Vaporesso Swag review, the Swag, Swag II and PX80

Three different devices share one name, and the listings still online do not always say which one they describe. The Vaporesso Swag started as a small mod with a tank, became a wider version II, then turned into a pod mod with a magnetic cartridge. Along the way, its pages vanished from the brand’s French website. Before scoring anything, the generations need untangling.

Vaporesso Swag, is it still worth a look

Yes, but not just any version. The most coherent Vaporesso Swag today is the Swag PX80, the only generation with USB-C charging, a dedicated cartridge and GTX coils. The Swag II still makes sense for anyone who wants to screw on their own 25 mm tank.

The original Swag is mostly a second-hand matter. One point matters here, none of these devices has been through our hands. This review is a synthesis of retailer listings and of the tests published at each model’s launch, and its score should be read as such.

The three generations of the Vaporesso Swag

All three models share a maximum output of 80 W and an external 18650 cell. Everything else changes from one generation to the next, from the tank diameter they accept to the type of coil.

The 2017 Swag, a compact mod and its NRG SE

Vaping Post tested the Swag 80 W kit in October 2017. The mod runs on an 18650 cell sold separately and offers, beyond wattage mode, temperature control and a bypass mode, which the E-Declic listing confirms.

The kit pairs it with the NRG SE tank, 3.5 ml and 22 mm wide. The Vaping Post test also found the mod limited to 22 mm atomisers, a drawback it listed among the weak points.

The Swag II, wider and still threaded

The Swag II stays with an 18650 cell and micro USB charging, according to the Culturevap and Evaps listings. Its tank, the NRG PE, holds 3.5 ml and measures 25 mm across according to Comparacig, and Culturevap states that the mod takes atomisers up to 25 mm.

That step from 22 to 25 mm is the real gain of this generation. It opens the mod to 25 mm tanks, where the first Swag was confined to 22 mm models.

The Swag PX80, the switch to a pod mod

The PX80 drops the threaded tank for a magnetically held cartridge, with an AXON chipset, a 0.96-inch screen and a USB-C port, according to Oliquide and to the Ecigplanete test published in May 2021. The 18650 cell remains external and sold separately.

The cartridge holds 4 ml in its standard version. Ecigplanete notes that it drops to 2 ml in TPD markets, and that is the version to look for in the UK. Under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016, refillable tanks and cartridges are limited to 2 ml, and nicotine e-liquid to 20 mg/ml in bottles of no more than 10 ml.

Coils, the factor that decides the right version

A mod is worth keeping for as long as its consumables can be found. On that point, the three Vaporesso Swag models do not start level.

The first Swag and the Swag II rely on NRG tanks with GT coils. Sources do not even agree on the value supplied with the first kit, 0.4 ohm for Vaping Post, 0.3 ohm for E-Declic. As these mods take any atomiser with a 510 thread, the issue is easily solved by changing tank.

The PX80 only takes its own cartridge, fitted with GTX mesh coils. The kit ships with a 0.2 ohm GTX rated for 45 to 60 W and a 0.3 ohm GTX, according to Oliquide and Ecigplanete. The day those coils become scarce, the cartridge will be the weak link of the device.

Where the listings still disagree

The pages still online contradict each other on points that matter when buying. Three gaps are worth knowing.

The first concerns the PX80 mouthpiece. Oliquide describes it as fixed and non-removable, while Ecigplanete speaks of an 810 drip tip. The second concerns the Swag II cell, listed as not included by Evaps, whereas Culturevap sells the mod with a Samsung 25R cell.

The third covers the PX80 modes. Oliquide lists variable wattage, variable voltage and a Smart mode, while Ecigplanete adds temperature control and a power-saving mode. Oliquide also warns against exceeding 3.8 V in voltage mode, a level of detail rarely seen in a listing.

The external cell, strength and constraint of the Vaporesso Swag

The three generations share a choice that has aged well, the replaceable battery. When a built-in battery wears out, the whole device ages with it, as we explain in our piece on what really ages on a rechargeable vape.

The trade-off is vigilance. The cell is chosen from the mod’s manual and the cell maker’s data sheet, comes from an identified brand and checked at every swap, wrap included. Oliquide and E-Declic recommend a dedicated charger, and Vaping Post keeps charging through the mod’s port for emergencies.

Next to a mod like the iStick Pico, also built around an 18650 cell, the Vaporesso Swag goes higher in output, 80 W against 75 W, but asks you to know which generation you are holding.

Our summary score for the Vaporesso Swag, 13.6 out of 20

This score does not come from a test session. It runs what the listings and published tests say through our in-house scale, which gives battery life 3 out of 5 (30 per cent), flavour 4 out of 5 (25 per cent), ergonomics 4 out of 5 (15 per cent), leak resistance 4 out of 5 (15 per cent) and availability of consumables 2 out of 5 (15 per cent). Battery life depends entirely on the chosen cell, flavour follows the Vaping Post verdict on the NRG SE, and the other criteria reflect our reading of those sources, not a measurement.

The score weighs mostly on the future of the range. The Swag PX80 remains the version to aim for, provided the 2 ml cartridge and GTX coils can be found. Otherwise, a second-hand Swag II in good order, paired with a recent 25 mm tank, still makes sense.

FAQ

These questions come up often about the range and do not overlap with the points covered above.

Does the Swag PX80 take a standard tank?

No. Its cartridge attaches magnetically to the mod, and neither Oliquide nor Ecigplanete mentions a 510 connector. To screw on a tank of your choice, look to the Swag or the Swag II.

What does the Swag PX80 screen show?

According to Oliquide, the 0.96-inch screen shows the battery level, the mode, the wattage, the voltage and the coil resistance. Ecigplanete notes that it disappears behind the front panel when the device is switched off.

How do you lock a Swag II?

According to the user guide published by Evaps, three presses of the fire button lock the buttons, and five presses switch the mod on or off.

Why does the Swag II ask for new load or old load?

In Smart mode, according to the Evaps user guide, the mod asks whether the fitted coil is new or the same as before. The answer lets it either keep or recalculate the setting.

Should a new GTX coil be primed?

Yes, like any cotton coil. Evaps advises, for the Swag II tank, waiting at least ten minutes after filling. With no specific instruction for the PX80 in the listings consulted, that delay remains a cautious baseline.

What to remember before buying a Vaporesso Swag

The name is not enough, you need to know which generation you are buying. The original Swag stops at 22 mm, the Swag II opens up to 25 mm tanks, and the PX80 ties its fate to its cartridge and GTX coils. Checking for the 2 ml version and the state of the cell remains the first reflex with any Vaporesso Swag, as with any mod running on an external battery.

Our iStick Pico review, the other 18650 mod on the site
Rechargeable vape wear, what really ages over weeks, cells and wear over time
Our Kiwi 2.0 review, a pen at the opposite end from box mods

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.