Ladies, turn away for a minute… I need to reveal a hard truth – size doesn’t matter. Well, at least in the vape game, anyway. Because for every mod that justifies its size, I test a bunch of others that offer double the performance at half the size. The all-new UD GAXI Mod Kit is the perfect example.

This tiny, sharp-looking 60-watt mod takes its design cues from classic British race cars… or at least the ones “Speed Racer” used to drive. This includes the sweet anodized paint job, subtle pinstriping and some smooth curves on all edges. At a shade over 60mm tall, the UD GAXI is the essence of “palm-friendly” – and with the oversized, round fire button and minimalist control scheme, it’s also as “user-friendly” as modern mods get without sacrificing control.

In short, if you’re looking for tremendous power and adjustability, the wattage-only GAXI probably isn’t for you. But if you don’t vape at three-digit wattages, and just want a simple, no-fuss mod for a night out, UD’s latest is a VERY strong contender.

For starters, the GAXI is sporting one of the finest integrated batteries I’ve ever tested – 3,200 long-lasting, fast-charging mAh. I found myself TRYING to wear this thing down over the course of my testing and couldn’t make a dent on its capacity. If you’re an MTL vaper who uses higher resistance coils and relatively low wattages, you could theoretically get a day or more of steady vaping from this LiPo cell – very, very impressive.

I don’t want to complain, but the rocker-style one-piece control button is the only downer on the surface, due to its flimsiness and lack of response. Ultimately, it does its job, but compared to the pristine construction and design throughout the GAXI’s diminutive frame, the rocker is a letdown by comparison.

Finally, UD has made claims that the GAXI is relatively dust- and moisture-proof, but I didn’t think it was prudent to try. Let’s go with this – if it gets wet in a summer rain shower, exhale. If you choose to submerge it for 20 minutes, don’t act surprised when it doesn’t work.

Also, this waterproof feature means there is no visible venting for the massive internal battery, which concerns me a bit, since 60 watts is still a decent amount of power for such a small device. I didn’t experience any heat problems or warnings, but safety-conscious vapers might want to note this before dropping a few coins on the GAXI.

The UD GAXI kit comes complete with the companion Tinis MTL tank – a name I had to look up online, since nothing in the box or documentation mentioned this moniker. To be quite honest, I didn’t love the tank from the outset, but others might disagree, depending on preference.

Why? Because the squatty, 22mm Tinis is just too small, even for a device as compact as the GAXI. Though it’s a perfect design match for the mod, the Tinis is dwarfed by the boxy width and depth of the GAXI, and its 2mL capacity does nothing to make up for the dimensions. Even as an MTL tank, this is a ridiculously small capacity for 2018, and I found myself refilling quite a bit.

Despite that, the Tinis does perform well. Don’t be fooled by the resistance differences, as both the 0.8 and 1.5-ohm coils are true MTL atomizers — a point that’s hammered home by the cocktail straw-thin mouthpiece which is next to useless as a direct lung setup.

Plus, the slide and lock top fill cap is surprisingly secure for such a small tank, but I found it reassuring to know it could sit in my pocket, even while walking, and not pop open making a mess of things. Maybe I didn’t like having to refill so often, but at least the process was easy when I did.

Operating the GAXI is standard fare if you’ve used any vape mod in the last five years. The usual five clicks on/off power system is in place, as is the usual wattage/coil resistance/battery power monochrome display. Because there are no additional features or adjustments to be made, there is no menu system to fudge around with, nor is there any customizations to be had. This is about as simple as things can be, short of an unregulated device.

I don’t need to belabor this section too much, since the GAXI is such a simplified mod. But I really need to reaffirm how much I enjoyed using this mod (the tank, not so much). Considering how I’m usually vaping a 200-watt, dual-18650 device with larger capacity tanks, I continue to surprise myself by grabbing the GAXI as a dedicated backup.

First off, for a lower-wattage mod, the GAXI’s ramp-up performance is second-to-none, getting up to speed in ridiculously speedy fashion. Plus, the ramping is smooth, with no pulsing or stuttering along the way – a rarity for internal batteries. Speaking of which…

I think the battery performance is what’s driving me most of all. Sure, the GAXI works well with almost every atomizer in my collection and has a nice 24mm 510 plate to handle modern tanks. But what I like the most is how versatile the mod is.

If I want to have a stealthy MTL setup for quick draws when the moment strikes, the GAXI fits the bill, and pairs up well with the Innokin ZEUS MTL RTA. If I want to push the GAXI to its limit and do some sub-ohm vaping, it handles my larger, lower-resistance tanks with ease, without much hit to the battery life. And it does it in the simplest way possible.

Plus, the subtle LED backlight behind the fire key does a good job indicating battery levels, and flashes noticeably when there are warnings or misfires. I was fortunate enough to not experience any concerns while vaping, but

The ONLY real problem I faced was that the massive fire key could have been a little more recessed, to prevent pocket firing. In tighter pockets, I can see the GAXI being triggered inadvertently. But overall, this is a pretty complete package for newcomers and vapers looking to simplify.

The UD GAXI might never become my “only” vape mod kit (especially with the low-capacity tank), but it’s definitely staying in my rotation for whenever I’m heading out and don’t want to pack a ton of gear. The internal 3,200mAh battery is the new gold standard for longevity, and the no-nonsense format means you can pretty much “set it and forget it” while enjoying a strong, effortless vape.

Score: A

More information can be found here

UD GAXI Kit Specs:

• 96 x 50 x 30 mm
• Wattage 1-60W
• Voltage 1-8.5V
• 2A Charge
• Built in 3,200 mAh battery
• Made of SS, Zinc Alloy and Brass
• Huge fire button
• 3 Color led light battery level indicator
• 510 Threaded
• Comes in Silver/Black, Pink/White and Blue/White
• Tank Features
• 22 x 30mm
• 2ml Capacity
• Sliding cap for top fill
• Bottom adjustable airflow
• 510 Threaded

UD GAXI Kit Contents:

• 1 x UD Gaxi Box Mod
• 1 x Tinis Atomizer
• 2 x CV14 Coil heads, Ni80, 0.8 and 1.5 Ohms
• 1 x Shaded replacement glass
• 1 x Spares kit
• 1 x Micro USB Cable
• 1 x User Manual