[What's This Gear?] Simple, But Far From Basic — The GARMIN Descent G1 Solar GPS Dive Computer, First Look at DRT SHOW 2022!

In recent years, GARMIN has poured tremendous effort into the diving world — from the early GARMIN Descent Mk1 and Mk2 series to the GARMIN Descent T1 transmitter featuring GARMIN's proprietary SubWave sonar technology, the brand has continuously pushed wearable dive equipment toward groundbreaking new applications. Somewhere along the way, the GARMIN Descent series quietly became synonymous with prestige in the diving community. In 2022, as pandemic restrictions gradually eased, GARMIN simultaneously unveiled its latest Descent family member — the GARMIN Descent G1 Solar GPS dive computer — at DRT SHOW TAIWAN. What exactly has GARMIN packed inside this seemingly retro, minimalist case? Let the Editor's photo team take you on a deep dive!

GARMIN Descent G1 Solar Highlight #1: Solar Charging for a Dive Computer

In this launch, the GARMIN Descent G1 series comes in two versions: the GARMIN Descent G1 Solar and the GARMIN Descent G1. As the names suggest, the Solar version adds solar charging functionality. Both watches in the Descent G1 series use a high-contrast, dual-window MIP display with a power-saving design that dramatically extends battery life — up to 21 days in watch mode, more than enough for everyday life and sports use.

The Solar version's solar charging is made possible by a Power Sapphire solar lens on the dial face, which combines top-grade sapphire glass with a high-transparency patented solar panel. Not only is it scratch-resistant and highly durable, but it also maximises light absorption area for efficient conversion of solar energy into usable power. According to official figures, assuming the watch is worn all day with more than 3 hours per day spent outdoors at 50,000 lux, it can provide an additional 103 days of battery life — meaning you can essentially say goodbye to the charger for three months.

On the way to a dive site, if you happen to forget your charger, you can simply leave the Descent G1 Solar on the dashboard to charge via sunlight through the car window. During surface intervals, you can also set it out in the sun for a top-up charge, extending the watch's runtime whenever you need it.

GARMIN Descent G1 Solar Dive Computer Colour Options

For colours, the GARMIN Descent G1 Solar is available in Graphite Black and Hurricane Blue, while the GARMIN Descent G1 comes in Reef Rock Gray and Deep Gray. Both colourways carry on the Descent series' family tradition of avoiding saturated, flashy tones — they're not only more timeless and easy on the eye, but also less prone to showing marks and stains. The understated palette subtly signals the watches' built-in multi-sport modes and their Outdoor Style aesthetic.

In recent years, collaborations between streetwear brands and outdoor gear companies have brought outdoor products squarely into the sightlines of younger consumers, transforming the Outdoor Style image from something decidedly old-fashioned into a byword for personality and trend. The GARMIN Descent G1 series' retro dual-window design is clearly aimed at the outdoor sports enthusiast crowd.

Like the rest of the Descent Mk series, the Descent G1 series has earned the US military-standard MIL-STD-810 certification. This standard encompasses a wide range of tests defined by the US military for mission-critical products — including extreme pressure, temperature, shock, vibration, rain, humidity, salt fog, dust, fungus, and more — further underscoring the reliability and durability of the GARMIN Descent dive computer lineup. Both Descent G1 series watches feature sapphire lens glass for even more comprehensive protection.

GARMIN Descent G1 Solar Highlight #2: Inheriting GARMIN's Multi-Sport Mode Heritage

As a professional dive computer, core diving functions are naturally a must. The GARMIN Descent G1 series, like the other Descent Mk dive computers, offers 6 dive modes — including single-gas (air/enriched air nitrox (EANx)) and multi-gas modes (using one base gas plus up to 11 decompression or backup gases). In scuba mode, you can also customise the dive conservatism settings (for a related article, see: A Simple Guide to Three Key Dive Computer Values: GF Values, PO2 Settings, and Tissues 1–16). Beyond scuba diving, freediving is also included among the more than 30 built-in sport modes — making this a highly recommended smartwatch for outdoor enthusiasts who want to track their performance data across multiple activities.

