Vaporesso GEN 80 S Kit
Vaporesso have come out with the next GENeration of the popular Gen series. First up, Si takes a look at the Vaporesso GEN 80 S Kit
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Vaporesso for review
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/gen200
RRP $57.90
One of Vaporesso’s most successful product ranges is the GEN series, weight and size were one of the features and they have come up with even more savings with the latest GEN 200 and GEN 80S. We take a closer look at the GEN 80 S first…..
At a Glance
- Size: 140.5 x 34 x 25.5mm
- Coil resistance: GTi 0.2ohm mesh 60-75W / GTi 0.4ohm mesh 50-60W
- Battery: 1 x 18650 (not included)
- Output power: 5-80W
- Charging current: DC 5V/2A Type-C
- Display: 0.96″ TFT colour screen
- iTank included
- Ultra light-weight mod (49g)
Unboxing
Vaporesso have come up with a whole new packaging style for the GENs' and it all looks rather posh. Although I really liked the old style, this new one had me thinking ‘ooo 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 held in one layer with the documents held in an envelope, and the back of the box has the specs and contents. 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, I always liked Vaporesso’s posh charging cables but no biggie as I tend to use longer cables.
GEN-eral Impression
The first thing I removed from the packaging was the mod and damn, is it light! It has to be the lightest single 18650 mod I have ever held, I went straight for the scales….
49 Grams! Now that is impressive! They must have had a Formula One designer in to trim the weight down that much, but by the time you add a battery, coil and a full tank, it comes in at 163 Grams and starts to feel heavier. The tank is over 60g but I like the solid construction of it. They could have made a lighter tank, but I would have moaned about that as the older GEN tank was indeed lighter but looked and felt a little cheap.
This kit will please those users that dislike heavy kits and is lighter than many pod and pod/mod kits, throughout the review period the light weight continued to impress me and it is one of those that didn’t feel too heavy in your pocket.
Part of the weight saving is down to the plastic construction of the mod, it is made from durable plastic and rubberised coating which makes it feel very ‘grippy’, this is similar to the previous GEN kits and is almost it’s trademark coating on older versions.
You can kind of see the materials used once you remove the magnetic battery cover, which is a superb fit with zero wobble and stays in place strongly due to the beefy magnets.
The battery markings are a little hard to see in low light and your 18650 sits upside down with the positive pin at the bottom, this is spring loaded and easy enough to fit and remove without a battery ribbon.
Style-wise; there isn’t much going on, but the body is well sculpted and very comfortable. I really like the texture as it feels soft for want of a better word, the satin finish keeps things clean looking and is easy to wipe down should it get grotty.
The main face is the controls and screen which was the next feature that impressed me; the screen is large and full colour. It is slightly dim though and you will struggle to see it in bright sunshine, but that’s always a compromise as bright screens naturally drain your battery quicker.
Talkin' about my G-g-g-generation (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 with 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 you 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 are 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 TC modes and general preheats, PULSE mode works a charm with RTAs.
iTank and GTi Coils
The bundled tank is just superb and the new GTi coils help to make this kit next-GEN, in fact it is the best DL tank I have tried from Vaporesso and is much better than the original GEN tank.
It strips down in the usual way by unscrewing the base counter clockwise, the glass section pulls off with a bit of wiggling and twisting. The coils are a press fit and the drip tip has a 510 fitting.
You have a bubble glass option if you require a larger capacity, but the straight glass suits this kit better in my opinion and there’s less risk of it breaking if the mod topples over. Vaporesso use the smaller 510 fitting for their drip-tip but you still get a surprisingly airy draw from it.
I’m a huge fan of Vaporesso’s GTX coils and wondered if the newer GTi coils were worth the upgrade, but they proved to be so much better for high wattage DL vaping. Along with the F(t) mode, they are just perfect for this tank and mod, they are a press fit but they can be tricky to remove as there’s not much to grip, so I used a teaspoon and it was no hassle.
The coils are quite interesting in the wicking material used, as you can see from the knobbly texture through the large wicking ports. Both coils are single bore mesh and don’t look anything new inside, so I assume the cotton is the main reason these coils deliver so much flavour.
The convenient top-fill simply pivots open but has a strong enough resistance that it stays in place, so far I have had no issues with it accidentally popping open when stored in a pocket or bag. My only niggle is the drip-tip gets in the way and I found myself removing it to gain better access.
GENeration X
So it was time to get testing this kit, I had already tried the tank on the TARGET 200 kit so there were no surprises there, well more of a reminder of how good this tank is. 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.
Both coils performed well and I actually don’t have a preference as such, though I would say that the 0.4ohm GTi coil is a better choice for this particular kit as it uses a bit less power and the battery will last a little longer as a result.
A quirk of the SMART VW is that the mod sets the wattage to just 40watts 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. Those looking for a very airy tank might find this a little restrictive.
GENeration Gap
The GEN 80 S isn’t a direct replacement for an older GEN, the closest is the GEN Nano but that’s a different animal as it has an inbuilt LiPo battery, and but the GEN80S has a large colour screen and a bit more oomph.
They are different animals in performance too, the iTank sees to this and knocks spots off the GEN Nano in flavour and vapour production, I think I prefer the Nano mod due to its smaller size but the tank is nowhere near as good as the iTank for proper DL vaping. The Nano still has its place for RDL though and I still love the GTX coils for that.
GEN200 – GEN80S – GEN Nano – GEN200 Original
(the empty space in-between them is just the GENeration gap)
The GEN 80 S sits in the family quite nicely as a single 18650 option and is a cracking mod in its own right if you wanted to use your own tank on it. The all new GEN200 raises the game even further though, that impressed me even more but that’s for another day (my next review).
GENeral Thoughts (Conclusion)
The GEN80-S kit has a lot to offer, the mod is very impressive with its fully featured AXON chipset along with its incredibly lightweight and durable coating, but it’s the partnership with the iTank and new GTi coils that make this kit exceptional. My only niggle is the drip-tip getting in the way during filling, but that’s common with a lot of tanks.
I can’t see anyone being disappointed with this kit unless you are after a weighty, very airy dual battery kit. Otherwise I feel this kit will appeal to new and experienced users alike.
Pros
- 39 Gram mod – 39 grams!!!!
- 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
Cons
- I’m being GEN-tle so I have none
Final Thoughts
No niggles – Ermmm…….maybe the drip-tip getting in the way? But other than that I have just been so impressed throughout and all the pros make it worth every penny.
GEN200 next – bring it on!
Score: 9.3287/10 (roughly)
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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