Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill Review 2024

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Last Updated: December 22, 2023

The Horizon 7.4 AT has a quick-adjusting motor and a simple design that’s great for HIIT training.

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This midrange treadmill has a spacious folding deck for running and home use.

Summary Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill Review: The Bottom Line

Midrange treadmills often offer the best of both worlds: premium construction and features but for a more affordable price. That’s at least true with the Horizon 7.4 AT. This treadmill has a 3.5 HP motor, a large 22” wide and 60” long folding deck, and a hearty construction similar to Horizon’s premium model, the 7.8 AT. We’ve had the Horizon 7.8 AT for years and have spent extensive time testing it. Although we don’t have the Horizon 7.4 AT in our studio for testing yet, we’re confident that we can share insight into this treadmill based on our experience using the 7.8 AT and Horizon 7.0 AT.

Horizon’s treadmills have quick-adjusting motors that make them great for interval training. The Horizon 7.4 AT comes with the Sprint 8 HIIT training program integrated into the console. This treadmill should be ideal for HIIT training, as well as heavy use with the well-powered motor. The 7.4 AT is a great option if you don’t want to pay for a subscription to access the training content, and if you want to stream something from your device while using it. It’s also a good candidate to place in front of your TV if you want some entertainment during your training.

The 7.4 AT is a heavy treadmill that we anticipate to be durable and large, but space-saving with the foldable deck. This treadmill is backed by Horizon’s lifetime frame and motor warranty which certainly helps instill confidence in the overall design.

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HIITing Treadmill Decks For Over A Decade

We have been testing and reviewing treadmills since 2010. Not only are we experts when it comes to treadmills, but our team consists of personal trainers, fitness instructors, garage gym owners, and public gym goers who spend time being active on all kinds of equipment, especially treadmills. When it comes to Horizon Treadmills, we have been testing them for years through various updates and models. Even though we don’t have the 7.4 AT in our studio for testing yet, we have created this treadmill review with our experience using treadmills from this brand in mind. Our goal with our reviews is to give you insight into which treadmills are worth it. Horizon Treadmills are some of the best and most popular on the market, so we hope you find value in this analysis of this midrange model.

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Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill vs Similar Treadmills

Check out this quick overview of how the Horizon 7.4 AT compares to other treadmills.

In-depth Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill Review: Spec Analysis

Workout Experience

When you first hop on the Horizon 7.4 AT, it might remind you of a treadmill you’d use at your local gym. That’s what Horizon Treadmills remind me of, and considering the 7.4 AT has pretty much the same layout as the 7.8 AT, I’m expecting the 7.4 AT to be very comparable to use.

Adjusting the 7.4 AT should be easy and quick to do. Not only is the console supplied with numbered adjustment buttons for the speed and incline levels, but there are blue roller dials that make adjusting the treadmill really convenient. You just roll them forward and back to adjust the speed (with the right dial) and incline (with the left). This, paired with the 3.5 HP motor that is most likely just as responsive and quick to adjust as Horizon’s other treadmills, and you’ll never have to wait for the speed and incline to adjust to where you want them.

Running on the deck should feel comfortable and this treadmill should feel very stable overall. It’s only a few pounds or so lighter than the 7.8 AT, so I’m assuming it feels very sturdy like the premium model. I also anticipate that the deck cushioning feels absorbent underfoot to help lessen the impact on your joints while running and that the 7.4 AT Treadmill is quiet and appropriate for most homes.

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Dimensions/Storability

The Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill is pretty much the same size as the 7.8 AT. Its dimensions are 76” L x 37” W x 63” H. It folds up to be just 42” L so it almost cuts the amount of floor space it takes up in half when the deck is folded up. The deck has a lift assist which kicks in when you lift the back end of the deck. Once you push it up towards the console, the deck locks in place. When unlocked, it will lower to the floor slowly on its own.

Although the 7.4 AT is a large and heavy treadmill at 318 lbs, the folding mechanism is convenient to help save some space. Also, when folded this treadmill can be moved. You need to tip back the deck when folded to engage the transport wheels. With its size we don’t recommend moving it often, it’s best to have a designated space for it to stay.

For floor space, it’s a good idea to consider the overall dimensions and add a few feet surrounding the treadmill, especially behind the deck to ensure that you’ll be able to use it safely. The step-up height of the deck should be around 9” high from the floor up to the side rails when the deck is flat. With this deck height, we recommend having at least an 8.5 ft high ceiling if you’re a 6’0” ft tall runner. You can use these guidelines to determine the proper ceiling height you’ll need for the 7.4 AT.

Onboard Workouts & Apps

The Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill has a lower-tech design than other treadmills on the market. Most treadmills like the NordicTrack 1750 and Sole F80 have touch screens with streaming content. Instead, the 7.4 AT should feel more like using a commercial treadmill.

