Garmin Descent™ Mk3 Watch-Style Dive Computer
Garmin’s 43 mm watch-style dive computer and multisport GPS smartwatch. 1.2″ AMOLED, sapphire lens, 200m/20 ATM, multi-gas/trimix/CCR/apnea, Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors, DiveView™ maps, Dive Readiness Tool, wrist HR, Pulse Ox, Garmin Pay, music, 30-hour dive battery, 10-day smartwatch battery. $1,199.99.
Our Take: The Descent Mk3 is the best value in Garmin’s current dive computer lineup for divers who want a watch they can wear every single day. It’s a genuine dual-purpose device: a serious dive computer with 200m depth rating, multi-gas/trimix/CCR/apnea modes, and DiveView maps — and a full multisport GPS smartwatch with wrist heart rate, Garmin Pay, music, and 30+ sport profiles. The 1.2″ AMOLED display with sapphire lens is bright and readable both underwater and in sunlight. The Dive Readiness Tool is a genuinely useful innovation that helps you make better decisions about whether to dive based on your sleep, stress, and fitness data. At 43 mm and 49.3 g, it’s small enough for everyday wear without looking like you strapped a dive computer to your wrist. The key trade-off is simple: no air integration. The Mk3 cannot monitor tank pressure wirelessly and has no SubWave sonar for diver-to-diver messaging. If you want those features, you need the Mk3i (from $1,399.99). The Mk3 also has fewer gas slots (1 bottom + 5 deco/backup vs. 1+11 on the consoles) and no NDL Aware depth metrics. But if you’re a recreational or intermediate diver who reads your SPG the traditional way and wants the most capable dive-plus-smartwatch combination at the lowest price in the Mk3 family, the Mk3 delivers everything else the Mk3i does for $200 less. For a large-format console without smartwatch features, consider the X30 ($749.99) or the air-integrated X50i ($1,499.99).
Why you’d choose the Descent Mk3
- The Mk3 is both a serious dive computer and a daily-wear GPS smartwatch. Underwater: multi-gas, trimix, CCR, apnea, DiveView maps, 200m depth rating. On land: wrist heart rate, Pulse Ox, Garmin Pay, music, 30+ sport profiles, VO₂ max, training status, sleep tracking, smart notifications. One device for everything.
- Rated to 20 ATM (200 meters / 656 feet), designed to comply with EN 13319. The 200m rating is double the Mk2 series. Sapphire crystal lens, fiber-reinforced polymer case with stainless steel bezel, and leakproof metal inductive buttons are fully operational at depth.
- Closed-circuit rebreather mode monitors O₂ and CO₂ levels. Apnea and apnea hunt modes support freedivers and spearfishers with depth, time, surface interval tracking, and variometer feedback. These modes are exclusive to the Mk3/Mk3i and not available on the console-style X30 or X50i.
- Preloaded DiveView color maps with bathymetric depth contours for over 4,000 dive sites worldwide. Plan dives, discover new sites, and navigate with depth terrain data. An extension of TopoActive surface maps with GPS surface navigation.
- Garmin’s first Dive Readiness Tool analyzes sleep, exercise, stress, and jet lag to assess your body’s preparedness for diving. Make better-informed decisions about conservatism settings and dive difficulty. Available only on the Mk3 series.
- Up to 30 hours in dive mode and 10 days in smartwatch mode on the 43 mm. Long enough for multi-dive days without worrying about recharging. USB-C charging with the included clip cable.
- The 1.2-inch AMOLED display (390×390 pixels) delivers vivid color and excellent readability both underwater and on land. Sapphire crystal lens resists scratches from gear, rocks, and daily wear. Lume mode provides green luminescence for night diving readability.
- The most affordable Mk3-series dive computer. Same dive algorithm, same modes, same DiveView maps, same smartwatch features as the Mk3i — just without air integration and SubWave. $200 less than the 43 mm Mk3i. Perfect if you don’t need wireless tank pressure monitoring.
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Who this dive computer is perfect for
- Recreational and intermediate divers who want a full-featured dive computer they can wear as their everyday smartwatch.
- Divers who read their SPG manually and don’t need wireless air integration, saving $200 vs. the Mk3i.
- Freedivers and spearfishers who want apnea and apnea hunt modes in a compact watch-style form factor.
- CCR divers who want closed-circuit rebreather support in a wearable dive computer with smartwatch features.
- Active people who want one device for diving, running, cycling, swimming, golf, skiing, surfing, and daily health tracking.
You may prefer a different Garmin if…
- You want wireless tank pressure monitoring → Descent Mk3i (from $1,399.99) — adds SubWave air integration for up to 8 tanks.
- You want a larger display and LED flashlight → Descent Mk3i 51 mm ($1,599.99) — 1.4″ AMOLED, 66-hour dive battery, built-in flashlight.
- You want the biggest screen possible with air integration → Descent X50i ($1,499.99) — 3″ touchscreen console.
