Question about dive computers

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New divers are ignorant, they deserve to have a baseline of information. It's great that you enjoy diving your Cressi computer, it is just not right for everyone.
 
My definition of ignorant diver is the one who believes if they blow mandatory deco their computer will "safely recompute me to surface", therefore everyone must buy a Shearwater. The close second is repeating "liberal algorithm is better, if you buy conservative computer you'll be sorry" because "that will educate ignorant new divers".

You want to stay down longer and have the gas for it? -- get deco trained and live happily ever after. It doesn't take that long, just ask Stuart.
 
It's a) not going to give you an optimal decompression profile and b) I strongly suspect even DM5 won't let you plan a deco dive for a Zoop.

"Recreational" computers will get you topside you safe if you overstay your NDL. That is not quite the same thing as computer designed for planned decompression dives.

I don't think you can plan decompression dives on the Zoop, although it will give you the same schedule as the Vyper and Vytec. You might need to go to the Vyper (which is I think the next one up), for the decompression planing options. In fairness, there is a lot of deco diving done on Zoop's. The Vytec is no longer available.

My ancient Suunto Vyper does deco' dive planning, but I bought that back in the 90's. The Vytec flooded, that did gas switching as well. I'm a bit old school, so I like a hard table for multiple gas dives. Although, I only dive CCR these days, although I still carry hard tables for bailout, even on CCR. I like a hard table if I'm doing anything serious anyway, there's nothing like diving to a runtime.
 
My definition of ignorant diver is the one who believes if they blow mandatory deco their computer will "safely recompute me to surface", therefore everyone must buy a Shearwater. The close second is repeating "liberal algorithm is better, if you buy conservative computer you'll be sorry" because "that will educate ignorant new divers".

You want to stay down longer and have the gas for it? -- get deco trained and live happily ever after. It doesn't take that long, just ask Stuart.
So, we agree on nothing, what else is new?
 
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I can offer a single data point towards your question.

I used my Genesis ReactPro (a recreational dive computer with limited deco capabilities) for nearly 250 dives over 5 years. If I weren't planning to start technical training, I could quite happily use that same computer for the rest of my life.
 
I bought a zoop novo. Does everything I want for air / nitrox diving to 40m and was inexpensive. There were some cheaper but screens were not as easy to read. At same time I was buying my "cheapie" a woman was intending to spend £450 to £1000 before completing her OW. I would prefer a slightly larger screen but my zoop is as bulky as I would want to wear. Perhaps someone should design a curved one that fits your arm closely.
 
OPs question has already been answered, but I would like to add this...

Buy what you need right NOW, not for what you might need later. (future “proof”) Because when the day comes that you need more from your dive computer, chances are there will be newer and better models on the market.

I did not heed my own advice here, I bought the Shearwater Teric, but, I bought it becaues of the clarity of the screen.

This should be the only exception to my advice imo, you gotta be able to clearly see what’s going on, preferable with just a quick glance, and if that means a more expensive dive computer then so be it.
 
I expect most common reasons to upgrade are
- I want a new toy,
- I bought my own regs and want to add a wireless air pressure sensor,
- I am going into decompression training and need a computer designed for decompression diving.

I’d have to say another reason to upgrade is a more readable color display.
 
For recreational diving, a basic computer can work for what you need. It may not work well for what you want. Whether you choose a console, wrist 'puck' or wrist watch style basic computer (let's say maybe around $250 - 300 or so?), let's take a look at the optional upgrades you might like:

1.) Air integration. You look at your computer instead of a separate SPG for gas pressure remaining.

2.) Dive logging with download capability to a desktop PC. The computer automatically logs a range of dive parameters (e.g.: time to start & end, total dive time, maximum and average depths, how much nitrogen loading you had perhaps, course of dive (e.g.: did you 'sawtooth' up & down a lot?), water temp.s, did you make ascent rate violations going up too fast) and, if it's an air-integrated computer, probably your start & stop gas pressures & calculate your SAC rate for the dive. On your home computer you can then add details like dive site name, dive destination, boat, etc...

3.) Intuitive interface. If you've ever had to change settings on a cheap digital wrist watch vs. an iPhone, you know the power of interface. Something like a Shearwater or Atomic Aquatics Cobalt 2 with an intuitive interface will cost you. But imagine you're on a dive boat, realize you forget to set your computer to a nitrox mix and...wonder whether you can figure out how to make the change. On some computers, not a problem. Others?

4.) If the dive computer can download the log to your desktop system, do you want to have to use a cable or have it happen wirelessly? Can it download logs to your cell phone? (I'm not sure which if any do that now).

Other considerations:

1.) Do you want an easily swappable, common battery so you're always ready to go (e.g.: AA?), or a built-in rechargeable battery because you live in fear opening & closing the thing is going to flood it with salt water & ruin it?

2.) How long is the battery life? I know at least one computer had a bad rep. for this (hello, Lynx). Computers with the big, multi-color displays and intuitive interfaces are the ones where this might bite you.

3.) Whether & to what extent a 'conservative' dive computer is undesirable has been debated in multiple threads on Scuba Board. I wouldn't want a Suunto for this reason, but many like them. Make up your own mind.

4.) For some things, it's better to go ahead & buy what you'll eventually want. If you're the type to tends to upgrade every few years because you want the latest bells & whistles anyway, and you'll probably buy a new dive computer in 6 or 7 years regardless, then 'starting cheap' isn't such a problem.

Richard.
 
In our family we have an Aqualung i300, a Cressi Giotto, and a Mares Puck Pro. They all work just fine. I think in terms of value for the money for a basic machine, the Puck Pro (the cheapest) is actually my favorite. Quite a few features, a display that includes temperature on the first screen, and easy to read and set your preferences. If you have to change a lot settings or scroll through a lot of menus during the course of a day, I guess the one button operation would potentially get irritating. However, that hasn't been an issue for us. The Cressi Giotto (as far as I can tell) will not let you turn off the audible ascent rate alarm. I suppose no one should ever recommend turning off the ascent rate alarm, but it seems pretty sensitive for relative small changes in depth that don't really involve an "ascent." Lots of beeping.
 

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