Garmin is releasing two new dive computers in Malaysia next month, the Descent G1 Solar Ocean Edition and the Mk3 series. The G1 Solar is the more affordable of the bunch and features an environmentally-friendly design with 100% of the plastic used in the watch made from recycled plastics.
The Descent G1 Solar Ocean Edition comes in a 45mm size with a sapphire crystal lens on the monochrome display for scratch resistance. There is even a solar charging lens that allows it to last up to 25 hours in dive mode and up to a whopping 124 days in smartwatch mode. It also boasts a high-level of ruggedness as it’s water-rated to 100 metres with US military 810 standards for thermal, shock, and water resistance.
As a dive computer, it offers multiple dive modes for single and multiple gas dives, gauge, apnea hunt, and closed-circuit rebreather. The surface GPS inside lets you track dive entry and exit points while the 3-axis compass allows you to navigate below the waterline. The software also supports more than 30 sports modes and can store and review data for up to 200 dives.
For a more advanced dive computer, there’s the new Garmin Descent Mk3 series along with the Descent T2 transceiver. Coming in two sizes, the Mk3 features an AMOLED touch display and can survive up to 200 metres in the water with leakproof buttons. For the battery life, it can last up to 48 hours in dive mode.
The lineup comes with all the features of the G1 Solar as well as DiveView Maps, which features over 4,000 preloaded dive sites and bathymetric depth contours. Its sensors include an altimeter, barometer, underwater compass, variometer, and surface GPS. Garmin offers a built-in flashlight but this feature is exclusive to the 51mm variant.
As for the Descent T2 transceiver, this is an optional add-on that allows users with the Mk3i, the variant with air integration and diver messaging, to request for assistance and even communicate with other divers via messaging, both enabled through SubWave sonar technology. To get these features, you’ll have to fork out an extra RM2,590.
The Garmin Descent G1 Solar Ocean Edition will be available for RM3,087 at the end of December 2023. Similarly, the Mk3 series will also be launched by the end of the year with a starting price of RM6,220 for the standard 43mm variant and RM7,250 for the 43mm Mk3i while the top-of-the-line 51mm Mk3i carries a price tag of RM8,280. These dive computers will be sold through the brand’s Shopee, Lazada, and AECO stores as well as authorised retailers.
(Source: Garmin Press Release)
