Schwinn 830 Treadmill Review

This site may contain links to affiliate websites, and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. Read Our Disclosures

The Schwinn 830 Treadmill is the entry level model in a collection that also includes the top-of-the-line Schwinn 870.

As a company, Schwinn are now owned by Nautilus, who also develop and release treadmills under the Nautilus, Bowflex, and TrimLine brands.

But after recently reviewing the Nautilus line of treadmills (T614 and T616) it became clear that the two equipment lines are virtually identical. So which should you choose, Nautilus or Schwinn?

In our Schwinn 830 review, we take a closer look at the differences between this treadmill, the Nautilus T614, and the upgraded Schwinn 870, to discover the best treadmill for the money.

Design and safety features

Before we start taking a closer look at the design features, we want to point out that the Schwinn 830 is virtually identical to the Nautilus T614.

After reviewing both treadmills, it became clear that they both have the same running area size, warranty, cushioning system, incline range, belt speed, and motor power. Not only that, but they also use the same SoftDrop folding system and support a 300 lb weight capacity.

There are really only 3 noticeable differences. The first is the price (Nautilus T614 was $100 cheaper at time of writing), second is the aesthetics, and third is the style of the online workout tracking (SchwinnConnect vs. NautilusConnect).

So after reading our review, we recommend checking the price of both treadmills, and if you like the sound of the features mentioned here, choose the one with at the lowest price.

Back to our review, and the Schwinn 830 features a 2.75 CHP motor, 12 mph belt speed, and 12% incline range that set it apart as one of the most advanced treadmills at this price point.

The running area is towards the top-end of expectations too, measuring 55″L x 20″W. But although this is perfect for anyone under 6ft tall, if you’re much taller you’ll certainly want to take a look at the upgraded Schwinn 870.

That’s because the 870 model offers a 60″L x 20″W running area, with the extra 5″ length providing more space to build up to your full running stride.

Taking a look inside the running deck, and it’s clear Schwinn have used the same 4 cell SoftTrak cushioning system as Nautilus used in their 2015 collection. This helps to reduce the impact of your footfall when walking, jogging, and running, as well as reducing wear on the belt.

Although the belt is only 1-ply (2-ply belt available on the 870 treadmill), the large 2.5″ Crowned rollers and SoftTrak system help to prolong its life, reducing the level of maintenance required.

Display console features

After taking a look at the consoles for the Schwinn 830 and Nautilus T614 treadmills, it becomes clear there is no difference between the two in terms of features.

Apart from a change in colour scheme and the Schwinn name being visible instead of Nautilus, we couldn’t find any advantages to buying one over the other.

However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as we appreciated how well designed the Nautilus console was. Thanks to an intuitive button layout that’s easy to use, quick-select speed/incline buttons, and clear workout feedback, this is one of the best consoles we’ve seen on a treadmill.

Unfortunately the entry level Schwinn 830 doesn’t have DualTrack displays like the Schwinn 870, but what it does have is a 3” x 5” high-resolution blue backlit LCD screen.

The backlight makes it much easier to view important workout information in low light, such as heart rate zone, incline, speed, distance, and number of calories burned. There’s also space for a profile of the current workout program.

You’re also missing the ‘Pacer’ display, where you can view your progress and compete against a virtual opponent in a race. But you do still have the Goal Track Achievement Lights, which can be a great source of motivation in itself.

These lights, displayed at the top of the console, indicate when you break a new record for the longest workout, or most calories burned in a single workout. If you’re looking to break one of these records, the best workout program would be one of the Goal Track options, which we’ll look at later in this review.

In terms of entertainment options, both Schwinn and Nautilus tend to avoid building too much technology into the treadmill itself. This helps to keep the price more affordable.

So although you won’t find any color touch screens or internet browsing on the Schwinn 830, you do have a media shelf, MP3 port, and built-in acoustic speakers for listening to your favorite workout music.

The media shelf is perfectly positioned to hold your iPad or smart device safely, being located above the controls and out of the way of the display. On some treadmills you have the media shelf concealing important workout feedback, but with the Schwinn 830 you can track your workout effectively at the same time as using your tablet.

Workout programs and user profiles

As with the frame design and console functions, the workouts for the Schwinn 830 are identical to those found on the Nautilus T614, right down to the names of the programs.

There are 22 workouts in total, designed to suit all fitness levels, and with a variety of personal fitness goals in mind.

6 workout categories:

When you complete your workout, performance data can be uploaded to SchwinnConnect and MyFitnessPal to monitor how much your fitness level is improving.

User profiles
If you’re buying a new treadmill to be used by more than one person, it’s important to find one that provides enough user profiles.

For treadmills under $500 this isn’t really an option, but once you start moving into the $500 to $1000 range, you’ll start seeing treadmills that include 2-4 profiles.

Despite still being classed as a mid-range treadmill in terms of price, the Schwinn 830 allows you to setup 4 profiles. Each profile is used to store basic personal information, such as weight and age, which can be used to improve the accuracy of your maximum heart rate calculation, and the number of calories burned.

As part of the SchwinnConnect data sync, each workout is also saved to your user profile. This makes it easier to keep track of your performance and manage your personal workout data.

What’s covered by the warranty?