Vaporesso Target PM80 SE Review: A Portable DTL Pod Vape [2020 Update]

Author: Alisa Yin / Category: Review / Published: May-21-2020

The Vaporesso Target PM80 SE is the latest pod AIO - or pod mod that uses the popular GTX sub-ohm coils made solely for higher wattage DTL vaping. It is a very attractive, comfortable, and well-built kit, which looks almost identical to the original Target PM80. The PM80 SE uses a single 18650 battery and is fully adjustable, capable of firing up to 80W. The refillable pod holds 4ml of e-liquid and comes with two replaceable sub-ohm coils for different DTL experience.

The Target PM80 SE isn’t a pod vape for nic salt but rather a device for regular freebase e-liquid due to the low resistance coils. There is an obvious difference between pod kits and pods mod, the former is likely to be a low-power MTL device. The pod mods tend to be much more powerful and generally targeted towards vapers who like an open, DTL draw.

Vaporesso was created in 2015 and has become one of the premier mod makers in vaping. Their pod vapes have been decent for the most part. We have recently reviewed Target PM80, OSMALL, Xtar, PM30. The PM80 did surpass my expectations. So what are my thoughts on the new Target PM80 SE? Read the review to take a further look!

Price: ￡30.99 (at NewVaping)

Colors: Black, Red, Blue, Silver, Purple, Green

Vaporesso have released the SE version in 6 attractive colors. The PM80 SE stands at approximately 121.3mm x 24.8mm x 33.8mm, which is a bit taller than Target PM80 due to 18650 battery. It is surprisingly lightweight and doesn’t take up a lot of room in my bag. The familiar rectangular design with a soft-touch padded sticker on the back fits the palm nicely and is comfortable to hold. The body is made of durable zinc alloy that has been painted black color. It may not as rugged as Geekvape Aegis Boost, but it did survive from a few drops during testing. The overall build quality is well and the machining is top-notch.

Looking into the top of the mod you will see two gold-plated spring-loaded connection pins and two strong magnets. There are three airflow holes on both sides of the device. From high to the low design of the top section allows you to view the remaining liquid easily. The Vaporesso branding and mod name are printed on one side of the mod. The 2A USB charging port sits on the other side. The sliding hinged battery cap is at the bottom, and there are some vent holes and safety marks on it.

The front side is well laid. The metal fire button is large and nicely contoured for thumb or finger fire. The raised adjustment buttons are tiny but easy to click. The 0.91-inch TFT screen is clean bright and sharp, which has all the information you need like battery life, wattage, coil resistance, voltage, puff counter, and puff time.

The Vaporesso Target PM80 SE is only button-operated, and five clicks of the fire button turn on or turn off the device. With a single 18650 battery and AXON chipset, there is a maximum wattage of 80W in 0.5 increments and fast fire speed at 00.01s. The two adjustment buttons allow you to set your wattage from 5W to 80W. The SE can automatically detect the coils you use and the large TFT screen will display the recommended wattage. The airflow is non-adjustable, but you can use the rubber plugs included in the kit to restrict the air intake for a more restricted DL vape.

The operation is pretty simple and straightforward with no learning curve needed. It has a variable wattage mode (5W - 80W) and variable voltage mode (0.1V - 4V). In the smart VW mode. the SE will detect the coil you install and display the optimal wattage on the screen. The Pulse Mode gives you more power through inhaling. The puff counter tracks your puffs each day and maxes out at 999. The default theme color is green, and you can change it by settings.

Button Combinations:

• Five clicks of the fire button to turn on/off the device
• Three clicks of the fire button to lock or unlock the adjustment buttons
• Hold both adjustment buttons to change mode or enter the main menu

Menu System:

• Smart VW
• VW
• VV
• Puff
• Default
• Theme
• Exit

Battery Performance:

The PM80 SE is driven by a single 18650 battery (not included), click here to learn the best 18650 batteries for pod mods. The battery life depends on the battery capacity, the coil you use, and the power output. Unlike the low-wattage MTL pod vape, the PM80 SE is going to drain the battery much faster at higher wattage. Don’t expect it to be an all-day device for high-wattage sub-ohm vaping. The PM80 SE uses a micro-USB charging with 2A fast speed. But I still recommend you to charge the 18650 battery externally with a compatible charger.

The kit includes two pods and two GTX coils, which is great. You can put a coil in each pod and switch between the pods whenever you like. The refillable SE pod is securely held in place by two strong magnets with no wiggle. Simply pull out to remove it. The pod made of high-grade PCTG material comes with a 510-like fixed mouthpiece and is transparent and fully exposed. So it’s easy to view how much e-liquid is left. The filling slot with a rubber plug sits at the base of the pod. To fill the pod you will need to remove the rubber plug with your fingernail. The filling hole is very small.

• Pre-wick the coils with a few drops of e-liquid onto the cotton
• Pull out the pod from the mod
• Insert the coil into the pod from the base
• With the pod upside down, remove the filling plug and fill with your e-liquid
• Firmly and gently close the filling plug
• Place the pod back to the mod
• Wait at least 5min to make the coil fully soaked into the e-liquid to prevent dry hits

The GTX coils supplied with the kit feature the convenient plug and play. Both of the coils are quite low-resistance and made for DTL vape so it is not a device for nic salt. The coils take the airflow directly. Sadly the airflow is non-adjustable. You can use the rubber plugs to restrict the airflow intake. The PM80 SE is compatible with all GTX coil series including an RBA deck. It also matches with the Voopoo PnP coils, but I haven’t tried.

• Vaporesso GTX 0.2ohm Mesh Coil (Rated at 45W to 60W)
• Vaporesso GTX 0.6ohm Mesh Coil (Rated at 20W to 30W)

There are 4 GTX coils sold seperately:

• 0.3ohm mesh coil: 32W - 45W
• 0.8ohm mesh coil: 12W - 20W
• 1.2ohm regular coil: 8W - 12W
• GTX RBA coil head

The performance hasn’t let me down. It is a great open DTL vape device. You can use the rubber plug to cover the airflow holes for a more restricted DTL vape. Both of the coils performed very well. The 0.6ohm coil won’t fire past 30W. If you prefer a cooler vape, it will hit the spot. But I prefer the 0.2ohm coil. The flavor is superb and the vapor is warm and huge.

It's also worth mentioning that you will get condensation under the pod. It is just minor gripes nothing too serious. Overall the Target PM80 SE is a great performer for DTL vaping with the 0.2ohm GTX coil.

Vaporesso Target PM80 SE Pod Mod kit is a pocketable, compact but smart device for DTL vapers. It is pretty well-built and easy to use. It is not a pod vape for nic salt but in competition with traditional sub-ohm tanks. The GTX coils bring strong flavor and a massive cloud. You will get a satisfying open DL vape. It may not an all-day device due to the limitations of the battery. But if you are looking for a portable DTL device, I will highly recommend the Target PM80 SE.

How was your experience with the device? I would like to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Pros:

• Solid build quality
• Nice hand feel
• Various modes and functions
• Great DTL vape device
• Lightweight and portable
• Large TFT screen
• Easy to operate
• Plug and play method
• 4ml large juice capacity
• Easy to view juice level
• Compatible with all GTX coils
• Superb flavor and huge vapor production
• 2A fast charging
• Spare pod included
• Fast firing speed
• Multiple safety features
• Straightforward and simple menu

Cons:

• Non-adjustable airflow
• A bit of condensation under the pod