they used to hold the wire tie in the upright and use a different screw to attach the ground wire to that hole. The ground wire screw would not thread into the hole. The proper screw is, of course, a machine screw, but the temporary screw they had in the hole was not. It was a completely different thread and it boogered up the first thread or two in the upright.
I stopped at this point so as not to make things worse by completely stripping out the hole in the upright. I figured I could just run a tap through the hole to clean up the threads and be off to the races. I went to get a tap, thinking that the screw looked like 6-32 or 8-32. It turns out it was neither, it is very close in size to a #8 screw, but it has more like 36 teeth per inch than 32. Now what, I don't believe anyone makes an 8-36 screw. Oh crap, the dumb thing is metric and I don't have any metric taps. Again, Amazon to the rescue. They had a metric tap and die set to me that same night. Turns out, the screw in question is M4 X .7. Once that was sorted out, the rest was easy.
I like that it is smaller (narrower and shorter) than my old one. I like that it doesn't go overboard with electronics (though just a smidge more would be nice). I don't really like that it moves around a lot more than my old one, but that would be due to the fact that it is smaller and lighter. I wouldn't mind so much, but since it comes with a tablet holder, I had planned to put a tablet there running Kindle software so I can read while I walk without having to hold the tablet in my hand. With the whole thing rocking around, it was a little difficult to focus on the Kindle.
The console display is quite small, which is generally a good thing as I only use the most basic features of the machine anyway. In this case, it would be nice if the display was slightly larger. All of the treadmills I have used, including my old one, have a graphic display of a generic running track and it is easy to track progress by counting laps. This one will tell you how far you have gone, but there is no quick reference graphic to depict where you are in the lap and I missed that from the very beginning.
I realize that you get what you pay for and for this price it's not reasonable to expect too much, but a little more functionality shouldn't break the bank.
Somehow I doubt this one will last 20 years, but we'll see.
I bought this on Black Friday 2024 and got this for a fantastic price w/ an Amazon Promo for $335. I was originally in the market for some kind of cardio equipment and was originally actually looking at Peloton equipment. I was debating if it was worth the money and I saw the Peloton treadmill was $2700. After doing some research, it’s really just over-hyped marketing on the technology front for what basically is a glorified giant ipad with fast processing and high money reoccurring subscriptions. Ultimately, I could not justify to myself putting a 3-4 month payment comparable to that of a entry-level BMW/Mercedes Car Model on a treadmill lol – even with the Black Friday promos et al.
At the end of the day I realized I’m buying this equipment to ultimately work as a sweat machine and get some intense cardio in for myself as I’ve put some weight on since marriage and am approaching my mid 30’s and was sick of the $25 monthly planet fitness subscription I barely utilized for most the past year because the gym was on the other side of town and the excess time wasted going in and out of the gym for cardio workouts (changing clothes, shower, having to look semi-presentable in a public gym where I bump into people I know in real social life) was just eating my limited hours in a day with work & family life. I cancelled that subscription and bought this instead. It arrived a week after Black Friday. The amazon guys delivered it in my garage and I took it from there to get it to my basement. The total shipment package is about 140 lbs so having a 2nd person to help you will make life much easier. I immediately checked the parts to make sure everything came in top tier condition from A to Z and luckily, it was packaged extremely well with no horror stories to report on my end.
As it gets pretty frigid and cold in New England in the winter months, I wanted a machine that I can keep in the house for quick HIIT workouts in morning before I take a shower and get my start for my workday in the office.
So to the treadmill itself:
-Excellent Build Quality for the $ from a Reliable Brand (Nordictrack is owned by iFit Inc. which also owns ProForm – these equipment brands were mainstays of the 90’s and 2000’s in any Dick’s sporting good stores that sold treadmills). This is my first NordicTrack treadmill but my parent’s ProForm treadmill(s) are still going strong – 20 years later (and I ultimately attribute that robust build quality/longevity to the parent company of both brands– iFit Inc.).
- Relatively easy to install compared to other treadmills (I’ve assembled a much, much more complicated ProForm treadmill with all the bells and whistles in my parent’s house) and this was so easy as compared to that model. You just need to be patient – watch a couple of youtube videos – and make sure you understand each step. Also I did 95% of the installation by myself, I just needed my wife basically for the last part which is when you actually mount the console on top of the treadmill and keep it plugged in (you will want a 2nd person with you for this part especially because this is how electric power comes to the treadmill belt & console). Everything else can be done by 1 person.
-2.6 HP Treadmill Rating “Engine” – this is plenty for most people. It’s not 3.0 but I found I was able to do a full run/sprint on this for a good 5 minutes with no problems and I’m a fairly big guy (over 215 lbs). It’s a nice sweet spot between 2.0 HP Treadmills (weak/only good for walking) and 3.0 HP Treadmills (where a lot of commercial treadmills start).
-The Console is Super Basic, Absolutely No Frills/Gimmicks – the iFit subscription is the one thing you can get with this (it comes w/ 1 month free with this purchase), but you do not need it for the treadmill to function. It is very easy to understand and very easy to use. This would actually be a really good model for seniors in your family who hate the confusing hyper technology of today’s treadmills. This is a treadmill I’d feel safe with my grandmother using.
-iPad/Phone Stand – You can easily make it as fancy or as simple as you want. I will def be using it with my iPad so I don’t feel “wanting” for anything more. All I need is access to YouTube and some headphones and I’m good to go.
