Vaporesso GEN 200 Kit
After being really impressed with the new Vaporesso Gen 80 S kit, Si is back to see it the Vaporesso Gen 200 kit is another winner
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Vaporesso for review
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/gen200
RRP $67.90
After being very impressed with the GEN 80S kit (see previous review), it was time to see if its big bro, the GEN 200 kit, would be as impressive. Plot spoiler, but it impressed me more than I had expected and is a very worthy successor to the original GEN.
I will be doing a bit of shameless ‘copy-n-paste’ from the GEN 80S review for the parts that are essentially the same, but I will be going more in depth of the GEN 200 specific features.
At a Glance
- Size: 138.5 x 44 x 25mm (including tank)
- Coil resistance: GTi 0.2ohm mesh 60-75W / GTi 0.4ohm mesh 50-60W
- Battery: 2 x 18650 (not included)
- Output power: 5-220W
- Charging current: DC 5V/2A Type-C
- Display: 0.96″ TFT colour screen
- iTank included
- Ultra light-weight mod
- Compact
Nothing really sounds too exciting or innovative but don’t let that fool you as Vaporesso have engineered quite a hard punching package in one of the smallest and lightest dual battery mods I’ve experienced.
Unboxing
Vaporesso have come up with a whole new packaging style for the GENs, and it all looks rather posh. Alhough I really liked the old style, this new one had me thinking ‘oooh that’s rather snazzy’.
It kind of reminded me of aftershave packaging with its holographic silver writing and border, but enough drooling over the box, let’s get inside.
Everything is set in one layer with the documents held in an envelope. The back of the box has the specs and contents, and the bundle is all pretty standard with everything you should expect from a mod/tank kit. The spare bubble glass is very welcome and the additional coil is different to the pre-installed one (0.2ohm and 0.4ohm included). The tiny USB cable is pretty useless and GEN-eric unless you charge from a close input like a laptop or power bank, I always liked Vaporesso’s posh charging cables but it's no biggie as I tend to use my own longer cables.
First Impressions
Already impressed with the posh packaging, I snatched the mod out of the molded plastic tray and was ‘blown’ away with just how diddy and light the mod was! The GEN 80S had impressed me, but the GEN 200 impressed me more as it was a dual battery mod with a better quality feel to it and the size is just incredible.
I will discuss the difference between the GEN 200 and the original GEN later, but this is shorter, narrower and lighter but with a large full colour screen. The only area it is larger is the thickness which is a bit fatter due to mounting the screen and chipset on the front, but that makes it fit into your hand far more comfortably.
This also has another positive effect; the 510 tank connection is larger meaning tanks up to 25mm (or 26mm at a push) will fit and look right, the original GEN was a bit thin and I struggled to match tanks so this improvement was very welcome.
Going back to the weight, the mod comes in at a measly 76 grams. I have pods heavier than that! Obviously things get heavier as you add stuff and the weight more than doubles by the time you add a couple of 18650 batteries and it comes in at 168 grams, and with the 66 gram iTank, it totals at 234 grams but you still notice how much lighter the kit is compared to most of my other dual battery mod and tank kits.
The mod is 32 grams lighter than the original GEN which is impressive enough, but they have given you more mod in a smaller, lighter package overall.
Side by side, the difference is obvious. Considering that the original GEN was considered to be compact and light weight already, then you can appreciate how Vaporesso have pushed the envelope with the GEN 200.
Fortunately Vaporesso have still managed to leave the GEN 200 feeling high quality and durable, the grippy rubberised coating and texture help it to gel into your hand securely.
The battery panel is held in place with two large and very strong magnets, there’s a little notch on the bottom of the mod to help you pry it off and it is easy enough to remove, but it stays in place really well without a sniff of any wobble. The orientation marking are embossed in the black plastic but they are not clearly marked with white so you need decent light to see which way round your batteries go in.
There’s no battery ribbon for removing your batteries (the original did), but I didn’t have too much of a problem removing them. Generally I remove my batteries to recharge, but I’m trusting modern tech more these days and with faster charging time, you don’t have to spend as long babysitting them during charging.
The charging screen is spot on and displays percentage of each cell as well as estimated time remaining for each battery, that piddly little charging cable actually came in handy for on-the-fly power bank charging.
I just loved the mod on its own, but the included iTank and GTI coils really make this kit a bit special, I cannot see you needing any other tank unless you are purely an RTA user, I go into more detail of this tank in my GEN 80S review and the only difference for this review is that the bubble glass suits the GEN 200 more (in my opinion).
The iTank is Vaporesso’s best tank yet, it’s high quality, simple to strip and maintain, and looks good. The new GTI coils make it a worthy tank to crown the GEN 200, as much as I loved the GTX coils, the new GTI ones are so much better for that high wattage, full DL vape and is a better choice for cloud lovers too.
Controls
Vaporesso sure know how to create a good chipset and user friendly controls, it is the same as the Target 200 and the three button navigation is one of my favourites so I am glad to see the GEN also has it. Usually I write my own instructions, but the manual does it so well and they have kept it short as not to be over complex:
- Lock or unlock the device: Press the fire button 3 times, then the +, - and mode buttons will be locked. In the same way, the buttons will be unlocked and the screen will be unlocked.
