Uwell Caliburn G3 Pro & G3 Pro KOKO Review: Which is Better?

Design & Build Quality

If you’re at all familiar with previous Caliburn devices, the design of the G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO won’t come as a surprise.

The G3 Pro is tall, slim, and rectangular, similar to previous Caliburn devices like the G3 and G2. At 117mm tall, 27mm wide, and 17mm thick, it’s a reasonably large pod device. It’s also fairly heavy, at 92g, so you’ll definitely notice it on your person.

The G3 Pro KOKO, on the other hand, is almost square-shaped. The shape is similar to the original Caliburn KOKO, as well as the more recently released Tenet KOKO of 2023. At 79.7mm tall, 50mm wide, and 19.6mm thick, the G3 Pro KOKO is shorter but wider and thicker than the G3 Pro. It’s also heavier (presumably due to the larger 1250mAh battery) at 97g.

But, of course, size isn’t the only distinguishing factor between these two. I have to give it to Uwell; they’re both extremely nice devices. They just feel high-end, premium, and expensive, which is shocking because they’re reasonably priced at around $30 USD each. That’s not much more expensive than other good pod vapes on the market.

Zinc alloy is used for the frame of each device, with acrylic and polycarbonate used for the screen cover and back.

My ‘Emerald Green’ G3 Pro Koko has a unique wavy finish on the back that comes to life when moved around in the light. Not only does it look good, but it has proven to be durable too.

My G3 Pro is ‘Stone Gray’ but it’s really more of a champagne color. The back of this color is a combination of fine, shimmering sparkles and large reflective portions. Like the G3 Pro Koko, this backing hasn’t picked up any scratches at all and is still looking like new, even after a few weeks of use.

Each device has an ejuice viewing window cutout on the back side. 

A full-sized screen is located on the front side of each device. These are definitely the nicest screens I’ve seen on pod vapes, bar none. They’re super high-resolution and full color, way beyond the screen quality you expect to see on a pod vape.

What’s most impressive about these displays, aside from the resolution and clarity, is how scratch-resistant they are. After weeks of being tossed around and in and out of my pockets, the displays look virtually brand new. There’s only a single, barely visible scratch on my G3 Pro KOKO screen and none that I can see on my G3 Pro.

If I had to choose between the two based on the size and design alone, I would choose the G3 Pro KOKO. I like the look of the short square shape more than the tall G3 Pro. 

Pods

The Caliburn G3 Pro and Caliburn G3 Pro Koko use Caliburn G3 cartridges which are available as either top fill or side fill pods with either a 3ml, 2.5ml, or 2ml capacity. Which ones you’ll be able to get will depend on where you live:

• Side Fill, 3ml Capacity: 0.4Ω – International & USA
• Side Fill, 2.5ml Capacity: 0.6Ω, 0.9Ω, 1.2Ω – International & USA
• Top Fill, 2ml Capacity: 0.4Ω, 0.6Ω, 0.9Ω, 1.2Ω – Canada and TPD Countries

Basically, Canada and TPD countries are stuck with top fill, 2ml capacity pods, while the USA gets a 3ml 0.4Ω pod and 2.5ml pods for the other resistances.

Since I live in Canada, I received my G3 Pro and G3 Pro Koko with 2ml top fill pods in 0.4Ω and 0.9Ω resistances. However, I’ve previously used the Caliburn G3, which comes with the same 2.5ml pods as the G3 Pro, and there is no difference whatsoever between the performance of the pods; only the fill location and capacity are different.

The top fill pods are my least favorite of the two types of pods available for the G3 Pro and G3 Pro Koko. The mouthpiece snaps off to reveal the fill port, which has to be pressed down with your ejuice bottle nozzle in order to open. Pressing down the port is not an issue, but snapping off the mouthpiece can be difficult. It’s certainly more difficult than filling the side fill pods, which only require removing a rubber plug on the side of the pod in order to fill.

The 2.5ml capacity of the side fill pods is nice to have, too, since it extends the time between fills.

Features

By far, the screen is the single best feature of the Caliburn G3 Pro and G3 Pro Koko. They’re both full-screen devices with a display that takes up nearly the entire front of each device.

Both displays are ultra-high resolution, and it’s impossible to pick out individual pixels on the screens. Since it’s a wider device, the G3 Pro Koko has a larger display with more room for visuals. The UI is more visually appealing and comes complete with three themes, as well as animations that play when you power on or off the device, when you inhale, or when charging.

The display on the G3 Pro is more sparse but still very crisp. There are no themes or fancy animations, just a simple UI.

The G3 Pro KOKO also has a menu with different options – something that the G3 Pro lacks. The menu can be accessed by pressing the side button four times. Here you can change the theme, set the brightness between DAY (brighter) or NIGHT (dimmer), and clear the puff counter. 

The default theme on the G3 Pro KOKO is the most simple but it’s my favorite. There’s no coil resistance information and no puff counter, but in my opinion, it looks the nicest. The other two themes display this information on the main screen. All three themes show the output wattage, whether the device is in DAY or NIGHT mode, battery life percentage, and lock status.

