Every StairMaster we sell comes with a choice of two consoles: a standard display (an LCD on the 4G, an Apex LED on the 8Gx, 10G and FreeClimber) or an HD touchscreen. The climbing mechanism, drive and speed range are the same either way. What changes is the screen, the connected features and, on some models, the power you need.
The short answer: choose the standard console for a home gym or a working gym floor, where it tracks every key metric and has less to go wrong. Choose the touchscreen where the screen is part of what members pay for, or on the 10G if coaches need exact pace control. The touchscreen adds £1,500 to £1,520 on a Gauntlet stepmill and £6,229 on the FreeClimber.
Key takeaways
Each model has one standard console and one touchscreen. These are the options and prices on our live product pages.
| Model | Standard console | Touchscreen console | Touchscreen premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G Gauntlet | 10" LCD — £3,495 | 15" Apex Touch Screen — £4,995 | £1,500 |
| 8Gx Gauntlet | LED Display — £4,995 | 16" Apex HD Touchscreen Display — £6,495 | £1,500 |
| 10G Gauntlet | Apex LED Display — £7,375 | 16" Apex HD Touchscreen Display — £8,895 | £1,520 |
| FC 8 Series FreeClimber | Apex LED — £3,766 | Apex 16 inch HD Touch — £9,995 | £6,229 |
As a share of the base price, the premium is largest on the 4G (43%) and smallest on the 10G (21%). The FreeClimber is the outlier: its touchscreen version costs more than a 10G with a touchscreen. Our StairMaster price guide breaks down the full cost of each model.
LCD and LED are both simple, button-led displays that show your workout data; the touchscreen is an interactive HD screen. The naming differs by model rather than by function.
If a listing offers an 8 Series FreeClimber with an LCD console, it is describing the previous generation; the current line-up is Apex LED and Apex 16 inch HD Touch.
Apex is the console platform Core Health & Fitness, StairMaster's parent company, introduced in April 2025. Its launch announcement says it is available across the 4, 8 and 10 Series and built on the OpenHub ecosystem.
The platform supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC and ANT+ connections to wearables, apps and facility systems, over-the-air software updates, and EcoFit asset tracking for gym operators. "Apex gives our customers what they actually need - technology that works today and won't be outdated tomorrow," said Brayn K. O'Rourke, CEO of Core Health & Fitness.
The most visible feature is Tap to Pair: hold an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch to the console and workout data syncs over NFC. That matters to a growing share of users; a YouGov survey published in March 2025 found 30% of Britons own a smartwatch.
Entertainment, connected content and, on the 10G, finer pace control. Core lists the 8Gx and 10G touchscreens with personal device mirroring, interactive entertainment and integrated apps such as RunTV and PlutoTV.
| Feature | Standard console | HD touchscreen |
|---|---|---|
| Workout metrics | Every key metric | Every key metric |
| Level changes | Buttons and Quick Keys | Touch controls |
| Interactive content and apps | No | Yes |
| Wireless device mirroring | No | Yes (8Gx, 10G, FreeClimber) |
| Pace adjustment on the 10G | 25 levels | Single steps-per-minute increments |
| BLE headphones on the 10G | No | Yes |
| Over-the-air updates (Apex models) | Yes | Yes |
| Price premium | — | £1,500 – £6,229 depending on model |
For a member who climbs to a programme, music or a podcast, the standard console covers everything. The touchscreen earns its price where a 30-minute climb needs something to watch, or where the screen is part of a premium club's offer.
StairMaster 8Gx Gauntlet StepmillFrom £4,995View product →
StairMaster 10G Gauntlet StepmillFrom £7,375View product →
No, with one exception. On every StairMaster, the staircase or pedals, drive, resistance, ceiling height and user weight limit are identical with either console, so the touchscreen buys the experience, not a harder climb.
The exception is the 10G. Its 16" Apex HD Touchscreen adjusts pace in single steps per minute, where the Apex LED moves between 25 levels. For coaches running precise protocols, that is a training difference rather than an entertainment one. Our StairMaster 10G guide covers OverDrive and who the 10G is for.
Only on the FreeClimber. The 4G, 8Gx and 10G all need a 12V/5A supply at the machine whichever console you choose.
On the FC 8 Series FreeClimber, Core Health & Fitness lists the Apex LED as self-generating: your climbing powers the display, so there is no socket, no lead and no electrician. The Apex 16 inch HD Touch needs a 12V/5A supply. In a garage or garden room with no spare socket, that often decides the console.
