Do You Need to Buy Your Own Dive Computer?

Tables used to be the only option. These days, nearly all recreational divers use a personal dive computer and they should.

Your computer monitors depth, bottom time, speed of ascent, and no-decompression limits in real time. Dive tables are a fixed calculation. When you move between depths partway through, it updates. A table can't.

Watch-style computers are what most people buy now. They're small enough, easy to read, and you'll use them as a watch too. Console-mount computers are still around but fewer buyers choose them now.

Entry-level computers go for around $300-odd and cover everything most divers needs. Features include depth, dive time, no-deco limits, dive logging, and often a simple freediving mode. The $500-800 range adds transmitter compatibility, nicer news displays, and more mix options.

The one thing new divers don't think about is how the computer handles. Certain models are more conservative than others. A cautious algorithm gives you reduced bottom time. Liberal ones allow longer time but with less buffer. It's not right or wrong. It just what you're comfortable with and how experienced you are.

Ask someone at a dive shop who's used various models before you decide. They'll offer real-world feedback on which ones hold up and what isn't marketing. Decent dive shops put out buying guides and comparisons online too