New computer to replace oceanic

[matthewkavanagh]

advice: it’s been a while since I bought a new computer and notice there’s some good new entrants. Particularly interested in the Garmins I’ve seen on some wrists lately. I’ve been diving Oceanics for years because I like a more liberal algorithm and a watch-style.
What would you all advise if I’m looking for:
-under $1k
-watch style
-liberal algorithm

Can I do better than my oceanic standby?
Thanks

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Deep 6 Excursion. Under $400, Buhlmann ZHL-16c algorithm, new firmware coming soon.

 

[rongoodman]

Deep 6 or Shearwater.

 

[Quikster]

Some garmin can be had cheaper, nice thing about them is if you want something that can be used outside of scuba for activity tracking and smartwatch. If you just want diving shearwater is probably your best bet but the watch style Teric is generally more than $1000

 

[dmaziuk]

advice: it’s been a while since I bought a new computer and notice there’s some good new entrants. Particularly interested in the Garmins I’ve seen on some wrists lately. I’ve been diving Oceanics for years because I like a more liberal algorithm and a watch-style.
What would you all advise if I’m looking for:
-under $1k
-watch style
-liberal algorithm

Can I do better than my oceanic standby?

Define "better". E.g. Garmins are "better" at being fitness smartwatches, but don't really match your "under $1K" condition. Teric has air integration and compass and is not under $1K and I'm not sure what significant improvement in functionality over Geo 4 you'd get from The Computer I Am Not Allowed To Mention.

 

[Belzelbub]

Define "better". E.g. Garmins are "better" at being fitness smartwatches, but don't really match your "under $1K" condition. Teric has air integration and compass and is not under $1K and I'm not sure what significant improvement in functionality over Geo 4 you'd get from The Computer I Am Not Allowed To Mention.

Agreed for the most part. However, the Garmin G1 is under $1K. As is the MK2s, but just barely on that one.

It comes down to what is wanted. If Smartwatch features are not needed, there is really no need for looking at the Garmins.

Color screen ups the price, if monochrome is acceptable, then the G1 would be a good choice.
Algorithm. Oceanics are pretty liberal in DSAT. Buhlmann computers, like used in the Garmins and others are probably the closest you'll get to DSAT. Especially if custom GFs are available.

 

[lowwall]

Which Oceanic are you using now? The Geo 4.0 gives you what you like for around $400. The Geo Air adds air integration and is still $200 below your limit.

The Deep6 Excursion is comparable in features to the Geo 4.0 and is $80 cheaper. But IMO the Geo has an easier to read screen and you already know the interface.

The Garmin Descent G1 is also comparable in features to the Excursion and Geo 4.0. But for your $550 you also get all the fitness watch features of the Garmin Instinct 2 that it is based on. Here's a very complete review of the Instinct 2. If it fits your smartwatch needs, then it is a great deal. But I'd stick with the less expensive options if you will only be using it for diving.

Garmin Instinct 2/2S/Solar In-Depth Review

Garmin has just revamped their Instinct series with the new Instinct 2 and smaller Instinct 2S, both offered in not just Solar, but approximately 87 other variants for things like surfing and military use. And while these units visually look

www.dcrainmaker.com

 

[Regulated]

While it’s bigger than a wristwatch (don’t take it to happy hour), the SW Peregrine is a price performer IMHO. I just got mine wet over the past week. Very pleased. No affiliation. Here’s another diver’s description in case you hadn’t seen the thread:

Thread 'Bought a Peregrine'
Bought a Peregrine

 

[Centrals]

advice: it’s been a while since I bought a new computer and notice there’s some good new entrants. Particularly interested in the Garmins I’ve seen on some wrists lately. I’ve been diving Oceanics for years because I like a more liberal algorithm and a watch-style.
What would you all advise if I’m looking for:
-under $1k
-watch style
-liberal algorithm

Can I do better than my oceanic standby?
Thanks

Get another Oceanic, Geo 4 or Veo 4, so you have a matching back up. Both of them is under $500.00 and you can spend the rest on something else.

 

[Hoag]

This is just my opinion, not fact.

I recently went through a similar replacement process. I had been diving with an Oceanic ProPlus 3, and it came time to replace it, but I wanted 2 Dive Computers to offer redundancy in case of a failure. (My PP3 had failed once while I was on a live aboard so I wanted a back-up.)

I went with a Shearwater PERDIX AI (with a Swift Tx) as a direct replacement (outside of your $1000 budget, but bare with me) and found myself looking for a suitable back-up. I had an SPG, so AI was a "want" not a "need" for the back-up so I fell to a "short list of the following:

Shearwater Peregrine
Shearwater Teric
Garmin Descent 2AI
Garmin Descent 2S

There were pros and cons to each of these, and eventually I settled on the Teric.

As "they" say, "nothing is free". If you will be using your dive computer for fitness monitoring and other uses, then one of the Garmins might be a good choice that meets your many needs. Garmin has, however spent a lot of money doing the R&D to get their Dive Computers so much flexibility, and that has to be recovered. Shearwater on the other hand has sunk all of their R&D into their Dive Computers. For me, when I eventually made the decision to go with the Teric, it came down to the fact that for roughly the same amount of money, I wasn't paying for a bunch of features that I wouldn't use.

For me, the Teric was the right choice. For you, unless you need the other fitness monitoring features such as a step counter, heart rate monitor and others, I think that a Peregrine might meet your needs.