Willy Wonka and Mike Teevee once learned the downfalls of making things smaller for the sake of it. If only SMOK had learned its lesson. Because while the SMOK Mag Baby certainly looks like a perfectly scaled-down version of the admittedly awesome Mag mod, the performance and enjoyment drop proportionally with every lost millimeter in height.

(And there’s 40 millimeters of difference between the two!)

After shaving off nearly half the height and width, what’s left is a toy-like replica of the original Mag’s aggressive gun handle design. Also gone is the amazing heft, ergonomics and overall comfort found in the bigger Mag, since this ridiculously small and light vape mod is almost toosmall to use comfortably.

The rest of the design is remarkably similar to the full-sized Mag, albeit with less ornate details in some of the nooks and crannies of the device. Still, the trademark trigger grip and side-panel controls are where you’d expect them, and all work well, with few surprises.

What was surprising was SMOK’s decision to go with an older, “Alien-style” monochrome display, (a vape mod that made its debut in 2016!)  rather than downsizing one of its newer high-res formats for the Mag Baby. Even though the Alien remains one of the world’s most-popular mid-wattage vape mods, the industry (and SMOK, for that matter) has come a long way in improving its screens to meet expectations. As such, the bare-bones aesthetic is a little stark for my tastes.

But, considering the Mag Baby only features a 1,600mAh internal battery, perhaps it’s best that SMOK decided to scale back the beauty in favor of a longer-lasting cell.

Finally, the SMOK Mag Baby comes in a broad palette of colors, (thought the SMOK Alien has, in 2 years, been released in many, many more)  none of which will surprise fans. And, knowing the company’s penchant for expanding its lines with new looks, we fully expect the Mag Baby to have an army of colors to match the Alien before long.

But let’s talk about that battery a little more. In short, the Mag Baby has some of the worst battery longevity in this category, with a barely capable 1,600mAh internal battery that offers a mere two hours of low-wattage vaping before tapping out.

In other words, the Mag Baby might work passably while the battery lasts, but if you’re dreaming of a highly portable, all-day vape mod for long trips and nights out, you might want to buy two of them. Considering how small the Mag Baby is, that’s not out of the question. But even using the mod at a conservative 25-30 watts, the battery life was atrocious, so keep this in mind when considering the purchase.

Despite the longevity, the SMOK Mag Baby works well, all the way to its 50-watt maximum. Though this is hardly a large number by modern standards, the internal battery manages to avoid any stuttering and pulsing, which isn’t common in this category.

The modified menu system will be instantly familiar to fans of older SMOK mods, and works quickly and accurately. Surprisingly, this diminutive device also has a full temperature control suite, support for all common coil types, and a slate of memory modes, none of which is typical for 50-watt mods. Getting to (and adjusting) these different settings is a breeze using the tried and true “three-click” menu entry and navigation. Modern? Not by a longshot, but it’s refreshingly simple, just as it should be on an entry-level vape device.

Another notable feature is the included TFV12 Baby Prince Sub-Ohm Tank, which has a maximum capacity of 4.5 milliliters, along with the new button-lock hinged top-fill, dual bottom airflow controls, and compatibility with the TFV8-Baby Coil family.

Just as I said in my SMOK V-FIN review, there’s no need for us to review the Baby Beast coil heads any more than we have already. But the Baby Prince tank is a good match for the Mag Baby, and fits well with the mod’s look and feel, even with the bubble-glass section. As shocked as I was, the pairing doesn’t look unbalanced or out of proportion, as did several other tanks, thanks to the 27mm diameter.

Putting aside my concerns about the battery life, I put the Mag Baby through the same battery of tests I do for much larger vape mods. And the Mag Baby held its own in several categories.

For starters, the 50-watt Mag Baby has a surprising amount of punch for such a miniature mod. No, the combination of a low-output internal battery and Baby Beast coils isn’t going to result in low-lying fog throughout your house. But the Mag Baby puts out a respectable amount of vapor for what it is.

Flavor is another positive; we’ve always liked the Baby Beast coils, even if they’re getting a bit long in the tooth when compared the SMOK’s own glorious Prince offerings. When using the Mag Baby on an (admittedly quick) day out, I found myself forgetting that this tiny mod was “scaled down” and just enjoyed the flavor. In its own way, it was refreshing.

But it was also far too short-lived. Even when using smaller MTL tanks, and lowering the power to 15 watts, I found the Mag Baby struggled to get me through an average movie, much less a road trip. Yeah, I could plug it in and replenish it quickly, thanks to speedy 2-amp charging. But that’s not an answer – it’s an admittance there’s a problem. No matter how they spin it, 1,600mAh simply isn’t enough juice to carry a mod with ambitions this lofty.

More importantly, I’m not sure fans would have minded if SMOK added a few millimeters in all directions to accommodate a battery more suitable for this type of use. (Did anyone actually request a gun-shaped mod the size of a Zippo in the first place?)

It’s a shame, really. Because the performance is pretty damn good while it lasts. But who is going to take the Mag Baby out with them, knowing it will likely drain before you leave the driveway?

If you’re looking to stock up on small vape mods, we suggest buying two SMOK Mag Baby kits and having the other charged and ready in a pocket. But if only one new device is within your budget, then we really can’t recommend the Mag Baby for anyone other than the most casual, passive vapers out there. The performance is good, for sure. But like so many good things, it’s far too fleeting to make a lasting impression.

Score: B-

The SMOK Mag Baby is Available Now at Element Vape