Overview
Big Screen • Easy to Use • Color LED Screen • Bluetooth
The Shearwater Peregrine has consistently been the world’s most popular dive computer since its release in 2021. It’s packed with features that both beginner and advanced recreational divers appreciate, and the large clear screen and fantastic user interface ensure they’re all easy to access and use.
Shearwater computers are the top choice for many professional and technical divers, and the Canadian company has put all the most-used features from their more expensive models into this deservedly beloved computer.
General Notes:
The Shearwater Peregrine is a really good dive computer. The 2.2” bright slate-style screen allows for big, clear text, and the Peregrine does a great job of displaying the most important dive information in an easy-to-read, uncluttered arrangement. They use color well, too. The Peregrine is the perfect first dive computer for beginners, but its also great for experienced divers.
The sole downside, to my mind, is that the Peregrine doesn’t offer air integration – and it doesn’t have the internal hardware to add it through firmware updates – so you’ll have to step up to the Perdix 2 or the watch-style Teric if its absence is a dealbreaker for you. Check out our full guide to the best dive computers for more on all that.
Still here? Okay, let’s get nerdy.
Dive Modes
The Peregrine has a comprehensive feature set for recreational diving, up to and including ‘basic’ technical diving using its 3-gas nitrox mode, where you can program in up to three separate nitrox mixes to switch between while underwater. It also has a gauge mode, useful for tech divers that want a backup bottom timer – the Peregrine has a max depth of 120 m.
What’s it like to use? Lovely.
The Peregrine has so many nice little user-friendly features that other companies, frankly, fail at.
For instance, consider safety stops – something you’ll have to put up with on almost every dive.
I’ve dived with so many people that have to keep their eyes glued to their computer throughout their 3–5 min stop – if they deviate more than 1–2 m in depth, their computer will restart the whole process. Dangnabbit.
Meanwhile, I simply initiate my safety stop countdown by going up to >6 m, then continue pootling around. If I accidentally go under 8 m (it happens… often), it’ll pause the countdown. It won’t restart unless you go under 11 m. The actual countdown is good too: you get a min:sec readout.
There are lots of examples of these user-facing improvements to remove little frustrations from diving. The Peregrine excels in just making things easy, so you can focus on what’s around you, rather than your dive computer.
Will it last? Firmware Updates & Battery Life
You can reasonably expect your Peregrine to last for years. Shearwater computers are built tough and have a longstanding reputation for excellent firmware updates. I personally use the Shearwater Perdix AI, which I’ve had since 2017 (and love!). It still gets routine firmware updates now, years after it came out, even though it was superseded by the Perdix 2 in 2022.
Given that dive computers should work for years, I initially questioned the use of an integrated battery on the Peregrine – it’s nice to have it sealed away, but will it last? Dealing with this head-on, Shearwater offers a 2-year warranty period with free battery replacement. In reality, their official documentation states that they expect battery life to last several years, and they offer a replacement service for $150 outside the warranty window, so I think the benefits of the internal battery – no flooding risk – outweigh the drawbacks.
In use, you can expect the Peregrine’s battery life to last ~30 hrs of dive time. That’ll get you through almost any dive liveaboard. It’s easy-to-charge, too, with an included wireless charging mat – but it also works with many regular 3rd-party Qi wireless chargers.
Most people, of course, just want to know whether the Peregrine will be a safe and reliable buddy during ‘normal’ dives for years to come.
Yes, it will.
Connectivity & Apps
The smartphone app is… okay. which is honestly the case for most diving apps these days. Be cool if it was smarter – optionally pull in some location data from the phone perhaps, as you might have it with you on the boat / onshore.
The user interface team certainly spent more time on the computer itself than the app, but it’ll likely do the job for you – it does for me.
Is the Peregrine the best dive computer for beginners?
Yes. It is.
Traditional 'beginner' or ‘entry-level’ dive computers like the Cressi Leonardo and Suunto Zoop are cheaper, but they're so frustrating to use that most divers quickly start shopping for an upgrade. The Peregrine changes all that – it's an advanced dive computer in a user-friendly package.
Ultimately the best dive computer for beginners should enhance every dive while never forcing you to upgrade. The Peregrine offers a clear and worthwhile step up in functionality from other “entry-level” computers.
It's not the cheapest, typically around $500, but it offers excellent value.
![Shearwater Peregrine Dive Computer Review [2024] by a Marine Biologist (2024)](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mP8/h8AAvMB+NzmkbcAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)