Do You Need to Buy a Dive Computer?

Back in the day, tables were how everyone dived. Today, most divers use a wrist-mount computer and for good reason.

Your computer tracks your depth, bottom time, ascent rate, and NDL in real time. Dive tables are a fixed calculation. When you go shallower mid-dive, it updates. A table can't.

Wrist computers are what the majority of divers go for these days. They're compact, easy to read, and you'll use them as a watch too. Console-mount computers are available but fewer people choose them these days.

Basic computers run about a few hundred dollars and do everything a recreational diver needs. You get depth tracking, dive time, no-deco limits, dive logging, and sometimes an entry-level freediving mode. Mid-range adds transmitter compatibility, better screens, and additional gas modes.

The one thing buyers don't think about is how the computer handles. Some models are more cautious than others. A cautious algorithm results in less visit no-deco time. More aggressive algorithms give more bottom time but at a thinner safety margin. It's not right or wrong. It just what you're comfortable with and experience level.

Talk to someone at a local dive store who uses a few different computers before you decide. They'll offer a straight answer on what works versus what's just marketing. Most good dive stores have buying guides and rundowns on their websites as well