Best Cheap Dive Computer

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CaveSloth

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Location
The Deep South
# of dives
50 - 99
I have a Shearwater Teric. My girlfriend wants a computer but doesn't want to spend the $$ for a Teric.

Just need ability to set O2% and calculate NDLs / PPO2 exposure etc with a decent algo with results close to the Teric.

Cave Adventurers sells both the Oceanic Veo 2.0 and Hollis DGO2 for under $300. Any advice on those 2 or other suggestions under $300?
 
Aqualung I300C goes for about 300$ and is pretty good!
 
House of Scuba still lists the discontinued Oceanic Geo 2.0 for $269. A great little watch style computer superseded by the similar Bluetooth enabled Geo 4.0 at $399.
 
I have a Shearwater Teric. My girlfriend wants a computer but doesn't want to spend the $$ for a Teric.

Just need ability to set O2% and calculate NDLs / PPO2 exposure etc with a decent algo with results close to the Teric.

Cave Adventurers sells both the Oceanic Veo 2.0 and Hollis DGO2 for under $300. Any advice on those 2 or other suggestions under $300?
Hi @CaveSloth

What GFs do you run on your Teric? If you want your girlfriend's computer to run close, that will dictate the options. If you run a GF high of 95, you will want DSAT to approximate it (Oceanic and others). If you run a GF high of 85, PZ+ will be pretty close (Oceanic, Aqua Lung, others)

Oceanic compters run DSAT and PZ+. The Oceanic Veo 2 has been discontinued, the newer, Veo 4 has added Bluetooth. The Veo 2 would need a cable to download the log, about $100. The Hollis DG02 is discontinued, very similar to Veo 2, same OEM, Pelagic Pressure Systems, only runs PZ+ and would also require a download cable. The Aqua Lung i300C is the updated i300, same story as the Veo 2, Veo 4, only runs PZ+. It is also manufactured by PPS, now owned by Aqua Lung.

Personally, I would pass on other less expensive computers by Mares, Cressi, and Suunto. They run versions of RGBM that can be quite conservative, especially on repetitive dives. If that is not a concern, they are just fine.

Good luck

Edit: scrane was positing as I was typing. The Geo 2 is the watch style version of the Veo 2 and is a very good computer. I dived one as a backup for many years. Same consideration, would need an expensive cable to download whereas the Geo 4 has Bluetooth
 
if you are interested i have a i300 with data cable 200 Canadian plus shipping only 25 dives.i upgraded to a petrel 2
 
I had no problem purchasing an i300 for under $200 new on the internet. Not sure it is the greatest one for the price, but it is the one we used in open water and I knew how to use it and it provides all of the info that I need on my dives. The Mares Puck Pro may be comparable and certainly can be purchased for under $200, but I haven't used it. She might consider whatever she used in training and is familiar with using.. that is half the battle... is she one that will read all the manuals and use all of the fancy features or does she just need the basics like I do.. glance at the screen and know depth, time of dive, time remaining for ndl, nitrogen loading graphic, and ascent rate graphic, for air or any blend of nitrox, safety stop and be able to log a series of dive profiles at the end of a day or week.
 
I am using Veo 2 for the past few years and pretty happy with it. Battery does not last long but easy to replace
 
Maybe it's my age talking and my vision isn't quite as good as it used to be, but I find both the Mares Puck Pro and the i300 difficult to read. The data itself is easy enough but what the data represents is very tiny so if you aren't very familiar with what number is where and what it means then you might need to add some bifocals like I did. After trying several computers, so far my favorite is the old Aladin Pro that needs to be immersed in oil to change the battery. The "what this number is for" info is printed on the case and is not LCD, and I only dive air so this won't work for you, but there are some nice, new ones out there with big numbers that are easy to read but you'll probably have to spend more than $300. Just for clarity my vision tested 20/20 a few days ago with both eyes open--it's the up-close stuff that isn't quite so good any more and there's something about LCD screens....
 
I and my wife did buy this spring a pair of Cressi Leonardo, at 99 eur each. It was "prime day" on Amazon, so a good rebate...
We are very happy of them, they provide all what's required (including Nitrox), are very simple to operate (just one button, which does need to be operated at all while diving) and look very robust. We installed them in our consoles, together with the pressure gauge, replacing the old mechanical depth meters which were almost the same size.
I know there are other much more advanced, but do we really need them?
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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