Echelon Row-s Connected Rower vs Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower
Echelon Row-s Connected Rower (#4, best value) vs Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower (#5, best budget): in our Rowing Machines scoring the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower totals 7.7/10 and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower 6.6/10.
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Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower
$199Check price at AmazonRead full reviewTopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Echelon Row-s Connected Rower | Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1299 | $199 |
| Resistance | Magnetic (32 levels) | Magnetic (8 levels) |
| Screen | 21.5" HD touchscreen | — |
| Folded Length | 43" | — |
| Max User | 300 lbs | 250 lbs |
| Monitor | Built-in | LCD |
| Motion | — | Full arm sweep |
| Folded Size | — | 37" x 19" |
How they differ in real use
Built from our rowing machines scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower made our Top 5 Rowing Machines, at #4 (best value) and #5 (best budget). Connected rowing on a budget—live classes and 21.5" HD screen at roughly half the Hydrow price. Folds compact for storage. Budget rower that actually rows—magnetic resistance with full arm motion at the lowest price point. Good for rowing beginners.
We score rowing machines on Row Feel (35%), Resistance Type (25%), Build Quality (20%), Features (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower totals 7.7 out of 10 and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower 6.6. The widest gap is Features, where the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower scores 9 against 5 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower — monitor and connectivity. Row Feel also separates them: 7 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower versus 6 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower. The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower claws back ground on Value.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Resistance — Magnetic (32 levels) on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower versus Magnetic (8 levels) on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower; Max User — 300 lbs on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower versus 250 lbs on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower; Monitor — Built-in on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower versus LCD on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower.
Pricing as of February 1, 2026: $1,299 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower and $199 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower, a $1,100 difference in the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower's favor. Owners praise the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower for live and on-demand classes and much cheaper than Hydrow; the most common complaint is $39.99/mo membership. Owners praise the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower for very affordable and magnetic resistance (quiet); the most common complaint is lighter flywheel.
Echelon Row-s Connected Rower
- Live and on-demand classes
- Much cheaper than Hydrow
- 21.5" HD touchscreen
- Magnetic resistance
- $39.99/mo membership
- Less polished than Hydrow
- Resistance feel not as smooth
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower
- Very affordable
- Magnetic resistance (quiet)
- Full arm motion
- Folds for storage
- Lighter flywheel
- Basic build quality
- Limited resistance range
Which should you buy?
The Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is the better fit for budget connected fitness and streaming workout fans — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Features and Row Feel. The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is the better fit for budget home gyms and apartment dwellers, and the stronger choice if Value matters more to you than the overall score. If the $1,100 saving matters more than Features, the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is the better value. The Echelon Row-s Connected Rower is a poor fit for premium experience seekers; the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is a poor fit for serious rowers.
Choose the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower if
- Budget connected fitness
- Streaming workout fans
- Space-conscious users
Skip it if
- Premium experience seekers
- Subscription avoiders
Choose the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower if
- Budget home gyms
- Apartment dwellers
- Rowing beginners
Skip it if
- Serious rowers
- Users over 220 lbs
Common questions
Is the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower better than the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
In our Rowing Machines ranking the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower scores higher overall, 7.7 to 6.6, with the biggest advantage in Features. The Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is stronger on Value, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
How much more does the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower cost than the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
$1,100 more as of February 1, 2026: $1,299 for the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower against $199 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure. What the extra buys is mostly Features — 9 versus 5 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
The headline spec difference is Resistance: Magnetic (32 levels) on the Echelon Row-s Connected Rower versus Magnetic (8 levels) on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower. In use, the gap that matters most is Features (9 vs 5 in our scoring): monitor and connectivity.