Vaporesso Swag PX80 Review: A Truly Swag Pod Mod

The Swag PX80 is the latest single battery pod mod from Vaporesso. It’s a different device than their usual ‘Target’ series pod mods like the Target PM80, PM30, and PM80 SE, with a different design and shape.

It takes a single 18650 battery for power and uses a large, pod-style tank. The Swag PX80 takes Vaporesso’s vast line of GTX coils, the same coils used by the Target series of pod mods, as well as by the Vaporesso Xiron, Gen Nano, and Luxe PM40.

One interesting and convenient selling point of the Swag PX80 is its pod tank, which allows you to change coils even with a full tank of eliquid. If this works well, it will save a lot of ejuice and prevent the messes that I usually make when changing my coils.

Box Contents

• 1 x Swag PX80 Mod
• 1 x Swag Pod (4ml)
• 1 x GTX 0.2Ω Mesh Coil
• 1 x GTX 0.3Ω Mesh Coil
• 1 x Type-C USB Cable
• 1 x User Manual
• 1 X Warranty Card
• 1 x Reminder Card

Specifications

• 99.7mm x 47.9mm x 25.1mm
• Single 18650 Battery
• 80W Max. Output
• 0.96” TFT Screen
• Replaceable Coils
• 4ml Pod Capacity
• Takes GTX Coils
• Adjustable Airflow
• Type-C Charging

Design & Build Quality

The Swag PX80 is the latest addition to Vaporesso’s “Swag” series of mods, however this device is a pod mod. Even so, it keeps the same shape as previous Swag devices; a square shape with a battery cap located right next to the pod-style tank.

But while it keeps the same general shape, the design and styling of the Swag PX80 is nothing like its predecessors. The back of the device has a cushioned leather pad that looks and feels high-quality. The front of the Swag PX80 features a glossy, carbon fiber weave panel. The gunmetal frame of the device contours and frames the back and front panels and really ties everything together. 

The small details are also well-done here. There’s a small triangular part of the frame which is located just below the leather pad on the back of the device. Vaporesso could have left it smooth and blank but instead it’s textured with diagonal lines. It looks cool and it’s a neat touch. 

Another small detail is the knurling on the battery cap. The Swag II had a smooth battery cap which was still easy to open. The PX80’s knurled battery cap would probably be just as easy to open without the knurling but it matches the aesthetics of the device nicely. All in all, while I liked the look of the Swag II, the PX80 just looks so much more refined and high-end.

As far as pod mods go, this is one of the smaller and more compact options. With the pod installed the PX80 is only 99.7mm tall, 47.9mm wide, and 25.1mm deep which is quite tiny for a pod mod. It’s a great size to carry around in a pocket and it feels natural to hold and use. It does have a fair amount of weight to it due to the metal frame and 18650 battery but it’s certainly on the lighter end of pod mods.

Located under the glossy, carbon fiber weave panel is where you’ll find the screen. When turned off the screen is basically invisible unless you hold it under direct light or view the panel from just the right angle. When turned on the screen appears out of nowhere and shines through brightly. It’s a neat little magic trick. There’s a slight haziness to the screen due to it shining through the panel but it’s very slight. It’s still perfectly legible and easy to read.

The fire button has a circular texture. It’s very easy to activate and I’ve found myself accidentally pushing it while holding the PX80 so you have to be careful. The adjustment buttons are much firmer. There’s a small amount of button rattle from the power button but nothing crazy. Located below the buttons is a Type-C port for firmware updates and emergency charging.

On the top of the device, located next to the pod, is the battery cap. It features knurling for grip and aesthetics and suits the mod well. Removing or reattaching the battery cap is seamless. The threading is smooth and very well machined. The battery compartment is snug and fits an 18650 battery perfectly. With the cap installed there’s no battery rattle whatsoever.

Pod & Coils

Unlike Vaporesso’s other ‘Swag’ mods, the PX80 uses a pod-style tank (or is it a tank-style pod? Hm…). It has a 4ml capacity and attaches to the device by way of magnets. Once the pod is inserted you can rotate it freely 360 degrees to adjust the airflow.

The tank is filled through a rubber bung on the bottom of the pod. The rubber plug is deep and secure. The fill hole is kidney shaped and large enough to accommodate pointy-tip nozzles but not suited for use with dropper bottles.

Coils push fit into the bottom of the tank and sit flush when installed. To remove a coil, twist the drip tip so that the arrow aligns with the unlock symbol, then push the drip tip down. This will eject the coil. A convenient feature of this tank is that you can change coils any time, even with a full tank of ejuice. When you eject the coil, the wicking ports close off to prevent any ejuice from leaking out. I’ve tested this out a couple of times and haven’t made a mess yet. I have to say that it works very well.

