Garmin has been busy rolling out new wearables lately, from everyday fitness trackers to rugged, tactical smartwatches. That said, it has been a while since the brand shifted focus back to its dive-orientated lineup, which may explain why the company is now refreshing its Descent Mk3i 51mm with a new silver and black titanium build.
As a quick refresher, the watch is not exactly new. It first launched in 2023 as part of the Descent Mk3 series, with both 43mm and 51mm Mk3i variants available from the start. It is also a highly specialised piece of kit, aimed more at serious divers than casual users.
Like before, the wearable threads line up as a dive computer and a smartwatch simultaneously. It has a 1.4-inch, 454 x 454 AMOLED screen with a sapphire crystal lens for protection. Inside, it has 32GB of memory and a battery that can last up to 25 days with regular use or 66 hours with Dive mode on. It also has a built-in flashlight.
As mentioned earlier, Garmin equips the watch with a “diamond-like coated” titanium bezel, while it builds the case using fibre-reinforced polymer with a titanium rear cover. Of course, being a diving watch, the device can withstand dives of up to 20 ATM, or 200 metres, underwater.
One of the key features of the Descent Mk3i is its SubWave sonar support, which lets divers send preset messages underwater to others using compatible devices at distances of up to 30 metres. Pair it with the Descent T2 transceiver, and the watch can also monitor tank pressure and depth for up to eight divers within a 10-metre range.
Garmin has also packed the Descent Mk3i with a wide range of dive modes, covering both single and multi-gas setups such as Nitrox and Trimix. It also supports APNEA, Gauge mode, and Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR).
Rounding things out are the built-in DiveView maps, which show depth contours and include more than 4,000 dive sites. Other tools include a dive compass, surface GPS tracking, a variometer, and real-time no-decompression limit data.
While the watch is primarily built for diving, it still packs plenty of features for use on land. It comes with a wide range of sports modes covering activities like cycling, golf, running, and gym workouts. It also comes with your usual suite of health tracking, such as blood oxygen, heart rate, stress levels, and sleep monitoring.
In the US, Garmin prices the refreshed Descent Mk3i in its silver and black titanium finish at US$1,599 (~RM6,342), while a bundle that includes the Descent T2 transmitter costs US$2,099 (~RM8,325). Garmin Malaysia has yet to confirm local pricing or availability, although it has been teasing an imminent local launch via its Instagram page.
(Source: Garmin US via Gizmochina, Garmin Malaysia [Instagram], [Website])
