Garmin Descent Mk3i 51mm Dive Computer Smartwatch
(Carbon grey DLC titanium with DLC titanium band or Black Silicone Band)
The Garmin Descent Mk3i boasts a rugged yet sophisticated design, with a large 1.4" color display that is sunlight readable, making it easy to view your dive data even in bright conditions. The Garmin Mk3i watch-style design ensures that it can be comfortably worn both underwater and on land. With its stylish titanium bezel, you can customize the look to match your lifestyle.
Key Features & Technology of the Garmin Mk3i:
Dive Features
- Long Battery Life: Stay in the water longer with up to 30 hours in dive mode plus up to 10 days in smartwatch mode.
- Garmin Dive App: Pair the app with your Descent dive computer to automatically sync and upload your dive logs.
- Built-in LED Flashlight: See and be seen with variable light intensities and strobe modes, in or out of the water.
- Lume Mode: To aid readability and help maintain night vision, an ambient light sensor gives a green luminescence to your watch face in low-light conditions
- Dive Compass: Built-in ABC sensors, including an underwater compass, help navigate every part of your dive.
- Surface GPS: Track your entry and exit points on the surface with advanced satellite connectivity.
- Reference Point: Use this GPS tool for surface navigation to a dive site, so you can drop right onto your target every time.
- Variometer: This tool helps you monitor your freedive descent and ascent rates through tone and vibration feedback.
- Big Numbers Mode: Get a simplified dive screen on your wrist, with larger text to see critical diving data.
- Tide Data: Stay up to date on ocean conditions by pairing your Descent device with your compatible smartphone.
- Inreach® Device Compatible: Pair with inReach devices and the inReach dive case for satellite messaging off-grid
- Long Battery life: Stay in the water longer with up to 66 hours in dive mode plus up to 25 days in smartwatch mode.
Health & Fitness Features
- Sports Apps: Use preloaded activity profiles for trail running, swimming, running, biking, hiking, rowing, skiing, golfing and more.
- Surf Activity: Record the number of waves surfed, maximum speed reached, distance traveled, and more.
- Surfline® Camera: Create a video of every wave you ride in front of a Surfline camera with Surfline Sessions™ technology. Use the Surfline widget to see tide, wave height, wind and surf rating for each of the five nearest surf spots2.
- VO2 Max: See your current fitness level, and track changes over time to set goals, evaluate progress and more.
- Recovery Time: Know how long you need to recover before your next high-effort workout based on your latest training.
- Daily Suggested Workouts: View your entire week of daily suggested workouts, which adapt after every run or ride.
- Wrist-based Heart Rate: The watch constantly samples your heart rate to help you gauge how hard you work during activities.
- Pulse OX Sensor: Track your blood oxygen saturation while you’re awake or asleep, and gain awareness of how you’re adapting to altitude.
- Jet Lag Advisor: Help to minimize the effects of jet lag with guidance on light exposure, sleep schedule and exercise.
- Sleep Monitoring & Sleep Score: Understand your body’s recovery with sleep score, breakdown of your sleep stages and detailed insights for improved sleep quality.
- Women's Health Tracking: Track and log your menstrual cycle or pregnancy to get exercise and nutrition education.
Navigation & Orientation Features
- SATIQ™ Technology: Get superior positioning accuracy with multi-band GPS while optimizing battery life
- Multicontinent Topo Maps: Preloaded TopoActive maps from around the world keep your explorations on track.
- ABC Sensors: Navigate your next trail with an altimeter, barometer and 3-axis electronic compass.
- Courses with Turn-by-Turn Technology: Create or find existing courses in the Garmin Connect™ app, or sync from your favorite third-party platforms, and get turn-by-turn directions.
Connected Lifestyle Features
- Safety & Tracking Features: If you feel unsafe or if your watch senses that an incident occurred, your watch will send a message with your live location.
- Music: Download songs and playlists from your Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music accounts for phone-free listening.
- GARMIN PAY™ Contactless Payments: Breeze through checkout lines or transit systems with participating providers.
