Garmin

Garmin Descent Mk2i

The Mk2 with built-in wireless air integration via Garmin's Descent T1 transmitter.

Manufacturer app only

Not supported by libdivecomputer. You're locked into the manufacturer's own app to get dive logs off this computer.

Garmin Descent Mk2i
4.2Comparison Score
$1399
Buy on Amazon
Released2020
Max depth rating100m
AlgorithmBühlmann ZHL-16C with gradient factors
Air integrationwireless
Wirelessbluetooth, wifi
Display1.4" sunlight-readable color MIP display
Batteryrechargeable
Digital compassYes
Gas typesair, nitrox, trimix
Gas switches12
CCR capableYes

"Gas switches" is how many different mixes this computer can be programmed to switch between mid-dive, mostly relevant for technical/staged-decompression diving. It doesn't tell you which gas types (air, nitrox, trimix) are supported. See Gas types and the product description above for that.

Pros
  • Wireless tank pressure monitoring for up to 5 tanks via SubWave sonar with the Descent T1 transmitter
  • Titanium bezel and backplate, lighter than the Mk2's stainless steel
  • Same full multisport smartwatch feature set as the Mk2
Cons
  • Transmitter(s) sold separately and add real cost on top of an already premium watch
  • Priced well above dedicated dive computers with similar depth ratings
  • Superseded by the AMOLED Mk3i in Garmin's current lineup
Diver community sentiment
Mostly positive

Across several Scubaboard threads, divers consistently praise the Mk2i as an unusually capable hybrid of dive computer and everyday smartwatch, citing strong battery life, reliable air integration/transmitter connectivity, GPS dive-site mapping, and general dependability over years of use, with some longtime Shearwater users calling it "a Teric killer." Recurring complaints include an audible buzzing from the T1 transmitter for some users, an inaccurate wrist heart-rate sensor through wetsuits/drysuits, a small screen for some older divers, and fragile charging cables. Dedicated tech divers tend to still prefer purpose-built computers like the Shearwater Perdix, while recreational and travel divers who want one device for diving, fitness, and daily wear are generally very satisfied.

Scubaboard: Mk2i praise/complaints threadScubaboard: Mk2i vs Shearwater Teric comparisonScubaboard: Mk2i owner impressions

Summarized from public forum discussion (Scubaboard, Reddit, and similar), not a survey we ran ourselves. See the linked threads for the original conversations.

The Mk2i is the Mk2 plus Garmin’s SubWave sonar-based wireless air integration, letting it track tank pressure on up to 5 cylinders through the separately sold Descent T1 transmitter. It’s since been joined by the Mk3i, which adds an AMOLED touchscreen.