Vaporesso Swag 2 Kit Review
The original Swag mod was one of the most successful devices in Vaporesso’s history, so it makes sense that the Chinese manufacturer decided to come out with a new and improved version two of its compact vape mod. The Swag 2 features the same general design as the original, with a few notable tweaks, as well as Vaporesso’s new AXON chip complete with its host of “smart” options. So let’s check out the new Vaporesso Swag 2 and see if it’s as good or even better than the first one:
A Look at the Contents
The Swag 2 comes in the same style packaging as all of Vaporesso’s latest generation devices – a colorful cardboard box with a large picture of the device inside on the front, and some technical specifications, a list of contents, and manufacturer contact information on the back.
Inside the box, we have the Swag 2 with the included NRG PE tank attached, as well as a smaller box full of accessories, including an extra coil-head for the tank, a micro-USB charging cable, some gaskets and o-rings for the tank, and a user manual. It’s an ok kit for the money, but they could have included a spare glass section for the tank as well.
Design and Build Quality
The compact and ergonomic design of the original Vaporesso Swag were its main draw, so it made sense for the manufacturer to stick to the same recipe this time around. The new Swag 2 has a flask-like design, with the same Pico-style battery cap sticking out and the + and – toggle located on the side of the mod, but it just looks a bit more refined.
The Vaporesso Swag 2 measures 75mm x 50mm x 25mm and is made primarily of plastic, I think. Vaporesso doesn’t mention what the mod’s casing is made of, but judging by how light it feels and the rubberized finish, I lean toward plastic. It could be some rubberized light alloy as well, though, so don’t take my word for it. Vaporesso should definitely be more open about its products, that’s for sure.
Interestingly, the Swag 2 not only features the same texture and rubberized finish as Vaporesso’s latest flagship device, the Gen mod, but it also shares the same color schemes as well as the exact same chip. So you can buy this device in the same colors as the Gen mod, and if you find that too bulky, you can enjoy the exact same advanced features of the AXON chip in a much smaller package.
The Swag 2 has a classic 510 connection, with a gold-plated, spring-loaded pin. It fits atomizers up to 25mm in diameter without any overhang, and even if you didn’t care about overhang that much, you wouldn’t be able to attach an atomizer larger than 26mm in diameter due to the battery cap next to the 510 connection. This is the same type of battery compartment we saw on the Eleaf iStick Pico and the SMOK Al85 a few years ago. Apparently, that design is till popular.
The battery compartment is tight enough so the battery doesn’t wobble inside at all, and the metallic cap that completes the electrical circuit screws on very tight as well.
Like the Vaporesso Gen, the Swag 2 features a rather outdated-looking black and white display, which is a little disappointing considering it’s 2020 and this is literally the company’s latest line of products. Having seen some gorgeous color displays in the recent past – the GeekVape Aegis X and even Vaporesso’s own Luxe Nano come to mind – the tiny screen of the Swag 2 looks disappointing.
Of course, some will say that the Swag 2, like the original Swag before it, is a budget vape mod designed for performance not for show, but let’s not forget that even the new Vaporesso PM80 pod mod has a much, much nicer display, so that argument doesn’t hold up.
The Swag 2 plastic buttons – the fire button, menu button and the + and – toggle – feel a bit cheap, but at the same time fit the ruberrized finish quite well, and have a nice click to them. On the bottom of the mod we have some venting holes, in case something goes wrong with the battery, and some branding.
The Vaporesso Swag 2 could very well be described as a mini Gen mod. It has the same finish and colors, and the exact same features. What sets them apart is the size. The Swag 2 is a much more compact device, easier to carry around, and more comfortable in the hand. Even though the Gen is the company’s flagship, and the more expensive of the two, if I had to choose between the two, I would go for the Swag 2.
Menu System and Navigation
As I mentioned in the previous section, the Vaporesso Swag 2 features the same AXON chip and the same display as the Gen mod, so it was no surprise that the two devices have the exact same menu and navigation. For a thorough breakdown of all the features and button combinations, please check out my review of the Vaporesso Gen.
