Computer recommendations for New Divers

[Diving Dubai]

One was prone to transmitter explosions

Prone.. Don't make me laugh! You might want to drop the hyperbole

The issue was caused by one person not carrying out maintenance correctly and re using the cap against the instructions. Suunto made a full and unnecessary recall and fixed the issue. Yes my Eon had a sensor issue and it was an obvious problem to spot. Fixed FoC, faulty batch, four other buddies have the same computer, collectively 3000 computer dives between them without issue.

The shop I occasionally work at is a repair center for Suunto (soon Shearwater) so I get to see the real numbers. SB highly exaggerates to fit it's anti Suunto narrative

And yes I dive a Shearwater too

 

[formernuke]

Prone.. Don't make me laugh! You might want to drop the hyperbole

The issue was caused by one person not carrying out maintenance correctly and re using the cap against the instructions. Suunto made a full and unnecessary recall and fixed the issue. Yes my Eon had a sensor issue and it was an obvious problem to spot. Fixed FoC, faulty batch, four other buddies have the same computer, collectively 3000 computer dives between them without issue.

The shop I occasionally work at is a repair center for Suunto (soon Shearwater) so I get to see the real numbers. SB highly exaggerates to fit it's anti Suunto narrative

And yes I dive a Shearwater too

Still no excuse for not notifying the customers of safety recalls.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Still no excuse for not notifying the customers of safety recalls.

Again - don't agree. I got sent emails, because I'd registered my computer. The recall was well publicised

You make not like Suunto, and that's fine, but don't exaggerate falsehoods just to support your views. I don't recall any other country making a fuss over the sensor issue - maybe because some lawyers saw a way to make a quick buck

 

[formernuke]

Again - don't agree. I got sent emails, because I'd registered my computer. The recall was well publicised

You make not like Suunto, and that's fine, but don't exaggerate falsehoods just to support your views. I don't recall any other country making a fuss over the sensor issue - maybe because some lawyers saw a way to make a quick buck

Mine were registered if they had sent me a notification then it would have been a s*_# happens scenario and no big deal. The sensor issue went to a class action lawsuit here in the US before they even admitted it and then still no notifications sent. That is not a exaggeration. Also companies don't do recalls because of one person not following maintenance procedures. If your a fan of suunto be a fan its your choice. For me when a company shows that type of behavior I'm done with them.

 

[Angelo Farina]

+1 for the Leonardo. It was my first computer and I still pack it with me in my save-a-dive kit. Cheap, tough, and works.

I paid 99 EUR for my Cressi Leonardo on Amazon, and I am very happy on how it works. Unbeatable price, does Nitrox, large display, among the easiest to read before going to colour backlight LCD, which of course is available only on very expensive devices.
Of course it is not a tech computer, you will buy another when you start doing tech.

 

[seeker242]

Buy Once, Cry Once. If you are serious about getting into tech in the future, just get a shearwater and be done with it.

 

[rhwestfall]

Buy Once, Cry Once. If you are serious about getting into tech in the future, just get a shearwater and be done with it.

While I tend to agree with this for most things (durable goods), electronics is not one of them. Who knows what is going to be available or desirable in 3-5 years.

I got my first SW Petrel after it had been around for a bit. A week after taking delivery, the Petrel2 came out (would have liked a compass in my Petrel).... The Pedrix came out, and I was tempted, but just a slight case change didn't seem a good reason. Then with another change, I went and got a Pedrix AI when I decided to go with a primary and a back-up. Three months later the Teric came out (though I really don't think the Teric is a fit for me right now).

If a SW (or any another brand) has things you really like about it for use now, than sure (it has a really nice recreational mode, and my aging eyes like the screen), but that is a individual choice of what you want.

 

[Diving Dubai]

If your a fan of suunto be a fan its your choice.

I'm no fanboy. I fortunately have a contact deep into Suunto, and I've sent some pretty robust emails to them - and had a number of lengthy dialogues about shortcomings in the computer. Certainly waiting to receive the Firmware upgrade for the Steel to get Buhlmann is getting tedious, but that said, Buhlmann is a nice to have toy, not essential. Indeed (as far as I'm aware) there's nothing earth shattering in the firmware update anyway. No Sidemount support unfortunately

Equally I dive a Perdix AI - I've dived it less than my Eon Steel, it only has 300 dives on it.

Both are fine computers, and depending on your region have varying different price point advantages - and once outside the US/CAN Shearwaters strong service reputation advantages diminishes

Do I prefer the Eon over the Perdix, yes. Is is better No, but the Eon has less minor details that detract from it.

I'd buy another Eon, but not a Perdix. (Teric isn't' my thing) However if SW brought out a Perdix replacement I'd certainly look at it, although I prefer the OSTC4 to Perdix, except there's not dealer support for one and I really not interested in international shipping to Germany. If I was in Europe then my view on that would change

 

[seeker242]

I got my first SW Petrel after it had been around for a bit.

Ok, but at the same time, there is currently nothing wrong with still using a Petrel 1. If you purchased one way back when, it's still a perfectly viable computer.

 

[dmaziuk]

If you get on a typical Red Sea liveaboard doing 22 dives in a week you will see plenty of these computers and nobody being greatly inconvenienced. What happens is the day starts early, ends fairly late and allows for decent surface intervals.

I haven't been on one of those. I've been on square-ish profiles - 40-min - SIs schedules once or twice, and the Leo was noticeably unhappy with those.