I can't decide which beginner level computer to get.

[cubbiegirlem]

I have an oceanic Geo 2 and love it. I think it's everything I will ever need. The one feature I thought was totally superfluous when I bought it was the ability to do two-tank dives. I NEVER thought I would use that. I still haven't. But now I'm thinking about taking a few tech courses (going to Truk and thinking about getting trained to do some of the deep stuff) and I'm glad if I go that route, I don't have to get a new computer to switch from nitrox to air if I do a deco dive.

It's definitely less conservative than the suunto (although you can make adjustments to algorithm and conservative factor). At first that made me nervous. But now seeing some of the restrictions other people's computers put on them, I appreciate it. I think it's keeping me perfectly safe, I've never had an issue, and I don't see the need to be more conservative. (That said I rarely go near the limits anyway and wouldn't do so repetitively.)

 

[stuartv]

I have an oceanic Geo 2 and love it. I think it's everything I will ever need. The one feature I thought was totally superfluous when I bought it was the ability to do two-tank dives. I NEVER thought I would use that. I still haven't. But now I'm thinking about taking a few tech courses (going to Truk and thinking about getting trained to do some of the deep stuff) and I'm glad if I go that route, I don't have to get a new computer to switch from nitrox to air if I do a deco dive.

I don't really want to rain on your parade... but... If you pursue tech training, so that you can do deco dives that include a gas switch to a deco gas, the only likely possibilities are, one, your instructor tells you to put your Geo in gauge mode and dive based on a written plan, or, two, your instructor tells you to buy a tech-oriented computer. I'll bet you a dollar that you won't find a tech instructor that will train you for deco diving where you will be doing gas switches on a Geo.

I have an Atom, which is pretty much the same as a Geo, except with Air Integration. I do tech diving. I have never done a gas switch on my Atom. The algorithm is not really suitable for tech diving. Just my opinion but the whole multi-gas feature thing on recreational computers is pure marketing fluff that is useless in the real world. My Atom supports 3 gases and I have never had any use for more than Gas 1. If I'm diving with more than 1 gas, I also need a different algorithm than what the Atom has.

 

[cubbiegirlem]

I don't really want to rain on your parade... but... If you pursue tech training, so that you can do deco dives that include a gas switch to a deco gas, the only likely possibilities are, one, your instructor tells you to put your Geo in gauge mode and dive based on a written plan, or, two, your instructor tells you to buy a tech-oriented computer. I'll bet you a dollar that you won't find a tech instructor that will train you for deco diving where you will be doing gas switches on a Geo.

I have an Atom, which is pretty much the same as a Geo, except with Air Integration. I do tech diving. I have never done a gas switch on my Atom. The algorithm is not really suitable for tech diving. Just my opinion but the whole multi-gas feature thing on recreational computers is pure marketing fluff that is useless in the real world. My Atom supports 3 gases and I have never had any use for more than Gas 1. If I'm diving with more than 1 gas, I also need a different algorithm than what the Atom has.

Fair enough! Haven't actually done it yet so I wouldn't know. Anyway I bought my Geo 2 back when there was a mixup on amazon and they were selling it for the price of the Geo 1 so I got it for Ike $200. Can't complain!!!