This comprehensive guide compares the Mares Puck Pro+, Suunto Ocean, and Garmin Descent MK2i, helping divers of all levels find the perfect balance of affordability, functionality, and advanced features to match their underwater and multi-sport needs.

Editor’s Choice

The Garmin Descent MK2i earns the Editor’s Choice award for its unparalleled combination of advanced dive features, premium build quality, and versatility. With support for technical dive modes like trimix and CCR, air integration via the T1 transmitter, and robust GPS and multi-sport functionality, it is the ultimate tool for divers and adventurers alike.

Final Verdict: ★★★★★ (4.8/5)

Image	Product	Rating	Price
	Mares Puck Pro+	★★★★☆ (4.6/5)	Click for Best Price
	Suunto Ocean	★★★★☆ (4.5/5)	Click for Best Price
	Garmin Descent MK2i	★★★★★ (4.8/5)	Click for Best Price

Introduction

The Mares Puck Pro+ is a budget-friendly and straightforward dive computer designed for beginner and recreational divers, but how does it compare to more advanced models like the Suunto Ocean and the Garmin Descent MK2i?

While the Mares Puck Pro+ focuses on simplicity, affordability, and essential dive features, the Suunto Ocean offers a step up in durability and functionality for recreational and advanced divers. On the other hand, the Garmin Descent MK2i stands out as a premium dive computer with advanced technical dive modes, air integration, GPS navigation, and multi-sport capabilities, catering to technical divers and adventurers.

Whether you’re a beginner diver seeking simplicity, a recreational diver looking for reliability, or a technical diver in need of advanced features, this guide will help you find the perfect dive computer for your needs.

Design and Build

Mares Puck Pro+
The Mares Puck Pro+ features a lightweight and compact design with a durable thermoplastic case and scratch-resistant mineral glass lens. Its slim profile and comfortable strap make it ideal for younger or beginner divers. The single-button interface is intuitive, though it sacrifices advanced functionality for simplicity.

• Depth Rating: 150 meters (492 feet).
• Best For: Divers seeking an affordable, no-frills, and durable option for recreational diving.

Suunto Ocean
The Suunto Ocean is built with a rugged composite body and a scratch-resistant mineral glass lens, providing excellent durability for frequent dives. Its ergonomic design and adjustable strap ensure a secure and comfortable fit. The intuitive button navigation system adds to its user-friendly appeal, though it retains a minimalist approach.

• Depth Rating: 100 meters (330 feet).
• Best For: Recreational divers who value durability and simplicity with added safety features.

Garmin Descent MK2i
The Garmin Descent MK2i is a premium dive computer crafted with a titanium bezel, sapphire crystal lens, and robust materials, ensuring maximum durability and longevity. Its full-color AMOLED display and interchangeable QuickFit™ bands combine luxury with practicality, making it suitable for technical dives and everyday wear.

• Depth Rating: 100 meters (330 feet).
• Best For: Technical divers, multi-sport enthusiasts, and those seeking a high-end, durable device with advanced features.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Affordable, compact, and durable, perfect for beginners and younger divers.
• Suunto Ocean: Rugged and ergonomic, offering excellent durability for recreational and advanced divers.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Premium materials and design, ideal for technical divers and adventurers looking for top-tier performance and versatility.

Display and Readability

Mares Puck Pro+
The Mares Puck Pro+ features a high-contrast monochrome LCD display with large digits, ensuring clear readability underwater. Its straightforward, segmented layout focuses on essential dive metrics like depth, dive time, and no-decompression limits. The backlight enhances visibility in low-light conditions, but the display lacks color or advanced customization options.

• Best For: Beginners and recreational divers who value simplicity and clarity over advanced visuals.

Suunto Ocean
The Suunto Ocean is equipped with a monochrome, high-contrast display that offers clear and bold digits, making it easy to read in various underwater conditions. The segmented data layout is intuitive, while the backlight ensures readability during night dives. However, like the Puck Pro+, it does not include color or dynamic data presentation.

• Best for: Recreational and advanced divers seeking a straightforward and reliable display for underwater use.

Garmin Descent MK2i
The Garmin Descent MK2i stands out with its vibrant, full-color AMOLED display. The high-resolution screen offers customizable layouts, allowing users to prioritize specific metrics such as depth, tank pressure, or decompression status. Its adjustable brightness and anti-glare coating enhance readability in all conditions, making it suitable for both recreational and technical dives.

• Best For: Divers who want an advanced, visually rich display with extensive customization options and superior readability.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Clear, high-contrast monochrome display with a focus on essential metrics and simplicity.
• Suunto Ocean: Similar monochrome display with bold, intuitive data presentation and backlighting for enhanced usability.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Superior full-color AMOLED display with customizable layouts and exceptional readability for advanced users.

