The Shearwater Perdix 3 dive computer introduces new levels of flexibility and personalization. With updated screen layouts and the addition of “Setting Sets,” divers have the freedom to customize both their display and overall setup to suit any style of diving, without being tied to specific modes. Whether you’re a recreational diver looking for simplicity or a technical diver managing complex dives, these updates are designed to make critical information clearer, more accessible, and easier to control before and during every dive.
One thing that's true of the Teric and Tern, is that the layouts and the modes are not connected and that is now true of the Perdix 3. There's no longer OC Rec mode with a layout and OC Tec with another layout. All the layouts are available in all the modes. You can go in Tec mode with air, or you can go in standard or big layout with CC/BO (closed circuit bailout for rebreather) mode if you want. It's any mode, any layout.
LAYOUTS
There are three layout options: Standard, Big and Tec. The only difference between Standard and Big layout is, the size of the depth and the NDL. In Big layout, the NDL is way bigger. The Big layout is now the default layout in recreational modes. The tec layout is the default layout in OC Tec and CC/BO.
Decompression Information
The sections of the screen are now broken up a little bit more. We now have much better use of the top right section. Decompression information such as your NDL as well as your Deco and Safety Stop information will appear automatically in that box. You can't configure anything in it. So when you go down on your dive, the NDL pops up, it counts down. If you go into decompression, Deco is going to pop into that box. When you come back into Safety Stop depth, by definition, NDL is infinite, so you don't need to see NDL anymore, so it starts counting your Safety Stop in that box. All that decompression information happens at top right corner with the nitrogen loading bar graph.
Configurable Zones
On the left side, the basic dive information works the same way it did on every other recreational mode computer. Depth is in the top left, then below that dive time. The bottom row, also called the info row, has a fully configurable home screen. You can press the right button mid-dive to step through a bunch more information. There is also a new configurable box under the decompression info box that is never covered. For example, you can now put a full screen compass in your bottom and still see your gas pressure. Divers no longer have to hide gas pressure temporarily to navigate with the compass. You could leave the full bottom row compass on the screen the entire dive and never lose your gas pressure.
Mini-Displays
There are three fully customizable positions on the big and standard layouts, so there are lots of customization options. If you want to go even further, there are also 3 mini displays that can be configured, each with two or three pieces of customizable information. With fully populated mini displays, you can put up to nine pieces of customizable information on this display.
Tec Layout
The Tec layout of the Perdix 3 mirrors the layout of the Perdix 2. If you know Tec layout there, you know Tec layout here. The only major change is that the Perdix 3 now has full configurability of both the bottom row and the centre row. In total there are 5 configurable slots in the Tec layout. When configured with mini displays, this allows for up to 11 pieces of custom information to be displayed simultaneously.
Similar to the other layouts, NDL can now be found in the top right corner in the Tec layout. If you are in deco, then your stop depth and time will show in the top right. Once deco is complete, the deco clear counter or your safety stop will take that top right position. Unlike the Perdix 2, any mode can run in the Tec layout. If the Perdix 3 is in air mode, a safety stop will be triggered on ascent by default . In tec modes, OC Tec and CC/BO, there are still no safety stops, only the Deco clear counter.
MODES
The Perdix 3 comes with 7 dive modes.
Air - 21% Oxygen only, not switcahble underwater
Nitrox - Single Gas Nitrox up to 40% Oxygen, no gas switching underwater
3 GasNx (3 Gas Mode) - Three programmable gases all switchable underwater, Nitrox up to 100%
OC Tec - Full Trimix, No Safety Stops
CC/BO - Designed for use with a closed-circuit rebreather
Gauge - Bottom timer only, No tissue tracking, No decompression information
Freedive - Optimized for use while free diving
Avelo Mode for use with the Avelo System is also available with a paid unlock code.
Remember, any mode, any layout! Now there's a great way to be able to switch between commonly used setups.
SETTING SETS
Divers who frequently dive with different gear configurations such as rebreather, sidemount, or backmount, can now save their preferred settings into 3 sets to make transitioning between different configurations as simple as few button presses.
Each set can change every setting on the computer. For example, you can program four different transmitters in one set with a specific screen configuration for side mounting. Then, quickly go to a different set for backmount recreational diving, with different transmitters, different screen configuration, and different colors. All at once, all in one shot.
To turn on this feature go into settings, general, and turn the settings sets on, at which point it shows up in your Dive menu. You can rename the different sets and we also recommend changing some screen colours in each set to make them easier to differentiate.
It was important to us to include this sort of power user stuff because we love it and find it useful. For someone who just wants to see the turtles, leave it in air mode, touch nothing, go diving, have fun.
