Dive computers keep getting smarter and cheaper, and Oceanic's latest launch is a case in point. The brand new O.i Wrist — the 'O.i' stands for Oceanic Intelligence — is a colour-screen dive computer with GPS, support for three gas mixes and optional wireless air integration, priced at $399.95 in the US and €399 in the EU, with UK pricing still to be confirmed. It ships worldwide from mid November.
The screen is a 2.4-inch full-colour TFT display that colour-codes information and rearranges its layout depending on where you are in the dive. The clever bit, though, is the control system. Instead of the usual menu buttons, Oceanic has gone with a 'NavDial' — a wheel you scroll in either direction to cycle through options, press to select, or long-press to go back a screen. It can even be reversed for left- or right-handed divers, or whichever wrist you wear it on.
Under the hood, the O.i runs the Bühlmann ZHL-16C decompression algorithm with customisable Gradient Factors, so technical-minded divers can dial conservatism up or down. It's rated to 100m and handles up to three gas mixes with oxygen content from 22 to 100 per cent — meaning it suits nitrox divers as well as those planning gas switches on deeper dives. Audible and haptic alarms tell you when a new mix becomes usable at your current depth.
Pair it with up to three optional Oceanic wireless transmitters and you get cylinder pressure, real-time air consumption and remaining gas time on your wrist. The computer spots when you've switched cylinders and prompts you to confirm the gas change, with low-gas warnings delivered visually and by vibration.
The supporting cast of features is solid: a three-axis tilt-compensated compass, dive planner, gauge mode, automatic altitude adjustment and personalised no-fly tracking. Built-in GPS logs your entry and exit points for every dive — handy for shore diving unfamiliar sites. Syncing happens through the Oceanic+ iPhone app and a web app for Mac, Windows and Android, covering logbooks, settings, dive planning and firmware updates.
One standout extra is the 'digital dive slate'. You build custom reference screens in the Oceanic+ app — dive plans, navigation notes, equipment checks, instructor cues — then push them to the computer to read underwater. It's the kind of feature that could genuinely change how dive briefings and complex dives are run.
Power comes from a sealed rechargeable lithium-ion battery charged inductively on a bespoke dock. Oceanic claims around 20 hours of continuous dive mode, with a 20-to-80 per cent top-up possible in roughly 30 minutes. The box includes an adjustable silicone strap, a bungee mounting system, the charger and a protective EVA case.
Why does this matter for travelling divers? At this price, a colour computer with multi-gas support, air integration options and GPS undercuts a lot of the competition, and the travel-friendly extras — altitude adjustment, no-fly tracking, dive logging synced to your phone — are aimed squarely at people who dive on holiday and want their records in one place. If your current computer is showing its age, the mid-November release date is worth a look before your next trip.
Credit: Dive Magazine