Everything I’m going to talk about in this Horizon 7.4 AT review is included on the console. You don’t have to pay an additional subscription fee to access any of the content.

Onboard Workouts

The workout programs are pretty standard on the 7.4 AT. The programs include manual mode, 5k, calorie, custom, custom heart rate, distance, fat burn, heart rate, and hill climb. You can customize the distance and time, and set different intervals in these workout programs. There are also 5 profiles for each person to save their weight and preferences, as well as a guest profile.

The programs are displayed by different icons on the console. These aren’t buttons, but there is a small light next to each that lights up when you have a program selected.

Sprint 8, which is an interval training program, is also integrated into the touch screen. This is especially helpful and nice to have if you want to do interval training on the 7.4 AT. There are 20 different levels of difficulty to choose from, and the treadmill should automatically adjust the preset speeds and inclines during the workouts.

Although the console doesn’t have streaming content, you can use your phone or tablet to stream whatever you want. You can also just put the 7.4 AT in front of your TV.

Console

The Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill has an 8.25” LCD screen and a 16-digit alphanumeric LED screen. The top display isn’t full-color like the 7.8 AT, but it looks like you should be able to see your workout metrics and the layout of each workout program in a graph, clearly. You should be able to get feedback for your estimated calories burned, distance, heart rate, incline, speed, and time, too.

The console overall has a pretty dated look compared to other treadmill models with more integrated tech features and touch screens. It should be plenty functional though. There are plenty of adjustment buttons to change the speed and incline. The numbered adjustment buttons on the right and left of the console allow you to jump back and forth between specific speed and incline settings, easily.

I prefer using the blue roller dials that are on the front handles. The right is for adjusting the speed, and the left is for the incline range. You just roll these forward and back to adjust. They adjust the speed by 0.1 mph and the incline by 0.5%.

The middle, round program button is fairly easy to use on the 7.8 AT. It’s the same on both of these treadmills. I think it’d be better if the icons of the workout programs were actual buttons, but this works just fine.

The 7.4 AT Treadmill is Bluetooth-enabled to use with apps like Peloton and Zwift. The speakers are Bluetooth-enabled to pair with your device to play your own content through them. They should offer enough of a volume range, too.

You can also connect the Bluetooth heart rate monitor chest strap to the console to read your heart rate on the display. The monitor is included with the Horizon 7.4 AT. There are also pulse grips on the front handles, but the monitor is more beneficial for accurate heart rate tracking.

The fan looks to be the same on the 7.4 AT as it is on the 7.8 AT. It most likely is. The fan on the 7.8 AT is positioned a little too low for taller people and it isn’t the most powered treadmill fan. I’m about 5’1” and it hits my face. You might want to plan on plugging in your own if you sweat a lot while using the 7.4 AT.

The 7.4 AT doesn’t have a storage tray below the console, but it doesn’t need one. There are 2 cupholders for your standard water bottle and 2 device racks to place your phone or tablet. One is above the LCD screen and the other is directly below it. This is nice to be able to watch whatever you want from your own device while using this treadmill.

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Build Quality

Getting into the construction and build quality of this Horizon Fitness 7.4 AT Treadmill review, we anticipate this midrange treadmill to perform similarly to the premium 7.8 AT. It has a lot of the same features and construction. In our testing, we have found the 7.8 AT to be a durable, heavy-duty folding treadmill, so we expect the 7.4 to be as well.

A good indication that it’s well built is the 350 lb weight limit it is rated with. This is a good weight limit for home treadmills. People up to this weight should be able to use this treadmill.

Frame

The Horizon 7.4 AT has a steel frame that supports the deck, 2 steel uprights, and steel handles. There is also a steel crossbar that’s mounted between the uprights, which helps to add stability and support to the machine.

The 7.8 AT has a steel crossbar too, so I’m anticipating the 7.4 AT to be very sturdy to use. The console and frame should stay steady while running.

The side handles extend on either side of the deck to be within reach while you’re using the treadmill. The front handles are vertical and should be easy to grab, too.

Motor

The Horizon 7.4 AT has a 3.5 HP motor. This is a good motor size for heavy training. If you are training for an event or hoping to log a lot of miles, the 7.4 AT should be good for that. It’s also a great option if there are multiple people in your home who want to use the treadmill.

The 7.4 AT goes up to 12 mph and has a 15% incline. This is the same as the other treadmills in Horizon’s Studio Series. The max speed is a 5-minute mile pace. This speed is typical for midrange and premium home treadmills. The incline range should offer plenty of variety to vary your training, too. There isn’t a decline feature.

One aspect that we’ve tested on the other Horizon Treadmills that we have in our studio is the motor responsiveness. This is the rate at which the speed adjusts from 1 mph up to the max speed. The Horizon 7.8 AT is one of the quickest adjusting treadmills that we’ve tested. It only takes around 19 seconds to go from 1 mph to 12 mph. Although the 7.4 AT is slightly less powered, I assume the motor is still responsive to adjust quickly and comparably to the 7.8 AT. Compared to the NordicTrack 1750, ProForm Pro 2000, and Sole F80, I am betting the 7.4 AT adjusts more quickly between the speeds.

