Garmin Descent MK2

[stuartv]

I agree that one could pursue perfection and never get anything. In this case however AI is considered by some to be a mandatory feature. I'm in that camp. For me, I am looking at getting either the Teric, Perdix, Descent MK2 or the ScubaPro A2. Just waiting for the Mk2 and A2 to come out to make my decision.

They say it's for technical divers, but they only allow gas mixes down to 21% O2?! *snort* LOL

 

[Ben_3]

I agree that one could pursue perfection and never get anything. In this case however AI is considered by some to be a mandatory feature. I'm in that camp. For me, I am looking at getting either the Teric, Perdix, Descent MK2 or the ScubaPro A2. Just waiting for the Mk2 and A 2 to come out to make my decision.[/Le

That’s a lot of all good choices. Let us know what you pick.

 

[scrane]

I suspect you are not looking at the correct 5X.

The 5X and the 3 HR look almost identical other than the bezel, HR sensor and the charge port. They are the same form factor and have the same dimensions.

Fenix 3 HR:
View attachment 583177

Fenix 5X:
View attachment 583178

Wrong. You don't seem to want to look carefully at the back, or you are being deliberately obtuse. The Fenix 5x has a backplate which you can remove to gain access to the internals. There are screws that hold it in place. The Fenix3 and the Descent have no back plate. The back and body are a unit. There are no screws in the back. Access to the guts can be made only through the front.
Anyways, I give up trying to explain something very simple to you.

 

[Dusty123]

I would wait for new one. Mine has a stuck button and cracks at the hr monitor lights.

 

[ATJ]

Wrong. You don't seem to want to look carefully at the back, or you are being deliberately obtuse. The Fenix 5x has a backplate which you can remove to gain access to the internals. There are screws that hold it in place. The Fenix3 and the Descent have no back plate. The back and body are a unit. There are no screws in the back. Access to the guts can be made only through the front.
Anyways, I give up trying to explain something very simple to you.

As previous stated, the back was changed to get the EN13319 compliance.

I don't know how you can ignore the significant HARDWARE differences between the Fenix 3 HR and the Mk1 which I have already listed!

Once again, to get from the 3 HR to the Mk1 you have to do the following HARDWARE modifications:

• Replace the HR sensor (with the same one as in the 5X)
• Replace the display (with the same one from the 5X)
• Replace the memory (with the same from the 5X)
• Add Galileo (from the 5X)
• Add Gyroscope (from the 5X)
• Adding the depth sensor.

These are not trivial!

 

[Mark_20]

I would caution everyone to wait and see what Garmin does with the Descent Mk2, if they even release it. I know the rumors say it has a larger display, it has Air Integration, but wait to see what features it has and how they have been implemented. AI concerns me as Garmin may choose to go the Suunto route and build their own tank transmitters, which might turn out fine and could turn into a train wreck. A lot of other companies have chosen to purchase their tank transmitters from Pelagic Pressure Systems, Shearwater among them, and these transmitters work fairly well.

I have been using the Descent Mk1 as my daily wear watch, and backup dive computer, for a little over two years now. When I first got it, it would be too kind to say it had a few issues, and maybe more accurate to say it was dangerous at any depth. Now after a number of software updates, most of the issues have been corrected and the Descent is reasonably solid. Though this did not happen quickly, and the pace of software updates is glacial. It took almost 18 months to Garmin to get the compass to point in the right direction. The pace of updates to address issues has always been the largest concern I have had, we should not have to wait for a year or more for bugs to be fixed. But that has been the reality with the Descent Mk1.

 

[scrane]

The Descent seems to be Garmin's red headed step child. Not too demanding for R&D or sustaining support. By sticking to the basics the mk1 does a pretty good job. It will be interesting to see if Garmin can have the same success with an AI model.

 

[Peter Bomberg]

I know it's not the descent but Garmin has announced the MARQ Captain: American Magic Edition (and it's a really nice looking addition), so I am hopeful for more announcements to the high end product line, maybe as a re-branded to the MARQ Dive?

 

[descend]

They're definitely continuing to invest in the Descent series, at least.

There's a Garmin Dive app available for phones as of, I think, this week: Garmin Dive™ App | More than just a dive log

It's pretty polished, but bare-bones. A good start!

 

[TuckerIdaho]

At this point with the investment into Mk1, if I get an AI computer, it'll be a Shearwater Perdix AI. Waiting around for Garmin is getting tiring.