Venu X1 screen size for the next descent model.

dpawlyk said:

I said before that the Mk3 isn't too small as a diver computer. It's really too large for everyday where but that's another compromise.

The 43mm is perfectly sized for every day use and still very legible underwater ;)

(The 43 is nice. Glad it works for you.)

The 43 should be fine for diving for many people.

The 43 has fewer pixels (an issue with maps).

It has significantly less battery life (a big advantage Garmin has over Apple, etc is battery life).

The 43 is more “normal” sized. The others are kinda big.

A dive X1 isn’t the bad idea jmto spent too much time suggesting. And the x50i is going to be too big and specialized to many people.

I don’t think a square screen is a strong benefit for diving but it works better for navigation.

Square displays work better for smart-watch features (otherwise, we’d see round screens for phones). Round screen are much more preferred for watches (mostly due to cultural norms/expectations).

Everything is a compromise. 

(I’m fine with giving people options. Companies can’t give people all the options they might want.)

I prefer a round watch, but the descent mk3 is specifically a dive computer, thats why people buy it and while most of the time its not being used for diving when I do use it I want as big a screen as is reasonable for clarity of data.given 2" size you could comfortably show a an analogue type watchface on the square format, it doesn't have to be a square watchface just because its shaped that way.

Personally I'm not a fan of he rugged g shock type look, but given the features and the cost I'm going to wear it every day.  I think garmin should pay attention to aesthetics and offer different sizes and shapes and materials for the same line, though diving is niche wrt to other lines like the fenix, it would be nice to have the option given the venu x1 is physically smaller and its screen bigger than the current mk3i.

7843043 said:

In a sanitized environment, as far as diving goes the X50i is superior.

“Sanitized environment”?

The X50i isn’t “superior”.

It’s much bigger than it needs to be for diving for many people and it can’t be used as a watch (its use is limited to diving).

For many people (most, even), the X50i is not a good choice. For them (including yourself), something like the Mk3 is the superior choice.

That doesn’t mean the X50i is a bad dive computer. It’s just going to be a good choice for fewer people.

It has less battery than the larger models, but still runs circles around anything Apple has ever made. I have every single setting to the maximum, including 24/7 Pulse Ox and the AOD only turns off when I sleep. Still lasts 4 days with doing activities every day.

Of course, like you say, everything is a compromise. My point was that different people accept different kind of compromise.

7843043 said:

It has less battery than the larger models, but still runs circles around anything Apple has ever made.

I think it’s something Garmin has to be careful compromising on. Even with much less battery life, Apple sells many more watches than Garmin does (AFAIK). It’s not like Apple is standing still on battery life either.

7843043 said:

Of course, like you say, everything is a compromise. My point was that different people accept different kind of compromise.

Saying “everything is a compromise” is implying your point.

7843043 said:

It is superior in terms of being larger and more legible and its battery lasting longer. In an environment where you're diving a lot (like a liveaboard) or demanding technical dives, I think we can safely say it is superior.

It’s more than even (most) liveaboard divers need. These people might find the fact that the Mk3 can be used as a watch an important feature (the X50i means these people need another device).

It’s not superior for them at all. (I’d actually be a bit surprised to see one there.)

Longer battery life would definitely be useful there (though, not essential). Being larger and more legible is not that useful (as far as I can tell, the Mk3 is good enough for these).

(The market for X50i is more technical divers.)

7843043 said:

You point it can't be used as a watch, while responding to my comment saying "as far as diving goes". I also value my mk3 being an actual watch, that's why I bought it.

It’s clear that’s why you bought it. That feature is a very big deal. It’s the reason that makes it the superior choice for most people. Jmto didn’t get that at all.

Although I have a small wrist, I wear a 51mm MK3 daily and I like it. I did a few multi day hikes and must say for navigation it's just perfect. If I need to get a better overview of the area I'm walking I take the phone with Komoot and I doubt a square screen would change that.

No reason why that wouldn’t work reasonably. 

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The display size of the 51mm is the same as the 47mm. So, what you are getting with the 51mm is better battery life (which is valuable).

Most people with small wrists are likely going to find the 51mm much too big and heavy and not attractive. Your preference here is unusual (not bad, just unusual).

Square is the norm for navigation. This suggests strongly that’s better than round (otherwise, you’d see lots of round non-watch devices).

The main reason the watches are round is that the shape is more appealing to more people (not because it’s more functional). That’s fine too.

A dive Venu X1 makes sense (it’s not a bad idea at all) even if an alternative works fine for you.