Another new computer thread - choices for LED type screens with AI

[Neilwood]

I was on the verge of buying a new computer to replace my Cressi Giotto (nowt wrong with it but would like to have a bright LED screen to look at instead of dull LCD).

Must haves:
LED or similar screen (the more visible the better for UK diving imho)
AI
Compass integrated

Likely usage - relative newbie with 40 dives to my name. No plans to start diving doubles, definitely no tec diving that I can foresee and not exactly fit so a "conservative" computer is not entirely a bad thing.

Was considering Suunto Eon Steel or Mares HD Icon before Shearwater brought out the Perdix AI.

Price wise there is a big difference though:
Suunto Eon Steel - approx £675 incl pod (until late December)
Mares Icon - approx £540 incl pod
Shearwater Perdix AI - approx £900 (guesses atm as not up on UK suppliers sites yet)

Any other options?

Would the Suunto be £130 better than the Mares and would the Perdix be £225 better than that?

 

[diversteve]

Any other options?

Liquivison Lynx

Atomic Cobalt 2 - currently only console integrated but the wristmount seems to be available soon.

Seabear H3 (owned by Scubapro)

Oceanic VTX

DEMA is this week so there's probably a couple more now.

I've only seen the Cobalt in person in a store so can't make a visual comparison.

 

[Neilwood]

Oceanic VTX - looks ok but quite small so wonder how easy to operate with gloves.

Cobalt - would prefer a wrist mounted tbh.

Liquidvision - looks ok but is about £1060

Seabear H3 - appears to be discontinued atm and not AI

 

[snowdog61]

SP Luna? - GF got one to replace her Suunto Cobra and even I like it since I can read it while alongside her

 

[Chip Elliott]

I like my Mares Icon HD net ready. It's easy to read too. Buttons placed logically and large enough and spaced out enough for gloved fingers.

 

[CuzzA]

Icon hands down. Especially at that price.

 

[scubadada]

You have many choices, I would do a little homework to make sure you will get the decompression algorithm you want and would be happy with. All these computers would meet the needs you outlined.

Suunto Eon Steel: Suunto Fused RGBM
Mares Icon: Mares-Wienke RGBM
Shearwater Perdix AI: Buhlmann with GF
Liquivision Lynx: Buhlmann with 3 preset GF
Oceanic VTX: DSAT and PZ+
Aqua Lung i750TC: PZ+

 

[RyanT]

Perdix...nothing else like it. I dive tech and also do recreational dives with my regular buddy. She's a newbie but still loves hers. Whether you use it in tech mode or recreation mode, I've just not come across a computer yet that is as intuitive to use and easy to read as the perdix. I prefer the flexibility of the Perdix in tech mode. In recreational mode, you are more limited (e.g. gradient factors are limited), but the screen is a thing of beauty, it is just so clean and simple. The liquivisions seem to have a similar screen, but the specialized batteries were a deal killer for me. Give me a basic AA any day.

 

[diversteve]

Seabear H3 - appears to be discontinued atm and not AI

They were bought by ScubaPro and I'm not sure of the exact status. Supposedly an AI version is coming but IDK.

Netdoc (Scubaboard's owner) is at DEMA presently so if there's any new computers announced there, he'll likly post something about them soon.

I'm hopeful Deep6 might have an update but it's a basic, low-cost non-OLED model.

Perdix is the darling of SB - esp. with the newly released AI model (their first).

They are excellent for readability but like you I don't ever plan to tech dive so it seems silly to pay for 75% of a computer I'll never use. Although it prices competitively with some of the others - flat out beats the Eon Steel for cost, size, readability etc. IMO - at least in the U.S. where we get them cheaper since it's a Canadian mfr.

 

[runsongas]

the mares icon has one drawback, lowest battery life of the lot