The Smok G-Priv 3 is one of the latest dual 18650 mods from vaping giant Smok. The third iteration of the hugely popular G-Priv series.
One thing that stands out and that may have grabbed your attention is the large 2.4 inch color touchscreen, which allows you to control its features.
If you already own the G-Priv 2 you may be wondering if it’s worth the upgrade. Let’s dive in deeper to what the G-Priv 3 offers and see if it’s the king of dual 18650 touchscreen mods.
PRICE (US): ~ $70.00 available to buy at VapeSourcing usually at a discount
PRICE (UK): ~ £50.00 available to buy at VapeSourcing usually at a discount
CONTENTS
- 1 x G-Priv 3 Mod
- 1 x TFV16 Lite Tank (5ml)
- 1 x Conical Mesh 0.2ohm Coil
- 1 x Dual Mesh 0.15ohm Coil
- 1 x Spare Glass
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x User Manual
- Spare Parts
MOD SPECS
- Size: 85 x 54 x 28mm (24mm base)
- Weight: 188g
- Resistance Range: 0.1-2.5Ohm / 0.5 – 2Ohm (TC)
- Power Range: 1 – 230W / 10-230W (TC)
- Output Voltage: 0.5-8.2V
- Charging: 5V / 2A
- Charger: USB-C
- Battery: Dual 18650
- 2.4” Touch Screen
- Balance Charging
- Pass code Locking System
- Touch Screen Lock & Firing Lock
- Intelligent Atomiser Recognition
- Puff Monitoring System
- 10 Second Cut-off
- Short Circuit Protection
- Over-heating Protection
- Low Battery Protection
TFV16 LITE SPECS
- Size: 58.5 x 28mm
- Weight: 73g
- E-liquid Capacity: 5ml (EU: 2ml)
- Material: Stainless Steel
PACKAGING & DESIGN
The G-Priv 3 is a fairly bulky mod for a dual 18650, measuring in at 85mm x 54mm x 28mm. It’s similar in shape and design as the previous two models, but ever so slightly larger by 2mm in width and about 1mm in thickness. It is also heavier by about 7 grams.
However, it is still easy to hold and very ergonomic despite its slightly larger profile. By adopting the previous design, SMOK probably thought that it’s best not mess with what works. And I agree. The chamfered edges help a lot.
You can get the G-Priv 3 in four colors: Purple Red, Prism Gold, Prism Chrome, and, my personal favorite, Black.
There is a shell-like plate on the back of the mod, and each version has its own coordinated color pattern depending on the one you go with. Aside from the resin-like shell plate, the physical appearance of this mod is pretty much the same as the previous ones.
The mod is made out of zinc alloy, which is very durable, and the panels are made with acrylic.
The main fire button is more like a fire “bar”, which is pretty similar to the older versions, and is designed in such a way that it doesn’t detract from the mod’s smooth lines. The other button is used to lock, display, or hide the touchscreen.
The G-Priv 3 also includes a USB-C port to charge your batteries. The charging port is also capable of 2A super fast charging, which is a huge improvement over the usual 1A to 1.5A built-in chargers of other mods.
The 510 pin is located on one side on the top of the mod. It is able to seat up to 24mm tanks and atomizers without overhang.
In the box, you get the mod itself, a TFV16 Lite Tank, two coils, a spare glass, a USB cable, a user manual, and spare parts.
FUNCTIONALITY & TOUCHSCREEN
The G-Priv 3 comes with a new and improved 2.4” touchscreen.
It displays a menu button, the battery level of each battery, the mode it is on, the power outputted, coil resistance, voltage, a puff counter, and a seconds meter for each puff you take. There are also two arrows you can press to adjust the mod’s power.
When in the home screen, the only buttons you can press are the adjustment buttons and menu button.
The menu button will take you to another screen where you will find a slew of settings and options to select.
These include:
- Mode
- VW
- Preheat
- Wattage
- TC
- Material
- TCR
- Preheat
- My Mode (with four presets)
- Puff
- Settings
- General
- About
- Factory Reset
- Accessibility
- Power Off
- Chip
- Theme
- Screen Timer
- Passcode
Unfortunately, a couple of things that are missing here are the lack of adjustable brightness and curve settings. Certainly not a deal breaker for me, but it would have been nice to have these included.
You also get to add a little customization to the screen’s color with a themes mode, which will allow you to change the screen’s color scheme with six available colors.
Pressing the fire button 5 times in quick succession will turn the unit on. Another 5 times will bring you to a selection screen where you will choose whether to go to Settings, General, or Power Off.
You can lock and unlock both the fire button and touchscreen via pressing the fire button three times.
Pressing the secondary button will show or hide the touchscreen, while pressing and holding the button will lock or unlock it.
The chip settings are super easy to navigate and operate. This is one thing that SMOK has almost always done well, and one of the reasons I love using their mods.
TFV16 LITE TANK
If you’ve ever seen a SMOK tank, you will notice that the included TFV16 Lite tank share the same design philosophy. At least on the outside.
The airflow ring is a little tall compared to those from other brands, which helps in producing better flavor and vapor, according to SMOK. The tank is top fill, and to fill it you simply push the small button and swivel the top cap to the side.
A design that makes re-filling seamless and easy.
Coils are changed by removing the base, pulling the old coil out, then inserting a new one with a press fit instead of the more typical screw in / off feature. Again, this design makes the process much easier.
The coils included are the Conical Mesh 0.2 ohm and the Dual Mesh 0.15 ohm. The suggested wattages are 60 to 85 watts for the former, and 60 to 90 watts for the latter. Both coils perform really well, producing smooth and thick vapor and good flavor.
HOW MUCH DOES THE SMOK G-PRIV 3 KIT COST?
The SMOK G-Priv 3 kit will set you back approximately £50.00 in the UK via VapeSourcing, who often discount their products, while in the US, expect to shell out around the $70.00 mark also available at VapeSourcing often at a discounted price.
This may sound a little steep at first, but when you consider that you are getting a full kit packed with excellent features including the touchscreen and good, reliable performance, I think it’s pretty reasonable.
Is it worth upgrading from the G-Priv 2? On this occasion I think it is, but mainly because of the much bigger screen. If you don’t care so much about this, then it’s probably not worth upgrading.
DISLIKES
- No adjustable screen brightness
- No wattage / TC curves
LIKES
- Performance is top notch
- Excellent Build Quality
- Ergonomic despite its size
- Touchscreen is responsive
- Balanced Charging
- 2A Fast Charging
- Good performing tank and coils included
- Up to 5ml capacity
CONCLUSION
The SMOK G-Priv 3 really has set the bar quite high when it comes to touchscreen mods.
Sure, there are a couple of features I would have liked to have seen such as an adjustable brightness setting but the pros of this device far outweigh the very few cons for me.
It has a premium look, robust feel, good performing tank, and the fact that the chip is super easy to use makes this a viable device for even an entry-level vaper.
SMOK has done a great job with this, and I would suggest that you give the G-Priv 3 some serious consideration if it sits within your budget.