It's 2024, do we have a decent computer yet?

[Bigbella]

Still have a couple of fully-functional Suunto Solutions -- pre-nitrox, from 1992, as well as an old Oceanic Datamax Sport, of about the same age.

Now, they're used as spares or as loans to friends; all user-replaceable batteries, as a rule, and all of their depth gauges still jibe with the analogue gear . . .

 

[Jens Bölte]

https://heinrichsweikamp.com/index.php/accessories/bottomtimer-2/bottomtimer.html

(from the maker of OSTC).

The link above gives a 404-error.

Give this a try

Bottomtimer - Bottomtimer - Zubehör

But you need a scooter.
Best wishes Jens

 

[Centrals]

Decent computer has been around for very long time. Unfortunately, like many "modern" appliances eg. car, refrigerator, TV etc etc, just became more and more unreliable.
My LED TV did not last for 3yrs and the replacement did not perform any better. I could not replace the battery of my mobile because it is no longer available.

 

[GF99/99]

When I started diving, roughly 8 years ago, I bought an Oceanic Geo 2.0, and thought it would be, "good enough," until the industry got its act together and came out with a better computer at a reasonable price.

The Geo shows depth and time to NDL and supports nitrox, so in that sense, it is "good enough." I like it because it's small, streamlined, and doesn't draw attention to itself. The disadvantages are legion. Display is hard to read, UI is difficult to use, needs a new coin battery every year, clock doesn't keep very good time.

Has the market settled down and produced a good computer yet? User-replaceable battery (I hate disposable gear), good display, easy to use, no larger than necessary, cheap?

For recreational look at the Garmin computers. Pretty nice computers/fitness watches. I have the MK2S and have been wearing it everyday for 1.5 years now and love it. I really like all the fitness features, great for hiking, running, biking, etc. It is the same size has a standard watch (much smaller then typical dive computers) display is crystal clear and very bright underwater plus it is always on (not like the Apple Watches), has a clamp on contact charger and the battery last about 7 days. Also nice to have your text messages and alerts show up, also has Spotify so you don’t need to carry your big smart phone to Bluetooth listen to music while running, hiking, working out, etc.

For technical the gold standard is Shearwater.