I’ve read it all and still need opinions on computers

[ATJ]

What do you people suppose is an expected lifespan of a new dive computer? Based on 20 to 30 dives a year. For me anyway, this is also a consideration. Reliability is a big factor.

My Oceanic Atom 3.0 lasted just over 6 years and probably 800 dives or so. Oceanic no longer repair them.

I would expect to get at least 5 years from a dive computer but there's no reason they couldn't last a lot longer. The problem tends to be whether the manufacturer still supports that model and has the parts to service them.

 

[Kimela]

3.) Offers you estimated air time remaining, so you've got a rough 'if I stayed at this depth, consuming gas at this rate' estimate as to how much dive time you've got left.

I end up running out of no deco time before I run out of gas, so this is no longer an issue for me. If I were running different gases (other than air or nitrox) perhaps it would be different? I don't know. But at this point, I no longer worry about my sac rate. It's more 'how much time do I have left at this depth?' and then 'how far do I need to ascend to regain some more time?'. But it sure would be fun to see what my SAC rate is ... There was a few months period when I had that info and knew what it meant ...

 

[ToneNQ]

Hello, I’ve read pages and pages and still need opinions and advise..........snip...........Thoughts greatly appreciated

Supporting local is great, just remember its a two way street. When the LDS takes an exclusive deal with a supplier, its guaranteed they're supporting you. Could you have this exact conversation at your LDS? Or would they just walk over to the stand and sell you an Aqualung? Will it be the more expensive computer at your budget point or would they suggest the cheaper one based on your needs?

I swear by Shearwater, the Perdix and Teric do AI, the Peregrine does not. Don't worry about the size unless you want to wear it as a watch. Look secondhand as well, Shearwater support all their gear even if you are not the first owner. The Shearwater screen is awesome in bright shallow water and in low visibility water, so it'd be the best option for you, in my opinion spending your money. I've owned Suunto, still do actually but don't use it anymore. There isn't much junk out there so don't sweat this too hard. Have a look at Deep6 as well. Then just make a decision, it'll be fine in the long run whatever you do. For the diving you mention anything is going to look after you.

The proprietary algorithms are not ideal, but for your diving they'll look after you perfectly well. Air integration is the shizzle, but if you aren't diving regularly you'll spend more money putting a battery in the transmitter than you get value. Try the menu options, see what is easy to get into nitrox mode, what information displays on the screen in normal mode and dive mode. Does it do wholly stupid things like lock you out for jumping in the water in gauge mode.

 

[living4experiences]

The Oceanic Veo 2.0 (a dinosaur, I know!) has been my only computer for over 200 dives and it still works great. I just purchased the Shearwater Peregrine and will use the Veo as my backup. A word of advice about Aqua Lung, don't buy it. My first purchase a couple of months ago for a new computer was the i200C. The first computer was defective and I sent it back. The second computer was also defective and I sent it back. My diving style is similar to yours, warm water, Caribbean, recreational, no mixed gases, no tec. I have middle-aged eyes, so the Peregrine has a beautiful color screen that stays on all the time. As others mentioned, though, it's not a dive watch. It's very easy to set up too. The price point of $450 for the Peregrine also gets you Bluetooth to download your dives, and many other brands are much higher priced for that feature. I personally don't care about AI for the extra cost.

As @ToneNQ suggested, your LDS is the authorized dealer for Aqua Lung or whatever brand you're looking at, so that's what they want to sell you.

 

[FezUSA]

If you don't need AI and your vision is "OK" or better, then +1 on the Deep 6 Excursion, and put the (significant) savings toward other equipment or actual diving!

 

[Grateful head]

Yes those are the kind of replies I’m looking for. I looked up the deep 6, nice price point but couldn’t find any other reviews on it or where it’s made. The LDS is not pushing me to try and upsell the more expensive computer, they carry aqualung so that’s what they are trying to sell. Hearing that two of them in a row were defective among reviews on Amazon make me skeptical about buying that brand. However, I thought the Pelagic brand (maker of the aqualung) was a solid company? The shearwater definitely has my attention, but in the end those are going to be too large for me to want to buy.

 

[formernuke]

I have never dove great lakes but my understanding is the VIS is low so you might want to go with a larger computer with a back lit and or color screen. So the i770, peregrine, perdix, teric etc.

 

[tursiops]

The shearwater definitely has my attention, but in the end those are going to be too large for me to want to buy.

Shearwater makes the Teric, which IS wristwatch sized, and is nearly identical in size to the Excursion, the AL wristwatch models, etc.

 

[Marie13]

I have never dove great lakes but my understanding is the VIS is low so you might want to go with a larger computer with a back lit and or color screen. So the i770, peregrine, perdix, teric etc.

Yup, the Great Lakes can be lower viz. They are definitely lower viz than the tropics. I dove the Great Lakes and pretty low quarries for about 1.5 years with a black on gray display. Low viz and a black on gray display do not play well together. Never again. That’s when I got a Perdix. I’ve got approximately 330 dives in low viz environments, so I have an idea of what I’m talking about.

The Shearwater is made in Canada, but the OP is fixated on size, and doesn’t seem to want to spend what the Teric costs.

 

[Grateful head]

Shearwater makes the Teric, which IS wristwatch sized, and is nearly identical in size to the Excursion, the AL wristwatch models, etc.

Yes, seems the Shearwater is a solid brand and the Teric is the perfect size. Since I will be buying two (wife) the price is over 2k which I cannot justify due to the amount of diving I do. If only the teric sold for 500, it would be a done deal. The Atmos mission one is in the ballpark but I believe it’s a Taiwanese company made in China. Possibly the Deep 6 as well. Can’t do China