When a customer is looking to acquire a premium, high quality vaporizer, it is important to consider the brand name and reputation of the manufacturer. As most people already know, the vaporizer industry is rather competitive and there are a seemingly endless number of devices to sort through. Luckily, some brands are more established than others and their products have been thoroughly tried and tested over the years. The best and most trustworthy of these companies include Storz n Bickel, Boundless, Arizer, Davinci, and Pax. Each of these businesses caters to a slightly different demographic, as Storz n Bickel sells the most expensive and top-of-the line units such as the Volcano, while Boundless has vapes as low as $65 like the CFC Lite. It’s easy to select a vaporizer when users are looking at such a wide gap in pricing. However, two of these big brand names have popular units with a similar retail value which requires further investigation. The purpose of this review will be to compare and contrast the Davinici IQ and the Pax 3 in order to enable consumers to purchase their ideal vape.
Build, Portability & Stealthiness
The Davinci IQ has a beautiful, sleek build that is bound to impress; it stands at about 3.5 inches, features a simple LED light display and it comes in three colors including black, silver and blue. Other highlights of note are its gorgeous built-in mouthpiece, and easy to load oven located at the bottom of the device. This vaporizer scores big points for portability, but consumers should be aware that the unit is semi-wide, and is not fully concealable in the palm of the hand. For stealth-conscious users, the better selection is its sister unit, the Davinci Miqro.
The Pax 3 is extremely similar in build to the Davinci IQ, as it’s also extremely attractive and portable. Just like its’ competitor, the Pax 3 boasts a soft and satisfying, built-in mouthpiece and a heating chamber on the opposite end with magnetized cover. It also comes in a larger variety of colors than the Davinci, which include black, silver, teal, rose gold and now for a limited time, fuchsia. Additionally, this vape has a color-based LED display screen in the front of the unit, and is easy to transport everywhere. The Pax 3 is taller than the Davinci, as it reaches over 4 inches in height; however, it is slimmer in the middle. Both units can be characterized as sleek, but not entirely disguisable.
The verdict: It’s a tie for this section, as both brands did an amazing job with build and maneuverability. As far as stealth goes, Davinci is wider and shorter, while Pax is taller and slimmer so it’s a simple matter of user preference.
Temperature Control Options
The Pax 3 has options for precision temperature control via its mobile phone app and for pre-set temperature selection on the device itself. If users are just planning on using the vaporizer as a stand-alone, the four pre-selected temperatures include 360, 380, 400, and 420 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can be scrolled through by pressing the control/power button located at the top of the device (on the mouthpiece).
The Davinci IQ is identical in terms of temperature selection to the Pax 3, as it also features the choice between smart path technology and use of precision temperature control via an app. Smart path technology is similar to pre-set temperature control except it has a more flexible range. The Davinci IQ has four different smart paths: smart path one which starts at 350 degrees and ends at 370 degrees, smart path two going from 370 to 390, smart path three which begins at 390 degrees and stops at 410, and last is smart path four which ranges from 410 to 430 degrees.
The Verdict: Another tie. Both devices have great pre-set temperature options, and offer precision temperature control via mobile phone apps. Also, after checking out reviews of the mobile apps for each product, I also concluded both of the apps are kind of shoddy, so the Pax 3 & the Davinci IQ fail together in that regard.
Oven Capacity & Efficiency
The Davinci IQ has a decent heating chamber size, and can hold up to 0.3 grams of marijuana at any time. The oven is composed of ceramic material, it has a ceramic zirconia air flow path and it utilizes conduction heating, all of which works together to produce tasty, cool vapor. As far as efficiency goes, the Davinci IQ does a pretty good job with conservation of herb for a conduction based device, and it should allow for some long-term savings.
The Pax 3 is unique in that it comes with a full pack oven of up to 0.3 grams of herb, and a half-pack oven of 0.15 grams. This means that the Pax 3 and Davinci IQ both have the same maximum capacity, but the Pax 3 offers a bit more room to play with its half-pack heating chamber. The Pax 3 used stainless steel in its heating chamber construction, and it too has an extended airflow path and features conduction heating. This type of heating chamber does merely a fair job with conservation of herb.
The Verdict: It’s going to be down to user preference again. For consumers that like the idea of switching between a half-pack and full oven, the Pax 3 will be the best choice, while customers concerned about oven efficiency should definitely go with the Davinci IQ.
Battery Life & Accessories
Both the Pax 3 and the Davinci IQ use a 3500 mAH 18650 battery. The only difference between the devices is the Davinci IQ’s battery is removable and replaceable, while the Pax 3 is not removable. Additionally, both brands offer the vaporizers with complete kits for an upcharge and boast ten year warranties.
The Verdict: The Davinci IQ will be great for users that don’t mind swapping out batteries, but it has been noted that the Pax 3 lasts for 90 minutes with a single charge versus the Davinci IQ’s 70 minute battery life in spite of utilizing the same model.
Vapor Quality & Price Point
This section is really going to be a matter of opinion. What can be summarized is that both the Pax 3 and the Davinci IQ have very similar price points, and they both utilize conduction-based heating, built-in mouthpieces and an extended vapor path since the heating chamber is seated at the bottom. Therefore, the question is there a difference in the vapor quality and if so, why?
For me, I felt the cloud quality on the Davinci IQ was better than the Pax 3. The reason for this sentiment is simple: I favor ceramic construction, since less herb material combusts which leads to a purer and smoother flower flavor. I really enjoyed the dense, clouds from the Pax 3 as well, but it just wasn’t as clean as the Davinci.
They are both priced appropriately, with the Pax 3 coming in slightly cheaper.
The Verdict: For users wanting the best cloud quality, I would go with the Davinci IQ, although the Pax 3 is still guaranteed to please. As far as pricing is concerned, the Pax 3 is a bit cheaper with a retail value of $249.99 for the full kit, while the Davinci IQ is about $274.99 for the entire box kit.
