Starter Kit Reviews

SMOK Priv V8 Kit

The PRIV V8 is a new starter kit from well-known manufacturer SMOK. Intended for people who have recently switched to vaping the PRIV V8 does not feature any convoluted menus or intimidating display to try and give hassle free vaping.

by VapeMaster
Feb 26, 2018

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SMOK PRIV V8 Kit

Bundled with the TFV8 Baby Beast the kit allows you to enjoy vaping right away. So let’s take a good look and see what it has to offer you.

SMOK PRIV V8 Kit features

Zinc Alloy Construction.
Anodized Colour Finish.
Available Colours: Gold, Red, Purple, White, Black, Silver, Black & Red.
Size: 80 x 34 x 24.5mm.
Maximum Output: 60W.
Minimum Supported Resistance: 0.15ohm.
Requires 1x 18650 Battery (Not Included).
Standby Current: <200uA.
Input Voltage: 3.4-4.2V.
Charging Current: 600-700mA.
Dual LED indicators
Micro USB Port Charging Function.
Impedance Protection.
Short Circuit Protection.
Low Battery Warning.
Reverse Battery Protection.
Overshoot Protection.
8 Second Cut-Off.

TFV8 Baby Beast Tank

Stainless Steel and Pyrex Glass Construction.
22mm Diameter.
2ml Capacity.
510 Threaded.
Wide Bore Delrin Drip Tip.
Adjustable Airflow.
Top Filling.
V8 BABY-M2 0.25ohm Coil Head.

What’s in the box?

PRIV V8 Device.
TFV8 Baby Beast Tank.
V8 Baby-M2 0.25ohm Dual Coil (Pre-installed).
1x Spare V8 Baby-M2 0.25ohm Dual Coil.
1x Replacement Glass Tube.
1x Micro USB Charging Cable.
Bag of Spares.
User Manual.

SMOK PRIV V8 styling and build quality

The PRIV V8 is very compact but appears well built and above all it looks highly attractive. Ergonomically it has a great feel and seems durable but light enough to be comfortable for all users. It features Zinc Alloy construction and has an anodized two tone paint scheme, one colour is slightly glossy and the other metallic, which looks very complimentary. I received the black and red which is very striking, but there are a number of schemes available for customers to choose from. In the time I have spent using the device the paint has not chipped at all and personally I think it’s far better done than the SMOK Alien which had issues in that department.

The 510 pin is very stiff with an ever so slight spring to it, but there isn’t a great deal of travel and to be fair it isn’t needed since the fit of the included Baby Beast tank is completely flush. The pin does appear to be Gold-Plated so should have excellent conductivity. The 510 connector has good threading and appears to be made from Stainless Steel, so it should last some time.

Branding is kept to a reasonable minimum and features the name “PRIV V8” on one side and “SMOK” on the opposite side. Like many starter devices the PRIV V8 does not feature a display but there is a small LED positioned at the top of the device to alert you to when it is switched on or firing. The device features a single trigger bar button that has a nice comfortable squeeze to it and is very responsive.

The PRIV V8 requires a single 18650 battery (not included). At the base of the device the battery compartment is accessed by a press and slide lid which is an excellent firm fit. The correct battery orientation is clearly marked on the inside of the lid. There is no noticeable battery venting but I would assume air circulates via the nearby Micro USB Port.

The Micro USB located on the side of the device allows for convenient charging via the included cable.

The 22mm diameter TFV8 Baby Beast Tank is nicely constructed, features solid feeling glass, adjustable airflow, top filling and a 2ml capacity. Spare glass is included in the box should you ever have an unfortunate accident.

Ease of use

This device does not feature Variable Wattage or Temperature Control Modes and simply offers up to 60 Watts of maximum power, but the output is determined by the Resistance of the coil fitted to the atomizer you use. It will fire down to a minimum 0.15ohm Resistance.

It is incredibly easy to use. Five clicks of the main fire button switches the device on/off. There is no lock function and no confusing display or menus to navigate through.

The only way you know it is even switched on or firing is by looking at the small white LED on the top of the device. Keep in mind that it isn’t very bright so it can be hard to tell if you have switched the device on, but you will certainly get used to it in time. Ideally SMOK should make it a little larger and brighter so a user knows for sure if the device is switched on, but that’s the only complaint I have.

The Baby Beast Tank is equally straightforward. The coil is pre-fitted so you only need to unscrew the base and prime it with a little juice. Filling is accomplished via sliding the trademark SMOK hinged lid to expose the holes for your juice bottle nozzle, so won’t present any problem at all.

SMOK PRIV V8 Kit performance

The PRIV V8 is a convenient device and for that reason I found myself really enjoying it. The included TFV8 Baby Beast Tank I have covered before since it is included with several SMOK devices. Be aware that is does drain considerably fast which is unsurprising considering the large dual coil it is fitted with.

When I used the Baby Beast on other devices I had to vape at around 55 Watts to get a decent vape and that seems comparable to what you get when vaping it while fitted to the PRIV V8, which actually fires according to SMOK at 60 Watts. Of course that’s difficult to confirm for sure since there is no display on the PRIV V8. Flavour was very good being nice and crisp. Cloud production was excellent and if you like things foggy you’ll really enjoy this! Ease of refilling was highly convenient thanks to the flip lid mechanism.

The draw on the tank is very enjoyable but suits a direct lung inhale style of vaping. Closing down the airflow to get a slightly more restrictive vape weirdly enough just led to a loss of flavour for me, so I stuck to using it fully opened up. It certainly won’t suit mouth to lung vapers.

Battery life was fairly reasonable for a device of this type and I would say I got about five hours of use out of it and recharging takes about two and half to three hours. This product is ideally suited for the person who needs it for breaks at work or when you’re out in the town for the day.

Conclusion

If you’re a cloud chasing fan and you want a discrete device to carry around then the SMOK PRIV V8 has you covered. Certainly there are limitations such as the set Wattage, short battery life and the fact it won’t suit a mouth to lung vaper, but if those aren’t major concerns for you then this is a great device to consider picking up!

Many thanks to SMOK who kindly sent this device to Planet of the Vapes for us to review. For your chance to win the PRIV V8 please see our competition.