PEREGRINE

The Shearwater Peregrine gives a recreational diver the same display and decompression engine Shearwater puts in its technical computers, with air integration and the compass left out to keep the price down. What remains is a 2.2 inch full-colour screen and a Buhlmann gradient-factor algorithm, run by two buttons rather than a menu tree.

The case is rated to 120 metres and weighs 122 grams at 77 by 68 by 25 millimetres. The screen runs 320 by 240 pixels in full colour, and the internal rechargeable cell gives up to 30 hours at medium brightness from a wireless charging dock. Modes cover air, nitrox, three-gas nitrox to 100 percent oxygen, and gauge. The log stores 200 hours or 96 dives.

The result is a first computer a diver does not outgrow in a season. Three gases and gradient factors carry someone from open water through to early decompression training, and the conservatism is set by the same numbers a Petrel owner uses. Vibration alerts back up the screen, which counts when the computer sits on the far wrist under a hood.

Three colourways: Black with a cyan bezel on a black strap and shock cord, Adventures Light in white with teal retainers, and Adventures Dark in grey with orange retainers. Each ships with the 26 millimetre silicone band, wireless charging station, screen protector and a ballistic nylon case. For tank pressure and a compass, the Peregrine TX is the same body with both added.