VAPORESSO GEN MAX & GEN SE Review: Test Results Are In

Product intro and specs

The GEN MAX and GEN SE are the latest mods from long-time popular manufacturer VAPORESSO. They are the latest in a relatively short line of GEN mods that hasn't had many models. However, they have recently started being released alongside the LUXE mods, which have a long history. The GEN line is a bit more techy, while the LUXE line has the more "luxurious" products. Both the LUXE and GEN series have always been well-built, high-performing mods, so we’ll see if VAPORESSO can continue that trend. 

In this double review, I’ll go over the MAX, a dual-18650 mod rated at 220 watts, and the SE, a smaller single-18650 mod rated at 80 watts. Outside the battery configuration and power limit, these two are very similar devices with pretty much the same features and functions. Both kits come with the iTank T sub ohm tank, a new top-airflow version of the iTank 2 from the GEN 200 kit.

Colors: Storm blue, dark black, arctic silver, ice blue, gradient purple, platinum gold, hot pink
Price: $79.99 (GEN MAX at VaporFi), $54.99 (GEN SE at Element Vape)

First impressions

The GEN mods have always had a unique feel. I remember the first one, which had a rubberized soft coating that made it stand out for its time and a diamond cut in it for grip. It was a nice combination of grip and softness. So, I expected something similar with the GEN MAX and SE, and while they don’t have that coating, they do have a unique texture that feels great in your hand. 

The MAX is the bigger of the two but still a great size for a dual-battery mod, while the SE is quite small, about the size of a pod mod. Both have great, vibrant coloring that stands out, and the trim of the MAX looks quite classy; but according to the pictures on the website, the trim is only on the storm blue. Overall, I was pretty impressed by the mods' look and feel.

Build quality and design

The GEN MAX design is simple but classy, wrapped up in one. It’s a symmetrical mod with a centered 510 pin that feels good in both hands and looks good from every angle. The rectangular 0.96-inch color screen is bright and vibrant, and the mod has two LED strips, one on each side in the circular cutout for the display. It has one-button functionality, but in a different way than we usually see. The power button also has a dial on the outside that you rotate instead of using up and down buttons. It feels good to use and intuitive. It reminded me of an RC car with the wheel or an old-school ColecoVision controller. 

The battery door is a magnetic back plate that fits great with no wiggle or play. They also lined up the inside of the door for safety and even put a warning on it. Well done there because I love battery safety, and it's nice to see manufacturers taking it seriously. The backplate has the VAPORESSO “V” logo etched in, but it naturally flows with the design and is in a matching color as the rest of the mod, so it's nicely integrated branding. There is also a lock slider, which I love, making it easy to pocket without worries of a misfire. The USB port is a standard USB-C on the bottom side of the mod under the lock slider. The GEN SE is practically identical, with the exception that it has a standard power button and up and down buttons instead of the dial.

Out of the many color options, the ones I received were the Storm Blue for the MAX (with a gunmetal tank) and the Hot Pink for the SE (with a silver tank.) The frame itself is shiny, but it's not a fingerprint magnet. The 510 pins are great and gave me no issues and there is no button rattle at all on the mods. Overall, as expected, both mods excel in the build quality department.

Features and functions

The GEN MAX and GEN SE are powered by the Axon chip and have the same feature set, with the main difference being the power limit due to the battery configurations. You have three power modes (Eco, Fit, and Pulse.) It’s just three different ways to deliver power. As I've stated in previous VAPORESSO mod reviews, I'm not a fan of these modes or the naming. I’d prefer just a simple Power mode with adjustable preheats and a Watt Curve mode. That’s all that's needed. Eco mode is the standard on the mods, and that the mode I ended up using for the most part.

There is also Smart mode, which gives a wattage suggestion when a tank is put on the mod based on coil resistance. It’s a good feature for beginners. They also include a Variable Voltage mode (VV), which is cool, but I'm not sure how useful it is these days. Most people go by watts, and VV hasn’t been used by vapers in a long time, but maybe some old-time vapers out there still appreciate it so it’s a nice addition for nostalgia.

The mod also comes with three color/animations themes for your screen. There is a general theme (blue,) football/soccer (orange,) and UFO (purple.) You can also turn the side LEDs on or off. No temp mode in this mod, which is understandable as temp control mode has kinda died down and is only used by a small niche group of vapers. I love temp control, but RTAs and temp control have been replaced by pods and simpler devices. The market has shifted, but I'm always happy to see a new mod getting released, so I can’t complain too much.