Going forward, I will shortly recap the main button commands and features introduced by the new AXON chip. Usually, to access the menu, you would press the fire button three times in rapid succession, but all that does on this mod is lock and unlock the buttons. The Swag 2 has a dedicated menu button under the display, which can be be long pressed or pressed three times rapidly to open up the menu.
Once in the menu, you will have all the new Smart features, like Pulse Mode, Smart TC and Power Eco, all of which I presented in my review of the Gen mod. You also have the classic modes – variable wattage, variable voltage, custom curves, bypass mode and Vaporesso’s proprietary Superplayer mode – but they are all hidden in the DIY Mode submenu, as if the company wanted to promote its smart modes instead.
You can also mess with some of the secondary settings in the System Set submenu, like adjust the screen brightness, reset the puff counter or check the version of the software installed on your device, but most people don’t even bother with this stuff, to be honest.
All in all, the Vaporesso Swag 2 has a very feature-rich menu, with loads of smart modes to try out, but it’s also surprisingly easy to navigate, thanks primarily to that menu button. It’s a shame that the interface doesn’t look as pretty as it should.
Battery Life and Performance
Having just reviewed the GeekVape Aegis Squonk, another single-18650 device, I can appreciate the Swag 2 that much more. For such a small device it actually packs the same battery life as much larger mods, like the one I just mentioned.
How much vaping time you squeeze out of the Swag 2 depends on various factors, like power output, battery capacity and how much you vape, but I will say that this is one of the smallest single-battery mods money can buy, so you shouldn’t expect it to last forever. Still, I got about 9 hours out of it, vaping at around 40W, but if you plan on vaping close the the 80W max output, you will probably get less than half that time.
The new Vaporess Swag 2 features 2A fast charging, although I honestly don’t recommend on-board charging unless you don’t have another option, as well as passthrough functionality, which allows you to vape while the mod is charging.
Performance-wise, there’s not a negative I can think of right now. The mod does what it’s supposed to do, it fires incredibly fast, the power ramp-up is impressive as well, as is the resistance reading, all of which are to be expected from a latest generation vape mod. As long as you understand the power output and battery life limitations, this device will not let you down.
The NRG PE Tank
The Vaporesso Swag 2 comes as a simple mod kit, or as a ready-to-vape package, with the NRG PE tank. It’s a brand new tank model, but I honestly wasn’t that eager to try it out, because this type of bundled tanks is really mediocre. They work, sure, but the flavor you get out of them tends to be sup-par, at least compare to premium atomizers, so I don’t usually bother with them. However, the NRG PE surprised me, in a good way.
The NRG PE tank is 25mm in diameter, holds up to 3.5 ml of e-liquid, and comes with two very different GT coil-heads: on cCELL ceramic coil head (0.5Ω), and a mesh coil head (0.15Ω). The first is ideal for a very restrictive direct-lung hit, while the latter is great when you just want to chug big clouds of warm vapor.
For such a small, rather-plain-looking rank, the NRG PE is a beast when it comes to flavor. Whichever coil-head you opt for, you will be rewarded with crystal clear, intense flavor, which doesn’t really happen with bundled tanks like this. I’m not sure if it’s the design of the GT coil-heads, or if it’s a new wicking that Vaporesso is using (the mesh coil wicking did look a bit fishy), but the flavor from them is absolutely phenomenal.
So if you’re buying the Vaporesso Swag 2 kit as your first foray into advanced vaping, you’re not only getting a great mod, but an above average tank as well.
Conclusion
I never got the chance to try the first Vaporesso Swag, but there was a time when it seemed like everyone around me had one. It was a great little mod, and the new Swag 2 is a worth successor. It’s just as compact and lightweight, and the new AXON chip introduces some very interesting modes and settings. Sure, the display could be a lot better, but as a whole, the Swag 2 is a very solid device, way worth considering if you’re in the market for a compact mod.
The Vaporesso Swag 2 was sent to me directly by Vaporesso, for the purpose of this review.
Vaporesso Swag 2 Kit
