I'm looking for a computer for my wife. I've read a lot of posts regarding both computers in the past but a lot of the information is outdated and most hate is based on information that is no longer valid so I wanted to bring new info and get some more up to date discussions. With that said, I decided I would buy a used Suunto Eon Core for myself a while back because I couldn't pass up the deal with AI. Both of us are recreational divers. Maybe one day we'll take on more tech style diving but that will require a lot more money making the computer upgrade less of an overall concern. My wife is a petite woman so getting the thicker Perdix or Petrel seems like it would be obnoxious to her especially if we never progress into tech diving.
From what I've read in the past, especially on this forum, most people hate the Suunto computers due to the RGBM algorithm. I understand this concern especially for tech diving but it's become a moot point as the Eon Core can be switched to the Buhlmann algorithm with recent updates. I currently run Buhlmann on my Eon Core and haven't encountered any of the issues that people hate about the Suunto RGBM.
With that said, I see some pros and cons to getting my wife either computer. On one hand, I know the Eon Core so I can help her with it. On the other hand, it could be nice to get a little more hands on with the Peregrine TX. She would inevitably want Bluetooth log capability to her phone which both appear to have and both can be synced to subsurface. Both are fairly comparable in price when purchased new but more importantly, the Eon Core is regularly available used for about half the price of a Peregrine TX. Peregrine's are rarely available used. I'm sure people could argue that used availability says something but the Eon Core has been around for a lot longer and is still being sold which also says something.
Some questions on the Peregrine... Does it have to be configured on the device or is there a computer software to make it easier? Do you find that you can view all of the blocks you want to see on the same screen or do you have to use different modes/screens to see what you want? For instance, I can see time, depth, compass, and tank pressure on one screen. The view and location of those items maybe not be exactly the format or location I'd idealy like but the information is there. I also have to setup those views prior to diving which is fine but some would probably argue that this system isn't user friendly since it can't be changed on a dive trip if you want something else. I kind of agree...
Any other thoughts or concerns that I should consider?
