The Shearwater Tern is the most compact dive computer from Canadian manufacturer Shearwater Research, designed for sport and light technical divers who want wrist-sized form without sacrificing display quality. At 50 mm diameter, 16 mm thickness, and 100 g, it is significantly smaller than the Perdix or Teric models from the same brand.
The 1.3-inch AMOLED display at 360×360 resolution with a minimum 300 nits brightness is one of its standout features: readable under any lighting condition. Charging is wireless inductive (USB-C), and the internal lithium-ion battery (1.33 Wh) delivers up to 20 hours at medium brightness. The dive log stores 500 hours at 10-second sample intervals.
It supports air, nitrox (up to 3 gas mixes), gauge mode, and freediving mode. Bluetooth connectivity enables log sync with the Shearwater Cloud app. The 316 stainless steel bezel and ballistic nylon case make it robust despite its low weight. The quick-release 22 mm strap is interchangeable with standard watch bands.
Its limitation versus the Perdix 2 or Teric is the absence of native trimix support and the smaller screen, which may be challenging for older divers or in low-visibility conditions. For recreational diving and nitrox, it is one of the best compact options available in 2024–2026.
Recommended level: Open Water and above. Especially useful for divers who also wear it as an everyday watch.
When to use it in Argentina
Aimed at more experienced divers, with strong readability and serious configuration. For deep wrecks in Mar del Plata or trips in the Beagle Channel — where the margin for error is smaller — the AMOLED display and Shearwater menus provide reassurance.
For entry-level diving in Las Grutas or Pirámides it is more computer than needed, but divers planning to move into tec or deeper diving in Argentina tend to start with Shearwater to avoid migrating twice. Bluetooth and a mobile app speed up logbook handling between back-to-back dives in Madryn.
Official source: Shearwater Tern — shearwater.com