You have completed your Open Water Diver Course, well done! But now the journey for new equipment starts. Nowadays almost all Open Water Diver Courses are teaching computer diving only, so you need one too. This is why we have selected the top 3 Beginner Diver Computers for you.
#1 Suunto Zoop Novo
The Suunto Zoop Novo is an perfect all-rounder for new divers. The history off Suunto is long and they have build there first dive computer in 1987! From that moment on Suunto has become the worlds leading company in diving instruments.
The predecessor off the Suunt Zoop Novo was build in 2010, the Suunto Gekko. This was the best sold beginner dive computer worldwide. Why? The computer turned out to have great features and was inexpensive.
It’s successor the Suunto Zoop Novo has a big screen with back lighting, which ensures that the computer is easy to read in all circumstances. The Zoop Novo has four different modes with of course a dive mode which handles all the decompression calculations using the Suunto RGMB. Diving with enriched air is possible to a maximum of 50 procent. Even freediving is possible with this all rounder.
The Goods
- One of the best computers for the novice diver
- Screen very easily read thanks to backlit dot matrix display
- The computer can also be used as a bottom timer and free dive computer
- The addition of deepstops will enable you to make longer and safer dives
- The long strap will fit every suit
- The log capacity is very big with 140 hours
The Bads
- Buttons sometimes difficult to operate with gloves on and unresponsive
- The USB Interface is optional and not included
- The menu’s needs some getting use to
Check out our full review of the Suunto Zoop Novo here
#2 Mares Puck Pro (Plus)
Almost everybody who starts scuba diving has heard of the brand Mares. Mares is one of the biggest manufactures of dive gear but doesn’t focus solely on dive instruments like Suunto does.
The Mares Puck Pro is again a big display dive computer with a single button to zap through the menu’s. There are two version: the Mares Puck Pro and the Mares Puck Pro Plus. The plus edition has some added features like Bluetooth connection which you won’t find on any other beginner dive computer. The Puck Pro has almost all features of a great beginner computer but is lacking some.
The Goods
- Great display which is easy to read
- Menu’s are very easy to navigate and to understand
- Battery is user replaceable
- Thin and great looking computer
- Very cheap
- The Bluetooth interface is reasonably priced as it comes to interfaces
The Bads
- Strap is on the short side
- No depth or bottom time alarm can be set
Check out our full review of the Mares Puck Pro Plus here
#3 Aqua Lung I300
In 2016 Aqua Lung broke their partnership with Suunto and started to manufacture their own dive computers. Of course we where very eager to see if the have what it takes to beat Suunto and Mares in the computer department.
The Aqua Lung i300 has four dive modes, first off you can dive with normal air but also with enriched air. The computer can also work as a bottomtimer in gauge mode and its possible to freedive with the i300. Interesting is that Aqualung has found a way to ensure you can do freediving and scuba diving on the same day. This is something Suunto hasn’t managed to do yet. The algorithm used is a Buhlman algorithm which is widely considered as the best. Incorperated in this algorithm Aqualung also added deep stop capabilities which will extend your bottom time just a bit.
Now you think, why is the I300 not on the first place?! The screen is not that good as the Suunto Zoop Novo because it’s not a dot matrix display and a lot smaller. Also the menu’s is hard to understand and you will need some time to get used to it.
The goods
- You can do a freedive and a scuba dive on the same day with the computer
- Change the battery yourself and all the data and calculations remain on the i300
- Buttons are easy to operate even if you where gloves
- The bullman algorithm is the best out there and the computer has deep stop capabilities
- Automatically detects if your diving on altitude
The Bads
- The interface isn’t included and there aren’t any updates out yet (1 year after release)
- Smaller display compared to its competitors which also isn’t a dot matrix display
- Some abbreviations in the menu’s are unclear
Check out our full review of the Aqua Lung i300 here
