First computer purchase - which shearwater?

[coldwaterglutton]

Whichever one try and get one with a compass.

 

[KenE]

What were you able to add to the main screen with the perdix that you couldn't with the peregrine?

I switched to the tec mode as Belzelbub mentioned above which gave me more options to add Surf GF and GF99. I like the safety stop countdown better than the rec mode too. We do a lot of shore dives and tend to swim in on our safety stop, the countdown and haptics help keep track of it.

 

[Wants2divemore]

Another thing to consider is the battery. The Perdix runs on a user-replaceable AA battery, whereas the others use a built-in lithium ion battery that is not user serviceable. There have been issues with earlier Terics needing battery replacements (several threads on SB discuss this more). Below are just a few

Teric Battery life poor even after battery replacement

Hey guys! Me and my wife both have Shearwater Terics. Mine was going through about 10% battery per night, even when the screen was off. My wife's would typically go 2 days before only dropping to 98%. I sent mine in to get a battery replacement. After receiving it, it now drops 6% per night...

scubaboard.com

My nastygram to SRI over the Teric Battery Issues

Figured I would share this here as I am on my last straw with the Terics. I am incredibly frustrated with the Teric. I own two Terics that I purchased in 2019. In the last four years each Teric has had at least 6 repairs/replacement due to battery issues for each computer. Each time I am told...

scubaboard.com

Reportedly the newer Terics have not had as many problems. To my knowledge, similar issues haven't occurred with the Peregrine. The Tern is so new that it's unknown if it will have the same problems as some of the Terics did.

Arguments against the Perdix are that it is possible to have the battery compartment flood if not closed properly or you don't care for the o-rings.

I chose the Perdix partly because of the AA battery and I've been very happy with it.

 

[Joneill]

I am not answering the question you asked directly, but I wanted to mention a couple of things that might be helpful.

Given the types of dives you described, I would recommend giving a thought to a puck-style computer (for example google cressi leonardo).

The biggest advantage of those computers, is that they are indestructible and basically require no care or maintenance. You can toss them around on the dive boat, people can step on them and nothing will happen. They also have all the functionality you would need to do any recreational dive. But should anything happen and the computer for example got broken or lost, it costs pennies (compared to SW products) to buy a new one. So essentially a puck style computer is a piece of gear that you don't have to think or worry about. It just works

The cons are: it will not be as sexy and slick as a SW product, it will not have AI either that you wanted.

If I had a choice between being stuck forever either with a puck style computer + spg vs SW + AI, I would go with the puck option because it needs less care and worry

But thats a personal preference of course. If you want a sexy and better looking dive computer with a nicer display, then ignore everything I wrote

Just wanted to mention pucks as an option

Why would you even waste time writing all of this when Op VERY CLEARLY stated “I do want air integration”???? Geez.

 

[Learner Diver]

I would prefer a dedicated dive computer for when I'm diving. That rules out the watch.

 

[Belzelbub]

I switched to the tec mode as Belzelbub mentioned above which gave me more options to add Surf GF and GF99.

I have both of those displayed in rec mode as well. A firmware update a little while back added the ability to fully customize mini displays. That was a great enhancement IMO. My bottom row has my pressure displayed full size, and a mini display showing SurfGF, GF99, and GTR.

 

[stuartv]

As a new diver, I'm purchasing my very first computer. I'm foreseeing my next certs being AOW, drysuit and nitrox. I doubt I'll be doing any tech diving for several years, if I ever pursue that at all. Which computer should I get? Money isn't the biggest factor for me, but I don't see the point of getting a computer for tech diving, if the technology will improve or change before I ever get that advanced. I'm unsure on watch style or not.. not a big factor for me. I do want air integration. I'm leaning either Peregrine Tx or or Tern Tx. Does the Perdix 2 or Teric have features or other qualities I'd be missing out on, not being a tech diver?

Rec vs Tech:

The Perdix 2 and Teric are not going to be outdated for tech diving in the foreseeable future. Probably never. If you think you might go down the tech path in a few years, getting a Perdix 2 or Teric now is a perfectly good choice. You'll have to buy a second computer if/when you start tech training, and you will be glad to already have a tech computer, so both are good to go.

I'm still diving a Shearwater Predator sometimes, from something like 15 years ago (roughly). It is still completely equal to the newer stuff except for not having AI or compass. The only other feature that MIGHT come along that I can see if maybe Shearwater will eventually add GPS capabilities. But, if you're going tech, when you buy your second computer you can get one with GPS if you want. That will, in no way, mean there's anything wrong with the Perdix or Teric that you buy today. Either one would still be a perfect choice as your backup computer for future tech diving.

Caveat: We're really talking about trimix and/or CCR diving. The Peregrine or Tern will work fine for open circuit tech when you're not using mixes with helium. But, if you're going CCR or going to eventually want trimix (i.e. any diving deeper than 150' - and really you should be using helium for any diving deeper than 130', maybe even deeper than 100'), then you will need a Perdix or Teric.

Perdix vs Teric:

My diving includes deep (300'+) ocean dives and cave dives, on open circuit and CCR, in cold Great Lakes water (i.e. drysuit with thick undies and heated undies) and warm, tropical ocean water. I'm an open circuit technical instructor and CCR instructor.

I use Terics on all my open circuit dives. Usually just 1 for recreational dives and always 2 for technical open circuit dives. I use a Predator or Petrel handset and a NERD2 on 2 of my CCRs and only a NERD2 on another CCR.

When the Teric first came out, I was diving OC with a Perdix AI. I bought a Teric and dived with them both for a while until I decided which one I liked better. Then I bought a second Teric and sold the Perdix AI.

Also, I am 57 years old and have Old Man Eyes.

I found the Teric's AMOLED screen, in Normal mode (not Big mode), to be just as easy for me to read as the Perdix AI's LCD screen. The Perdix screen itself is much larger, but the actual writing ON the screen is not THAT much bigger. The better contrast and brightness of the AMOLED screen seems to make up the difference, so that I found them both equally easy to read. And that was without even using Big mode on the Teric.

My CCR controllers and NERD2s all have the same size screen and style of interface as the Peregrine/Perdix (in OC Tec mode). I use those all the time. But, I like the Teric better.

The Teric has 4 buttons, which makes navigation nicer. And the Teric has a compass that is SOOO much nicer than using the compass on a Perdix.

I think the comparison of a Peregrine TX and Tern TX is basically the same.

If you go with the Teric, you might not ever use the helium/trimix capability and you might never use the CCR capability. But, I believe you will NEVER think "dang, I should have waited because this Teric cannot handle the diving I want to do now."

Tern TX or Teric, FTW!