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Dive Computer Expert Reviews
Saving Your Precious Time And Finding The Best Dive Computer For You
Dive computer reviews are perfectly organized and consist of fully researched information and ratings of Aeris, Cressi, Mares, Oceanic, Sherwood, Suunto, Tusa, and UWATEC/ScubaPro brands. In Catalogue Section you may compare any models side-by-side and select dive computer according to your needs! Join thousands of happy customers!
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Specifications
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Pre-Diving
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Summary
Your Review
Oceanic has released Atom 3, a successor to its Atom 2 dive computer. Oceanic Atom 3 inherited many great features from its predesessor and got quite a few completely new features on its own. Looks like this well-known manufacturer of the scuba gear wants to transfer all its dive computers to Dual Algorithm! It may be recommended dive computer for advanced recreational and technical divers, because of the possibility to set it for 3 Nitrox mixes with O2 from 21 to 100 percent. At the same time divers who just started discovering underwater world will find multifunctional diving computer, which will give them opportunity to grow in diving careers. Copy this Oceanic Atom 3 Features & Alarms Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!
Please Note: ATOM 3.1 units shipped after November 1, 2011 no longer feature Buddy Pressure Check. Dual Algorithm setting - PZ+ or DSAT, allows us to program this dive computer for conservative and more liberal diving and Deep Stop function is available for activation. In comparison - Atom 2 operates with modified Haldanean Algorithm. To add even more conservatism in Atom 3 - we may turn on Personal Conservative Factor; and Deep Stop - is a great extra-safety feature if we diving deeper than 24 meters.
First of all, when you hold it or look at these photos above - the new look is noticeable straight away - dive computer inside the body of the stylish wrist watch! User control panel is the same - 4 control buttons located the same way as they do in Atom 2. In addition to TLBG, Atom 3 got second bar graph for Variable Acsent instead of just an alpha message in Atom 2 and its display was changed to accomodate this bar graph for VARI, different positioning of tank icons, different icons for Decompression management, different location of tank pressure, ATR, PO2, and others. Dive computer has "Step Back" function on user interface, so it won't be difficult to move around while setting Oceanic Atom 3. To keep us fully aware of current conditions, whether on surface or underwater, computer is equipped with main and alternative displays. And according to mode your are in - it shows different sets of data.
Oceanic Atom 3 Set Menu is devided to few Groups. We may adjust Time, FO2, Utilities, and Alarms.
Copy this Oceanic Atom 3 Fine-Tuning Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!
Oceanic Atom 3: Diving With Air & NitroxI set Wet activation to ON - so, Oceanic Atom 3 turned on dive mode after it was about 1.5 meters deep. For test dive I set Nitrox for mix 1 and 2 to check out how easy to switch between gases during diving.
Copy this Oceanic Atom 3 NO-DECO Displays Card for your Reference and Share with your friends and buddies!
As I set Safety Stop (SS) to ON - I got a reminder and performed SS at 4 meters for 3 minutes. Most important values here - Stop depth and timer.
Switching mixes was smooth and easy, of course if TMT usage was set to SELF, not for buddy, or in a case of alarm.
Upon entry into the Decompression mode, Oceanic Atom 3 gave me loud and clear audio, LED flashed and that moment I new that Decompression arrived. From this moment all calculations would be made for Deco mode. Dive computer manages DECO stops perfectly, all data was clearly seen on a big displays and I didn't have any troubles understanding it.
Oceanic Atom 3 closely monitors how diver follows decompression procedure and if it is not followed - dive computer will activate corresponding violation modes. As many other dive computers this one has 5 types of violations: Conditional Violation (CV), 3 Delayed Violations, and Violation Gauge mode (VGM).
For High PO2 - dive computer has 2 levels - warning and alarm. High PO2 alarm goes on when PO2 level increase up to alarm set point. High O2 has two levels as well, and if oxygen accumulation hits 80% - Oceanic Atom 3 warns the diver with audio and flashing icon O2%. When O2 level reaches 100% - diver will have audio alarm and flashing O2% icon until he/she gets to surface.
Oceanic Atom 3: Diving In GAUGE ModeAnother dive mode of this Oceanic dive computer is Gauge mode. Gauge mode allows diver to use all 3 transmitters and switch between mixes during diving.
Oceanic Atom 3: FREEdivingThe next dive mode of Oceanic Atom 3 is FREEdive mode. This mode can be selected from Utilities group/Dive operating mode.
FREEdiving displays (main and alternative) show following dive data:
During FREEdiving Oceanic Atom 3 monitors nitrogen loading from current and previous dives, and TLBG shows nitrogen accumulation. When you will have 4 bars on TLBG, dive computer warns with audio signal, and if nitrogen level increased up to Deco level - TLBG displays all 5 bars and Oceanic Atom 3 activates VIO (violation) mode. On surface it locks to Violation Gauge mode for 24 hours.
After 10 minutes on surface, Oceanic Atom 3 displays Surface Main screen, where I could access following menus:
Also I could use optional PC data cable to transfer dive data to PC or upload settings to dive computer. Oceanic Atom 3 has data retention feature, so if we replace the battery - all settings and calculations for repetitive dives will be retained in memory.
Oceanic Atom 3: What Divers Say
Oceanic Atom 3 is modern and sophisticated dive computer that was designed to cover the most diving conditions, except of course, using trimix. It comes not only with advanced user interface, but also with many fully customizable functions.
We may say that Oceanic Atom 3 is a perfect addition and logical progression in high-tech dive computers' family these days and with its Dual Algorithm and several additional functions, mentioned above, it gives us opportunity to extend our underwater experiences to greater limits!
SIMILAR PRODUCTS
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Oceanic Atom 3 is all-around dive watch computer for experienced divers, as it has all imaginable functions to dive with 3 gas mixes and to cover 4 dive modes. I think that beginners will find this computer complicated. As a dive instructor I always recommend something more straighforward and cheaper, like GEO or VEO 2.0.
Main downside in my opinion - Oceanic took out Buddy Pressure Check feature. I used to check tank pressure of my students using wireless transmitter, but now I need to come close and check it in old way. Everything else works as promised!
I bought Oceanic Atom 3 about three months ago right before my trip to Coz.
I used it for the full week of diving with 11 dives, including two deep and a two night dives. I never had any connection issues with the transmitter or any issues at all regarding that.
All around, this is a great dive computer and I made a perfect investment for current time and future. Oceanic Atom 3 has more features than I will ever use and it seems very sturdy and reliable.
I wish it had buddy pressure check function and PC cable included, but these are not big inconveniences.