- You want a large-format console at the lowest price → Descent X30 ($749.99) — 2.4″ console, no AI, no smartwatch.
All Variants
| Model | MPN | UPC | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 mm — Stainless Steel / Fog Gray Silicone | 010-02753-03 | 753759333027 | $1,199.99 |
Descent Mk3 vs. Mk3i vs. X50i vs. X30
Focus or hover a row label for a plain-English definition. ★ marks the product on this page.
| Feature |
★ Descent Mk3You Are Here
|
Descent Mk3iWatch + AI
|
Descent X50iConsole + AI
|
Descent X30Value Console
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor?Physical type | Watch-style (43 mm) | Watch-style (43 mm or 51 mm) | Console (large-format) | Console (large-format) |
| Display?Screen specs | 1.2″ AMOLED, 390×390 | 1.2″ (43 mm) / 1.4″ (51 mm) AMOLED | 3″ color LCD, 640×360 | 2.4″ color LCD, 320×240 |
| Lens?Protective crystal | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal | Chemically strengthened glass |
| Depth Rating?Max rated depth | 20 ATM / 200 m | 20 ATM / 200 m | 20 ATM / 200 m | 10 ATM / 100 m |
| Deco Algorithm?Decompression model | Bühlmann ZHL-16c w/ GF | Bühlmann ZHL-16c w/ GF | Bühlmann ZHL-16c w/ GF | Bühlmann ZHL-16c w/ GF |
| Gas Mixes?Supported breathing gases | Air/Nitrox/Trimix, 100% O₂; 1+5 gases | Air/Nitrox/Trimix, 100% O₂; 1+5 gases | Air/Nitrox/Trimix, 100% O₂; 1+11 gases | Air/Nitrox/Trimix, 100% O₂; 1+11 gases |
| CCR Mode?Closed-circuit rebreather | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Apnea / Freediving?Freediving and spearfishing modes | Yes (apnea + apnea hunt) | Yes (apnea + apnea hunt) | No | No |
| NDL Aware™?Real-time depth-to-NDL projection | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Feature |
★ Descent Mk3You Are Here
|
Descent Mk3iWatch + AI
|
Descent X50iConsole + AI
|
Descent X30Value Console
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Integration?Tank pressure via transmitter | No | Yes Up to 8 tanks (T2) | Yes Up to 8 tanks (T2) | No |
| SubWave™ Sonar?Diver messaging + monitoring | No | Yes Messages + monitoring | Yes Messages + monitoring | No |
| DiveView™ Maps?Bathymetric depth contours, 4,000+ sites | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| TopoActive Maps?Surface topo/nav maps | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Surface GPS?Mark entry/exit points | Yes + SatIQ multi-band | Yes + SatIQ multi-band | Yes | Yes |
| 3-Axis Compass?Underwater navigation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dive Light?Backup illumination | No | Yes LED flashlight (51 mm only) | Yes Integrated backup | No |
| Connectivity?Wireless protocols | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, SubWave | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi, SubWave | Bluetooth, ANT+ |
| Garmin Dive™ App?Dive log sync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Feature |
★ Descent Mk3You Are Here
|
Descent Mk3iWatch + AI
|
Descent X50iConsole + AI
|
Descent X30Value Console
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch?Health, music, payments, sport profiles | Yes Full multisport smartwatch | Yes Full multisport smartwatch | No Dive-dedicated | No Dive-only |
| Wrist Heart Rate?Optical HR sensor | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Pulse Ox (SpO₂)?Blood oxygen saturation | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Dive Readiness?Sleep/stress/fitness readiness score | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Garmin Pay?Contactless payments | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Music Storage?Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Feature |
★ Descent Mk3You Are Here
|
Descent Mk3iWatch + AI
|
Descent X50iConsole + AI
|
Descent X30Value Console
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions?Physical size | 43 × 43 × 14.15 mm | 43 × 43 × 14.15 mm (43 mm); 51 × 51 × 16.4 mm (51 mm) | 62.4 × 98.3 × 24.5 mm | 78.7 × 61.8 × 24.7 mm |
| Weight?Unit weight | 49.3 g (no band) | 49.3 g (43 mm, no band) | 253 g (with bands) | 160 g (no bands) |
| Battery (Dive)?Max dive mode runtime | 30 hrs | 30 hrs (43 mm) / 66 hrs (51 mm) | 16 hrs (medium) | 30 hrs (medium) |
| Battery (Smartwatch)?Daily smartwatch runtime | 10 days | 10 days (43 mm) / 25 days (51 mm) | N/A | N/A |
| Case?Housing material | Fiber-reinforced polymer, stainless steel bezel | Fiber-reinforced polymer, DLC titanium bezel | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer (recycled ocean plastics) |
| Memory?Onboard storage | 32 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB | — |
| MSRP?Starting retail price | $1,199.99 | From $1,399.99 | $1,499.99 | $749.99 |
Where does the Descent Mk3 fit in Garmin’s dive lineup?