Two coils come with the Swag PX80 Kit. You get a 0.2ohm coil that is rated for 45-60W and a 0.3ohm coil that is rated for 32-45W. These are Vaporesso’s GTX coils, the same coils that are used by most of their recent devices. 

Vaporesso’s GTX coils come in multiple different resistance, wattage range, and MTL/DL options. There are a ton of coils to choose from which means that this tank isn’t limited by the two coils that come included. The fact that so many other devices use these GTX coils means two things: 1) Vaporesso will continue to produce these coils for a long time, and 2) It won’t be hard to find them.

How to Use the Swag PX80

The Swag PX80 uses Vaporesso’s AXON chipset and takes a single 18650 battery. It can fire at up to a maximum of 80W. It has a few modes but it’s generally a simple and straightforward device to operate. It’s so straightforward that even a complete novice to vaping would be able to manage and this makes it a perfect device for beginners.

Holding down both adjustment buttons brings up the menu. Here you can select from two modes: wattage mode or variable voltage mode. There’s also the option of toggling “Smart VW” which automatically adjusts the power based on your coil, viewing/resetting your puff counter, and changing the theme color.

To start using the Swag PX80 you’ll want to select a coil. Take the coil and drop some eliquid onto the cotton ports to prime it. Take the coil and insert it into the bottom of the pod and ensure that it goes all the way in and sits flush with the bottom of the pod. Undo the rubber bung and fill the pod with your choice of eliquid (use a regular nicotine ejuice if you’re using the included coils). Wait a few minutes for the coil to saturate and turn on the device. You’ll see a recommended wattage range on the screen for the coil that you’ve chosen and I recommend starting at the bottom of this range. From here you can work your way up to a vape that is as warm and powerful as you like.

Button Combinations

• Press the fire button three times to turn the power on or off.
• Press the power button three times to lock the adjustment buttons.
• Hold the + and – adjustment buttons to enter the settings menu.
• Hold the top adjustment button and power button to display your firmware version.

Performance

In addition to the 0.2ohm and 0.3ohm coils that come with the Swag PX80, I was also sent 0.6ohm and 0.8ohm coils.

The 0.3ohm coil is rated at 32-45W. I used 6mg regular nicotine ejuices — nicotine salts are not recommended for use with this coil. At 32W it’s a cool vape and the flavor is lacking but as you increase the wattage it gets much warmer and the flavor gets increasingly better. It’s suitably warm for my liking at 40W with good flavor. There’s no restriction with the airflow open but this can be cut down to a restricted direct lung vape.

Next up is the 0.2ohm coil which is rated at 45-60W. Again, using 6mg regular nic ejuices, it performs almost like the 0.3ohm coil but with slightly better flavor production. I ended up vaping mostly at 62W with this coil and it’s a great mix of warmth and flavor from the vapor. It’s an airy, restriction-free vape with open airflow but this can be cut down to a hot restricted DL vape. 

With each of the above coils I used 70/30, 80/20, and 50/50 ejuices and they handled them perfectly. No leaking, no spit back, and no dry hits.

Sold separately are the 0.8ohm and 0.6ohm coil. The 0.6ohm coil is nothing special. It’s rated for 20-30W and provides a direct lung draw. The flavor is okay but not nearly as good as the two included coils. It’s a cool vape, even as the wattage is increased to near the maximum rating. For a DL coil option you’re better off just using the coils that come in the box.

If you really want to vape nicotine salts, the 0.8ohm coil is a decent option. It’s going to be a loose mouth to lung draw if you cut down the airflow. This coil is good at 12-20W and that’s also going to get you much longer battery life out of the PX80’s single 18650 battery. The flavor is pretty good and vaping nic salts gives a nice throat hit. I’m not sure that I would recommend this setup to someone buying a device for nicotine salts. But if you’re going to mainly vape regular nicotine ejuices and maybe want something that you can try nic salts with before you go out and purchase a dedicated device, this coil will let you do just that with the PX80.

Verdict

I like the Swag PX80. It’s a small pod mod that does very well for direct lung vaping with the included coils. It’s easy to use and definitely a device that a new vaper would do good with. The coil ejection/anti-leak system is really cool and works extremely well. I can see this being especially useful for people that vape CBD ejuices and have to change a coil, but don’t want to waste the expensive ejuice in their tank.

The GTX coil family gives you a ton of options for experimenting and finding a coil that you like, but I would stick with the DL coils for vaping regular nicotine ejuices. The Swag PX80 can do nicotine salts with the right coil but there are certainly better devices that do the job better.

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