Rowing Machine NerdHydrow vs Concept2: Which Rowing Machine Is Better?
This is the classic crossroads for a serious home rower: the Hydrow, with its big touchscreen and immersive instructor-led classes, or the Concept2 Model D, the machine competitive rowers and coaches buy. They're not really the same product. One sells a guided experience; the other sells a tool. The right answer depends entirely on what keeps you rowing.
The price gap frames the whole decision: the Hydrow runs around $2,195 plus a roughly $50/month subscription, while the Concept2 is about $990 with no mandatory fees at all. Here's what that money does and doesn't buy.
Verdict: The better machine and far better value for most - unless you need a coach on a screen.
Hydrow Rower vs Concept2 Model D: at a glance
| Hydrow Rower | Concept2 Model D | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 3.8/5 | 4.8/5 |
| Price | ~$2,195 | ~$990 |
| Resistance | Electromagnetic (computer-controlled, adjustable 50-300) | Air (spiral damper, 10 settings) |
| Monitor / screen | 22" Full HD (1920x1080) pivoting touchscreen | PM5 (backlit; Bluetooth & ANT+; USB) |
| Connectivity | ANT+ and Bluetooth (heart rate and audio); Wi-Fi required | ErgData + 40+ compatible apps |
| Max user weight | 375 lbs | 500 lb (227 kg) |
| Footprint / size | 86"L x 25"W x 47"H | 96" × 24" (244 × 61 cm) |
| Storage | Upright storage with separately purchased wall kit | Separates into two parts; front casters |
| Warranty | 5 years frame / 1 year monitor & labor | 5-yr frame / 2-yr parts & monitor |
Full Hydrow Rower review Full Concept2 Model D review
Experience: coached immersion vs self-directed tool
The Hydrow's entire pitch is its 22-inch pivoting HD touchscreen and its polished content library - filmed routes, live and on-demand instructor-led rows, leaderboards. For someone who needs a charismatic coach pushing them through a class, that's genuinely the difference between training and not training. It's a beautifully produced experience.
The Concept2 offers none of that out of the box - the PM5 is a function-first LCD, not a glossy screen. What it offers instead is superb, self-directed training: your splits, your data, your structure. You can bolt on scenic or gamified apps later (Kinomap, EXR, even Zwift) via the PM5's Bluetooth, but there's no instructor in your living room unless you add one. If your motivation is internal, you won't miss the screen; if it isn't, you might.
Feel and data: air resistance still wins
On feel, the Concept2's air flywheel wins. Air resistance responds instantly and scales infinitely with your effort, which is why it's the standard for serious training. The Hydrow's computer-controlled electromagnetic resistance is smooth and consistent, but many owners describe it as feeling slightly flat - the resistance is simulated and always a fraction behind your stroke, rather than driven by it.
On data, it's not close. The PM5 is the worldwide testing and racing standard; your 2k split is directly comparable to any other Concept2 rower on the planet. The Hydrow's numbers are proprietary and not cross-comparable. If you care about training metrics you can trust and benchmark, the Concept2 is the better instrument.
Noise, footprint and cost of ownership
The Hydrow's clear win is noise: its electromagnetic resistance is near-silent, which makes it far better for apartments and shared walls than the Concept2's fan, which produces a real whoosh that gets louder as you push. If quiet is your top priority, that's a genuine point in the Hydrow's favour.
But on cost of ownership it isn't close. The Hydrow costs roughly twice as much up front, weighs over twice as much (145 lb vs 57 lb), needs a separately purchased wall kit for vertical storage, and then bills you around $50 every month for the content that justifies the screen. The Concept2 has no subscription, holds 75-85% of its resale value, and routinely lasts a decade-plus. When Hydrow changes its app or sunsets a model, that expensive screen ages fast; a Concept2 doesn't depend on a subscription staying alive.
Choose the Hydrow Rower if…
- You'll only train when an instructor on a screen is pushing you
- You want a polished, immersive class library out of the box
- Near-silent resistance for an apartment is a top priority
- You're comfortable paying ~$50/month indefinitely for content
Choose the Concept2 Model D if…
- You want the best workout, the best data, and the best feel
- You're self-directed and don't need on-screen coaching
- You want to avoid a monthly subscription entirely
- You want a machine that lasts a decade-plus and holds its resale value
Our verdict
For the great majority of buyers, the Concept2 Model D is the better and far smarter purchase. It delivers a better workout, better data, and a better feel, for less than half the all-in cost, on a machine that will outlast the Hydrow and hold its value. You can even add scenic or gamified apps to the PM5 later if you want some of that engagement.
The Hydrow is the right call for one specific person: someone who genuinely will not train without an instructor-led class and a big immersive screen, and for whom near-silent operation matters. If that's you, the engagement may be worth the premium and the ongoing fee, because the best rower is the one you'll actually use. For everyone else, the Concept2 wins decisively.
References
- Understanding Splits - Concept2
- What Damper Setting and Drag Factor to Use on the Concept2 RowErg - Concept2
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Hydrow or Concept2 better?
- For workout quality, data accuracy, feel, durability, and value, the Concept2 Model D is better - and about half the all-in cost. The Hydrow is better only if you need instructor-led classes on a big screen to stay motivated, or if near-silent resistance for an apartment is essential.
- Does the Concept2 have classes like the Hydrow?
- Not built in - the PM5 monitor is data-focused, not a class screen. But you can connect free and paid third-party apps (ErgData, Kinomap, EXR, Zwift) via Bluetooth for scenic or gamified rowing. There's no Hydrow-style live instructor library, though.
- Is the Hydrow subscription required?
- Effectively yes for the full experience - most of the Hydrow's content is locked behind its roughly $50/month membership. The Concept2 has no required subscription; its data, app, and logbook are free.
Jordan Lockwood (BSc, CPT)
Certified personal trainer (CPT), sports-science graduate, and lifelong rower. Jordan writes and reviews every guide on Rowing Machine Nerd.