Features and Functionality

When comparing the Mares Puck Pro+, Suunto Ocean, and Garmin Descent MK2i, it’s essential to consider the range of features and functionalities each dive computer offers to determine which best suits your diving needs.

Mares Puck Pro+

• Dive Modes: Supports Air, Nitrox (up to 99%), and Gauge modes, accommodating basic recreational diving requirements.
• User Interface: Features a single-button navigation system, simplifying menu access and operation, ideal for beginners.
• Connectivity: Offers optional Bluetooth connectivity via the BLUELINK system, allowing dive data transfer to smartphones or computers; however, the BLUELINK connector is sold separately.
• Logbook Capacity: Stores up to 36 hours of dive data, sufficient for tracking recent dives but limited for extended logging.
• Additional Features: Includes audible and visual alarms for safety, user-replaceable battery, and firmware upgradeability.

Suunto Ocean

• Dive Modes: Provides Air, Nitrox, and Gauge modes, suitable for recreational and advanced divers.
• User Interface: Equipped with a straightforward menu system and multiple buttons for intuitive navigation.
• Connectivity: Lacks built-in wireless connectivity; dive data transfer requires a separate USB cable.
• Logbook Capacity: Offers substantial memory for dive logging, enabling detailed record-keeping over multiple sessions.
• Additional Features: Features user-replaceable battery, customizable settings, and robust safety alarms.

Garmin Descent MK2i

• Dive Modes: Supports multiple dive modes, including Air, Nitrox, Trimix, CCR, and Apnea, catering to both recreational and technical divers.
• User Interface: Utilizes a full-color AMOLED display with customizable data fields and a five-button navigation system for comprehensive control.
• Connectivity: Offers extensive connectivity options, including Bluetooth and ANT+; compatible with the Garmin T1 transmitter for air integration.
• Logbook Capacity: Provides substantial internal memory for extensive dive logging and activity tracking.
• Additional Features: Includes GPS navigation, multi-sport functionality, fitness tracking, music storage, and contactless payments, positioning it as a versatile device for both diving and topside activities.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Ideal for beginners seeking an affordable, user-friendly dive computer with essential features.
• Suunto Ocean: Suitable for recreational and advanced divers desiring a durable device with comprehensive dive modes and reliable performance.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Best for technical divers and multi-sport enthusiasts looking for a feature-rich, versatile device with advanced functionalities beyond diving.

Your choice among these dive computers should align with your diving experience, specific needs, and budget considerations.

Ease of Use

Mares Puck Pro+
The Mares Puck Pro+ is exceptionally user-friendly, with a single-button navigation system that simplifies accessing menus and adjusting settings. This straightforward interface is ideal for beginner and recreational divers, minimizing the learning curve. Its pre-configured dive modes further streamline operation, ensuring divers can focus on their underwater experience.

• Strengths: Simple interface, intuitive operation, pre-set modes for quick setup.
• Limitations: Single-button navigation can feel slow compared to multi-button or touchscreen interfaces.
• Best For: Beginners and those seeking a no-frills, easy-to-operate dive computer.

Suunto Ocean
The Suunto Ocean offers a slightly more advanced interface with multiple buttons, providing greater control and flexibility. Its logical menu structure and intuitive layout make it accessible to divers of all levels, though it requires slightly more familiarity than the Puck Pro+.

• Strengths: Multiple buttons allow faster navigation; menus are easy to understand and adjust.
• Limitations: Lacks the simplicity of single-button systems for absolute beginners.
• Best For: Recreational and advanced divers who value a balance between functionality and ease of use.

Garmin Descent MK2i
The Garmin Descent MK2i combines a touchscreen and button interface, offering the best of both worlds. Its customizable layouts, detailed menus, and advanced features cater to experienced divers, though its extensive capabilities may feel overwhelming to first-time users.

• Strengths: Touchscreen and buttons offer flexibility; customizable data fields enhance usability.
• Limitations: Advanced features require a learning curve, which may not suit beginners.
• Best For: Technical divers and multi-sport enthusiasts who appreciate advanced customization and detailed controls.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Simplest to use, perfect for beginners and those wanting minimal setup.
• Suunto Ocean: A step up in functionality with an easy-to-learn interface suited for recreational and advanced divers.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Highly customizable and feature-rich but with a steeper learning curve, ideal for experienced users.

Battery Performance

Mares Puck Pro+
The Mares Puck Pro+ features a user-replaceable CR2450 lithium coin-cell battery, offering approximately 200-300 dives depending on usage and settings. Its energy-efficient design ensures long-lasting performance, and the low-battery indicator provides sufficient warning for timely replacement.

