Thank you all for your responses.
Tbar - you are correct I should have clarified a little bit better. I know that a puck computer is a "full dive computer", but it is my understanding that they are generally less expensive and don't usually have all the bells and whistles of other dive computers (such as an Eon Steel, Liquivision Lynx or Mares Icon, etc.). They way I viewed it - and maybe I am incorrect - is that a puck was generally a cheaper alternative because of it's design and functionality.
For the most case pucks seem cheaper when looking online, that is why I was wondering at what price would people stop looking at a puck and move to a "large screen dive computer".
Seeker242 - Could you tell me the type of puck that costs around $1000?
In my opinion, there are three routes to go with a dive computer
1. Console-I don't like it, but some people like having the air integration and large number display
2. Recreational wrist computer--some older ones only have 1 gas, but most on the market these days have two gas, gauge mode, etc...this would include pucks (like the Veo 2, VT3, Mares Puck) or watch computers (Geo 2)
3. Trimix/large computer
I always recommend two options. Either go in the 200-300 range and get a simple wrist computer with 2 or 3 gases (100% O2) and a gauge mode. This will give you a computer that will take you all the way into tech and can service as a nice back up. The other option is to just get a Petrel for $700-$750. Will stay with you for the rest of your life and is the best computer I have ever used.
Generally what can cause computers to go above that $750 price range is either marketing or the wireless air integration. Even the most expensive puck by itself (one with compass, multiple gas, etc) is in the 400-500 range MSRP and you can get them for cheaper if you negotiate. What drives up the total price is that a wireless transmitter is included and that by itself is $300 item.
When looking for a dive computer, you should be looking at the type of diving you will be doing now and in the near future. Is tech 1 or 2 years away? What is you overall budget? do you really want air integration? do you really want a compass? How small/big do you want the unit to be--an Atom is like a $900 computer but is air integrated and the size of wrist watch.
Of the ones listed, I have dove the Steel and Icon. Didn't really care for them and was not impressed with the Icon at all considering its price. I went the first route with my first computer being a geo 2 and my second a petrel. The third computer will be a petrel.
I generally have good things to say about my Geo 2 and I still like it, but the holes in the strap have begun to show some wear in them since I was tightening up the computer too much while in my drysuit. The air expansion on ascent was putting a lot of stress on the strap. This is a user error problem, but got me wishing I had a bungee mount (like most of the puck computers have); I still don't know what I would choose if given the choice between the Geo 2 or the Veo 3-probably the Veo 3 with bungee mount, but tough call.
Good starter computers in my opinion--Geo 2, Suunto Vyper (although it has a more conservative algorithm), Veo 3, VT3? (whichever one is like $300 on sale and doesn't have the compass). There are others that could be added to this list, but these are the ones I generally throw out there.
---------- Post added October 8th, 2015 at 01:22 PM ----------
You can get a Geo 2 for $250 and Veo 3 for around $280, you just need to know how to "ask".
Tbone and are in agreement on this issue...of course we do tend to agree on a lot of things.
