Vapaneezer Scrooge
Vendor
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2017
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Venturing back for a forum review.
Supplied by Vaporesso to review, I try to be honest and cover things I like or dislike.
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/target-pm80-se
RRP = $39.90 (around £36)
The review refers to the original PM80 which I reviewed back in March:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/vaporesso-target-pm80-kit.html
Regarding the actual vape there is no difference, it uses the same pod and GTX coils, the main difference is it takes an 18650 battery which makes it taller as a result, and the other difference is that the screen is monochrome and horizontal, there's a couple of other minor differences that I will cover later.
They have changed the coil options, this time you get the superb 0.2 Ohm and the 0.8 Ohm instead of the 0.3 Ohm, this is a better option for me, you can go from full DL (Direct Lung) with the 0.2 or restrictive DL with the 0.8 and silicone plugs fitted.
What's in the box?
The looks are pretty much the same but stretched into a taller chassis.
The base now has a battery door for your 18650, this is really secure and has battery vent holes, the battery compartment has a positive marking inside and is bright red on white background so it's easy to see.
For some reason one of the features I liked in the original PM80 has been changed, the screen is now horizontal and monochrome, the same information is still there but laid out differently, the operations are still the same so I'm assuming it's using the same chipset, with the 18650 now inside then some circuitry will have been changed but without stripping it I can't tell why they opted for loosing the colour screen.
I love the pods, being clear is so much better for seeing your eliquid level, also the coils have the wicking port nice and low so you can vape it until it's almost empty, they also fit perfectly with no play or wobble, the pod is secured by two strong magents.
The coils are a simple press fit, take note of the two flats which need to be orientated with the corresponding flat edges in the aperture, simple enough as you can’t fit them incorrectly as they will not press in if they are in the wrong position.
Filling the pod is done via the base and a silicone bung which is easy to open and close. I used a 50ml shortfill bottle with no problems and no airlocks, so it’s clean and very easy to see your juice level with the clear plastic.
The tank has a fixed drip tip so no option to pop your own on, I found it comfortable and just right for the DTL draw this kit gives. There is also no adjustable airflow as such, instead they offer you silicone bungs to restrict the airflow if you prefer a tighter DL draw.
The coils are the same GTX and all fit (unlike the PM30), I have reviewed the full range
Operation and Performance
(copied & pasted from the PM80 review and revised accordingly)
The PM80 SE uses the Axon chipset but not as we’ve seen it before. It is customised for the PM80 SE perfectly and is very simple to operate. I didn’t find the need to refer to the manual once with its common sense interface and options.
The menu isn’t bloated with options you’re unlikely to use so it is kept simple and clean. The strongest feature is the SMART VARIABLE WATTAGE which is superb. It scans your coil, detects which coil you are using and sets the wattage to the optimal setting. It also displays the recommended wattage range which is a huge pro. You can still adjust your wattage if you prefer a cooler or warmer vape, but I found the it to be right in the sweet spot, a reasonably warm vape and the flavour was incredible.
Another wow moment was as soon as I popped on another pod/tank, the coil scan was almost instant and it literally is plug-n-play, whack a pod in and vape without having to tweak anything.
Both coils performed incredibly well. I preferred the 0.2Ω coil, but I found the 0.8Ω much better when using the included silicone bungs to restrict the airflow for a tighter DTL, MTL at a push but a bit too loose for my tastes, the other obvious benefit of this coil is you will get a much longer battery life from it so no worries for a long day and night out.
The menu has a couple of things removed from the PM80 original, the PUFF COUNTER reset and THEME since it is no longer colour, you can still reset your puff counter by pressing and holding the FIRE & UP key for a few seconds, this also flips your screen 180 degrees.
Smart Wattage mode display example:
Gone is the rather cool pulse wave graphic which fluctuates while vaping and the whole nice look to the screen, it is functional and some nice features, had I not been spoilt by the colour screen on the original I wouldn't be bitching about it.
Performance
Quoting my original review I will compare my original reaction to my current reaction to the SE version and see if anything has changed.