• Strengths: Long battery life, user-replaceable design, minimal maintenance costs.
• Limitations: Requires careful handling during replacement to maintain waterproof integrity.
• Best For: Recreational divers seeking low-maintenance and affordable power solutions.

Suunto Ocean
The Suunto Ocean also uses a user-replaceable CR2450 lithium battery, with an expected lifespan of 100 dives or one year of typical use. The low-battery indicator alerts divers to replace the battery in advance, ensuring reliability during trips.

• Strengths: Easy to replace, widely available battery type, cost-effective.
• Limitations: Shorter battery life compared to the Puck Pro+.
• Best For: Recreational divers who prioritize ease of maintenance and reliability.

Garmin Descent MK2i
The Garmin Descent MK2i is equipped with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, offering up to 80 hours in dive modeand 16 days in smartwatch mode. Its quick-charging capability minimizes downtime, making it ideal for frequent or multi-day dives.

• Strengths: Long-lasting, rechargeable battery with no need for replacements; fast-charging reduces downtime.
• Limitations: Rechargeable design may not suit divers without access to charging facilities during extended trips.
• Best For: Technical divers and multi-sport users who need a reliable and rechargeable power source for varied activities.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Long-lasting, user-replaceable battery perfect for beginners and recreational divers.
• Suunto Ocean: Reliable and user-friendly, though with a slightly shorter battery life than the Puck Pro+.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Rechargeable and highly efficient, ideal for advanced users with access to charging options.

Value for Money

Mares Puck Pro+
The Mares Puck Pro+ delivers excellent value for money, offering essential dive computer features at an affordable price. Its simple interface, durable build, and low-maintenance costs make it a strong choice for beginners and budget-conscious recreational divers.

• Strengths: Affordable price point, durable design, user-friendly operation, and long-lasting battery.
• Limitations: Lacks advanced features like air integration and wireless connectivity, which may appeal to more experienced divers.
• Best For: Beginners and recreational divers seeking a reliable, no-frills dive computer without a high cost.

Suunto Ocean
The Suunto Ocean balances affordability and functionality, offering a rugged design and essential dive features with some added durability and versatility. While it is more expensive than the Puck Pro+, its increased durability and slightly more advanced features make it worth the investment for recreational and advanced divers.

• Strengths: Durable build, intuitive interface, and comprehensive dive modes at a mid-range price.
• Limitations: Lacks premium features like air integration or full connectivity options.
• Best For: Recreational and advanced divers seeking reliability and durability at a reasonable cost.

Garmin Descent MK2i
The Garmin Descent MK2i represents a premium investment, delivering cutting-edge technology, advanced dive modes, air integration, GPS navigation, and multi-sport functionality. While the price is significantly higher, its versatility and performance justify the cost for technical divers and adventurers.

• Strengths: Packed with advanced features, robust design, and multi-sport versatility, making it an all-in-one device.
• Limitations: High cost and complexity may not suit casual or recreational divers.
• Best For: Technical divers, outdoor enthusiasts, and multi-sport users seeking a top-tier dive computer.

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Best value for beginners and recreational divers who prioritize affordability and simplicity.
• Suunto Ocean: Offers a balance of affordability and durability for recreational and advanced divers.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Justifies its premium price with advanced features and multi-sport functionality for technical divers and adventurers.

Pros and Cons

Mares Puck Pro+

Suunto Ocean

Garmin Descent MK2i

Summary

• Mares Puck Pro+: Best for simplicity and affordability, with reliable performance for recreational diving.
• Suunto Ocean: A rugged and durable option for recreational and advanced divers who need a dependable mid-range dive computer.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: A feature-rich, high-end choice for technical divers and outdoor adventurers who want advanced functionality and versatility.

Overall Rating

Overall Rating: Mares Puck Pro+ vs. Suunto Ocean vs. Garmin Descent MK2i

Final Scores

• Mares Puck Pro+: ★★★★☆ (4.6/5) – Affordable and reliable, ideal for beginner and recreational divers.
• Suunto Ocean: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) – Durable and user-friendly, great for recreational and advanced divers at a moderate price.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: ★★★★★ (4.8/5) – A premium dive computer with advanced features, perfect for technical divers and adventurers.

Final Verdict: ★★★★★ (4.8/5)

Best For

• Mares Puck Pro+: Best for beginners and budget-conscious buyers.
• Suunto Ocean: Best for recreational divers seeking a balance of cost and performance.
• Garmin Descent MK2i: Best for technical divers and multi-sport enthusiasts looking for top-tier functionality.