Video Review - Suunto D5 vs Shearwater Teric vs Garmin Descent MK1 vs Ratio iDive Colour

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Diving Dubai

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Not my Video, and am in no way connected with the author other than having exchanged emails from time to time.

Knowing about 2 of the computers myself, I feel its a fairly balanced review. He has at least taken the time to take all 4 computers underwater at the same time and publish the results

I would say as it's not a paid for or manufacturer "sponsored" video then his summary can be trusted. He's not brand biased.

Place here for information only for those considering a new PDC

Don't shoot the messenger!

 
Nice review buuuuut, he chose the computer that he dives based on price even though it scored significantly lower than the Teric. That's understandable I suppose but he weighted the different categories equally and that's where the review falls down because at the beginning he said the brightness and view ability was one of the most important things and it clearly shows the suunto to be far behind the Teric. The Teric spends its money on that screen and it is worth the price of admission. All in all not a bad review. I think he rated things fairly but the conclusion seems weighted to throw a bone to the computer he uses every day.
 
Nice review buuuuut, he chose the computer that he dives based on price even though it scored significantly lower than the Teric. That's understandable I suppose but he weighted the different categories equally and that's where the review falls down because at the beginning he said the brightness and view ability was one of the most important things and it clearly shows the suunto to be far behind the Teric. The Teric spends its money on that screen and it is worth the price of admission. All in all not a bad review. I think he rated things fairly but the conclusion seems weighted to throw a bone to the computer he uses every day.


In the UK the Teric cost 45% more than the D5. It seriously isn't a 45% better computer.

I've not dived either personally, but on land I'd say I was a little disappointed with the D5 screen (but I'm used to the Eon which has the best screen on the Market).

BUT given the $400 (UK) difference its difficult to logically recommend the Teric given both computers are similarly capable
 
BUT given the $400 (UK) difference its difficult to logically recommend the Teric given both computers are similarly capable

They're not. Screen brightness and lack of trimix capability put them in different categories altogether. The interface functionality and battery life are just joy of use issues. The price difference you mention is not even close to that much in much of the diving marketplace. I'm not sure what Suunto customer service is like but the customer service at Shearwater is exemplary. Having said all that, it is now up to the buyer to decide what is important.
 
I just ff'd to his interim results at 9:27 and 11:34 so don't know if he talked about batteries, but here's what the manuals say:

D5 - 6-12hrs
Teric - 30hrs
Descent - up to 40hrs.
Ratio - 20 hrs
 
The review is interesting but, yeah, his scoring is nuts. Not only giving each feature the same weighting but the scores for each feature make no sense. If two of the watches are nearly equal, one still gets 4 and the close second gets 3. That’s the same if one watch is miles ahead of the other.

I’m blown away by how expensive the Garmin is in the UK. Here in Oz the RRP is under A$1400 but you can easily find them under A$1300. The current exchange rate is around £0.56 per A$, so the A$1400 is around £780, but you’d really only spend less than £730 rather than £899.

The Teric in Oz is around A$1499 (£840) and so also cheaper than in the UK.
 
In the UK the Teric cost 45% more than the D5. It seriously isn't a 45% better computer.

I've not dived either personally, but on land I'd say I was a little disappointed with the D5 screen (but I'm used to the Eon which has the best screen on the Market).

If 45% more money means you can read it (in all conditions) versus not being able to read it (sometimes), does that make it 45% better? I don't see how you can categorically dismiss that.

Is the Eon Steel screen different than the Eon Core screen?

I was on a boat back in Feb with my Terics and 3 divers who had Eon Cores. During a SI, I heard one of the Core divers talking to the other 2 (it was an older couple and their adult son). The dad was asking the son how to make the screen brighter because he was having trouble reading it. They compared and looked at settings and it was on the highest brightness setting. The son's was the same. There, with bright ambient light, on the boat, it was a LOT harder to see than my Teric screen, when holding them next to each other.
 
I appreciate it when someone tries to be objective and quantitative in a review. This review was a good try, but falls short. First of all, I believe the final scores were added incorrectly, with Suunto doing a bit better and Garmin doing a little worse. The evaluation categories are certainly not all equivalent. Shearwater was first in screen brightness and navigating menus, Garmin made most of its points in watch straps and gimmicks & extras. The four computers are really not comparable. The Shearwater and the Garmin offer trimix, multiple gases, and CCR support, however, the Shearwater is AI and the Garmin is not. The Suunto is 3 gas, nitrox with AI. The Ratio Easy is 2 gas nitrox with AI. To be fair, Ratio does offer 2 other models, the Tech+ offers trimix, multiple gases, CCR support and AI. Shearwater and Garmin run Buhlmann ZH-L16C with GF. Ratio runs Buhlmann ZH-L16B with GF. With Ratio, you don't get custom GFs, rather than presets, until you get to the Tech+ model. Suunto runs their new Fused RGBM 2. Obviously, cost must be evaluated in the country of purchase. I found the Garmin offered at a 10% discount, maybe they'll be coming out with an AI version? Service was not discussed, but is very important. Shearwater service is well respected, I don't know much about Suunto (Huish in the US?), Garmin, or Ratio.

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Disclosure: I'm still diving my faithful 9 year old Oceanic VT3. My Oceanic Geo2 and my Dive Rite Nitek Q have been retired as my second computers, both were very good and continue to work fine for other family members. I've been diving a Teric since the end of May, running off the same transmitter as my VT3. Only 45 dives to date, I like it very much.
 
If 45% more money means you can read it (in all conditions) versus not being able to read it (sometimes), does that make it 45% better? I don't see how you can categorically dismiss that.


Stuart, all I can judge is that I can read the D5 screen on the surface, outside in the Dubai sun. Its clearer than the old B/W dot matrix, not as bright as a Steel nor Teric., The Teric isn't as bright as the Steel. I don't know about the core (first hand) but its not that worse than the steel.

If someone has the spare cash to drop on a Teric, then a Teric they'll buy. It bothers me not. I personally don't think it (Teric) is great value, and if I'm being honest the Eon Steel or Core is hard to justify over a D5.

But then I wouldn't personally buy a D5. However I can afford to drop $500-$800 a month on diving without batting an eyelid. Others cannot.

I just put on the video to allow people to be more informed I'm not getting into a pi$$ing match over computers.

I personally thought is was a decent review - better than the online biased magazines and better than some faceless person on SB saying X computer was the best based on a couple of dives

I know what I like and what I use for the amount and type of diving I do. Others have different views and preferences and they are welcome to spend their money how they wish. YMMV
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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