Suunto Core worth it over the D4i?

[Dredgy]

Hi all, I do my certification next week and am travelling for over a week to do so (unpaid leave unfortunately). While some of the trip will be reimbursed, I’m tighter on funds than I’d prefer since I’m also making the most of being in the city. I’ve narrowed down to two choices, but if there’s more I’d like to hear them.

I wasn’t originally going to buy a computer for my certification, but I have all my own gear otherwise, and since I’m in the city it is an opportunity to buy one without shipping costs to my rural location. I’m looking at a budget of $1000AUD for two reasons

1. I can be reimbursed up to $900AUD (am learning to dive for a job and this is what’s left of my equipment budget). Officially $900AUD is my budget.
2. I can use AfterPay to a limit of $1k - so I can buy the computer and pay later which won’t eat into trip funds.

Requirements

1. Nitrox
2. Air integration (wired or wireless, console or wrist are both fine)

These are the options I’m considering

1. Suunto Eon Core. I want this. I used to be a user interface designer (something most dive computer manufacturers seem to have never heard of). Even before I knew anything about scuba, I could read an understand the interface. Big plus, plus a well designed user interface is inherently relaxing. Big cons is price, at $900 it’s exactly on my reimbursement limit and that doesn’t include another $400 or so for the pod (which I’d buy later).
2. Suunto D4i Novo. This is the sensible option. Comes in under budget,even with a tank pod and does everything I need it to. Such an uninspiring product though, interface looks awful. I don’t actually want to own one.
3. Just use the rental computer and don’t buy anything. Pay the little extra for shipping when I have more time and money to make a choice.

Only other computers I like the look of are the Mares Icon/Genius and the Shearwater watch but wayyyy out of budget but every chance I’ve missed some options. Mares Quad is similarly priced to the D4i so is also an option I guess.

What would you do if you were me?

 

[Diving Dubai]

If I'm being honest I would advise you:

1 Use the rental for cert, however since you're leaning to dive for work perhaps it's' better to get the D4i and is teh sensible option

2. I can't advise you to not buy the Core. If you buy the D4 you'll always be wishing you'd bought the Eon Core and end up paying more in the long run.

I use the Eon Steel and have done for 4 years. I get you point with the interface. I'm a huge fan. I also have a Shearwater (Perdix) and while its not a bad computer it's not as good as teh on overall (they both have theri plus and minus points)

Also I'm guilty of always buying the shiny new toy because "I want" is an okay justification - so for me to say otherwise would be hypocritical. If it were me, I'd buy the Core, but it's not my money

 

[Marie13]

Core has a much nicer display. That much I can see from seeing the two at my local dive shop.

 

[yle]

Dredgy, just my two cents:

Keep in mind that the display of your dive computer is like the dashboard of your car. Which means two things:

1. Being able to get essential information when you need it is certainly important.

But...

2. If you spend a majority of your dive looking at your computer, you're doing something wrong.

I have an old D4 (previous version of the D4i). It tells me what I need to know, when I need to know. And I rarely look at it when I'm diving. The value of a user interface does depend on how much time you spend looking at it. Hopefully you'll find that time is very minimal... because you're enjoying your dive instead.

 

[Landau]

Love my Core - very easy to navigate through the menus and super easy to read. You can also customize the display somewhat.

Core also downloads to my iPhone easily via Bluetooth - though I spent an extra $10 for MacDive as the Suunto phone app isn't anywhere near as good.

 

[Glenn Williams]

Here is what I will say. If you are eventually going to be a “technical” diver then any of the shearwater products are good (Perdix, petrel and predator). If your diving for mostly recreation and some tech ( the eon core will do tech but is not per the owners manual supposed to be a tech computer)

That said I love me Eon core and I really think if you decide to get one you will too.

There are a lot of videos for both the eon, steel and the shearwaters out there. Some if not most of those are skewed to the manufacturer of those. Try to look for videos that are independent. (I have a couple) if interested look for Suunto Eon core review. I put out so far 3 videos and although I’m a little biased and long winded I hope you can see the ease of the menus on the eon core. I’m sure the shearwater menus are good as well and I almost purchased one myself.

If you want the eon core, just either rent a computer now and get one later or now.

Enjoy

Glenn

 

[scubadada]

If you decide to buy now, between the 2 you mention, I think the Core is the better choice. Besides the features others have mentioned, it runs Fused RGBM rather than RGBM and gives you the option of a liberal computer, similar to DSAT or Buhlmann 45/95. @Diving Dubai has posted several times about diving his Eon Steel on P-2.

 

[dmaziuk]

2. If you spend a majority of your dive looking at your computer, you're doing something wrong.

+1.

However, D4i is watch-sized (is presbyopia a factor?) LCD that'll run for a couple of years on a user-replaceable watch battery sold at your nearest chemist. Core has a colour screen (plan to dive in the dark/muck much?) and a non-replaceable rechargeable battery that should run for a few days from full charge. Depending on where your diving work takes you, some of those may be a hindrance.

 

[Hatul]

Can I ask about the Suunto Core, does its air time include the time to make the ascent and time to spend on deco stops?

 

[Dredgy]

Thanks guys, I will see what I end up doing, cause it will likely be impulse either way.

I’m young, so presbyopia is not an issue.
I don’t intend to do any recreational or tech diving (though hey, may change) after production.

Only diving I’m doing is as part of a film shoot in Africa, so it is basically dive (usally in very shallow water), set up cameras, exit water , come back and retrieve the next day. I think one of the dives filming Nile crocodiles is in about 6 feet of water.

I have a a few deeper dives and night dive in Lake Malawi and off South Africa, but nothing strenuous.
That said I do have leisure time in Mauritius, Madagascar and Comoros and might do some rec diving there.