Geekvape Zeus review, Z tanks and coils explained

At Geekvape, the Zeus name has survived everything, even being shrunk to a single letter. The Geekvape Zeus now goes by “Z”, comes as tanks, Nano versions and kits, and every shop puts a different generation forward. Anyone looking for this sub-ohm tank therefore lands on several products whose coils do not always fit one another. Before any score, you need to know which Zeus you are talking about, and which mod it is meant for.

Is the Geekvape Zeus still worth choosing

Yes, for direct lung vaping and on two conditions. You need a version that takes Z Series coils, either the original Zeus Sub-Ohm or the current Z Subohm 5, rather than a Z Nano. You also need a mod that can climb to 80 or 90 W.

Used that way, the Geekvape Zeus ticks what you would expect from a durable sub-ohm tank. Its top airflow keeps leaks in check, it fills from the top and its coils serve a whole line of tanks. Its limit comes from its very nature, which is a high liquid consumption.

The Geekvape Zeus generations, from rebuildable to Z Subohm 5

The name covers three families that do not stand in for one another. Telling them apart saves you from buying coils you cannot use.

It started as a top-airflow rebuildable

The first Zeus was a rebuildable tank atomiser, reviewed by the specialist press from late 2017, then followed by the Zeus X, a 25 mm model holding 4.5 ml according to the retailers that stocked it. Its principle, bringing air in from the top so that liquid has no way out through the base, was carried over to the tanks with ready-made coils.

The Zeus Sub-Ohm, ready-made coils

Geekvape presents its capacity and leak resistance as inherited from the original Zeus. The listing gives 5 ml, or 3.5 ml with the spare glass supplied, for a diameter of 26 mm and a height of 42.5 mm without the drip tip. The drip tip uses the 810 format and the coil pushes into the threaded base.

The Z Subohm 5, the current generation

It moves up to 5.5 ml, or 7 ml with the spare glass supplied, measuring 29 by 56.1 mm, with a cap you push to fill that stays attached. It ships with two Z XM Boost coils, a 0.2 ohm fitted (70 to 80 W) and a spare 0.4 ohm (50 to 60 W).

The Z Nano tanks, a separate branch

Despite the name, the Z Nano 2 and Z Nano 3 run on Geekvape’s B Series coils rather than Z Series, and the Z Nano 3 takes a 510 drip tip. According to Geekvape’s listings, all of these tanks also exist in a 2 ml version, known as TPD.

That 2 ml version is the one that matters to British buyers. In the UK, a tank used with nicotine e-liquid is limited to 2 ml, and nicotine e-liquid is capped at 20 mg/ml in bottles of no more than 10 ml, so the larger figures above are the manufacturer’s full specification.

What direct lung vaping on it is like

The Zeus is designed for dense vapour and bold flavour. Its low-resistance mesh coils heat over a wide surface, at the cost of a liquid consumption out of all proportion to a mouth-to-lung tank. Air enters at the top and travels down to the coil, so the liquid has no path towards the base.

Gurgling does happen when the liquid is too thin for these coils. One retailer advises at least 60% vegetable glycerine with the 0.4 ohm Z XM coil and 70% with the 0.15 ohm, and others ask for 70% or more. Beyond that, sound seals, a properly seated coil and a little air left at the top when refilling keep the risk of leaks low.

Z Series coils, lifespan and signs of wear

The coil is the real subject of a Zeus, since it is the only part that wears out. The range changed names along the way, and the brand’s own listings do not always agree with each other.

Names that changed

The Mesh Z1 and Mesh Z2 became the Z0.4 and Z0.2 in Geekvape’s coil guide, updated in 2023. The family also includes a Z0.15 (80 to 90 W), a dual mesh Z0.25 (45 to 57 W) and XM versions.

One discrepancy is worth flagging. The original Zeus Sub-Ohm listing rates the Mesh Z1 at 60 to 70 W, while the guide puts the same Z0.4 at 50 to 60 W. We follow the guide, which is the more recent document.

A lifespan measured in millilitres

Geekvape puts the life of a Z XM Boost coil at 50 to 60 ml of liquid, roughly double the previous generation according to the brand. On a 2 ml tank, that works out at 25 to 30 refills, and nine to eleven on the 5.5 ml tank of the Z Subohm 5. A Zeus coil pushed to the top of its range with a very sweet liquid gums up faster.

