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Marshall G320 Mod + Big Baby Sub-Ohm = Starter Kit
Throughout 2016 most of my Top 10 favorite vape gear products has come from SMOKTech, or simply “SMOK” to its fan base. SMOK has had a busy year, and while certainly not the only vape gear company to have an active release schedule, more often than not, the products from SMOK have been excellent. This ‘excellence’ continues with the 320W powerhouse called the SMOK Marshal G320 TC. The following review will focus on the Starter Kit version, which includes the excellent (there’s that word again) SMOK Big Baby sub-ohm tank. Available at Element Vape for just $89.95, there is much to like about this kit, and perhaps one or two things that may tarnish the shine just a tad. For the most part, the SMOK Marshal G320 TC and Big Baby Starter Kit comes highly recommended from this reviewer.
About the SMOK Marshal G320 TC Starter Kit
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The SMOK Marshal G320 TC and TFV8 Big Baby Starter Kit from SMOKTech delivers a maximum output of a whopping 320W using three 18650 hi-amp (25a+) cells (batteries). Inside the Marshal G320 is SMOK’s latest and greatest chipset, one that offers better accuracy, power management, modes and options, than ever before. The Marshal G320 has an onboard Temperature Control suite that supports the usual Ni200 (pure nickel), Ti (Titanium), and Stainless Steel (SS+) heating elements, and provides a temperature range of 200-600 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition to setting the temperature based on the heating element and the user vape preferences, the Marshal G320 TC allows you to adjust the wattage in TC mode and provides manual TCR for the ultimate in tweaking the performance of your favorite atomizers. Nothing’s really new here, or particularly innovative, but from deep reading about the latest chipset from SMOKTech, the Marshal G320 TC reads individual coils more accurately then earlier chips could, and provides tighter control over the vape experience. That said, the TC capabilities of the Marshall G320 isn’t the sole reason to want one.
SMOKTech is to be congratulated for developing a new chip that that can provide 320W of output using just three 18650 cells, that alone is remarkable, but another capability of the chip is being able to function at 220W using just two 18650 cells. There is a very good reason to applaud this ability and I’ll get to it a little later.
Physical Characteristics of the Marshal G320 TC
The height of the Marshal G320 without the Big Baby tank stands at just over 3.5 inches. Its width is comfortable to grip 2.42 inches, and the depth of the Marshal G320 is just over 1.2 inches. It’s by no means a small device, but the dimensions, along with the rounded corners provides just the right ergonomics for most hands. The real issue with the physical characteristics is something we’ve seen before with three and four-battery devices… weight.
Without the batteries or the Big Baby sub-ohm tank the SMOK Marshal G320 weights 10.58 ounces, or 300g. The Big Baby is another 2.1 ounces or 60g, and with the added weight of three 18650 batteries, which average 1.5 ounces or 45g each, the total weight of the Marshal with the Big Baby tank is 17.18 ounces, just over a full pound. To put all this into perspective, the Lost Vape Triade DNA250 box mod weighs 100g less, or 7.05oz in total (without its three batteries). It might not seem like a lot, especially when viewed in ounces, but the weight difference is noticeable between a fully loaded SMOK Marshal with the Big Baby and the Lost Vape Triade and the same tank. Is it a deal breaker? Absolutely not, unless you want it to be.
The SMOK Marshal G320 is available in Black with Red accents (the one I used in this review) a wicked good looking Gold with Black accents, and a Silver model with Red accents. Seeing all three in person I like the silver one best, followed by the gold one, though the black model is no slouch.
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The Fire Button is extra-large and sits at the top of the front side of the mod. Actually, the Fire Button wraps around the front end and onto either side like a pair of wraparound sunglasses, and its firm in its feel, but responsive. The plus/minus adjustments are made using a one-piece button off to the side of the mode, shaped like a horizontal triangle. To increase the temperature or the wattage the user would use the wider part of the button, to lower said options the user moves to the narrow side of the button. The USB port is one the same side as the adjustment button, just above the SMOK logo near the bottom of the mod.
The battery compartment door sits on the bottom of the mod, and uses a latch catch system to secure the batteries. Each battery is lowered into its own ‘slot’, and depending on the height of the batteries (some 18650’s are taller than others by the tiniest of heights), closing and locking the battery door can be easy and straightforward, or not. We use only Sony VTC6 batteries these days, and the Marshal G320 requires a bit of pressure to get the door closed and locked up with the VTC6.
Bluetooth 4.0 – The Marshal G320 incorporates OTA (over-the-air) technology that allows the user to connect it to its smart app (iOS and Android) for upgrades via Bluetooth 4.0. That definitely adds to the convenience factor.