Speaking of the many built-in apps on the GARMIN Descent G1 series, the feature divers care most about is having real-time awareness of sea conditions. In the past, you'd need to check the Central Weather Bureau or apps like Windy on a computer or phone before heading out to understand current weather and tidal conditions. The GARMIN Descent G1 series, however, can connect with your smartphone to pull local tidal data — including today's high and low tide times — along with wave height, wind direction, and other information that's genuinely useful for divers.

As mentioned earlier, the GARMIN Descent G1 series features a retro dual-window design. That small secondary display in the upper right provides additional data views during sport modes, giving you a more intuitive, at-a-glance overview of your activity metrics.

GARMIN Descent G1 Solar Highlight #3: Feeling Run Down? Let Your Watch Help You Tune Your Body and Mind

As the global leader in wearables, GARMIN wants people not only to love staying active, but also to stay on top of their daily physiological health — a growing priority for urban dwellers. The heart rate monitoring already built into the Descent series lets you track your heart rate during both daily life and exercise. On top of that, the GARMIN Descent G1 series can record and score your sleep, tracking your performance across the three major sleep stages — deep sleep, light sleep, and REM — so you can better understand and improve your sleep quality.

For city dwellers chained to their desks or bouncing between back-to-back meetings, even staying hydrated has become something that needs a reminder! The GARMIN Descent G1 series logs your fluid intake and can even estimate fluid loss after each workout as a guide for rehydration. For female users, it can also track menstrual cycles. Add in body energy tracking, body battery readings, and other health metrics, and you end up knowing yourself a whole lot better — because technology, ultimately, serves human needs!

Of course, getting the most out of the GARMIN Descent series dive computer means taking full advantage of its deeply integrated GARMIN apps — Garmin Dive, Garmin Connect, and Garmin ConnectIQ. These let you view all your personalised activity data at a glance, customise your watch face, input your physical profile, and set up training plans, among other features. So when you get your GARMIN Descent G1 series watch, don't forget to use the simple, user-friendly interface to quickly pair it with the GARMIN apps!

Who Is the GARMIN Descent G1 Series For: A Top Pick for Beginners — and a Fashion Statement

Looking at the design and hardware specs of the GARMIN Descent G1 series, GARMIN has significantly brought the price down to between NT$16,000 and NT$19,000 — considerably more accessible compared to the Descent Mk series, which routinely commanded NT$30,000 to NT$40,000 or more. GARMIN is clearly targeting a younger demographic: active people under 35 who engage in a variety of sports and care about maintaining their fitness. Whether it wins over consumers ultimately comes down to personal preference.

The dive computer market has been exploding in recent years, with countless brands pulling out all the stops to capture a share of the wearable dive device market. But with the power of the GARMIN brand behind it, a solid service and repair network, and the advantage of supporting a huge range of built-in sport functions, the GARMIN Descent G1 series is well positioned to win over the outdoor and lifestyle crowd!

GARMIN Descent Series Dive Computer Comparison

The GARMIN Descent G1 series also supports GARMIN PAY, allowing you to use NFC technology for contactless credit card and transit card payments — though the transit card support has switched from iPASS to EasyCard compared to earlier models. Additionally, there are differences in built-in maps and onboard music storage between the Descent G1 and the previous Descent Mk series, so be sure to pay close attention to these details when making your decision. And if you want the convenience of GARMIN's SubWave sonar technology integrated with the Descent T1 pressure gauge transmitter, the Descent Mk2i is the one to go for — no question.

At the 2022 DRT SHOW TAIWAN, GARMIN generously put its entire Descent series dive computer lineup on display. We placed the Descent Mk2i, Mk2S, and G1 Solar side by side to compare their sizes and case materials, and we've also included an official comparison chart from the manufacturer to help you more easily find the GARMIN Descent dive computer that's right for you!

Further Reading:

• A Simple Guide to Three Key Dive Computer Values: GF Values, PO2 Settings, and Tissues 1–16
• The World's Most Powerful Dive Computer Evolves Further — When Diving Is More Than Just Sport: The Garmin Descent Mk2 Series
• [What's This Gear?] GARMIN Descent Mk2 Series vs. Mk1 Underwater Interface Unboxing
• The Most Powerful, Most Feature-Complete Dive Computer on the Planet – Garmin Descent Mk1
• GARMIN Dive Science