How good are the watches with compasses?

[Matthew Jones]

My watch doesn't need to be exciting. I don't need trimix or anything like that. I just need your standard depth, bottom time, air pressure, etc. What I am curious about is the compass aspect. I know the Suunto D6i and above has a compass, as does the Oceanic OC-1 and other more expensive watches.

How well does the compass perform on these type watches? Also, are there lesser known but equally reliable models out there with the compass in?

 

[tursiops]

I have two expensive computers with compasses, an OC-1 and a Petrel 2. Both work very well, but are simply not as convenient to use as a quick glance at a separate wrist compass. So for an occasional curious glance at my heading, they are fine. For a navigation-intensive dive I'll wear my SK-7 alongside the computer, then I can get all the info I need with one glance and no button-pushing.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Matthew Jones]

I have an SK7 but honestly I feel like it's always bouncing around. Or getting stuck on a heading I know for a fact is incorrect...shake slightly and it spins around to the correct heading which makes me never trust the heading. So I find myself shaking it constantly.