The ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD is another one of those beautiful little mods that looks great for a while, and then with normal daily use, they begin to show their true colors. This is a review of the mod itself; I did not use the matching tank. For this review, I used the Gabriel 80W MOD with the SMOK TFV8 Baby Beast and my own Vaporesso NRG SE Tank, and a few of my favorite RDAs.
At first glance, the ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD has the look and feel of a premium mod. It’s solid, despite its relatively small size, and it has a high-quality finish, at least for a while. This mod has plenty of features, but none of them are groundbreaking. All in all, this is a decent mod for most medium-power vapers looking for a good single 18650-cell mod that looks a bit dressier than most.
The Gabriel 80W Mod is a beautiful little device that is surprisingly heavy for its size. The body of the mod is made of a unique combination of stabilized wood and resin, which creates a stunning pattern on each device. Mine is a gorgeous deep blue and black with light blue highlights. The colors of these mods are totally random, so if you decide to purchase one of these mods you won’t know exactly what it will look like. Mine is quite beautiful.
The front panel (not the side with the battery cover) is a shiny black, with a fairly large display screen and two adjustment buttons underneath it. The 510-connection is centered at the top of the mod, and directly in front of the connection is the firing button. The firing button on the GeekVape Aegis Mini 80W is also in this position. The back of the mod is the battery cover, and it slides off with a good deal of force. There are no magnets, it’s a friction fit, but a good one. There’s no fear of the cover accidentally sliding off.
On the bottom of the mod is a Micro USB port for charging and firmware upgrades.
The Buttons
The ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD has three buttons. The firing button is located on the top of the mod, just in front of the 510-connection. The two adjustment buttons are located on the front panel, just below the display screen. All three buttons are responsive and clicky, giving a satisfying tactile feedback.
I found the placement of the firing button to be a bit odd at first. Most mods have the firing button on the side, or on the front panel. Having it on the top takes some getting used to, but it does make it easier to fire with either your thumb or index finger. After a few days of use, I found myself instinctively reaching for the top button.
The Display
The display screen on the ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD is quite large and easy to read. It shows all the important information you need, including wattage, temperature, resistance, voltage, and battery life. The screen is bright, but not overly so, and it’s easy to read in all lighting conditions, even direct sunlight.
There’s nothing groundbreaking about the display, it’s a standard monochrome screen, but it does its job well.
The Menu
The menu system on the ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD is pretty standard for a single 18650-cell mod. Five clicks of the firing button turn the device on/off. Three clicks of the firing button allow you to cycle through the different modes: VW, Bypass, TC (Ni, Ti, SS316, TCR). In TC mode, you can adjust the wattage by holding down the firing button and the “+” button simultaneously.
The menu system is intuitive and easy to navigate. I had no trouble figuring out how to use the mod without consulting the manual.
Vaping Performance
This is where the ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD truly shines. Despite its small size, this mod packs a punch. I used it primarily in wattage mode with the SMOK TFV8 Baby Beast and my own Vaporesso NRG SE Tank, and it performed flawlessly. Vapor production was excellent, and the flavor was crisp and clean.
I also tried it with a few of my favorite RDAs, and again, it performed admirably. The mod fired instantly, and there was no noticeable delay. I even tried it in TC mode with a Ni200 build, and it worked perfectly. The temperature control was accurate and consistent.
The Gabriel 80W MOD handles resistances as low as 0.08ohm in VW mode and 0.03ohm in TC mode, which is impressive for a single 18650 mod. While 80W isn’t a huge amount of power, it’s more than enough for most vapers, especially with a good tank or RDA. It pushed the Baby Beast with a 0.15ohm coil to its sweet spot around 60-70W effortlessly.
Battery Life
Battery life on the ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD is about what you would expect from a single 18650-cell mod. If you’re vaping at higher wattages (60-80W), you’ll probably get about 3-4 hours of continuous use. If you’re vaping at lower wattages (30-40W), you can probably get 6-8 hours.
I always carry a spare 18650 battery with me, so battery life was never an issue for me. The mod does support pass-through charging, so you can vape while it’s charging, which is a nice feature. However, as always, I recommend charging your batteries in an external charger for safety and longevity.
Conclusion
The ASVAPE Gabriel 80W MOD is a beautiful and well-performing single 18650-cell mod. It’s got a unique look, a solid build, and it performs admirably across all modes. While it’s not going to win any awards for innovation, it’s a solid choice for vapers looking for a reliable and stylish mod.
The only real downside is the price. At around $80, it’s a bit on the expensive side for an 80W single 18650 mod. However, if you appreciate the unique stabilized wood and resin finish, and you’re looking for a mod that stands out from the crowd, then the Gabriel 80W MOD is worth considering.
As far as wear goes, I did notice some slight wear on the shiny black front panel after a couple of weeks, mostly minor scuffs and fingerprints, but nothing too severe. The stabilized wood/resin part held up beautifully.