Using the GEN MAX & GEN SE mods

The GEN MAX and SE are pretty typical mods when it comes to usage. There is a fire button with a built-in dial on the MAX, and a fire button with dedicated up and down buttons for the SE. Both have a lock slider to lock the mod quickly. Basic operations are as follows:

• Five clicks of the fire button to turn the mod on and off
• Three clicks to enter the menu
• Use up and down to navigate the menus and fire to accept

In the menu, you have modes, lock settings, puff counter reset, theme, brightness, and a toggle for the Smart feature.

Overall, this is a very simple and easy-to-use menu. Anyone who has used a mod should be able to pick it up and use it easily, and for new people, the manual explains it very well in more detail.

Power mode performance

Testing on this mod was done with Sony VCT5A Batteries. I only tested the GEN MAX. They list only maximum wattage; however, since it has a VV mode, the max setting is 9V, so it’s safe to say that 9V is the stated max even if it’s not listed.  They list watts at 220. During my testing, the max achieved wattage was 215, so excellent rating at 200 watts. Honestly, the maximum wattage of mods can be toned down. Most people aren’t vaping at 200 watts these days, and there isn’t a watt race anymore. Making dual mods 150-180 watts would be fine nowadays.

The amp limit I got was 37A with a 0.11-ohm coil, so good performance there; most dual battery mods that perform well are between 35-40 max amps. The volt limit I got was 9.08V, so there is a boost circuit, which is great to have in a dual battery mod. I did use VV mode and set it to 9V and got 9.08V as well, so great job there.

Overall, performance was excellent, as I’ve come to expect from the VAPORESSO mods. It did struggle a little with the 0.11-ohm coil, which is to be expected, but at 0.2 ohm and higher, it was quite accurate and performed on par with the best mods I've tested. The mod adjusts in full-watt increments, which is excellent. It scrolls fast, and it does round-robin as well.

During my testing, the mods did a great job of not getting hot. Note that I am testing maximum watts volts and amps, but for most vapers, I recommend staying at up to 50-75 watts per cell for maximum safety, and that's taking into account that you are using high amp batteries. Overall though, good performers as expected. You can see the full test results above.

As far as the charge rate goes, they list it at 5V/2A. I tested it and got a 2.2A max charge rate, so well done there. While it’s charging, it shows individual battery percentages, which is nice. There is also passthrough vaping. The actual charge time will depend on the capacity of your batteries, but it’s always just better to use an external charger and swap out batteries and not worry about charging in the mod or waiting. Even though internal charging on mods has improved greatly, having the ability to swap them out is always more convenient.

iTank T tank rundown

Let's do a quick rundown of the tank. The tank included in the kit is the iTank T sub ohm tank (called T because it’s a top airflow version of the iTank 2.) However, it still uses the GTi coil system, and they included the 0.2-ohm and 0.4-ohm coils.

It’s a pretty basic tank and nothing we haven't seen before. Both kits come with a 3 mL glass and a 6 mL bubble glass, but the MAX has the bubble glass pre-installed, while the SE has the 3 mL glass pre-installed. It is top airflow to minimize the possibility of leaking, but it does channel the air under the coil from the top, so it produces better flavor than a true top airflow but not quite as good as a true bottom airflow. 

To fill it, push back where the arrow is, and the top will slide back. There is one large filling hole with a rubber gasket for fine-tipped bottles. Just insert the tip and squeeze the juice in easily. Works great. Then, just push it back to lock it. The coils are plug-n-play like previous iTanks, and the drip tip is a standard Delrin 810 tip. 

To replace the coils, unscrew the base of the tank and pop the coil out. You can't do it with a full tank, but it can be done with about a half tank—if you are careful, you can do it sideways. It's probably better to fill it when it’s empty, though. The coil is hard to grip, so you're best off using some kind of tool like a flathead screwdriver. I wish it were easier to replace on the go without the need for a tool, but that's a common theme with plug-n-play coils.

There are four coil options total listed on their site:

• GTi 0.15 ohm (rated 75-90 watts, best 85 watts)
• GTi 0.2 ohm (rated 60-75 watts, best 65 watts)
• GTi 0.4 ohm (rated 50-60 watts, best 55 watts)
• GTi 0.5 ohm (rated 30-40 watts, Best 35 watts)

The two included are the 0.2-ohm and 0.4-ohm coils. VAPORESSO has come a long way with their coils, and these two were both pretty good for premade coils. The top air sacrifices some flavor, so they are better in the previous bottom airflow iTanks, but you get better leak protection with the top airflow. 

Both coils produced good flavor and had long life spans. I found the 0.2-ohm coil best around 70 watts and the 0.4-ohm best around 60 watts. You can only expect so much from an included tank in a kit where most typically range from bad to just okay. At least this falls into the "just okay" territory overall.

Pros / Cons

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