I also anticipate the motor to be quiet. Horizon Treadmills are some of the quietest that we’ve tested. We’ll be sure to test this and update our review once we get the 7.4 AT Treadmill in our studio though.

Deck

The deck is 22” wide and 60” long. This is the largest deck size we’ve seen on folding treadmills. It should offer plenty of space for all running strides and fitness levels. This deck size means this isn’t a compact treadmill though, so you’ll need to factor that in to ensure it fits in your home.

The deck appears to be the same, or at least very similar to the 7.8 AT. It features the same 3-Zone Variable Response Cushioning. There are said to be 3 different zones of cushioning in the deck. While you most likely won’t notice these different zones, the overall feel of the deck underfoot should be soft and shock-absorbing with each footfall. Horizon overall is somewhere in the middle of the road when it comes to deck cushioning. NordicTrack tends to offer the most amount of shock absorption to feel very soft underfoot, while Sole Treadmills feel firmer and more comparable to road running.

I think the 7.4 AT should be comfortable for most fitness enthusiasts and runners.

The build quality overall is very comparable to Horizon’s premium model, so I anticipate that users should not only be able to get a lot of use out of this treadmill but that it should feel very stable and well-powered.

Warranty

Horizon Fitness includes a lifetime frame and motor warranty with the purchase of the 7.4 AT. We really appreciate that Horizon backs up their treadmills with this warranty. It helps to instill confidence in the quality. The 7.4 AT also comes with a 5-year parts and 2-year labor warranty. This warranty package overall is a bit more than what we see from other brands.

Should You Buy The Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill

Overall, the Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill has everything we look for in a high-quality, midrange model. It has a heavy-duty design, it’s made with quality materials, and it shares a lot of similarities to its step-up model, the 7.8 AT, which we have been testing for a few years now.

If you’re looking for a simple-to-use treadmill, the 7.4 AT is a good option. It comes with standard workout programs and the Sprint 8 training program, as well as the ability to place your device on the console to stream your own content. If you don’t want to subscribe to a subscription training platform, the 7.4 AT Treadmill is a great pick, too.

We assume the 3.5 HP motor is quick to adjust, so we highly recommend checking it out if you love HIIT training on a treadmill. The deck is large enough to support all stride lengths and people up to 350 lbs, plus it folds up when you’re finished. Although this is a large treadmill, it has a space-saving design and it should handle a lot of use.

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Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill Review FAQs / Q&As

Is the Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill a good treadmill?

Although we don’t have this model in our studio yet, we’ve used all of the other treadmills from Horizon’s Studio Series, so we anticipate the 7.4 AT to be a well-powered and excellent-quality treadmill. It should handle a lot of running and feel very stable to use. It has a simple console that is equipped for interval training and doesn’t require a subscription to access the onboard workouts.

What is the difference between the Horizon 7.0 AT and the Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmills?

The Horizon 7.4 AT has a larger deck and motor than the Horizon 7.0 AT. It is also priced a little higher. Both treadmills are good for running, but the 7.4 AT is made to handle more use. The Horizon 7.0 AT has a smaller footprint and doesn’t include the Sprint 8 interval training program that the 7.4 AT has.

What is the motor on the Horizon 7.4 AT?

The 7.4 AT Treadmill has a 3.5 HP motor. It should be quick to adjust for interval training and well-powered to handle a lot of use like distance training.

Is this Horizon 7.4 AT Treadmill review a paid review?

We were not paid to compile this Horizon Fitness 7.4 AT Treadmill review. We hope to get this treadmill in to do a full analysis, but in the meantime this spec review shares how we expect this model to perform based on our years of experience testing treadmills. We do have affiliate links and when you purchase through them we receive a commission which allows us to create these reviews and test all of the equipment that we do. Our goal is to help you find the best treadmill for you, so we work to test out all kinds of treadmill brands and models so we can guarantee that the models we recommend are absolutely the best out there.

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About the Author

Sydney Kaiser, ISSA-CPT, ISSA Nutritionist Certification
Sydney is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer, and sports nutritionist who combines her passion for fitness, health, and wellness with her passion for writing. After graduating from UC Riverside with a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, she began teaching indoor cycling and Lagree Fitness group fitness classes to people of all ages and abilities. Raised in Central Michigan, Sydney grew up training and competing on the Arabian Horse Association circuit through both Regional and National levels in Dressage and Sport Horse classes. In college, Sydney went on to compete at the collegiate level as a Division 1 equestrian athlete. Here at TRG, Sydney relies on her extensive background in fitness when reviewing and recommending all kinds of fitness, recovery, and health-related products.