Provari and Smok Zmax

[M&R B]

From what I've read about and reviews I've looked at performance wise is exactly the same because it has the exact same guts. Aesthetically though, there's several things you have to consider. I think View Profile: billherbst - E-Cigarette Forum explained it best.

"Because the wall of the tube is 1/8” thick, the diameter of the Acrylimax is about 1.0”, or 1/4” more than the V/Zmax’s .75” width. It’s also longer---5.25” versus the V/Zmax’s 4.6”. This is a big mod, no question about that. Finally, the device is a bit lighter than my Vmax V2. Weight with batteries installed is 3.60 oz. for the Acrylimax versus 4.15 oz. for the Vmax."

"although the threading of the metal bottom cap is smooth, the interior female threads are just a ring of metal that is press-fit into the bottom of the acrylic tube, with a shielded wire extending down a groove in the tube from the regulator board to make the ground (negative) connection. Within two hours of my putting the Acrylimax into service, the inner thread ring started to slip out from the tube, pulled out by the pressure of the spring on the battery when the bottom cap was screwed on. I pulled out the inner thread ring, applied a thin film of super-glue, and pressed it back in."

"Also, the tube, which has a wider diameter than the metal end cap, is cut off flush at the bottom, so there’s a sharp edge of overhang where the bottom cap meets the tube."

"The firing button (really just a cover for the switch on the regulator board) rattles when I shake the Acrilymax. Unlike my Vtubes, however, the Acrylimax firing button is much looser (it shakes visibly in its hole) and rattles more loudly."

All in all I agree with Billherbst, despite a few aesthetic issues that can be touched up easily for a cheaper price tag around $50 less.

 

[Dauyd]

I don't care if a number reads 3.2 or 4.1 or has 3 purple rotating lights as long as I know what to set it to and can dial it in when needed.

This.

I don't get the obsession with accuracy. As long as the vape is consistent from one use to the next, I couldn't care less if the number on the screen is technically accurate or not. It isn't like I'm going to get a ticket because my speedometer is off.

The baatery/atty/juice combo I'm using right now seems to work best when I set it to 4.2. I couldn't care less if it is ohms, watt, quargs, or beeps. I don't care if the "real" number should actually be 3.8 or 4.7. All I care is that when I use this combo, setting it to read 4.2 works.

 

[Scott_Simpson]

I agree that consistency is more important than accuracy. That the Zmax may deliver, for example, 5.2V when it displays 4.5V, is less important than that it ALWAYS delivers, in this example, 5.2V when it displays 4.5V. The problem is, I don't recall any test results that addressed the consistency issue; they all seem obsessed with the accuracy issue.

Of course, what I love about my ProVari is that I get both accuracy AND consistency throughout the battery charge.

 

[Shogun1024]

The earlier zmax's were calibrated to display vavg and wavg, or voltage/wattage average, being pwm voltage control the reading needed to be rms. they will deliver approximately the same time after time though. The newer versions have supposedly been corrected. That said, as a provari, zmax and lava tube owner the tried and true winner is still the provari. The others are great and on a budget perform well but after a year and a half the provari is still running strong and gets vaped 15+ hours a day!!

 

[ZW99GT]

I have never owned a Provari, and don't really plan to. I have about every type of ego variant and a chrome Lavatube, so I am certainly no mod expert. BUT, this thing is awesome IMO. The menu system took me about 10 minutes to figure out completely, without the instruction manual.

My big gripe about the orig LT was it's amperage limit, and the Z has totally taken care of that (as others have, I know). I have the caps and batteries to run both 18650 and dual 18350 setups, but haven't tried the 18350's yet. I have nearly made myself sick a few times with this thing using a 3ohm DC carto. But this is all out in left field from the orig question, my apologies

 

[jnnfrlsw]

I'm on hold waiting for enough $$$ and an opportunity in my budget to get a Provari mini. I was browsing through sites yesterday checking out mods (still a beginner) and i found the Smok Zmax. It has so many of the features of the Provari, and price with accessories is about $100 less than the Provari mini with accessories. I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, so I'm wondering, what's the catch? Does anyone own both mods who can give me a comparison? I'd like to hear experiences people have had with the Zmax. Any bad experiences? What are the features that make the Provari the better choice?

I have 2 provaris and 1 zmax. The base price for a satin finish provari is $159 while the stainless zmax was $129. For $30 there is no comparison. Your going to have the same cost on both for batteries and charger. You can just look at them side by side and tell the difference in quality-much less actually holding one in each hand. The menu system on the zmax is a nightmare. I didnt receive a manual with mine so I had to search youtube for help. I have had mine for 3 days now and have yet to figure out anything besides Watt/Volt control. The display on the Zmax is fuzzy compared to the clarity on the provari. If I had it to do over again, I would have got another provari and passed on the zmax.

 

[kiwivap]

The menu system on the zmax is a nightmare. I didnt receive a manual with mine so I had to search youtube for help.

Here's the Zmax manual online if its any help for you: http://www.madvapes.com/media/manuals/Zmax-manual.pdf
I printed it off for myself - it makes the menu a lot easier. After I went through the manual I "got" the menu.

 

[bsidb]

Id rather a used Provari V1 for the price of a Zmax , which is what I did off the classifieds