Hi, I am considering upgrading my dive computer. I have the i300c and it works fine. I have dived with buddys who have the shearwater perdrix ai and i770. The display, ease of reading in low viz and at night, the extra options all seem pretty sweet to me. I do like better the shearwater of the two. I am wondering if it’s really worth the money to upgrade to this level of dive computer for a recreationnal diver? I’m hesitant to buy anything right now thinking that maybe something new will come out with 2020 .. any advice would be great!
Considering a new dive computer..
- Thread starter Ben_3
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Shearwater computers are great, I don’t think you will find many folks that would disagree; what you are asking is a very personal question though. Shearwater computers will advance with you into technical diving. If you are not interested in technical diving the question becomes how much disposable income do you have? Are you willing to spend the extra money for a bigger and better screen? That is a question only you can answer.
Bigger and better screen. Better user interface. Great resale value. For me the Shearwater uses less of my attention. The info is simple to register into my brain without having to think about it.
helodriver87
Contributor
I used a Shearwater for a long time at the rec level. I still use it for full cave/trimix stuff. You'll never outgrow it and the main display/operation is very intuitive. If you can drop that kind of cash on a dive computer, there's nothing else in the price range worth considering.
The screen was a big notice. When reading my i300c in dark or low viz it’s not perfect. But the shearwater for example seems to have a lot more options like the compass. air monitoring, different algorithms etc. Do those options really become that handy?
broncobowsher
Contributor
The shearwater is a great recreational computer. It has a very nice recreational setting. So while it is a very capable technical computer if you ever go that way it isn't too much for the new diver either.
Don't worry about new stuff next year. 3 generation old Shearwaters are still desirable units. The newer ones have only added a few features (Air integration as an option) or a compass. Those two new features are all that have been added in the past 5 years. The form factor changed when the Perdix was added to the old Petral. And the Petral has two versions (with and without compass). The newest version is the Teric which is more of a watch. Those are pricy. And if there is anything new next year it is probably just going to be a version of that.
Don't worry about new stuff next year. 3 generation old Shearwaters are still desirable units. The newer ones have only added a few features (Air integration as an option) or a compass. Those two new features are all that have been added in the past 5 years. The form factor changed when the Perdix was added to the old Petral. And the Petral has two versions (with and without compass). The newest version is the Teric which is more of a watch. Those are pricy. And if there is anything new next year it is probably just going to be a version of that.
I’m curious is their anything else close to it?
Thanks for the feedback. The watch version is nice but the smaller screen kind of takes away from the easy to read of the perdrix. Especially with a dry suit and low viz that’s my idea. Do you know if the Teric outperforms the perdrix ?
helodriver87
Contributor
Not really. OSTC in Europe, but seeing as you're in Shearwater country, no chance.
Same basic functionality, different form factor. I prefer the Perdix because it's a dedicated dive computer and it's fully geared towards diving. If you want something that doubles as a watch, the Teric is pretty cool. It's just a bit too small for me.
Whatever you get, RTFM.
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