Value Console — Descent X30
- $749.99
- Large 2.4″ console. Same Bühlmann ZHL-16c, multi-gas/trimix (1+11 gases), surface GPS, compass. 10 ATM/100m. No CCR, no apnea, no smartwatch, no AI. The lowest-priced Garmin dive computer.
- View on heartratemonitorsusa.com →
★ You Are Here — Descent Mk3
- $1,199.99
- 43 mm watch-style. 200m depth, CCR, apnea, DiveView maps, Dive Readiness, full smartwatch with HR/Pulse Ox/Pay/music. No air integration. The best value Mk3-series for divers who read their SPG.
- View on heartratemonitorsusa.com →
Watch + Air Integration — Descent Mk3i
- From $1,399.99
- Everything in the Mk3 plus SubWave air integration (up to 8 tanks), diver messaging. 43 mm or 51 mm. 51 mm adds LED flashlight, 1.4″ AMOLED, 66-hour dive battery. $200–$600 more. The upgrade path if you add a T2 transmitter.
- View on heartratemonitorsusa.com →
Flagship Console — Descent X50i
- $1,499.99
- The biggest screen (3″ touchscreen), sapphire, 200m, AI, SubWave, DiveView, integrated dive light, 1+11 gases. No CCR, no apnea, no smartwatch. The most complete dedicated console dive computer.
- View on heartratemonitorsusa.com →
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Descent Mk3 — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Descent Mk3?
The Descent Mk3 is Garmin’s watch-style dive computer and multisport GPS smartwatch without air integration. It comes in one size (43 mm) with a 1.2″ AMOLED display, sapphire lens, 200-meter depth rating, and supports single-gas, multi-gas (air, nitrox, trimix up to 100% O₂), gauge, apnea, apnea hunt, and closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) modes. It uses the Bühlmann ZHL-16c algorithm with configurable gradient factors. When you’re not diving, it’s a full multisport smartwatch with wrist heart rate, Pulse Ox, Garmin Pay, music storage, and 30+ sport profiles.
How is the Mk3 different from the Mk3i?
The Mk3i adds SubWave sonar air integration (tank pressure monitoring for up to 8 tanks via T2 transceivers), diver-to-diver messaging, and comes in both 43 mm and 51 mm sizes. The 51 mm Mk3i also has a built-in LED flashlight and a larger 1.4″ AMOLED (454×454). The Mk3 has no air integration, no SubWave, no diver messaging, and is only available in 43 mm. The Mk3 starts at $1,199.99 vs. $1,399.99 for the 43 mm Mk3i. If you don’t need wireless tank pressure monitoring, the Mk3 offers the same dive modes, algorithm, DiveView maps, health features, and smartwatch capabilities at $200 less.
Does the Mk3 support CCR?
Yes. The Descent Mk3 supports closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) mode, which is important for monitoring oxygen and CO₂ levels on rebreather dives. This is a feature the console-style X30 and X50i do not have — CCR is exclusive to the watch-style Mk3 and Mk3i.
Does the Mk3 have apnea/freediving modes?
Yes. It includes apnea mode for standard freediving and apnea hunt mode for spearfishing. Both modes track depth, time, surface intervals, and provide descent/ascent rate feedback via the variometer. The console-style X30 and X50i do not have these modes.
What smartwatch features does the Mk3 have?
Full multisport GPS smartwatch features including: wrist-based heart rate (Elevate v5), Pulse Ox (SpO₂), Garmin Pay contactless payments, music storage (Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music), smart notifications, Garmin Connect app, 30+ sport profiles (running, cycling, swimming, golf, skiing, surfing, and more), VO₂ max, training status, recovery time, Body Battery, sleep tracking, stress tracking, safety/incident detection, LiveTrack, and Connect IQ for apps and watch faces.
What’s in the box?
Descent Mk3 — 43 mm stainless steel with fog gray silicone band, fog gray extra-long adjustment strap, USB-C clip charging/data cable, and documentation.
What is the Dive Readiness Tool?
A Garmin-developed feature that analyzes lifestyle factors — sleep quality, exercise load, stress levels, and jet lag — to assess your body’s overall preparedness for diving. A higher readiness score suggests you’re well-prepared; a lower score may be reason to use a more conservative gradient factor setting or choose an easier dive. This is exclusive to the Mk3 series and not available on the X30 or X50i.
Can I add air integration later?
No. The Mk3 does not have SubWave sonar hardware, so air integration cannot be added via software update. If you think you might want tank pressure monitoring in the future, consider the Mk3i (from $1,399.99), which includes SubWave hardware and supports up to 8 Descent T2 transceivers.
Need help choosing? Call us at 1-800-403-8285 or 215-259-2700. Our team is happy to help you find the right Garmin dive computer.