- Smart Notifications: Receive emails, texts and alerts on your watch when paired with your iPhone® or Android™ smartphone.
- CONNECT IQ™ Store: Add watch faces, data fields and apps to your paired smartwatch.
Features & Technology
1. Dive modes: Whether you're a recreational diver exploring coral reefs or a technical diver exploring deep wrecks, the Garmin Mk3i has you covered with its wide range of dive modes. From single gas dives to nitrox and trimix dives, this dive computer can handle it all. It even supports closed-circuit rebreather diving, ensuring that you have the flexibility to explore different diving disciplines.
2. Dive readiness Tool: The Garmin Descent Mk3i isn't just a dive computer; it's also a powerful fitness tracker. With built-in activity profiles for various sports like running, cycling, and swimming, this smartwatch helps you stay on top of your fitness goals both in and out of the water. Track your steps, monitor your heart rate, and analyze your performance with ease. These features also tie into this groundbreaking technology from Garmin, which then illustrates the physiological effects of many lifestyle variables, like lack of sleep, stress, exercise, and jet lag, and how this affects your dive-readiness at that point in time.
3. DiveView maps: Color maps on your wrist offer bathymetric depth contours and more than 4,000 dive sites to help you discover new places to dive and get oriented. Navigating underwater has never been easier with the Garmin Descent Mk3i's DiveView Color maps. These maps display bathymetric depth contours and over 4,000 dive sites, allowing you to explore new locations with confidence. Say goodbye to getting lost underwater and hello to seamless navigation.
4. Customizable Dive modes: Add additional screens for each dive mode that features the fields you want to see.
5. Dive Log: This feature automatically syncs with the Garmin Dive app on your compatible smartphone, allowing you to share and review data, track gear, post photos, take notes and more.
6. Dive-focused Design: The Garmin Descent Mk3i features a vibrant 1.2-inch AMOLED display, providing you with crystal clear readability even in challenging underwater conditions. Whether you're checking dive metrics or receiving smart notifications, the high-resolution display ensures that you can easily view information at a glance. With its bright 1.2” AMOLED color display, sapphire lens, 200-meter dive-rated case, and leakproof metal inductive buttons, this watch is built to go deep.
7. Air Integration: One of the standout features of the Garmin Descent Mk3i is its air integration capability. When paired with the Descent T2 transmitter, you can monitor tank pressure, remaining air time, air consumption rate, and more on up to five tanks via the SubWave sonar data network. This allows for seamless communication and coordination with your dive buddies, giving you peace of mind throughout your dive.
8. Subwave Sonar Networking: Exchange preset diver-to-diver messages up to 30 meters as well as monitor tank pressures and depth for up to 8 divers within a range of 10 meters.
A Comparison between the Garmin Descent MK3i Dive Computer and the Garmin X50i Dive Computer
| Feature | Garmin Descent X50i | Garmin Descent Mk3i |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 3-inch color touchscreen (surface-only) display | 1.4-inch color display |
| Dive Modes | Single-gas, multi-gas, nitrox, trimix, CCR, gauge, apnea, apnea hunt | Single-gas, multi-gas, nitrox, trimix, CCR, gauge, apnea, apnea hunt |
| Algorithm | Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors | Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors |
| Air Integration | Supports up to 8 tanks when paired with Descent T2 transmitters | Supports up to 5 tanks when paired with Descent T2 transmitters |
| Diver-to-Diver Communication | Yes, using SubWave sonar technology with preset messages | Yes, using SubWave sonar technology with preset messages |
A Comparison between the Garmin Descent MK3i Dive Computer and the Garmin MK3 Dive Computer
| Feature | Garmin Descent Mk3 | Garmin Descent Mk3i |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 1.2-inch color AMOLED touchscreen with scratch-resistant sapphire lens | Available in 1.2-inch (43 mm) and 1.4-inch (51 mm) color AMOLED display |
| Case Size | 43 mm. | Available in 43 mm and 51 mm. |
| Air Integration | Not available. | Supports air integration when paired with Descent T2 transmitters |
| Diver-to-Diver Communication | Not available. | Supports diver-to-diver communication using SubWave sonar technology |
| Dive Modes | Single-gas, multi-gas, nitrox, trimix, closed-circuit rebreather (CCR), gauge, apnea, apnea hunt | Single-gas, multi-gas, nitrox, trimix, CCR, gauge, apnea, apnea hunt |
Related Underwater Gear Categories:
- Advanced, watch-style dive computer features a stunning 1.2" AMOLED display, scratch-resistant sapphire lens and stainless steel bezel
- Dive-first design with 200-meter dive-rated case includes metal leakproof inductive buttons and multiple dive modes for recreational to technical scuba diving and freediving
- Enhanced SubWave sonar technology provides the ability to exchange preset diver-to-diver messages up to 30 meters
- DiveView maps offer bathymetric depth contours and more than 4,000 dive sites to help you find where to dive and get oriented
- Dive logs automatically sync with the Garmin Dive app downloaded to your compatible smartphone
