If you go with perdix it may be your last computer for many many years. It would be hard to outgrow this unit throughout many levels of diving and with customer support second to none it should be there for a long time to come.
First Dive Computer suggestion
- Thread starter TripleAech
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Cascade
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I have Aeris A300CS (earlier name of Oceanic VTX) and Shearwater Perdix AI.
UI of Aeris is not as good as Perdix. Menu structure is quite weird, compass is slow, overall performance is quite slow too. Screen is blind in bright conditions. Both Aeris and Perdix support the same transmitter but receiver module in A300CS is not good, usually it loses connection 5-10 times a dive (Perdix much more stable).
And A300CS is not suitable for technical diving. There is no ability to set GF high and GF low, for example. If your deepest deco stop is below 21m, A300CS/VTX will be locked for next 24 hours
Perdix is much better, no doubt.
I certainly wouldn't spend $1000 on a "first" computer either. I did spend over $1000 on "a" computer.
My question is why do you want buy a "first" computer that you plan to replace? When you do finally buy that awesome $1000 computer you can go ahead and add the cost of your first computer to that. At least you would have a backup computer but with the reliability of modern computers that need is debatable. If you have 2 different computers they will likely give you different results so a backup computer should use the same algorithm. Simply logging your dives and having a dive table available should be a sufficient backup.
Thinking that the next big thing in dive computers is going to happen in the next 5 years is unlikely. I have a Perdix AI and it really doesn't do anything the computer I had 20 years ago did. Sure, it is lighter, brighter, and has Bluetooth but what it does during the dive is pretty much the same.
If you know you want the perdix go ahead and get it now. You will want more features sooner than you think and you won't have to learn a new computer.
Did your computer from 20 years ago let you adjust the gradient factor? Was it air integrated? The OP only said he wanted to buy his first computer. He didn't say he wanted to buy a throw away, or even replace it. He has to start somewhere, and that would be the "first" computer. The only reason I would be leery of spending a lot on the first computer is really knowing if it is going to be used, or stored for five years before sale of all the gear (didn't like diving). Now that I know I like diving, I wish I had bought a better computer than the one the dive shop talked me into. But! I'm glad that I am getting the Perdix AI, which wasn't available five years ago.
I don't know about the GF but I haven't adjusted that on the Perdix yet and actually forgot that was a feature.
Yes, the computer from 20 years ago was AI and it also knew if was in salt water or fresh and displayed the appropriate depth. The Perdix doesn't do that.
The technology has been polished a bit over the last 20 years but computers really don't do anything significant now they haven't done for years. I expect displays and battery life to improve but if I wanted a computer now I wouldn't wait for the next big break through.
One of the first things I plan to do when I receive the Perdix is to adjust the gradient factor.
I've only been diving for five years, but the more important to me than the bells and whistles is the algorithm the computer uses. My Zoop is way too conservative. I like the adjustability of the Perdix. The salt/fresh water detection is cool. I haven't seen any computers that do that.
I just got mine and will dive with it for a while before I determine if anything needs adjusted. At my age I prefer a bit more conservative computer and doubt I would purposely make it less so.
The salt/fresh detection was a neat feature and it worked perfectly and instantly. It displayed an accurate depth based on the water type but it was really just a gimmick. Dive computers only care about pressure. The number it displays as the depth is only for your entertainment.
OP
TripleAech
Registered
Well I finally went by the Shearwater Perdix AI route and went diving last week, I made a total of 10 dives (rec) with it and it was fantastic, from the readability in any light condition, the information it gives you, the ease of use (switching gases is super easy) I completed my Nitrox certification and my Rescue Diver with it, and I am very glad to have invested in it, I used the surgical tubing and felt great, super easy to don the computer and it felt very secure, the software is great (great way to keep your digital log too) and the ease of use of the Bluetooth syncing is great, I only wish they could sync information between the cloud and the app and desktop versions, but other than that is great. Thank you for all your suggestions, I do think this was a great investment
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