Posted: 5/1/2023 10:46:28 PM EDT
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I'm planning on taking my open water certification this month. I have no gear at all. My biggest motivation is to be able to go on dives while on vacation. Is the Apple Ultra a decent enough dive watch with the Oceanic app? I don't foresee me doing really deep dives in the foreseeable future. Probably tropical reefs, maybe some spearfishing eventually in FL. I have a basic Apple SE now, but the extra functionality of the Ultra from day to day along with the dive capabilities make it an attractive option for me if it will work for that. Otherwise, if it's not worth it as a dive watch the extra perks for a daily watch isn't that appealing for the price tag. |
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| There are several long threads on Scubaboard that will answer your questions. Someone even did an app so you could pull dive log data out of the Oceanic app. |
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It has a few drawbacks including a questionable waterproof life. If you think you need to buy a dive computer now get a Shearwater Peregrine. It will do anything you will ever need and is easy to use. If my Zeagle N2Ition ever finally dies the Peregrine is what I will be buying. FWIW I started diving in the early ‘70s using tables. |
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Originally Posted By pepperbelly: Keep in mind it costs extra to use it as a dive computer, I think a subscription. For the price I would just get a Shearwater. I don’t have a regular dive partner local to me, I want to recreational dive on vacations/travels. I’m ok with paying a low subscription fee for the few months I would use it that I would have dives scheduled. Here in PA we don’t have many months available. If/when I move to a sunshine state, my needs would be likely different. |
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Originally Posted By DDiggler: I don’t have a regular dive partner local to me, I want to recreational dive on vacations/travels. I’m ok with paying a low subscription fee for the few months I would use it that I would have dives scheduled. Here in PA we don’t have many months available. If/when I move to a sunshine state, my needs would be likely different. Have you tried to find local buddies? Can take a bit of work sometimes. I live in northern IL and I pretty much dive year round. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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Originally Posted By DDiggler: I don’t have a regular dive partner local to me, I want to recreational dive on vacations/travels. I’m ok with paying a low subscription fee for the few months I would use it that I would have dives scheduled. Here in PA we don’t have many months available. If/when I move to a sunshine state, my needs would be likely different. Honestly sounds like the Apple Watch is perfect for you, IF you want an Apple Watch as a smartwatch. |
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Originally Posted By Marie: Have you tried to find local buddies? Can take a bit of work sometimes. I live in northern IL and I pretty much dive year round. Originally Posted By Marie: Have you tried to find local buddies? Can take a bit of work sometimes. I live in northern IL and I pretty much dive year round. I haven't yet. Tonight is my last night of my classes before the open water dives which I'll probably do in a month or two. Originally Posted By TinLeg: Honestly sounds like the Apple Watch is perfect for you, IF you want an Apple Watch as a smartwatch. Yeah, I already have the Gen 1 SE, and it does a good job for me. I use it for notifications, 2FA for push alerts for work, and a heart rate monitor at the gym. I had considered "upgrading" to a higher tier Apple watch before, but none of the perks were worth the increased prices to me. But needing a dive computer, and being able to use the Ultra as that whilst also getting use out of it by wearing it daily and not just for diving, makes the option more attractive. |
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Originally Posted By DDiggler: I haven't yet. Tonight is my last night of my classes before the open water dives which I'll probably do in a month or two. Yeah, I already have the Gen 1 SE, and it does a good job for me. I use it for notifications, 2FA for push alerts for work, and a heart rate monitor at the gym. I had considered "upgrading" to a higher tier Apple watch before, but none of the perks were worth the increased prices to me. But needing a dive computer, and being able to use the Ultra as that whilst also getting use out of it by wearing it daily and not just for diving, makes the option more attractive. If you’re going to be recreationally diving 3-4 times a year and keeping to recreational depths, you’re going to be just fine with using the Apple Ultra as a dive computer. The question is, do you want all the non-diving features of the Apple Ultra at the $799.00 cost and plan on recreationally diving a few times a year? If not, the diving features are over priced (once you add in subscription) and limiting to recreational diving. Even if your diving progresses into needing a more technical dive computer, you can still use the watch as a watch and a backup dive computer. You’re buying a smart watch, with a $10 a vacation subscription, recreational dive computer built in. |
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Originally Posted By 0002s: If you’re going to be recreationally diving 3-4 times a year and keeping to recreational depths, you’re going to be just fine with using the Apple Ultra as a dive computer. The question is, do you want all the non-diving features of the Apple Ultra at the $799.00 cost and plan on recreationally diving a few times a year? If not, the diving features are over priced (once you add in subscription) and limiting to recreational diving. Even if your diving progresses into needing a more technical dive computer, you can still use the watch as a watch and a backup dive computer. You’re buying a smart watch, with a $10 a vacation subscription, recreational dive computer built in. Honestly I'll likely buy a lightly used one, they are going for about $600 right now. |
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| The people I know locally who are using the Apple Watch ultra for their dive computer love it. If I was just doing recreational diving, I would get one. I’ve already had an Apple Watch for a few years. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
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I now own an Apple Watch Ultra. One thing - you'll want to make sure the battery is fully charged the morning of. Swimming in a pool it goes down shockingly fast, especially when I am used to my Descent, and admittedly it was 'under water' for the better part of three hours. Well beyond recreational diving. I haven't been diving with it yet however. It's looking like it may not happen this year, unfortunately. |
| I just bought an Ultra 2. Upgraded from an 8. Wanted the extra battery life. Larger display is nice, too. I’ll probably try it out diving once our local diving holes open. |
"They know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew." - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851, on the Great Lakes
| I have used my Ultra as a back up computer for my Shearwater Persix II. The Apple Watch and the Perdix run pretty much exactly the same. The Apple Watch is very easy to set up and easy to read underwater. I’m not sure I’d want it as my only dive computer but from what I can tell it works perfectly fine. |