Garmin has added a new entry-level model to its Descent range: the Descent X10, a wrist-mounted dive computer built around legibility, simplicity and — unusually for a consumer dive device — the needs of rental operations.
The headline feature is the display. At 2.1 inches with an always-on, high-contrast readout, a backlight and large text, it's designed so depth, dive time and other core numbers stay readable mid-dive, even for nervous or newer divers squinting through a mask. It handles scuba, apnoea and gauge modes, and is rated to 10 ATM.
Battery life is competitive for the price bracket: Garmin claims up to 50 hours of active diving per charge, or up to six months on standby, via a rechargeable cell. That's plenty for a week-long liveaboard or a learn-to-dive holiday without hunting for a charger.
Where the X10 gets interesting is the new rental mode. Dive centres, schools and charter boats can configure each unit to match a guest's experience level, then wipe dive data between users — a small thing that solves a real operational headache, and the reason Garmin has pitched coloured, replaceable bezel guards (Amp Yellow, Aqua, Purple Iris or black) partly as a stock-tracking aid for operators. Guards add protection too, and QuickFit bands are supported if you want to swap straps, though a silicone band comes as standard.
There's some genuinely useful tech for the diver as well. The 'NDL Aware' depth metrics show in real time how shifting your depth would change your no-decompression limit — handy feedback for anyone still building an instinct for gas planning. Pair the computer with the Garmin Dive smartphone app and you can run a dive simulator before getting wet, sync settings across compatible Descent computers (so a backup device matches your main one), and after surfacing the app auto-uploads your logs, tags dive sites and tracks gear usage.
Eco-conscious buyers get a nod too: the housing and bezel are made entirely from recycled ocean-bound plastic.
Pricing sits at £299.99 / €349.99 / US$349.99, which places the X10 squarely in beginner-to-intermediate territory — below Garmin's flagship Descent models but with the app ecosystem intact.
Why it matters to travellers: if you're booking a dive holiday — think Red Sea, the Philippines or a Caribbean liveaboard — and don't yet own a computer, this is the sort of device dive shops will be handing you on the boat. For new divers it covers the essentials without intimidation, and for anyone buying their first computer before a trip, the sub-£300 price, clear display and log-sharing app make it a sensible starting point. Garmin's vice president of consumer sales and marketing, Susan Lyman, framed it as essential data on the wrist, supporting divers 'from their first class and beyond' — a fair summary of who this is aimed at.
