New dive watch advice

[MatWill]

Hi guys,

I need to upgrade my computer soonish and was looking at options, I have had only Suunto zoops for the last 15 years and they have worked well as a basic DC, I'm thinking it's time to splurge a bit on something a bit more modern,

Things I'm looking for
Watch size (optional)
User battery replacement, even with rechargeable lithium, and no need for pressure testing
AI

Only need air and nitrox, freediving mode would be fun but not necessary.

 

[scrane]

Shearwater Perdix. A little large. But the best. Be prepared to be talked into the Teric.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I’ve been looking at Garmin MK2i, screen brightness isn’t as bright as the Shearwater Teric. Not sure if that’s an issue for someone who wears a prescription mask. Reviews are fantastic.

 

[scrane]

I have a Garmin Mk1 and I like it, although I believe it is overpriced for a non AI computer. But it has turned out to be a reliable basic computer with Buhlmann 16c. The reason I would not buy a Mk2i is the proprietary transmitter and, again, the price.

There are the Oceanic OCi and older OC1 which are very compact and nice looking. The non AI GEO2 and GEO4 can be had for reasonable prices. I personally am hooked on the Buhlmann algorithm so I no longer go with Oceanic computers.

 

[tridacna]

OP said “User Changeable Battery”. Don’t think Teric or Garmin fits the bill.

 

[Bierstadt]

Shearwater is the gold standard for dive computers and standing behind their products.

I would suggest one of their computers unless another computer offers you something compelling enough to not get a Shearwater. There are so many good choices.

 

[MatWill]

so yeah my brain said get the viper novo, my heart said get the teric,

i found a good price where i was diving this week so...

 

[CT-Rich]

I splurged on a Shearwater Peregrine this summer. Extremely nice, super easy to use, read it easily in all conditions, has an induction charger (recharge without opening the case, no ports and uses Bluetooth to down load I’ve data. What it doesn’t have that would have been nice is AI and an electronic compass.

It won’t double as a wrist watch while at the grocery store, but pretty much everything you could want it to do on a dive. For me, the killer app was the induction charger. I have had several computers that flooded or had damaged battery contacts, this makes it a non issue. No extra cable to buy for downloading dive profile.

 

[halocline]

It depends what your diving needs are. The Shearwater computers are excellent, the company is excellent, but their stuff is geared towards tech divers and is likely far, far more than you need. The perdix is much larger than watch sized, btw. If you want to spend the money, it's your choice but it's not at all necessary or even advantageous for OW diving. The peregrine is the least expensive, simplest model I believe.

If you are a recreational , OW diver, I would just get something that's easy to use, very simple, not too expensive, and I personally would avoid suunto because I believe their algorithm is too conservative for most OW divers. But any of the oceanic-built ones are fine. They all have the essentials, which is nitrox compatibility, some graphic display of N2 loading (very useful at the end of a dive when it really counts) decent ascent indicators, and user-changeable batteries. I used an aeris atmos for well over a decade with no problems. I only bought a shearwater when I started cave diving. The display is designed for dark environments. That's one thing you might look into, make sure it's easy to see in bright OW.

 

[greeniguana]

Atmos Mission 1