We tested the Suunto D5 dive computer. Easy to operate, read and understand, it was our Testers Choice for wrist computers over $500. We tested the D5 at the University of Southern California Hyperbaric Chamber on Catalina Island.

We also tested it in the field at Blue Grotto Dive Resort in Central Florida. We put it through a series of simulated dives alongside other computers to gauge the performance of its decompression algorithm.

We evaluated how easy it was to set up and use, how well we could see the screen in different conditions, and how well it presented important data during our dive.

The 3-button operation of the D5 is so simple you can confidently navigate menus before you even glance at the manual. That earned the D5 a very good score for intuitive operation.

See Complete ScubaLab Dive Computer Test Results

The high-contrast color screen of the D5 uses a reflective technology that enhances visibility in a range of light. We found the backlight unnecessary in all but full dark, and the screen was easily visible in full sun—often a weak spot for color displays.

“Super easy to see in dark, sun or in between,” noted one test diver.

The display packs a lot in without being cluttered, partly by putting some info in a changeable window at the bottom, which auto-swaps to critical data. The display makes good use of attention-getting colors, and audible and vibrating alarms are unmissable. Divers rated the display very good overall for quality of data (though not all liked the hash mark indicator for minutes, which to non-metric minds can mean feet.)

Chosen and overwhelming favorite among test divers, the D5 is our Testers Choice for computers over $500.