Dive Computer Guide: What to Know

Tables used to be the standard. Now, the majority of divers use a personal dive computer and they should.

A dive computer tracks depth, time, speed of ascent, and no-deco limits in the moment. Dive tables are a fixed calculation. If you move between depths mid-dive, a computer adjusts. A table can't.

Watch-style computers are what most people go for at this point. These are compact, readable underwater, and you'll wear them as a regular watch as well. Console models are an option but not as many divers go that way these days.

Entry-level computers run about $300-odd and cover everything the average diver needs. You get depth, bottom this site time, NDL, log function, and usually a simple freediving mode. Stepping up to mid-range includes transmitter compatibility, nicer screens, and additional mix options.

What buyers forget is how the computer handles. Certain computers are more conservative than others. A conservative setting gives you reduced no-deco time. Looser algorithms allow longer bottom time but at a thinner buffer. Both work. It just your style and how experienced you are.

Check with people at a local dive store who dives with multiple computers before buying. Staff will offer real-world feedback on what works and what's just marketing. The better Cairns dive stores put out product guides and honest reviews on their sites as well