Smart Com vs. Cobra

[SeaJay]

Okay, so let's establish that Diver "X" decides he's not paying $500 or more just to have his dive computer on his wrist... And let's say that he'd like to save the cashola and do some killer diving in the Keys for that money, with his new NON-wireless dive computer that saved him the money.

It appears that the Cobra is a popular favorite, retailing at about $750, but really selling for less that that. It appears to me that for about $650, you can get the Cobra with it's optional compass attachment.

Now there's a newcomer to the playing field... The new Smart Com. It's reputed to have all of the Cobra's features and more. Anyone know the price for this unit with an optional compass attachment (I think it comes with one automatically, right?)

Okay, let's hear it... The pros and cons of each, expected prices, and your opinion on which is best and why.

 

[aymanme]

Well, the MSRP of the smart com is $910 including the compass pouch, and quick disconnect. I do not think it comes in any other configuration.

I was recently faced with the same decision (as recently as last sunday) to purchase a pair of smart coms or cobras. We pondered over which to get for a while. We downloaded both manuals, went over them, visited dealers with both and chatted with them.

If PC support is important to you then the smart com has an infrared (irda) interface. Most people have not had any problem getting it to talk directly to a laptop. If you need an IR interface, USB interfaces are from $35-$70. The Cobra requires you to purchase another package that includes a download module and the software.

The cobra is a bit smaller than the smart com. The smart com has a nice integrated "flip-up" screen protector. I believe both are backlit, though on the smart com you have to press the case in a not-so-intuitive unmarked location to get it to come on.

In the end, we purchased the smart coms because I felt that the dealers that were selling them seemed better informed about its capabilities and there were more uwatec dealers in my area. The fact that my wife liked the display better also had some influence. I also felt that it was a bit easier for her to operate.

My first impression of the smart com is that it is infinitely configurable, and support nitrox mixes from 21-100%.

My only curiosity was that I had difficulty finding dealers that had more than 1 in stock. There seems to be high demand for them (or perhaps low supply).

- ayman