The standard console, in most cases. At home you usually train to a plan, with music or a TV already on the wall, so the £1,500 premium on a 4G buys a screen you may not use.
| Situation | Recommended console |
|---|---|
| Home gym, training to a plan | Standard (4G 10" LCD at £3,495) |
| Home user who needs on-screen content to keep going | Touchscreen (4G 15" Apex at £4,995) |
| Garage or outbuilding with no spare socket | FreeClimber Apex LED at £3,766 |
| Working gym floor or PT studio | Standard LED |
| Hotel, boutique or premium club | HD touchscreen |
| Performance coaching on precise paces | 10G 16" Apex HD Touchscreen |
Our StairMaster 4G guide covers the home model in full, including ceiling height and warranty.
The standard LED for a busy membership floor; the touchscreen where it is part of the member offer. On a machine running all day, the simpler console has less to go wrong, and the Apex LED still gets over-the-air updates and EcoFit tracking.
The console can also tip an order over the business finance threshold. Business finance through Vercas Financial is available on orders of £5,000 and above, for UK limited companies and partnerships of four or more partners.
Every model is compared in our complete StairMaster buyer's guide.
StairMaster 4G Gauntlet StepmillFrom £3,495View product →
StairMaster FC 8 Series FreeClimber£3,766 – £9,995View product →
Free UK delivery on every StairMaster, with either console. Orders are dispatched within 5 working days, with tracking emailed within 24 hours of dispatch, and delivered across UK mainland by our delivery partners.
You can choose courier delivery to self-assemble, pre-assembled delivery, or full installation arranged on site. Installation is quoted separately before you order, so ask when you enquire.
Tell us who will use the machine, where it is going and whether there is a socket at that spot, and we'll confirm which console makes sense. Free UK delivery. Business finance available on orders from £5,000.
See the StairMaster range → Call 0333 880 3211Usually nothing, until the room is settled. Nearly every StairMaster conversation we have starts with ceiling height, the floor and the route in; the console comes last.
When it does come up, the question is whether the touchscreen is worth it. Laid side by side, our prices show the console is the most variable part of the cost, and the StairMaster most recently bought straight through our checkout was a 4G with the 10" LCD: the Gauntlet that fits a standard room, with the console that has least to go wrong.
Is the StairMaster touchscreen worth the extra money? For most home gyms and working gym floors, no. It adds £1,500–£1,520 on a Gauntlet and £6,229 on the FreeClimber, and it buys interactive content, device mirroring and entertainment rather than a harder workout. It makes sense in hotels, boutiques and premium clubs, and on the 10G for coaches who need single steps-per-minute pace control.
Can I upgrade a StairMaster console later? The console is chosen when you order, and our product pages sell each model with one console or the other. Apex consoles receive over-the-air software updates, so features can improve after installation. If you think you may want the touchscreen within a year or two, ask us before ordering rather than planning a later swap.
Does the StairMaster LED console connect to my Apple Watch? Core Health & Fitness lists Tap to Pair with Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch over NFC on the 8Gx and 10G with either console, and its Apex LED console page lists Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and NFC. On the FreeClimber, Core lists watch pairing with the touchscreen. Tell us which watch you use and we will confirm it for your model.
Is LCD or LED better on a StairMaster? Neither is better; they belong to different models. The 4G uses a 10" LCD, while the 8Gx, 10G and FreeClimber use an Apex LED display with Quick Keys. Both track every key metric. If you see an LCD offered on a current 8 Series FreeClimber, the listing is describing the previous generation.
Do I need a socket for a StairMaster with a touchscreen? On the 4G, 8Gx and 10G you need a 12V/5A supply with either console. On the FreeClimber, the touchscreen needs a 12V/5A supply but the Apex LED does not, because it is self-generating. Plan the socket so no lead crosses the step-off area.
Does the touchscreen change the warranty? Our product pages state one warranty per model rather than per console: 10 years on the frame on every model, with parts and labour of 1 year on the 4G, 2 years on the 8Gx and FreeClimber, and 5 years on the 10G. Ask us if you need the console's cover confirmed in writing.
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Pro Gym Essentials — premium home and commercial gym equipment, delivered across the UK. Console options and prices taken from our live product pages and Core Health & Fitness specifications, 3 October 2026; power requirements checked against StairMaster's current product sheets, 4 October 2026.
