The Historically Inspired Sigelei GW 257W Mod Preview

Much like the rumor about the actual Great Wall of China, there’s a very good chance the Sigelei GW (Great Wall) 257W Mod can be seen from space – it’s that large. Yes, this all new dual 21700-capable Vape Mod is a legitimate handful, but somehow manages to be ergonomic, as well.

More importantly, unlike some other Mods in this growing category, the Sigelei GW also seems to vape really well. Let’s take a closer look at this oddball tribute to an international treasure to see if it might become the next wonder of the vaping world.

In addition to being a large Vape Mod, the Sigelei GW is also pretty unique looking. My gold and bronze test Model certainly drew attention when I brought it to the bar for the afternoon – perhaps for the wrong reasons. While the two-tone color scheme wasn’t UNATTRACTIVE, I don’t think I would have opted for a Mod that resembled two types of mustard. But maybe that’s just me.

Looking closer, users will find ornate, Chinese-inspired designs throughout the alloy frame – they’re not over-the-top but do add a little flair to an otherwise simple design. And that simple concept is welcome. While Sigelei’s KAOS series is a little gaudy for some, the GW is a larger take on the standard “parallel tube” design. It’s done well here, with sturdy build quality and a confident feel in the hands.

Though I’ve only spent a few hours with the GW, I have to say how much I appreciate the extremely solid 510 connection, which is firm, but springy, and accommodated a wide range of atomizers from my collection. In my limited use time, I experienced no misfires or lost connections – something I wish I could say about more devices these days.

Plus, with a broad width and depth, the Sigelei GW Vape Mod SHOULD easily handle up to 30mm atomizers without overhang – Aromamizer fans, rejoice! Your favorite new dual-battery Mod has just arrived.

Speaking of batteries, the GW Mod is optimized for use with a pair of 21700 cells, but can also operate with 20700 and 18650 batteries, using the included adapters. All types will be tested side-by-side in our testing this week, since we’re curious to see if the Sigelei GW offers any type of battery life advantage using the different cells.

Fans of Sigelei products will immediately feel at home with the 0.96-inch TFT color display. And if you’re a fan of this often-used format, you will be thrilled, as it doesn’t appear Sigelei has changed anything for its latest Mods. But if you aren’t a fan and were hoping the Sigelei GW would have an updated screen, you’ll likely be disappointed by this offering.

Like we’ve said 100 times on these pages, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this display (or the chipset, for that matter) but there’s something a little jarring about seeing brash, contrasting colors on the screen, surrounded by understated Chinese iconography. And on a two-tone, mustard-colored device, the colors only stood out more… for the wrong reasons.

But navigating the GW’s linear menu system is as simple as the two-button format will allow. New users will likely easily adapt to the mechanics, and will be making adjustments before long. That said, we will be watching temperature control performance pretty closely when we test the GW, since this chipset has been hit or miss in this department since being introduced a year ago.

We’ll also be watching power performance closely – mostly because the 257-watt limit seems kind of arbitrary, not to mention a little silly. Just say “250” and cap it there, Sigelei. There’s nothing you can do at 257 watts that isn’t possible with 250.

Finally, we’re going spend some serious time testing how well the Sigelei GW dissipates heat, since our limited time with the Mod has shown it to get a little warmer than we’d like, even under moderate wattages and casual vaping. Nothing alarming, to be sure – but definitely something worth investigating further – especially considering how little venting was noticeable on the body of the device.

Sigelei has made a lot of great Mods over the years, but their recent output has been a little hit-or-miss. We’re hoping that the Sigelei GW Vape Mod not only vapes better than some of its predecessors, but also legitimately justifies the 21700/20700 format. Because the GW is large. It’s heavy. And it’s a touch bulky. But these sins would be forgiven if there’s a noticeable boost in battery performance and longevity.

As always, give us a week or so to use the Sigelei GW and get back to you with a full review!