The G3 Pro, with its lack of themes, shows similar amounts of information: output wattage, battery life (no percentage), coil resistance, a puff counter, and whether button-activated firing is active. There’s no way to change the brightness of the display on the G3 Pro.

Both devices feature adjustable wattage up to 35W, and both feature an adjustable airflow slider which is located on the side of each device. Changing the wattage can be done by pressing the side button three times to unlock the wattage and then clicking or holding the button to change the wattage.

Each pod is locked to a wattage range in order to prevent burning and prematurely wearing out the coil. The 0.4Ω pod can be set at up to 35W, and the 0.9Ω coil can be set at up to 15W. 

It’s clear to me that the G3 Pro Koko is the device with the better features overall. It has a nicer display, more customizability with the three different themes, the ability to adjust the screen’s brightness, and it shows battery life as a percentage, which is much more useful than the G3 Pro’s battery icon with four bars. Chalk up another win for the G3 Pro Koko.

How to Use the G3 Pro & G3 Pro KOKO

Both devices are rather simple to operate just as long as you know the button combinations:

• Power ON or OFF: Press the side button five times.
• Lock/unlock button activated firing: Press the side button two times.
• Change wattage: Press the side button three times.
• Access the menu (G3 Pro KOKO only): Press the side button four times.

Battery Life & Charging

Compared to previous generation Caliburn devices, the battery capacity of the G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO have received an upgrade. The G3 Pro KOKO has the larger battery of the two at 1250mAh, while the G3 Pro houses a smaller, but still respectable, 1000mAh battery.

This extra 250mAh capacity allows the G3 Pro KOKO to last for just a little longer than the G3 Pro when used with the same pod at the same wattage. It’s a small difference, but every little bit of battery life helps if you’re a vaper who is always on the go and without easy access to a charger. Both devices lasted me for 2-3 days on a single charge, depending on my pod and wattage.

The G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO each support Type-C 2A charging, which is great. However, the G3 Pro KOKO takes a bit longer to charge, taking an hour to fully charge from dead, while the G3 Pro takes only forty minutes.

Performance

I tested the G3 Pro and G3 Pro Koko with the 0.4Ω and 0.9Ω pods. Unfortunately, I didn’t have other pod resistances available so I’m unable to say how those pods do with these devices. If I manage to get my hands on them in the future, I’ll be sure to update this review.

Both of these devices vape precisely the same with the different G3 Pods; there’s no difference in airflow or power at all. When it comes to performance, they’re basically the same device, just with different form factors.

The 0.4Ω pod is too low resistance to be used with high-strength nicotine salt ejuices, so I used a 6mg freebase ejuice instead. The vape at 35W is really smooth – much smoother than other vapes that I’ve used this ejuice with. The throat hit is strong but not harsh, and it’s really satisfying to vape on. Flavor from this pod is superb and really top-notch for a pod vape.

This pod can be used for RDL vaping with the airflow open, but closing down the airflow allows it to be used for MTL. The airflow can be made pretty tight by closing it down nearly all the way, but it doesn’t get down to an actual tight MTL draw. Personally, I prefer to use this pod with the airflow fully open or just a little closed for a good RDL/loose MTL vape with my freebase ejuices.

The 0.9Ω pod is perfect for nicotine salt ejuices of all strengths, and I wasted no time loading it up with 20mg nic salts. At 15W, which is the maximum wattage for this pod, it’s a dream of a vape. I’ve ran so much ejuice through this pod that I’m surprised it’s still kicking. And not only is it still going, but there’s but no burning or loss of flavor either.

This pod is the one for MTL vapers, like myself, as the draw is mouth-to-lung even with the airflow open. Reducing the airflow gets it down to a tight MTL draw that I really like. I can’t knock the MTL experience with this pod – it’s one of the best that I’ve had for sure.

The auto draw function on the G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO works flawlessly, even with the looser airflow of the 0.4Ω pod. I also haven’t had any burning or leaking with the 0.4pods or the 0.9Ω pods in my two weeks of testing these devices.

Verdict

I’ve long been a fan of Uwell’s devices. They’ve always been well-made and purpose-built, with that purpose being to provide an excellent vape. The G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO more than accomplish this purpose, and both provide an excellent vaping experience.

Whether you’re a RDL vaper who prefers freebase ejuices or a MTL vaper who likes their nic salts, either of these two devices will satisfy your needs. They’re easily some of the best pod vapes that I’ve tried and I’m just upset that it took me this long to get my hands on them to test.

That said, after using both the G3 Pro and G3 Pro KOKO for an extended period of time, there is one that I would choose over the other, and that’s the G3 Pro KOKO. With both priced at $30 USD, the G3 Pro KOKO is objectively the better device due to its larger battery, nicer screen/UI, and customizable menu. I also prefer the shape and design of the G3 Pro KOKO over the G3 Pro, but that’s just me.

Both devices are safe bets, but if I had to choose between them, I would choose the G3 Pro KOKO.

What do you think about Uwell’s latest Caliburn devices? Leave me a comment down below.

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