Are water rowing machines better than air rowers like the Concept2?

It depends on what you want. Across r/Rowing and r/waterrower threads, the consensus is that air rowers (Concept2) remain the standard for performance metrics and competitive training, while water rowers like the WaterRower are preferred for the more boat-like feel, quieter sound, and living-room aesthetics. garagegymreviews.com notes the WaterRower 'closely simulates' on-water rowing, which is the main reason buyers pay the premium.