I still remember my first reaction, “holy s**t!!!”. The vape is simply amazing. Flavour is the first thing that smacks you round the face, it really was a game changing flavour from such a small device. Then there were the clouds – clouds to rival most of my high wattage sub ohm mesh tanks. The draw is equally impressive, I expected it to be restrictive but I found it to be very close to what I would have chosen from an adjustable airflow tank (around 2/3rds open). I then tried the airflow restriction plugs for the sake of it. For me, it restricted it too much and simply was not as good a vape, but it’s there for those that prefer a tighter draw.
Obviously the vape is identical, it still fires lightning fast and evenly, I obviously didn't get that 'wow' factor as I was well used to the pod now but I still LOVE this frikkin thing, it is still my goto out and about DL device, everything else holds up but now with the 0.8 Ohm coil I prefer the restrictive DL draw more than on the 0.3 Ohm.
The vapour production still amazes me for such pod especially in the 0.2 Ohm coil, obviously it's relative to the ohms and power so don't expect ninjabastard clouds from the 0.8 Ohm.
Battery life will be dependent on the mAh of the 18650 you use, I used a Molicel P26A (2600mAh) which in theory will last you around 25% longer, I am too lazy to go through a comparison but I did find myself charging it up less and I could use my dedicated battery charger, you can charge it in the PM80 SE but I feel it is safer in a dedicated charger.
Here's the PM family photo (left to right)
Baby - PM30
Daddy - PM30 SE
Mummy - PM80 original.
For me there is only one winner, the original PM80 with its colour screen and smaller form factor, it just feels so much nicer in the hand, not that the other two aren't comfortable, they are very comfortable and intuitive to fire, I'm not sure how I would feel if the SE had a colour screen as I do prefer having the 18650 option.
The PM30 is the black sheep of the family as it doesn't really know what it is, somewhere in-between MTL to DL, a VERY loose MTL and a restrictive DL draw, I just didn't like it, users that prefer a more restrictive draw might like it as the GTX coils are so flavourful, but since Vaporesso released the GTX ONE kit that is my goto MTL.
In fact there's now options whichever your vaping style, tight MTL to high power cloud belching DL, this year Vaporesso have turned a corner with their GTX coil range and should satisfy most tastes:
Conclusion
It's a shame the SE lost the same menu & screen of the original PM80 as I think I may have preferred it, for anyone that doesn't own a PM80 then the choice is there for you, either way you will get a fantastic flavourful vape, operation is the same and so comfortable which a nice chassis, the pod and coils are so damn good for DL, 'IF' I received the SE without trying the original my reaction would have been as excited and wouldn't have given a flying f**k about no colour screen (can you tell I like the colour screen?).
The choice is yours - pick one and enjoy.
I'm ready to venture for a day out and to chuck some ninja-bastard clouds.
Pros
At the end of the day the Target PM80 SE is a fantastic kit, not quite as good as the original in some ways but you now get an 18650 option so it is better in other ways, the jewel in the crown is identical which is the Pods & GTX Coils, I have thought a fair bit about the score and I feel it still deserves the same rating as the original, the SE is an option rather than an upgrade.
Score: 9/10 - Near Perfection
Thank you to Vaporesso for kindly supplying the PM80 SE for review purposes.
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/target-pm80-se
Supplied by Vaporesso to review, I try to be honest and cover things I like or dislike.
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/target-pm80-se
RRP = $39.90 (around £36)
The review refers to the original PM80 which I reviewed back in March:
https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/reviews/pod-systems/vaporesso-target-pm80-kit.html
Regarding the actual vape there is no difference, it uses the same pod and GTX coils, the main difference is it takes an 18650 battery which makes it taller as a result, and the other difference is that the screen is monochrome and horizontal, there's a couple of other minor differences that I will cover later.
They have changed the coil options, this time you get the superb 0.2 Ohm and the 0.8 Ohm instead of the 0.3 Ohm, this is a better option for me, you can go from full DL (Direct Lung) with the 0.2 or restrictive DL with the 0.8 and silicone plugs fitted.
What's in the box?
