Garmin Descent MK2

[Divetech Cayman]

So is the only difference between the MK1 and MK2 (not with AI) the oxygen sensor ?

So waterone answered this question nicely.

From the video posted earlier-
1/3rd Larger display
Added customizable data fields
New deco and safety stop screen
New buttons
Garmin pay
Music streaming
Updated heart rate and added pulse
Better battery

Most of these new features are IMO meaningless. From a practical standpoint, here's my take on them:

As I wrote before, the increase in screen isn't something I noticed. I didn't look at it and go "wow, larger screen!" The screen is now 35mm which is about the same as the Teric.

I don't bother music streaming and don't even know why you'd want to do this from your watch, as you'd still need a mobile device to do it. Why not just stream from that? It does have a nice feature that lets you control music on your mobile device, like fast forward/rewind/play/pause sort of stuff, but the MK1 has this as well.

Here in Cayman we can't even use Apple Pay, or anything mode complex than a chip credit card, so I haven't messed with that at all. But I probably wouldn't even if I lived in the US.

The pulse oximeter sensor is a nice addition. I've noticed it allows for more metrics during your workouts, like respiration, and there's some altitude training/acclimatization things I've seen in there. Haven't messed with these since the highest I can get here is about 15 feet.

I'm not knowledgable on Garmin's wearables, but when I got the MK2, I was told it had all the features of their top of the line multi-sport computer. It's hard for me to pick out exactly what differences there is between this and the MK1 are. I have begun one of Garmin's free running training programs, and I have noticed an improvement in my performance by following it exactly, however the MK1 may have been able to do the same thing.

Tony

 

[TuckerIdaho]

Screen is bigger of course - 30.4mm on the MK1 compared to 35.56 mm on the MK2i. 1/3rd more screen area sounds like a lot, but honestly, you don't notice a 5mm diameter increase, unless you hold them side by side.

Tony

Do you have a Mk2?
If you glanced at them in passing you're probably right but if you can't notice that size difference after wearing something for 2 years straight, you may want to have a conversation with your eye doctor.

 

[Divetech Cayman]

Do you have a Mk2?
If you glanced at them in passing you're probably right but if you can't notice that size difference after wearing something for 2 years straight, you may want to have a conversation with your eye doctor.

I do have a MK2, it's on my wrist as I type this. There's no need to be rude, I'm merely stating my observation. I knew the screen was bigger, but it wasn't something that stuck out at me when I first saw the watch. If your eyesight is better than mine and you can pick up on these dimensional nuances, great.

For me, it was hard to notice the difference between a 30mm screen and a 35mm screen because the glass that covers the screen is almost 40mm for both devices. With the screen behind the glass, it's hard to discern where the screen actually ends unless you scrutinize it under light, or it's displaying a screen that fills the entire display.

As I previously stated, when you compare the 2 side by side, the size difference is obvious. But without reference of them next to each other, it didn't stand out to me.

Tony

 

[waterone]

Most of these new features are IMO meaningless.

I would agree with that.

For me downloaded music might be of interest while snorkeling or swimming but i often take my phone anyhow. For streaming I don't see the point at all and IMO is a waste of space feature.

The nfc pay i might use a little but would never be something I look for in a device.


The slightly larger display, ai functions along with all the other garmin standard multi sport and smart watch features (that are also there in my current mk1) is what I might purchase it for.

 

[Protondecay123]

So how robust is the dive planning? I assume it uses a Buhlmann type deco algorithm? I saw somewhere that it can use an app to give you tide info for local shore dives, which is obviously more important in the higher latitudes?

 

[Ryan Neely]

This, from the person who would go out of his mind if he had to take off his Fenix and put on a separate dive computer when he goes diving?



BTW, I’m still waiting for some examples of how it benefits you to have your dive data in the same app as your bike/run/hike app...

@stuartv, I'm not certain if anyone has answered your question, yet. (There are still 10 pages of posts to read to the end of the thread and I'll lose my train of thought if I don't reply now.)

So, I like the idea of the Descent Mk2i. I was also not aware of the cost differential between it and the Fenix 6 & Teric you pointed out. Thanks for that.

I don't know which direction I'll go, however, (for me) the advantages of having all my biometric data in one location comes from a vantage point of me as a system rather than piecing out individual components.

For example, while I do find it useful that to analyze my cadence, speed, power, and heart rate while I'm on my bike ... and to analyze my cadence, speed, and heart rate while I'm running ... each for their own purposes to help me better understand how I can improve in those specific arenas ... I also find it useful to analyze systemic changes over time ... and, maybe, why.

Of course, it's about as difficult to view two or three apps for that data as it is to insert an extra step to download dive data to Subsurface ... half of one, six dozen of the other.

 

[Divetech Cayman]

So how robust is the dive planning? I assume it uses a Buhlmann type deco algorithm? I saw somewhere that it can use an app to give you tide info for local shore dives, which is obviously more important in the higher latitudes?

It uses Bühlmann ZHL-16c and has user-adjustable Gradient Factors. Truthfully, I played with the dive planning app once on the MK1, but never used it again. For recreational dives, it seemed fairly straightforward, and for deco dives, it seemed less than intuitive. Using an app on my phone was much easier for deco planning, so thats what I continue to do. The planning app on the MK2 looks to be identical.

I will say while diving, I had my gradient factors the same as my Perdix, and I found the 2 computers were mostly identical in their NDL times, and deco schedules. In fact when testing their CCR firmware years ago, this was one thing Garmin was worried about - how well the algorithm performed compared to other computers. I found sometimes you'd have a slight difference in the times, but usually it was perfectly in line with other devices.

It does have a tide app that works pretty well, with a nice little graphic on the display.

Tony

 

[SavDiver]

I’m mean at this point I’ll try to snag a sweat deal on an MK1 that might still hold its value for another 5 years until or if the MK3 is out

If you plan on going into technical diving with deco procedures, I would not recommend the watch because I know 2 people who garmins failed in deco procedures and they had to switch to their backups. What I mean by fail is they went to 130 feet for around an hour came up and the garmin wanted a deco stop for 3 1/2 hours.....

 

[scrane]

So $1720 + $450 for the pod...ouch

Wonder if the altitude sensor is more accurate in the MK2. My MK1 kept telling me I was a few hundred feet below sea level to 600 feet above down in Cozumel.

Garmin Descent T1 Tankpod | Tankpod

The Mk2 is reported to have DEM calibration, which potentially will provide more accurate altitude readout, depending on how the feature is implemented.This is a big deal for me. But not big enough.

The Mk2 also has "magnetic buttons" which suggests a sealed case without dynamic o-rings. Also a big feature, but again not ... .

 

[Divetech Cayman]

If you plan on going into technical diving with deco procedures, I would not recommend the watch because I know 2 people who garmins failed in deco procedures and they had to switch to their backups. What I mean by fail is they went to 130 feet for around an hour came up and the garmin wanted a deco stop for 3 1/2 hours.....

I would like to learn more about the circumstances on these dives. I've conducted more than 50 deco dives using my old MK1 and I've never seen anything more than a few minutes of difference in the deco schedule between the MK1 and my Perdix.

Without knowing anything about the dives, it's conceivable if one didn't enter their deco gas correctly, you could easily have several hours of deco assuming one did 60 minutes at 130 feet on air and the computer though you'd be deco'ing out on air.

I find it quite a capable tech diving computer, and I'm saying this as someone who has no financial interest in the sales of these computers.

Tony