Signs that do not lie

Fading flavour signals the end of a coil long before the burnt taste arrives. Priming decides the rest. Geekvape advises waiting three to five minutes after filling, while the same retailer suggests about ten, because these coils hold a lot of cotton.

Who the Geekvape Zeus suits, and who it does not

The profile is written in the spec sheet, starting with the power its coils need and the diameter of the tank. Three situations stand out clearly.

The vaper with a powerful mod

This is the target. A mod that delivers 90 W, the top of the Z0.15 range, runs the whole family, and Geekvape pairs these coils with its own Aegis Legend and Aegis Solo. At these power levels, branded batteries in good condition are not up for debate.

The owner of a small box mod

On a compact box mod such as the iStick Pico, capped at 75 W and 23 mm wide, the Zeus overhangs the chassis. The Z0.4 runs across its full range, the Z0.2 only at the bottom of its own, and the classic Z0.15, rated from 80 W, has no place there.

The mouth-to-lung vaper

Look elsewhere. Every Z coil sits below 0.5 ohm, and Geekvape itself files the Z Subohm 5 among direct lung tanks. Next to an Aspire Nautilus, which runs a 1 ohm coil at 13 to 15 W, the Zeus starts at 50 W with its Z0.4. Two opposite logics meet here, flavour precision on one side and volume on the other.

Our Geekvape Zeus verdict, 15.4 out of 20

Our in-house grid gives the detail. Liquid endurance scores 3 out of 5 (30%), flavour 4 out of 5 (25%), handling 4 out of 5 (15%), leak resistance 5 out of 5 (15%) and perceived value 4 out of 5 (15%). Leak resistance is its strongest card, while endurance suffers from high consumption despite a large tank.

We would keep it, with the right mod. What tips the balance is a coil family that fits the Zeus Sub-Ohm, its 2021 and SE versions, the Z Fli tanks and the Z Subohm 5.

FAQ

These questions come up often about the range, and none of them repeats the points covered above.

Can you use nicotine salts in a Zeus?

Geekvape contradicts itself here. The Z Series coil FAQ calls them compatible, while the Z XM Boost FAQ advises against them and recommends freebase e-liquid at 3 mg/ml or less. At 70 W and above, we go with the more cautious advice.

What separates the classic Z0.15 from the Z0.15 XM?

The classic is rated at 80 to 90 W, the XM at 70 to 85 W. According to Geekvape, the XM owes its longer life to a denser mesh at the centre, which spreads the heat more evenly.

Are replacement glasses shared across the range?

Almost. Geekvape sells a Z glass shared by the Zeus Sub-Ohm, the Z Subohm 5, the Z Fli tanks and the Zeus Dual and Zeus X rebuildables, and real capacity shifts by about 0.5 ml depending on the tank. In the UK, a tank used with nicotine e-liquid must stay within 2 ml, which rules out the larger glasses for that use.

How do you change the coil without spilling liquid?

On the Zeus Sub-Ohm, the coil pushes into the threaded base. The simplest way is to turn the tank upside down, drip tip pointing at the floor, before unscrewing the base, then to put a few drops on the cotton of the new coil through its wicking holes.

Can the stock drip tip be swapped?

Yes. The Zeus Sub-Ohm and the Z Subohm 5 use an 810 drip tip, wider than the 510 of the Z Nano 3. A 510 drip tip will not fit them directly.

What to remember before buying a Geekvape Zeus

The Zeus remains a coherent sub-ohm tank, as long as you pick the right branch. The Zeus Sub-Ohm and the Z Subohm 5 share Z coils, the Z Nano tanks do not, and both need a powerful mod.

In the UK, the 2 ml version is the sensible starting point. After that, the liquid you put in it weighs as much as the tank itself in the final result of a Geekvape Zeus.

Our iStick Pico review, compact but capped at 75 W
Our Aspire Nautilus review, its opposite on a tight draw
The Innokin Zenith put to the test, the other benchmark for a tight draw

Editorial content for adult readers only. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and nicotine vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This review is independent and is not a buying recommendation.