Air Integrated or non-air integrated computer?

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

AI is cool. I just got a Perdix AI earlier this week. My first AI computer....

 

[Pressurehead]

Some of us like the simplicity and reliability of a gauge even when cost isn't an issue. I use a wrist computer and a SPG that I clip off to a d-ring on my waist band. You only have to check it every 5 or 10 minutes, so it's not a big inconvenience.

+1 As above, except my computer is also AI, SPG is clipped off as well.

 

[Brett Hatch]

I had a non-AI computer (Deepblu Cosmiq) for awhile, and then eventually I ended up buying a used AI computer (Shearwater Teric). AI is nice, but it doesn't give you anything you don't already have. For new divers gearing up for the first time, I'd recommend saving that $400 or so, and put it toward your next piece of gear (probably BC or regs), or toward your next dive trip.

If you really do want to splurge on a super nice computer, that's fine, but I'd say a better screen is nicer than AI. The new Shearwater Peregrine is about $450 USD, super nice screen, and it will support any air or nitrox dive. If I were on the market for a rec dive computer, I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat.

 

[Blackcrusader]

My husband and I just passed our open water certification. I would like to get him a wrist dive computer for Christams. I understand that air integrated computers are more expensive, but won't it be nice to have everything he needs to check in one place?

I have a Shearwater Perdix but did not buy the AI device with it. You can buy the transmitters from other brands which also work and are often cheaper. I also use a Cressi Digital Console which also has a "range" feature which lets you know time to 50 bar from any point on your dive. It also keeps the previous dive details. It's not a dive computer it's a console very compact and very small SPG.

I do not wear a watch so went for the Perdix for the larger screen. As the OP is a newly certified diver she may not yet know about RMV or SAC rates yet. Good stuff to learn for sure as are Gradient Factors and all sorts of nice stuff that comes with a good dive computer.

Getting a good dive computer like the Shearwater Teric or Garmin is a nice gift for your husband. Congrats on getting certified.

 

[Marie13]

All of that varies by agencies and individual instructor, and the thinking is rapidly changing.

My first computer (more than 20 years ago) was air integrated, but attached to the tank on a console. As a new diver, I liked having all the information in one place, even though I had to reach for it. What I especially liked about it was that I could see for myself how my air consumption changed due to changes in depth and the way I breathed. I therefore intuitively learned about my air consumption rate before I had a clue it was a thing.

Decades later, I am a tech instructor who uses two computers on his wrists, but neither one is air integrated. To check my air consumption, I have to refer to an old-fashioned analog gauge clipped off at my waist. That is slightly inconvenient, but that is a minor issue for me because, believe it or not, in most cases checking your air supply for advanced dives like that is less important than it is for basic recreational dives. That is because basic recreational dives end with the divers' tanks relatively close to empty. Because having enough gas is so important on a tech dive, we carry loads of it and plan to end the dive with plenty of gas in the tank. If all goes according to plan, we will end the dive with a lot of extra gas, so we only have to check every now and then to make sure everything is going according to plan.

The exception is with sidemounted divers, who have to switch back and forth between tanks. In that case, air integrated is really nice, and if I were diving sidemount more often than I do now, I would switch to AI computers.

For my tech students, I don't care which they use. I will work with whatever you bring to the dive site.

So, for a new OW diver, if you can afford AI computers, go for it.

Yes, for sidemount, AI definitely is much more convenient than SPGs. I got a second transmitter recently.

 

[Streydog]

How often do you think you will be diving? AI is nice to have but it comes at a very high price. In my opinion the right wetsuit and fins make a much larger impact on a dive than having AI.

 

[Gary_Ward]

I'm going to go against the flow here, so it seems. I'm not a fan of AI. Not because it has no use or because it isn't a 'nice to have feature', its more that this small convenience comes at a very significant cost, particularly if you're looking at watch style computers. I'm an experienced pro, tech and CCR diver and in all the years I've been diving I have never found it to be too much of an issue to reach down an check my gauges. I have them tucked in nicely, but easily accessible and it takes only a couple of seconds to look at an analogue gauge to see how much air I have. I've never had a gauge run out of batter, fail to connect or the display change and cause me any confusion.

However, with the money saved by not buying AI (where on the latest Garmin Descent Mk 2 the AI option will cost you an additional $600 with 1 pod) you could go on an additional dive trip, or treat yourself to another piece of equipment which will have more real world value (for money).

Now Scubaboard is not representative of all divers, so the responses you'll get here are going to be more skewed towards buying into the AI idea (and Sherwood for that matter too), but on the 2 computers I've had with AI the novelty soon wore off (Hey I sac see what my SAC rate is....!!) and I came to the conclusion that it was an expensive, unnecessary novelty. But as I said at the top, I'll be swimming against the flow here on Scubaboard

 

[Swedinsidemount]

My husband and I just passed our open water certification. I would like to get him a wrist dive computer for Christams. I understand that air integrated computers are more expensive, but won't it be nice to have everything he needs to check in one place?

I've had them, their cool, but thats it. Mine broke.....
Posiedon SPG all the way, easy to read, and looks nice as well.

Skip the integrated air and get him the orcatorch d530 light instead

 

[broncobowsher]

As others have eluded to, it isn't a black and white line. How much gear do you have now? how quickly will you be gathering it? How often do you plan to dive? Where? What form factor are you looking at? There are 3 general form factors; on the end of a hose (console), wrist (largish screen, 2 straps), watch (just like a traditional watch with a biggish face). If your plans are any cold water, I would skip the watch. Not the best for sizing over a wetsuit. But if your plans are strictly warm water diving with short sleeves, you can comfortably use the watch and not worry about it.

A thought, get a wireless AI computer now but not the transmitter. Once you own your own regulator set, get the transmitter as a birthday gift or something like that.

If you have not gotten wind of it by now, Shearwater is a well respected name around here and throughout the dive world. They offer a lot of product choices (sorry, no hose mount). They are a good value for what you get. There are less expensive computers out there that are a lot more basic. There are more expensive computers that don't really do anything more for you. The same computer will work perfect for an novice diver and will continue to work for as advanced as he feels like going. Very powerful computer, but in an easy to use and friendly way. If you choose anything else, please don't get a 1-button computer. That would be my only strong suggestion to avoid anything.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'm going to go against the flow here, so it seems. I'm not a fan of AI.

Now Scubaboard is not representative of all divers, so the responses you'll get here are going to be more skewed towards buying into the AI idea (and Sherwood for that matter too), but on the 2 computers I've had with AI the novelty soon wore off (Hey I sac see what my SAC rate is....!!) and I came to the conclusion that it was an expensive, unnecessary novelty. But as I said at the top, I'll be swimming against the flow here on Scubaboard

I do not think you are going against the flow. I decided not to go AI on my Perdix. I've seen people have their AI mounts broken by dive crew and have people with transmitter issues and need to rely on an SPG anyway. So I spent the money on my Cressi Digital Console. As you said it's easy to reach and see and SPG, especially the Cressi console.

I don't need to know my actual sac rate on a dive as I am pretty decent on air anyway. This 50 minute dive to safety stop with a group of OW divers. When the other divers on the boat asked me how this was possible my reply I was enjoying myself following you guys. Most were near 50 bar but they were inexperienced and were chasing turtles and other marine life. AL 80 with 210 bar start.