Best diving computer on the Market

[Damselfish]

I don't believe there is such a thing as best for computers or any type of dive gear, since everyone has different priorities. Is there a good (& unbiased) chart out there listing features/behaviors/price/etc of all these and other computers? I periodically get tempted to break my cheap eBay puck computer habit and buy some new bling (especially for a nice color display and other features I personally want, ideally without paying a ton for things I don't care about.) I would love a way to narrow it down without hours of sorting through all the info and putting together said chart myself.

 

[KenGordon]

I have owned the Edge, Zoop, Zoop Novo, Perdix AI, and Teric. For my type of recreational diving, the Teric wins hands down. Not even the Perdix comes near.

My Teric GF is set to 99/99, and the home screen is configured to display Surface GF. I maximise my NDL with GF 99/99, yet I can surface on any GF that I choose (usually 70). Works for me.

I just tried setting my just updated Perdix to 99/99 and it still refuses to go above a gf low of 50 with a gf high of more than 90.

Meanwhile, are you doing a dive up to a surfacing GF of 90 plus and then acending and waiting until your gf drops to 70 and then surfacing? Or, are you diving until your surfacing Gf reaches 70 and then surfacing?

 

[CWK]

I just tried setting my just updated Perdix to 99/99 and it still refuses to go above a gf low of 50 with a gf high of more than 90.

Meanwhile, are you doing a dive up to a surfacing GF of 90 plus and then acending and waiting until your gf drops to 70 and then surfacing? Or, are you diving until your surfacing Gf reaches 70 and then surfacing?

My Perdix does not allow a GF setting that is close to M value.

I am diving to NDL on GF99/99 which should effectively be M-value, therefore I can and do dive to surface GF above 90. Slow ascent/long safety until surface GF drops to 70 or below gives me the safety margin that I want. There is always the option to surface on a more or less conservative GF.

Edit: BTW, my Teric is set to OC Rec.

 

[Hatul]

Hi Biker,

I spoke with Richard at Dive-Tronic, LLC. They perform warranty and service work for Shearwater in Washington State. He told me that he must turn-around a Shearwater in 5 days. Not 2 months.

He told me to be careful changing o-rings on the battery cap as a metal pick can scratch the mating surface causing floods. Use your fingers only. (Not applicable to Teric or the Nerds)

He also said that leaking dead batteries are a problem. He said that a person can leave the battery out of the unit for long periods and not affect the memory. You will have to reset the date and time. Back-up your dive log to a tablet or PC just in case. It is really easy.

He recommended the Ultimate Lithium batteries as they don't leak nearly as often as an alkaline when drained (if a person forgets and leaves a dead battery in the unit).

I will follow his advice with my Perdix, and I should never have to test the 5 day turn around rule because of a battery issue.

Shearwater keeps hitting home runs!

Two months is ridiculous.

Dive on,
markm

For changing our O rings I like the pointed wooden toothpicks. They will not scratch the mating surface like the metal picks may.

 

[markmud]

For changing our O rings I like the pointed wooden toothpicks. They will not scratch the mating surface like the metal picks may.

Hi Hatul,

I do the same. I have a small handful in my save-a-dive kit.

I have a spare cap for my Perdix. I tried removing an o-ring with my fingers. I had to use my finger nail to get some traction, but in can be done.

As you know, the cap has two O-rings, how does a person gouge two lands with any tool. They must be tools. No mechanical aptitude is what I am guessing.

dive on,
markm

 

[Divectionist]

How many battery changes do you guys do on the Perdix before also swapping out O rings?

 

[markmud]

How many battery changes do you guys do on the Perdix before also swapping out O rings?

Hi Divectionist,

With my "skinny single o-ring" computers, I changed them with every battery change. I bought a dozen O-rings at a time for the three computers (they all use the same o-ring).

The Perdix uses two fat O-rings. I am going to do a visual inspection of the O-rings on every battery change. I will apply a light layer of silicone grease and reuse the O-rings if there are:

1. no nicks, cuts, or distortions;
2. no compression flat spots (the o-ring takes a permanent set in the form of its land; aka loss of memory or hardening);
3. no more than 3 or 4 battery change cycles.

O-rings are cheap. My Perdix is not.

markm

 

[Divectionist]

Thank you, I still have the two spares that came with it because I am only 1 battery change into the Perdix. Will order some with the next purchase.

112 Nitrile 70 Duro they are in case anyone wonders.

 

[pirategeorge]

Forgive me for my ignorance, and it is my very first post here on the forum, but Kikoz is just starting out to getting his own gear, and he's an advanced diver, which basically means that he probably has no clue about Tec Diving.
So a Shearwaters VPM-B vs whatever is probably beyond his knowledge. Of course I could be wrong.
Suunto is fine for his level, and even better for me the Cressi Giotto which also gives him 3 Gas Mixes (well 2 Nitrox) which can keep him happy until Tec 45.

 

[Divectionist]

Forgive me for my ignorance, and it is my very first post here on the forum, but Kikoz is just starting out to getting his own gear, and he's an advanced diver, which basically means that he probably has no clue about Tec Diving.
So a Shearwaters VPM-B vs whatever is probably beyond his knowledge. Of course I could be wrong.
Suunto is fine for his level, and even better for me the Cressi Giotto which also gives him 3 Gas Mixes (well 2 Nitrox) which can keep him happy until Tec 45.

Welcome to the forum!

I am a rec diver myself and the Shearwater was the first computer I purchased, basing this not so much on any advanced tech needs I am anticipating, but rather the good reputation, easy of navigation, legibility, battery setup, form factor, good digital compass, reliable AI, customer service, graphical on-screen dive log, etc. - I think one can squeeze the benefits out of a more advanced computer without reaching its limits. Just for the sake of not having a dot matrix screen, I would not want the Giotto and such.