We have a heavyweight vaporizer fight today with the veteran DaVinci IQ in one corner and the newcomer the Zeus Arc GT in the other. The IQ has been around for about three years and the Arc GT just came on the scene last Autumn. Both of these intuitive, high-tech conduction vaporizers are at the top of their respective games. The Arc GT might have a slight advantage, using a gold-plated chamber and vapor path that produces a lot of tasty vapor that is still cool on the lungs and lips. Which of these two heavyweight vapes will come out victorious? Let’s get into it and find out.
Build Quality
Both of these vapes are very well made and feature some high-quality materials. The DaVinci IQ features a ceramic zirconia mouthpiece and vapor path and is integrated with BlueTooth. It feels very comfortable in your hand and is highly ergonomic. There are hinges on the IQ that might stop working over time, or especially if you drop it. The grid of lights on the IQ can be difficult to see in certain lighting as well.
The Zeus Arc GT is a bit more streamlined, featuring a silicone mouthpiece that fits nicely after you pack it from the top, and does so without needing any hinges. The gold-plated vapor path of the Arc GT is unique, and it allows you to blow some seriously thick clouds with minimal harshness.
Both of the units also come with a multi-tool and are pretty portable, almost looking like the size of a beeper, if you’re old enough to remember what those are. While the build quality on these two vapes are highly above average, the Zeus Arc GT gets the edge here simply because it’s the only vape to feature a gold vapor path.
Ease of Use
The DaVinci IQ might have a bit of a learning curve for new consumers, as it definitely lives up to its name by including a smart path mode and a precision mode. The smart path mode is innovative, allowing you to select one of four temperature ranges. The smart path mode will automatically go from low to high over the course of your session, which is a really cool feature. You can also select precision temperature controls if you know what temperature you want down to the exact degree.
The Arc GT is easier and more straightforward to use, especially for newbies. It features 3 preset temperatures and is operated by a single button. It’s super simple and straightforward, without any kind of learning curve.
If this category were focusing on innovative functionality, the winner would be the IQ. But it’s not. It’s ease of use, and that has to go to the Arc GT.
Temperature Flexibility
The DaVinci IQ has a smart path mode, which lets you select one of four temperature ranges that will gradually heat up as you progress from your session. It also has a precision temperature mode that goes all the way up to 220°C, or 428°F.
The Zeus Arc GT only has three preset temperatures, but they are well designed and calibrated to get the most out of each session. The temperatures are 205°C, or 401°F, 215°C, or 419°F, and 225°C, or 437°F.
The clear winner in the temperature flexibility round is the DaVinci IQ. Not only does it have precision controls, but the smart path mode that gradually increases the temperature over the course of your session is really innovative and unique.
Vapor Quality
The DaVinci IQ produces thin and wispy clouds at the lower end of the temperature spectrum, but really flavorful vapor. The vapor clouds at the higher end are significantly larger, but the flavor is noticeably worse and might feel harsh on the throats of some consumers. You might need to take the stirring tool to the chamber of the IQ halfway through a session.
With the Zeus Arc GT, you get excellent vapor quality with each of the three settings. There is minimal harshness with each of the settings, with each setting providing some delicious and robust flavor. Even though the Arc comes with a stirring tool that is built-in, you really don’t need it much. The highest setting will let you blow some seriously thick clouds.
While the vapor quality on both of these units is awesome, we have to give the slight edge to the Zeus Arc GT in this round, because of the fact that the IQ tends to get hot on the throat on the high settings and the Arc does not.
Battery Life
The battery on the DaVinci IQ is 3500mah 18650 and lasts about an hour of continuous use on a single charge, and can be swapped out. The Zeus Arc GT also has a 3500mah, but it is internal. The Arc’s battery lasts longer than its competitor, about an hour and a half. We are going to call this round a tie because while the Arc’s battery is more efficient and lasts longer, it’s not swappable like that of the IQ.
We Have a Winner
Both of these units are well made, durable and feature great vapor quality and solid battery life. The IQ is far beyond the Arc as far as innovative temperature controls. However, the Arc is easier to use, rarely sees and flavor degradation, and also features a unique gold plated vapor path. It is for this reason, that by an ever so slight margin, our winner in today’s contest is the Zeus Arc GT.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for information and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to reflect the specific views of the publication.