- Descent Mk3i – 51 mm
- Fog gray extra-long adjustment strap
- USB-C clip charging/data cable
- Documentation
1. What are the key features of the Garmin Descent Mk3i?
The Garmin Descent Mk3i is a watch-style dive computer that offers multiple dive modes, air integration capabilities, and SubWave™ sonar technology for diver-to-diver communication via preset messages. It features a bright 1.4” AMOLED display with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, a built-in LED flashlight for low-light conditions, and a 200-meter dive-rated case with metal leakproof inductive buttons. Additionally, it includes DiveView™ maps with bathymetric depth contours and over 4,000 dive sites, as well as a dive readiness tool that analyzes lifestyle factors like sleep, exercise, stress, and jet lag to inform dive plan decisions.
2. How does the air integration feature work on the Descent Mk3i?
The Descent Mk3i can be paired with the Descent™ T2 transceiver to monitor tank pressure, estimated air time remaining, and gas consumption. It also supports monitoring of tank pressures and depth for up to eight networked divers, facilitating enhanced group diving experiences.
3. What dive modes are available on the Descent Mk3i?
The Descent Mk3i supports multiple dive modes, including single-gas, multi-gas, closed-circuit rebreather (CCR), gauge, apnea, and apnea hunt. Each mode is tailored to specific diving activities, providing relevant data and alerts to support various diving disciplines.
4. What is the battery life of the Descent Mk3i?
Battery life varies depending on usage and settings. In smartwatch mode, the 51 mm version offers up to 25 days with wrist gesture and up to 10 days with always-on display. In dive mode, it provides up to 66 hours with always-on display. Activating features like GPS or the LED flashlight can impact battery performance.
5. Is the Descent Mk3i suitable for everyday wear?
Yes, the Descent Mk3i is designed for both diving and daily activities. It includes built-in sports apps, fitness tracking features, and smartwatch functionalities such as contactless payments and music storage, making it a versatile companion for everyday use.
6. How does the SubWave™ sonar technology enhance diving with the Descent Mk3i?
SubWave™ sonar technology enables diver-to-diver communication via preset messages and supports monitoring of tank pressures and depth for up to eight networked divers when paired with the Descent™ T2 transceiver. This enhances safety and coordination during group dives.
7. Can the Descent Mk3i display maps and dive sites?
Yes, the Descent Mk3i features DiveView™ maps with bathymetric depth contours and access to over 4,000 dive sites, aiding divers in planning and navigation.
8. What materials are used in the construction of the Descent Mk3i?
The Descent Mk3i boasts a 200-meter dive-rated case with metal leakproof inductive buttons and a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, ensuring durability and reliability in demanding underwater environments.
9. Does the Descent Mk3i support fitness tracking?
Yes, the Descent Mk3i includes built-in sports apps and fitness tracking features, providing actionable insights for building strength and endurance.
10. How does the dive readiness tool on the Descent Mk3i work?
The dive readiness tool analyzes lifestyle factors such as sleep, exercise, stress, and jet lag to inform dive plan decisions, helping divers assess their physical and mental preparedness for diving activities.