- 1 x VAPORESSO TARGET PM80 SE device
- 2 x VAPORESSO TARGET PM80 POD (4ml)
- 1 x GTX 0.2Ω mesh coil
- 1 x GTX 0.6Ω mesh coil
- 2 x Airflow silicone plug
- 1 x USB cable
- 1 x User manual
- 1 x Warranty card
- 1 x Reminder card
The looks are pretty much the same but stretched into a taller chassis.
The base now has a battery door for your 18650, this is really secure and has battery vent holes, the battery compartment has a positive marking inside and is bright red on white background so it's easy to see.
For some reason one of the features I liked in the original PM80 has been changed, the screen is now horizontal and monochrome, the same information is still there but laid out differently, the operations are still the same so I'm assuming it's using the same chipset, with the 18650 now inside then some circuitry will have been changed but without stripping it I can't tell why they opted for loosing the colour screen.
I love the pods, being clear is so much better for seeing your eliquid level, also the coils have the wicking port nice and low so you can vape it until it's almost empty, they also fit perfectly with no play or wobble, the pod is secured by two strong magents.
The coils are a simple press fit, take note of the two flats which need to be orientated with the corresponding flat edges in the aperture, simple enough as you can’t fit them incorrectly as they will not press in if they are in the wrong position.
Filling the pod is done via the base and a silicone bung which is easy to open and close. I used a 50ml shortfill bottle with no problems and no airlocks, so it’s clean and very easy to see your juice level with the clear plastic.
The tank has a fixed drip tip so no option to pop your own on, I found it comfortable and just right for the DTL draw this kit gives. There is also no adjustable airflow as such, instead they offer you silicone bungs to restrict the airflow if you prefer a tighter DL draw.
The coils are the same GTX and all fit (unlike the PM30), I have reviewed the full range
Operation and Performance
(copied & pasted from the PM80 review and revised accordingly)
The PM80 SE uses the Axon chipset but not as we’ve seen it before. It is customised for the PM80 SE perfectly and is very simple to operate. I didn’t find the need to refer to the manual once with its common sense interface and options.
- 5 x clicking the ‘FIRE’ button = Turns the mod on/off
- 3 x clicking the ‘FIRE’ button = Locks/unlocks adjustment buttons.
- Press and hold ‘Up/Down’ buttons to enter the options menu.
- Click either ‘UP’ or ‘DOWN’ buttons to increase/decrease wattage or voltage.
- SMART VW = Smart Variable Wattage – This option scans your coil and sets the wattage to the optimal setting.
- VW = Variable Wattage.
- VV = Variable Voltage.
- DEFAULT = Restores to factory settings.
- EXIT = Exits (shock horror)
The menu isn’t bloated with options you’re unlikely to use so it is kept simple and clean. The strongest feature is the SMART VARIABLE WATTAGE which is superb. It scans your coil, detects which coil you are using and sets the wattage to the optimal setting. It also displays the recommended wattage range which is a huge pro. You can still adjust your wattage if you prefer a cooler or warmer vape, but I found the it to be right in the sweet spot, a reasonably warm vape and the flavour was incredible.
Another wow moment was as soon as I popped on another pod/tank, the coil scan was almost instant and it literally is plug-n-play, whack a pod in and vape without having to tweak anything.
Both coils performed incredibly well. I preferred the 0.2Ω coil, but I found the 0.8Ω much better when using the included silicone bungs to restrict the airflow for a tighter DTL, MTL at a push but a bit too loose for my tastes, the other obvious benefit of this coil is you will get a much longer battery life from it so no worries for a long day and night out.
The menu has a couple of things removed from the PM80 original, the PUFF COUNTER reset and THEME since it is no longer colour, you can still reset your puff counter by pressing and holding the FIRE & UP key for a few seconds, this also flips your screen 180 degrees.
Smart Wattage mode display example:
- Battery status bar including %
- Mode ‘S’ for Smart VW
- Current Wattage (pun intended)
- BEST bar which displays recommended wattage for your current coil 45-60W for example (using the 0.2Ω coil)
- Resistance of your coil
- Puff counter – guess what this does – yeah, it counts puffs which is also the Puff Timer in seconds with 1 decimal place (3.6 for example) but you have to be quick to see it before it changes back to the counter.