- Treadmill is def compact and very easy to wheel around to a different part of the room (you just need to lift the rear and basically wheel it around like a farm wheel barrow)
-Keep in mind, this does not fold up. Repeat. This.does.not.fold. If you’re someone pressed for extreme space living and want to always maximize every square foot in your residence, this might not pass that test. Although its footprint as normal laid out flat is fairly compact when benchmarking to other treadmills.
Bottomline: This machine will get you to sweat without having to sell your kidneys on the black market to do so. You can walk, jog, and yes use it for sprinting and it will work just fine. Most consumers will love this model.
Here’s who this model this is NOT for:
If you are a serious runner, like you’re one of those people that ran highschool cross country and track and you have an average speed of like 11 mph when you do a sprint and/or power run for like 10 minutes+ straight– you should probably look at higher grade models in NordicTrack’s lineup with at least a 3.0 HP+ rating.
The treadmill itself? Good stuff. You get what you pay for and a bit more. All things being equal this is as good as it gets in this price range for a home treadmill. It's not intended for heavy duty, high impact use, though sturdy. It's more for walking and jogging. Sprinting in spurts. Just look at some videos of it in use and you'll get the idea. It looks nice enough and not like a big, cheap plastic eyesore. It operates smoothly and is reasonably quiet. The control console is well designed and laid out. It has twenty preset routines and manual adjustments which include increasing speed and incline by increments instead of whole numbers. So the treadmill will run at say 3.7mph and incline at 4.5 percent, etc. Cushioning is adequate and it feels solid beneath you. No shaking or otherwise. Very stable.
And that's it, really. It's a treadmill and it works. What sets it apart from others in this price range is its size. It is indeed bigger / roomier where it counts. The tread board and belt. I found just two other treadmills in the $650 to $1000 range that offered a belt with a 20in width. And one of those while promoting it as "heavy duty" lacked an incline feature and has a 19.3in wide belt. It makes a difference! Especially when most of these lower end home treadmills come with 16-17.5in wide belts. No matter how BIG they make the treadmill look in their ads with doctored photos. If your feet aren't too big this NordicTrack should be nice. Just take out a measuring tape and measure 20in against 16 or 17 and the difference is clear. The belt is also 50in long. Which is beyond standard in this price range. What I found are many $650+ treadmills are really $400 and $500 treadmills that are being oversold on their features. And show ad pics that make the machine look big and the user small. Open the box and set it up and you'll find you paid $700 for a $450 product. But this NordicTrack will be the "more" you pay for. The only other one close is the Horizon T101. Take a close look at both imo, weigh pros and cons and pull the trigger on one or the other.
I can't touch on the speakers as they are not being used. iFit integration was easily bypassed and not being used. Really no big deal to bypass it so I don't know why people complain. The unit itself is a good deal. The materials used for the machine are of quality you'd expect in this segment, and the look is basic but a bit sleek and sporty. Seems a great buy so far and a good, basic home treadmill. Don't expect more unless you pay more. And even then. If this lasts a year or two and is trouble free I'd happily buy another to replace it. If it lasts longer, even better. Sure as hell beats the time, effort, expense, inconvenience and patience it takes for me to go to the gym. And even gym goers like some activity at home. It can be convenient and Its nice to have options.
One of the things I really like about this treadmill is the iFit compatibility. There are so many different types of workouts you can select with a full range of beginner to experienced in all categories. You can choose walking, hiking, running, cross-training, walk-run, etc. and there are several series for beginners and advanced users as well. Weight loss, running series, incline series, and more. They have a great assortment of trainers and the treadmill syncs to the workout you choose and adjusts the speed and incline automatically throughout the workout. You do have the ability to easily override the auto adjustments in case you need to slow it down or want to speed it up more, but it is really nice being able to just focus on form and enjoy the workout without having to change speed and incline throughout.
I assembled the treadmill myself and it was very easy to do. Only the last part required a second person to assist and in total, it took me about 2 hours from start to finish. The instruction manual is concise and easy to follow. I was missing two small screws that secure the cup holders in place, but one call and they were quickly shipped out to me and arrived 3 days later. These missing screws did not prevent me from using my treadmill in the meantime.
I don't fold my treadmill regularly as I don't need the floor space, but I did include a picture of the folded position so you can see how it looks. If you have a lack of floor space but still want a treadmill, this may be the answer. The motor is not very loud in my opinion. It is a treadmill and there is going to be some noise. When the incline is increasing or going down, the noise is more distinct, but it really does not sound louder than one should expect to hear from a motor raising and lowering a heavy treadmill with someone on it.
The incline has a range of 0-10 and that is perfectly good for where I am at. I suppose endurance runners and very advanced users may want more of an incline, but it is ideal to me. The speed range is from 1-10 miles and I have only taken it up to 6.5mph so far. Maybe one day I will hit 10mph and wish I could go faster, but I think I am pretty good with the speed range for a long time.
I purchased the 3-year maintenance warranty on Amazon and recommend it if only to have it professionally serviced once per year. I do not want to have to deal with extra out of pocket costs if something breaks down and for $89, you can hardly go wrong. You will see when you register your treadmill on the Nordic Track site that they will offer you the same coverage, but it is a lot more expensive. Buy it through Amazon.
Finally, some people don't like the iFit membership cost. It is $15 per month or $39 per month for a family plan. I received 2 free months with my purchase and renewed it as soon as my free trial was up because it's such a great feature. If you do not want an iFit membership, you can still use the treadmill in manual mode as well as the 20 preset programs the treadmill comes with. I think it would still be a great treadmill without iFit, but I encourage you to at least use the free iFit trial period before deciding you don't want it.
The other models of this treadmill include bigger screens and higher inclines. I may upgrade myself in 3 years, but if you want a great first treadmill, I highly recommend this one.