A Premium Dive Computer from Taiwan – The Deepblu COSMIQ

A dive computer is one of the most highly recommended pieces of equipment for any diver to purchase after completing their basic gear setup. Why do so many divers place a dive computer higher on the priority list than heavier gear? I think it comes down to the inherent risks of the sport itself. Even in recreational scuba diving, where strict depth and bottom-time limits must be observed, every dive beyond a certain depth requires a safety stop before surfacing. On a multi-dive day during a dive trip, residual nitrogen accumulates in your body with every minute spent underwater. Managing this with paper-based dive tables is not only tedious but takes a lot of the fun out of diving — and that's exactly why the convenient, fast dive computer came to be.

Features of the Deepblu COSMIQ Dive Computer

The dive computers you commonly see in Taiwan are mostly from Suunto or other established dive brands, but in this article we're shining a spotlight on the next-generation dive computer made right here in Taiwan: the Deepblu COSMIQ. Let's take a look at what makes it different, and how it makes logging your dives easier and more enjoyable.

Unboxing the Deepblu COSMIQ

After speaking with a Deepblu sales representative, I learned that the device was positioned for the international market from day one, so the manual is in English only. That said, diving terminology is largely universal, and the COSMIQ is straightforward to operate (more on that shortly) — it took me all of five minutes to figure it out.

The COSMIQ charges via a magnetic cable that simply snaps onto the back of the watch. Many early users reported that battery life felt short, but after hands-on testing, a full charge is enough for 6–7 tank dives or more. Used as an everyday watch, Deepblu officially claims 2–3 months of battery life per charge. This is quite different from traditional dive computers, which typically need a battery replacement every 1–2 years or roughly every 70 dives. That said, given the COSMIQ's large face, bright and easy-to-read display, and the ability to sync logs to the app, the trade-off is easy to accept. To make things even more convenient, the charging cable uses a standard USB connector, so car chargers and power banks work just fine. For a typical dive trip itinerary, one full charge should comfortably see you through.

Next, let's compare the look and feel of a few dive computers side by side. I pulled out two of my own for comparison: the legendary Suunto D4i and the Cressi Leonardo, known for its oversized display.

In terms of the display alone, the COSMIQ's large face won me over immediately. The bold, clear digits make it effortless to read underwater — and even more so on a night dive. The COSMIQ uses a two-button layout (left and right) to navigate all menus. After using it in practice, the design feels perfectly balanced: not so many buttons that you forget what each one does, and not so few that you're endlessly cycling through options. Above all, the bright, clear display is what really stands out — legible even for aging eyes.

The COSMIQ includes the following modes. The official manual covers all functions in detail, so we won't go through each one exhaustively here (link to official manual).

• Watch Mode: Used as a regular watch. You can set it to display the current date or the time of your last dive, and it will also remind you of any no-fly time restrictions.
• Dive Mode: Activates automatically when you begin a descent, or you can adjust the nitrox mix before entering the water.
• Gauge Mode: Measures depth and temperature only, for data-collection purposes. Note: once Gauge Mode is active, the dive computer disables the Dive Mode and locks it for 24 hours, since no nitrogen calculations are being performed.
• Freediving Mode: Tracks depth, temperature, and dive time, with the option to set an audible depth alarm.
• Log Mode: Review your dive history.
• Sync Mode: Sync all dive data to the dedicated COSMIQ app. This feature is genuinely not to be missed if you want the full experience.

The COSMIQ companion app — what exactly is it, and why is syncing your dive log so strongly recommended? Let's take a closer look (app download link).

The app's home screen greets you with a feed of dive logs from fellow divers in the community. Each entry shows the maximum depth, dive time, and a map of the dive site. The real standout feature is the depth profile graph at the bottom: as you scrub through it, photos from the dive appear at the corresponding moments — a thoughtful little touch that makes reliving each dive genuinely enjoyable. So how do you upload your own dive log? Let's walk through it step by step.

Before syncing your dive log, let's complete the initial watch setup by tapping Settings.

One small tip based on feedback from fellow divers: the COSMIQ's no-decompression limit calculations tend to be on the conservative side. It's worth adjusting the Safety Factor to "Progressive" (though of course this should be tailored to your own diving habits and style).

Once you've finished the setup, tap "Create Log" in the app. This allows you to create a log entry manually, but since we wanted to experience the full power of syncing, we tapped the sync button in the top-right corner instead.

Once your log is uploaded, don't forget to scrub through the depth profile graph to see your photos come to life at each point in the dive. Because every photo carries a timestamp, each dot on the timeline is precisely placed by the app — meaning five years from now, you can drag that slider and instantly recall the exact moment a memory was made.

After marvelling at the log upload feature, there's one more thing I really want to highlight: the Update Firmware function. In the age of the Internet of Things, connecting everything to the network is what drives revolution. With the COSMIQ paired to the app, you can update the watch firmware directly via OTA (Over-The-Air) technology, alongside regular app updates — delivering a continuously improving user experience. In other words, owning a COSMIQ isn't like buying a traditional dive computer and simply waiting until the battery dies or the hardware becomes obsolete. Instead, the watch evolves alongside the developers' work, bringing new capabilities and refinements over time.

Looking at the Firmware Update History on the official website, updates have been rolling out roughly once a month. With Deepblu's formidable engineering team behind it, I have every confidence that both the firmware and the app experience will keep getting closer to what divers actually want and need.

Finally, let's talk price. The current listed price on the Deepblu website is US$299, which works out to around NT$9,500 (at a rate of NT$32 to the dollar). At that price point in the traditional dive computer market, you'd typically be looking at entry-level options only — yet a Taiwanese manufacturer has managed to produce something this polished and feature-rich at this price. That really deserves a round of applause.

Our Take:

• The seamless end-to-end integration of hardware and software — watch and app working together — delivers a genuinely complete user experience.
• The dive log presentation in the app is lively and engaging; adding video embedding in the future would make logs even richer.
• We'd love to see the app expand its capabilities to further highlight the integrated ecosystem — for example, sharing logs with fellow COSMIQ users or dive group members, or automatically generating highlight reels from your log data (e.g. My 2016 Diving Year, My Days at Wanghaixiangwan, My Best Dives with Buddy xxx).

Updates:

At the end of 2016, Deepblu used the same OTA technology to roll out Altitude Mode and Fresh Water Mode in a single update, opening up new possibilities for divers taking their COSMIQ to destinations around the world.

In early 2017, COSMIQ received another update targeting multi-screen display and hardware improvements, including a low-battery management feature that divers will appreciate: it ensures the watch can complete one final dive even when battery is critically low. This update also added support for importing dive log data from other brands of dive computers. Click here for more details.

Three new colour options were also introduced, and seeing the units in person on a dive trip — those vibrant faces really do turn heads.

---

For more product information, visit the Deepblu COSMIQ official website: http://deepblu.com/

A quick shout-out on someone else's behalf: I'm not in the business of selling watches, so if you'd like to enquire or take a closer look at one in person, please reach out to Coach Guo (zeta0301@gmail.com)!