Dive Computers

Your dive computer is the one piece of kit you look at on every dive, so screen readability and how well it matches your diving matter more than the spec sheet. We stock Shearwater, Garmin, Suunto, Aqualung and Mares, from straightforward entry-level wrist computers, through watch-style models you can wear every day, to full technical units for mixed gas and decompression diving. Free UK delivery, and our instructors dive these computers themselves.

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Read the full buying guide

How to choose a dive computer

The most important question is not which brand, it is how you dive. A recreational diver working at 20 to 30 metres in UK water has very different needs from someone running mixed gas on a technical dive. Get that wrong and you will either buy more computer than you need, or outgrow it inside a year.

Entry level

If you are newly qualified, the Suunto Zoop Novo is the most straightforward starting point: it does what a first dive computer needs to do and nothing more. The Aqualung i330R is our best all-round beginner recommendation, with a colour screen that stays readable in UK visibility and enough capability to grow with you. The Aqualung i200C and i300C and the Mares PUCK 4 sit in the same bracket.

Mid-range and watch-style

The Suunto Nautic S and the Garmin Descent G2 are watch-style computers you can wear every day, and both are a meaningful step up in build quality. The Shearwater Peregrine is the other one we recommend constantly at this level, with a large, simple, high-contrast display and Shearwater's firmware behind it. The Peregrine TX adds air integration, and the TERN and Swift round out the same family.

Premium and technical

The Suunto Nautic has an exceptionally bright screen that stays readable in poor visibility, and covers technical diving, sidemount and multi-tank setups through tank pods. The Garmin Descent MK3i is a full smartwatch and a capable technical computer in one, and the Descent X50i is Garmin's dedicated technical answer. The Shearwater Perdix 3 is the endgame for divers who want a computer built purely around underwater performance, and the Teric is its watch-style sibling.

Air integration: do you need it?

Air integration puts a wireless transmitter on your first stage so that tank pressure appears on your wrist, without interrupting the dive to check your SPG. It is genuinely useful on drift dives, or when you are concentrating on a subject and do not want to look away. We stock the transmitters to match: the Aqualung Transmitter Rev2, the Garmin Descent T2 transceiver and the Suunto Tank POD.

Most recreational divers manage perfectly well without it. If you are buying a computer you intend to keep for years, it is worth choosing one that supports air integration even if you do not add the transmitter straight away.

Watch-style or traditional?

Watch-style computers such as the Garmin Descent MK3i, the Suunto Ocean and the Shearwater Teric sit on your wrist and get worn between dives as an ordinary watch. Traditional units like the Shearwater Perdix 3 and the Aqualung i770R have larger screens optimised purely for reading data underwater, which makes them easier on a decompression stop but bulkier on the surface. Both dive equally well. The choice usually comes down to whether you want to wear it out of the water.

Not sure which one? Ask us

We dive these computers ourselves, in the same UK water you do. Tell us the depth and the kind of diving you are doing now, and we will tell you honestly which of them will still suit you in three years, rather than pointing you at the most expensive one. Call us on 0800 699 0243 or come and see us in Hove.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to use a dive computer?

In practice yes, which is why we teach you to use one when you learn to dive. A dive computer tracks depth, time and nitrogen loading in real time, monitors your ascent rate and tells you when a safety stop is needed. Higher-end models track your gas supply as well. Diving without one means estimating your profile rather than reading it, and a number of dive destinations and operators now require divers to carry one.

What is the best dive computer for beginners?

The Aqualung i330R is our top recommendation for most new divers. It has a clear colour screen, is intuitive to set up, and has enough capability to last through your first few years of diving. If budget is the priority, the Suunto Zoop Novo is a reliable, no-frills option that covers everything a recreational diver needs. Avoid buying a technical computer for recreational diving, because you will pay for features you will not use for years.

What is the best dive computer for UK cold-water diving?

Any of the computers we stock will handle UK temperatures. The ones our instructors are currently diving are the Suunto Nautic, the Garmin Descent MK3i and the Aqualung i330R. Screen readability in low visibility is where the Nautic stands out. The MK3i holds its own on UK wrecks and reefs, and the i330R shows that you do not need a premium computer to get a clear, readable display underwater.

How much should I spend on a dive computer?

Buy the computer that matches how you dive now, not the one you might need in five years. You can always upgrade. Entry-level wrist computers cover everything a recreational diver needs. Watch-style models add everyday wear and a step up in build quality. Premium units add full technical support, air integration and the best screens. Prices move as the range changes, so check the current figure on the product page rather than relying on a guide like this one.

What is the difference between a Garmin and a Shearwater dive computer?

It depends which models you are comparing. At the watch-style end, the Garmin Descent MK3i and the Shearwater Teric are the two common options. The MK3i is a full smartwatch first and a dive computer second, but that undersells it: it handles multi-gas, technical diving and decompression properly. The Teric has a more dive-focused interface and a loyal following among divers who want Shearwater's firmware without a puck-style computer. For dedicated technical units the comparison shifts to the Shearwater Perdix 3 and the Garmin Descent X50i, both built around underwater performance rather than surface features.

Do I need air integration on my dive computer?

No, but it is a useful feature once you have been diving for a while. Air integration shows your remaining tank pressure on your wrist, removing the need to check a separate SPG during the dive. It requires a wireless transmitter on your first stage, which adds to the cost. Most recreational divers manage fine without it, while technical divers and those diving overhead environments tend to find it genuinely valuable. We stock transmitters for Aqualung, Garmin and Suunto systems.

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