Bowflex M5 vs. M7: A Closer Look At The Differences

Shannon ClarkLast Updated: August 27, 2020

If you are hoping to achieve success with your workout program, you might be looking into the Bowflex machine. Which now brings you to the next question: Bowflex M5 vs. M7? Which machine is going to be the best bet for you to realize success?

Let’s give you the details about each machine.

A Detailed Look

When looking at these two machines, we come to see that the M7 is basically the advanced model of the M5. It does come with a higher price tag though, so your determining decision is going to be based on whether you need these advanced features. Will they really do you good or can you get by without them?

Price

Price is obviously going to be the greatest divide. If you can afford the more advanced M7 model, why not? The M5 is priced at a fairly affordable $1699, which is mid-range in terms of pricing for the elliptical and treadmill market.

The M7 however, is priced at $2199, so at $500 higher, it is going to price out some people. This said, if you have $500 to spend, are the added features worth the cost?

Resistance Levels

If you are a more advanced exerciser, you will likely say yes, resoundingly. A big part of continually making progress with your program is adding more resistance to the machine so with the additional 4 levels of resistance the M7 provides, this will come in very helpful.

On the other hand, if you’re just starting out and are a lighter weight female, chances are you are never going to go beyond level 16 anyway, at least not for many, many years, so this is not a factor you need to even consider.

Programmable Options

Something else to consider is if you are someone who gets bored easily and wants the machine to do much of the programming for you, the M7 offers 11 programs while the M5 offers just 8.

Do keep in mind those most people are not going to be using each and every program, so if you find that 3 of the 11 programs on the M7 just aren’t applicable, are you really any better off?

Both machines still allow you to create your own program and doing your own research and directing your own programming is typically the absolute best approach if you hope to see results.

Targeted Programming

One unique thing that the M7 offers that the M5 does not is targeted programming. Essentially, this machine learns your body and sets new fitness targets as you make progress. Basically, it adds a thinking element to the program, which the M5 does not.

This can be great for those of you who are serious about making performance related progress.

Display Console

While the display on both machines will be very well lit and large enough to see, the M7 features an LED oversized display while the M5’s is simply backlit and of standard size.

Whether or not this factors into your decision is completely personal. Some people could care less about the display as long as they can see it while others may be very appreciable of this type of thing.

Multiple User Profiles

If you have a large family and they are all using the Bowflex, the M7 is going to be your superior choice. One nice thing that this machine offers that the M5 is lacking is 4 different user profiles. This means that each person in your family can enter their own data and keep their own programming separate. Since this machine also offers the targeted programming, this is a must.

If you have a family and everyone is using it and you opt for the M5, it’s not the end of the world, but you will need to re-enter weight if you want the most accurate calorie burning stats each time you use the machine.

Size

When comparing the size of the Bowflex M5 vs. M7, both are relatively similar and are much smaller than a treadmill would be. The M7 is slightly larger machine, so if space is a serious concern, this may move you more towards the M5.

The difference is about half a foot by width and a quarter foot by length, so not a huge amount by any means, however when in a tight space, every inch counts.

Add Time Feature

One other nice feature of the M7 that the M5 is lacking is the add time feature. This basically allows you to just press a button and instantly add more time to your workout. If you are using one of the programmable options, this will seamlessly blend the time in, whereas on the M5, you would have to completely restart the machine and go through all the initial steps again.

Note that if you are just using the manual feature, you won’t need to worry about this as there is no set time being programmed in.

Warranty

Finally, one last important difference to note is that the M7 offers a 3 year warranty while the M5 offers just a two year warranty. If you’ve had back luck before with machines and them breaking down, this will probably be a very attractive benefit for you because one service call to fix a broken machine can easily land you with a bill of almost $500, so could feasibly pay for the difference in price of the machines itself.

Warranty can be a big deal on cardio equipment so really do factor this in. If you are a light exerciser, it probably won’t matter but if you plan to use it daily for 30-60 minutes, extra warranty can really help.

Conclusion

So there you have a closer look at the Bowflex M5 vs. M7. Both machines are very high quality, durable machines that will last you for years to come. The primary differences are in the details – the M7 allows for more customization, more user profiles, and potentially a more comfortable ride.

If it’s just using the machine and you are a basic exerciser who just hops on and sets you own program, then you will probably be perfectly fine opting for the M5 and saving yourself the $500.

Alternatively, if you like the bells and whistles and have many people using it, the M7 is probably your better choice.