I have to disagree with this advice. An inexpensive computer will give you all the
information to dive safely vis-a-vis DCS for recreational diving and is much superior to
the most expensive tables. It will simplify your diving and allow prolonged multilevel
dives. I have only used the inexpensive Oceanic Prodigy and it has served me quite well.

An argument can be made for getting Nitrox capability because the price difference is
small, but if you are tight on budget I doubt you will want to do Nitrox diving.

Adam

I use a Data Plus and the Genesis equivalent.  One's in a console, the other
is in a wrist mount.  Personally, I don't send my console in when my
regulators go for service.  To the best of my knowledge, there's nothing in
that console that a technician will service that I can't do for myself.  The
pressure gauge and compass either work or they don't.  When they don't, they
get replaced.  The computer is a sealed unit.  That leaves inspection of the
hoses, which is something we all should do pretty routinely.

I use the computer in my console as the primary.  The wrist mount unit
serves as a backup when protecting against failure of a single computer is
important enough to warrant using two computers, when I want to lend one of
my other regulators to a visiting nitrox diver (none of my other regulators
are equipped with nitrox capable computers), or, somewhat more frequent,
when I chose to use one of the regulators that fits my A clamp tanks.
Personally, I'd purchase the computer in a console, but think that buying a
wrist console, even if you don't get a second computer, is worth the
investment.

I haven't mentioned this in a while, but Oceanic offered, and probably still
offers, a free simulator for their Data Plus computer.  I recommend
downloading it to anybody that is considering one of these computers or, for
that matter, for anybody that likes the idea of simulating a dive at home
before doing it in the water.

Lee