Hydrow Rower vs Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower
Hydrow Rower (#2, best premium) vs Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower (#5, best budget): in our Rowing Machines scoring the Hydrow Rower totals 9/10 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
| Hydrow Rower | Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1895 | $199 |
| Resistance | Electromagnetic | Magnetic (8 levels) |
| Screen | 22" HD touchscreen | — |
| Length | 86" | — |
| Storage | Upright kit available | — |
| Max User | 375 lbs | 250 lbs |
| Motion | — | Full arm sweep |
| Folded Size | — | 37" x 19" |
| Monitor | — | LCD |
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 Hydrow Rower and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower made our Top 5 Rowing Machines, at #2 (best premium) and #5 (best budget). The Peloton of rowing—22" HD screen streams on-water classes with whisper-quiet electromagnetic resistance. Beautiful design for living spaces. 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 Hydrow Rower totals 9 out of 10 and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower 6.6. The widest gap is Row Feel, where the Hydrow Rower scores 9 against 6 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower — stroke smoothness. Build Quality also separates them: 10 for the Hydrow 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 — Electromagnetic on the Hydrow Rower versus Magnetic (8 levels) on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower; Max User — 375 lbs on the Hydrow Rower versus 250 lbs on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower.
Pricing as of February 1, 2026: $1,895 for the Hydrow Rower and $199 for the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower, a $1,696 difference in the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower's favor. Owners praise the Hydrow Rower for 22" HD touchscreen and on-water filmed classes; the most common complaint is $44/mo membership required. 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.
Hydrow Rower
- 22" HD touchscreen
- On-water filmed classes
- Whisper quiet
- Electromagnetic resistance
- $44/mo membership required
- Very expensive
- Heavy (145 lbs)
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 Hydrow Rower is the better fit for connected fitness enthusiasts and quiet home gyms — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Row Feel and Build Quality. 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 $1,696 saving matters more than Row Feel, the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is the better value. The Hydrow Rower is a poor fit for budget shoppers; the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower is a poor fit for serious rowers.
Choose the Hydrow Rower if
- Connected fitness enthusiasts
- Quiet home gyms
- Premium experience seekers
Skip it if
- Budget shoppers
- 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 Hydrow Rower better than the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
In our Rowing Machines ranking the Hydrow Rower scores higher overall, 9 to 6.6, with the biggest advantage in Row Feel. 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 Hydrow Rower cost than the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
$1,696 more as of February 1, 2026: $1,895 for the Hydrow 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 Row Feel — 9 versus 6 in our scoring.
What is the main difference between the Hydrow Rower and the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower?
The headline spec difference is Resistance: Electromagnetic on the Hydrow Rower versus Magnetic (8 levels) on the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-RW5639 Full Motion Rower. In use, the gap that matters most is Row Feel (9 vs 6 in our scoring): stroke smoothness.