- Choose a Mode:
1. Long press the mode button for main mode selection ( Pulse Mode/F(t) Mode/VWN Mode).
2. Press the mode button 3 times continuously for secondary menu setting. - *F(t): F(t) MODE (DEFAULT)
F(t) MODE is by adjusting temperature, heating speed and time, F(t) mode releases the flavors of e-liquid adequately, delivering the perfect balanced tasting experience consistently from the first puff throughout. - *PUL: PULSE MODE:
PULSE MODE is a mode to improve vaping experience through constant voltage output, delivering optimal flavour production, throat hit, nicotine satisfaction, and perfect temperature cloud continuously. - *VWN: VARIABLE WATTAGE MODE/ SIMPLE MODE
VWN MODE is a normal mode of output wattage, you can according to the coil resistance to adjust the best wattage for your needs. The user interface shows wattage, resistance and puff counter for your immersive vaping experience. - *DIY: DIY MODE
You can choose traditional VW (H, N, S), VV, BP (Bypass) modes in this section. - *SET: SYSTEM SET
System setting includes DEFAULT, SMART VW, PUFF, and VERSION options. - SMART VW
When this function is turned on and a TANK is installed, the system will recommend the best power.
That’s pretty much everything you need to know in such a condensed format, GEN-erally you can work this out on your own with a bit of trial and error and button presses, I usually do this anyway but with manuals this simple, then it’s worth following instructions.
GENeral Advice
Most users that intend to use the GTI Coils will find the default settings ready to go and will just dial in the wattage according to which coil you use, but there are only two settings I would recommend to get the most from this mod and tank setup and will be especially handy for new users:
- F(t) mode – This magical power just works so damn well; I have no idea of how exactly, but Vaporesso nailed the power delivery on this setting.
- Smart VW – This setting automatically detects the coil and sets the wattage for you as a starting point, this still works in F(t) mode, I tend to adjust this after as it tends to be on the cooler end but it’s great for a longer coil lifespan.
If you intend to use other tanks on the mod, then there are plenty of other useful settings such as preheats, and PULSE mode works a charm with RTAs.
TC? or not TC?, that is the question….
It appears Vaporesso have decided to ditch TC (Temperature Control) in their latest mods. This won’t be an issue if you only intend to use the iTank with GTI coils, but more advanced users that use RTAs and TC mode need to be aware of this omission. Personally I love TC mode, but I mostly use it with RDAs and squonking so I won’t miss it on the GEN 200.
Performance
I was going to copy-n-paste this from the GEN 80S review, but there’s an obvious difference. The 0.4ohm coil suited the GEN 80S better, but the 0.2ohm coil definitely suits this kit more. The mod provides that bit more oomph at higher watts, and battery life becomes less of an issue.
The coils do require a good ten draws to bed in, but after that you get a top draw with incredible flavour and decent vapour production.
A quirk of the SMART VW is that the mod sets the wattage to just 40 watts on the 0.4ohm coil when the suggested range is 50-60watts. The vape was surprisingly decent even at 40watts, but the sweet spot really is smack-bang in the middle of the suggested range. 55watts was perfect for my taste; warm, intense flavour, large vapour production, and it kept up with chain vaping. I was getting as much flavour from this coil as the 0.2ohm at 70 watts, the only real difference was bigger clouds.
The airflow was airy enough for my tastes, usually I close off larger tanks by a third but fully open on this was about right, but those looking for a very airy tank might find this a little restrictive.
If you are looking for something even smaller and lighter than the GEN 200 then it’s worth considering the GEN 80S (see previous review) but for the price difference and the little size difference I would go for the GEN 200 all day long.
GEN-etics
I’ve kept the puns to a minimum so I’m going to let rip here…..
The previous GENerations of the GEN series were always popular and for good reason, always current GEN technology, compact, light and sturdy in GENeral. Vaporesso have been inGENious with the latest design by mounting the next-GEN chipset and screen on the front along with all the other size and weight saving features, you really do get more for less compared to the oriGENal. It’s more GENtle in your pocket and it has a wide colour range that will suit any GENder and though the GENesis of this series (the oriGENal) is still a worthy mod in its own right, the GEN200 is just better in so many ways (a GENtleman never lies). It also suits all nationalities as foreigners and indiGENous people will love it (yep, I’m starting to scrape the barrel). One thing to consider is that it’s not waterproof so best not dive into the GENe pool with it, I can see other manufacturers trying to copy this so be sure you get a GENuine one. The iTank is also superb, and the GENtle airflow lets in plenty of oxyGEN….. okay okay I will leave it there!
(words I didn’t fit in: pathoGEN, GENeric, cryoGENic, and, surprisingly, GENitals)
GEN(OG) - GEN200 – GEN80S – GEN Nano
(the empty space in-between them is just the GENeration gap)
Conclusion
Great mod, great tank, very compact, great quality and lightweight, what more could you want? (TC aside). I couldn’t see anything replacing my old GEN, but if course Vaporesso had other ideas with their latest version, it has everything I loved in the original but so much more besides.
Who will this kit appeal to? I think it has something for most DL vapers as long as you stick with the bundled iTank and stock GTI coils. The performance, flavour, handling, and vape quality are all equally as good, and the style is nice and inoffensive (unless you choose one of the nastier colours IMO), what more could you want?
Pros
- 68 Gram dual 18650 mod
- Incredibly compact
- Just superb iTank and GTi coils
- Next-GEN Flavour
- Grippy rubberised coating
- Large colour screen
- Axon chipset 3 button navigation
- 2 Amp charging
- Straight glass with optional bubble
- A more than worthy upgrade from the original
Cons
- No TC Mode
Don’t let the lack of TC mode put you off though, the vast majority of users don’t ever touch it anyway, and the flavour and performance of the GTI coils more than make up for this.
Final Thoughts
If you liked the old GEN, I think you will love this even more. If you are new to the GEN series, then jump in and grab one as I can’t see you being disappointed. The tank and coils are as good as the mod which makes this kit really stand out.
Score: 9.5/10 – The Dog’s GEN-itals
Si Davies
Reviewer at POTVMy background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!
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