Gone is the rather cool pulse wave graphic which fluctuates while vaping and the whole nice look to the screen, it is functional and some nice features, had I not been spoilt by the colour screen on the original I wouldn't be bitching about it.
Performance
Quoting my original review I will compare my original reaction to my current reaction to the SE version and see if anything has changed.
I still remember my first reaction, “holy s**t!!!”. The vape is simply amazing. Flavour is the first thing that smacks you round the face, it really was a game changing flavour from such a small device. Then there were the clouds – clouds to rival most of my high wattage sub ohm mesh tanks. The draw is equally impressive, I expected it to be restrictive but I found it to be very close to what I would have chosen from an adjustable airflow tank (around 2/3rds open). I then tried the airflow restriction plugs for the sake of it. For me, it restricted it too much and simply was not as good a vape, but it’s there for those that prefer a tighter draw.
Obviously the vape is identical, it still fires lightning fast and evenly, I obviously didn't get that 'wow' factor as I was well used to the pod now but I still LOVE this frikkin thing, it is still my goto out and about DL device, everything else holds up but now with the 0.8 Ohm coil I prefer the restrictive DL draw more than on the 0.3 Ohm.
The vapour production still amazes me for such pod especially in the 0.2 Ohm coil, obviously it's relative to the ohms and power so don't expect ninjabastard clouds from the 0.8 Ohm.
Battery life will be dependent on the mAh of the 18650 you use, I used a Molicel P26A (2600mAh) which in theory will last you around 25% longer, I am too lazy to go through a comparison but I did find myself charging it up less and I could use my dedicated battery charger, you can charge it in the PM80 SE but I feel it is safer in a dedicated charger.
Here's the PM family photo (left to right)
Baby - PM30
Daddy - PM30 SE
Mummy - PM80 original.
For me there is only one winner, the original PM80 with its colour screen and smaller form factor, it just feels so much nicer in the hand, not that the other two aren't comfortable, they are very comfortable and intuitive to fire, I'm not sure how I would feel if the SE had a colour screen as I do prefer having the 18650 option.
The PM30 is the black sheep of the family as it doesn't really know what it is, somewhere in-between MTL to DL, a VERY loose MTL and a restrictive DL draw, I just didn't like it, users that prefer a more restrictive draw might like it as the GTX coils are so flavourful, but since Vaporesso released the GTX ONE kit that is my goto MTL.
In fact there's now options whichever your vaping style, tight MTL to high power cloud belching DL, this year Vaporesso have turned a corner with their GTX coil range and should satisfy most tastes:
Conclusion
It's a shame the SE lost the same menu & screen of the original PM80 as I think I may have preferred it, for anyone that doesn't own a PM80 then the choice is there for you, either way you will get a fantastic flavourful vape, operation is the same and so comfortable which a nice chassis, the pod and coils are so damn good for DL, 'IF' I received the SE without trying the original my reaction would have been as excited and wouldn't have given a flying f**k about no colour screen (can you tell I like the colour screen?).
The choice is yours - pick one and enjoy.
I'm ready to venture for a day out and to chuck some ninja-bastard clouds.
Pros
- Amazing flavour & vapour production.
- Pods are quality and fit perfectly.
- FAST firing and consistent.
- 18650 Battery.
- Ergonomic & comfortable.
- Very easy to operate.
- Smart VW (No I don't mean Herbie! - Variable Wattage).
- CLEAR Pods!
- 2 pods included.
- Easy fill.
- Easy pod swap.
- GTX Coil life is superb.
- No USB-C
- Fixed Drip Tip
- No airflow control ring (though I didn’t need it and there are bungs to restrict)
- Screen downgrade.
At the end of the day the Target PM80 SE is a fantastic kit, not quite as good as the original in some ways but you now get an 18650 option so it is better in other ways, the jewel in the crown is identical which is the Pods & GTX Coils, I have thought a fair bit about the score and I feel it still deserves the same rating as the original, the SE is an option rather than an upgrade.
Score: 9/10 - Near Perfection
Thank you to Vaporesso for kindly supplying the PM80 SE for review purposes.
https://www.vaporesso.com/vape-kits/target-pm80-se
that's a steal. What do you think of it? (I'm assuming you like it as you have 2 of em).
