Shearwater's Perdix AI vs. All Comers

[Kevin Floyd]

So real question: is the shearwater perdix AI (or earlier perdix) the best dive computer ever?

Shearwater gets a lot of fanboi love, and I’m sure it’s well deserved but is it the best?

Parameters:
Bang for the buck: is it worth the money or could you spend slightly more and get much better or slightly less and get almost the same?

Grow with you: if you are already diving at the top end of dive planing and task loading or just a vacation diver your needs are fairly clear cut. The challenge comes when you are early in your dive career and have hopes (pipe dreams?) to get into more complicated diving and want to make an investment that makes sense.

User friendly: customer service, user friendly interface? Do others do it better?

Performance: does it do what it’s says it can do?

Im very generally considering getting one. I can totally way for a while but it got me to thinking.

 

[Divectionist]

Shearwater definitely.

Nerd 2 would be the coolest "in-dive" experience, but being 2nd stage mounted for oc rec has too many practical disadvantages in my eyes.

Teric would be the best on-wrist form factor and screen, but the battery does not last long enough and I do not want to worry about charging it.

Perdix AI is therefore the best real world compromise if you do not want to worry about battery management but just have a great unit that is ready to come out of its case whenever. I am 100% satisfied with mine.

As for your categories..

Bang for the buck: I would not be too fussed a few hundreds here or there for this type of device. Evaluate on features and get exactly what you want or buy twice.

Grow with you: I have little chance of outgrowing a Shearwater. Yet it caters for the simplest rec dives just as well.

User friendly: Shearwater has great and fast customer service. The user interface is dead easy, despite being 2 and not 4 buttons on the Perdix.

Performance: surely does

One thing to consider with any tech gear is that something new can and will always come around the corner and blow the competition with better hardware and UX. A dive computer needs to measure a couple things, process them based on a suitable algorithm, and display the information in a clear manner. It's quite simple. I am sure that the next 10 years will see some innovations come around that will make some divers buy a newer offering - the other key metric, therefore, is how well a computer will serve as a backup for the most important bits of information once the new shiny toy takes the prime sport. Once again, I think the Perdix with its simple battery and rugged form factor will live on for a long time in that role.

 

[Jay]

Some of the terms, you use are relative, subjective, conditional and some personal ... hence there's a variety of 'right' answers.

But if you're looking to purchase a SW you won't be disappointed - yes - it does all it says it can do, there's no smoke and mirrors with SW. If you're unsure, buy a used one and then re-sell or borrow a friend's.

For DC's, SW is #1 in customer service. They consistently go above and beyond.

Deep 6's new Excursion combined with their solid reputation and amazing bang for buck might be something worth looking at (nb. it's strictly a Rec computer ...).

Welcome to the fan club

 

[Scuba Scott]

Wrist mount, big bright display, AI, common and easy to change battery that also lasts a long time, Bluetooth , great algorithm, auto altitude compensation, ability to easily download dive info, customer service second to none... I could probably go on but that is what I was looking for when I bought the Perdix AI.
I have a few hundred dives on mine now and have never regretted my decision. I have also never had a chance to try out the customer service but I am glad it is there if I need it.

 

[lexvil]

Had one (perdix), loved it, bought Teric, sold Perdix, bought second Teric.

 

[loosenit2]

I will start this by saying I have a Teric, not the Perdix but the utility is 99.9% the same, just a smaller form factor (the difference has to do with changing Gradient Factors while diving) I will also say that on SB you are going to get a very skewed set of opinions favoring Shearwater because SB is heavily skewed towards Tech Divers.

Parameters:
Bang for the buck: is it worth the money or could you spend slightly more and get much better or slightly less and get almost the same?

If you are interested in technical diving it does not get much better, Shearwater is pretty much an industry standard. Others will advocate for a couple of other brands, and they work well too but the combination of features and customer support for their products is second to none. You cannot spend a little more and get better, but if you don't want to do technical diving you can definitely spend A LOT less and get a perfectly functional computer. A computer is a tool, choose the right tool for the job.

User friendly: customer service, user friendly interface? Do others do it better?

No other company does it better, especially with customer service. My personal experience with Shearwater has made me extremely loyal, they make great products and back them up.

Performance: does it do what it’s says it can do?

Yes

 

[scrane]

I've thought long and hard about "upgrading" my Perdix to a Teric. I still have the Perdix.
I also very much like Oceanic computers, but I prefer the flexibility of the Buhlmann algorithm over DSAT.

 

[Chanly83]

Teric owner here.
I was on the fence about a teric or perdix. You can’t go wrong with either one. I would wait for a month and check back on here. Someone will get a Teric or perdix for Christmas and be looking to sell there “old” shearwater.
I will advocate for one other company mainly because I am looking into sidemount. I have never seen one and haven’t done a lot of research on them. But the ratio ix3m looks like a interesting contender. Close to the same price range and there is one being listed on the board...
For Sale - PRICE REDUCED!! Ratio iX3M Tech+ with GPS module and two (2) transmitters!!! Great Deal

 

[formernuke]

I'm a rec diver. Up here a large display is good as vis is often limited.

I tend to hang out with tec divers who are a bad influence on me (just get deco and advanced nitrox certs, you already have good tanks to double etc.)

Could I have gotten a computer which functions just a well for rec with a large display, AI etc for a little less, sure.

Selling points for the perdix (teric was out, I don't like permanent batteries and I like the perdix display better). Not only is the battery user changeable but it is the most common battery in the world which you can get anywhere. And when I break down and go tec the computer is the standard there.

 

[scubadada]

I like my Teric very much, the form factor was the deciding point. I use mine for only no stop and some light deco diving. I love the standard screen display. I have quickly learned to appreciate SurfGF. I have used US service twice, they are fantastic. I'm hoping 3rd time wii be the charm