The Nordictrack Elite 9700 Pro treadmill is very similar to the 9500 Pro, but it does over a .2CHP more powerful engine, a 2” larger display, and a few more built in workout apps. Still this treadmill fell into many of the same pitfalls as the Elite 9500. The touchscreen powered by Android was poorly integrated into the workouts themselves offering little advantage over owning a third party smart phone or tablet. There were issues with noise and stability and the cushioning system offered little variation. The speed was great given the added horsepower, but in this price the quality of the drive system was not where it should be. Horsepower is not everything.

Like the 9500 pro, this Elite 9700 Pro treadmill from Nordictrack could offer a decent workout experience, but it just does not bring the level of quality that other manufactures are able to achieve in this price range. Consider Life Fitness, Precor, or Smooth Fitness treadmills as alternatives.