Dive Computers: Honest Guide for Scuba Divers

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Tables used to be the standard. At this point, nearly all recreational divers dive with a wrist-mount computer and they should.

A dive computer monitors depth, bottom time, speed of ascent, and no-deco limits in the moment. Tables can't do that. If you go shallower during a dive, it updates. Tables are set before you get in.

Wrist computers are the most common buy now. They're small enough, readable underwater, and you'll wear them as a watch too. Console models are still around but less divers pick them anymore.

Entry-level computers go for around $250-400 and handle everything most divers requires. You get depth tracking, time, no-deco limits, a logbook, and usually a simple freediving mode. Mid-range gets you air integration, nicer displays, and more mix modes.

Something people forget is algorithm differences. Some models are more main page conservative than others. A tighter computer gives you reduced NDL. Looser settings extend bottom time but at a thinner buffer. Both work. It comes down to personal preference and your diving background.

Worth talking to the staff at a dive shop who's used multiple brands first. They'll offer real-world feedback on what's good and what isn't just marketing. Most good dive stores put out gear reviews and honest reviews on their sites too

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