Display – The 0.96 Inch OLED display is located at the top of the mod, next to the ‘510’ atomizer bezel. The display is a six-line, three-column display offering up detailed information, including three individual battery icons for keeping a close look at how the batteries are depleting. Always marry the batteries to get optimal life out of them. It’s always a good idea to purchase two sets of three, and charge them outside the mod. We recommend Nitecore charges for durability, dependability, and reliability.
The SMOK Big Baby
The included tank, the SMOK Big Baby (5mL capacity), has been reviewed by Spinfuel and can be seen here. There is little to add to that review, other than it is included in the Kit model, and my personal opinion that the TFV8 Big Baby Beast is my most used tank these days. The Big Baby uses the same coil heads seen in the Baby Beast, and include the V8 Baby X4 and V8 Baby T6 coil options. The output range is 30 to 70W and 40 to 130W, respectively. I find 46W with the X4 provides my favorite vape experience, giving me huge clouds of flavorful vapor. You can check out the TFV8 Baby Replacement Coils here at Element Vape.
Wattage Wasted?
As you can see, the mod Wattage (320W max) and Atomizer wattage range (130W max) is mismatched. This happens with all the 300+ mods right now, as well as the vast majority of 200W mods. To utilize all that power the user will need to vape with an RDA and custom built coils and lots of organic cotton. Even then, getting to the far end of the wattage range will be tough.
Conclusion
I’ve highlighted what I believe to be the best features of the SMOK Marshal G320 and SMOK Big Baby Starter Kit. Below you’ll find a detailed specs and feature list that I recommend you read carefully to understand just how much comes with this affordable kit.
While the SMOK Marshal G320 Kit deserves a grade of “A”, I admit that I stopped using it after a few weeks. For several weeks, I worked with the iJoy MAXO, the WISMEC Reuleaux RX300, and the Marshal G320. All three output 300+ watts, and both the Reuleaux and the MAXO utilize four 18650 cells, making for even heavier devices than the Marshal G320. The three devices are spectacular displays of the latest state of the art vape technology available, and all three deserve the same final grade. The only reason I don’t use them anymore is the weight. But, this is a purely subjective preference and should only be considered if you too have issues with ‘heavier than normal’ mods. Otherwise, any of the three devices are excellent choices for extreme high wattage vaping. In addition, any of the three TFV8 sub-ohm tanks perform excellently with these devices.
John Manzione
Final Grade: A
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“A bit on the heavy side, this three cell 320W box mod offers some truly wonderful features for the advanced vaper. I would not recommend the Marshal G320 TC box mod to a new vaper, or anyone looking for a lightweight device. Yes, you can remove one of the batteries for a reduced 220W output, but the base weight, stripped of batteries and tanks, is still 300g”..
SMOK Marshall G320 320W TC Box Mod Features:
- Triple High-Amp 18650 Battery – Sold Separately
- Optional Dual 18650 Platform – Maximum Power Downgraded To 220W
- Dimensions: 89.5mm by 61.5mm by 31mm
- Maximum Wattage Output: 320W
- Min Atomizer Resistance: 0.06ohm
- Temperature Range: 200-600F
- Supports Ni200 Nickel, Titanium, and Stainless Steel Heating Elements
- 0.96 Inch Top-Style OLED Display
- Oversized Firing Mechanism
- Ergonomically Placed Side Adjustment Buttons
- Hinged Battery Cover
- Balanced Charge Protection
- MicroUSB Port
- 510 Connection
- Available in Black, Silver, and Gold
SMOK TFV8 Big Baby Beast Tank Features:
- Enlarged Edition of the Baby Beast
- 24.5mm Diameter
- 5mL Juice Capacity
- Superior Stainless Steel Construction
- High-Grade Glass Reinforcement
- Convenient Top-Fill Design with Hinge Lock
- Dual Adjustable Airflow Control at Base
- Black Delrin Ultra-Wide Drip Tip
- Patented Baby Turbo Engines Coil Structure
- 0.4ohm V8 Baby-Q2 Dual Coil – rated for 30-80W | recommended 55-65W
- 0.15ohm V8 Baby-X4 Quad Coil – rated for 30-70W | recommended 45-60W
- 0.15ohm V8 Baby-T8 Octuple Coil – rated for 50-100W | recommended 60-80W
- V8 Baby RBA – Two-Post Deck
- 510 Connection
Includes:
- 1 G320 Mod
- 1 TFV8 Big Baby Tank
- 1 V8 Baby-X4 Coil Head
- 1 V8 Baby-T6 Coil Head
- 1 Replacement Glass Tube
- Spare Parts
- Instructional Manual
