Geekvape Aegis, what each model leaves you to rebuy
A box mod is bought once, its consumables are bought for years. In the Geekvape Aegis range, known for its shockproof shell, the real gap between two models often sits elsewhere, in what you will have to replace as the months go by. This guide, written for adult readers, compares six models from the catalogue on four criteria, the power source, the coil family, the quoted life of those coils and the tank capacity sold in the UK.
Geekvape Aegis, what each model leaves you to rebuy
The Legend 5, the Solo 5 and the external-cell Solo 3 leave you buying batteries and Z series coils. The built-in Solo 3, the Mini 5 and the Boost 3 need no separate cell, but their battery cannot be swapped. On the coil side, the Mini 5, the Boost 3 and the Hero 5 pod all run on the B series, while the Solo 3 stays with the Z series.
The rule for buying less is therefore simple. A Geekvape Aegis with removable cells holds its usefulness longer, a built-in battery model saves a purchase at the start, and the coil family decides everything else.
Removable cells or a built-in battery, the first decision
This is the first question to settle, and it shapes how long the device lasts. Those two options do not leave you rebuying the same parts, nor at the same moment.
Aegis mods with removable cells, one more purchase upfront
The Legend 5 runs on two 18650 cells that are not supplied, according to a published review and a retailer listing, which agree on this point and on its 200 W maximum output. The Solo 5 takes a single cell, in 21700 or 18650 format, and its kit is sold without one, as a retailer listing points out.
Those cells are bought separately, usually along with a dedicated charger. In return, a tired cell is replaced without touching the mod, which can therefore outlive its first pair of batteries by a wide margin.
Aegis devices with a built-in battery, nothing extra to buy
Two versions of the Solo 3 exist, one with a 3000 mAh built-in battery, the other with an external 18650 cell. The Boost 3 also carries a 3000 mAh built-in battery, and the Mini 5 a 3200 mAh built-in battery. The Hero 5 pod quotes a 2000 mAh battery, and none of the listings read mentions a cell to add.
No cell is needed, and charging runs through the cable. According to its page, the Mini 5 reaches 80% charge in 40 minutes at 5 V and 3 A, while the Hero 5 page quotes fast charging at 5 V and 2 A. The flip side of that simplicity is that a worn-out built-in battery takes the device with it.
Z or B coils, two families across the Aegis line
The second thing you rebuy is the coil, and it comes round more often than anything else. Geekvape splits its range between two families, which do not fit the same atomisers.
The Z series, for the direct-to-lung mods
Z coils go into the Z Subohm Tank 5, supplied with the Legend 5 and recommended by the manufacturer for the Solo 5, and into the Z Subohm 2021 that comes with the Solo 3. The current versions, called Z XM Boost, are rated at 70 to 85 W for 0.15 ohm, 70 to 80 W for 0.2 ohm and 50 to 60 W for 0.4 ohm.
The manufacturer states that any device that takes Z coils also takes the Z XM. A stock of Z coils therefore carries over from one mod to another within that family, which matters if you move from a Solo 3 to a Legend 5.
The B series, for the pods and compact mods
B coils run from 0.15 to 1.2 ohm, in eight references, three of them meant for a tight mouth-to-lung (MTL) draw. They fit the Hero 5 cartridge and the Z Nano 3 sold with the Mini 5, whose page lists compatibility with the B series.
Two retailers also file these coils among the Aegis Boost parts. On the liquid side, the manufacturer pairs the 0.2 and 0.3 ohm coils with freebase liquids at no more than 3 mg.
The consumables table for each Geekvape Aegis model
For each Geekvape Aegis, the table sets out what gets rebought as the device is used. Power and capacity figures come from the manufacturer’s pages, with retailer listings filling in where the manufacturer publishes nothing.
| Model | Power source | Cells to rebuy | Coil family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legend 5 | Two 18650 cells, 200 W | Yes, two | Z series (Z Subohm Tank 5) |
| Solo 5 | One 21700 or 18650 cell, 100 W | Yes, one | Z series (Z Subohm Tank 5) |
| Solo 3, cell version | One 18650 cell | Yes, one | Z series (Z Subohm 2021) |
| Solo 3, built-in version | 3000 mAh battery | No | Z series (Z Subohm 2021) |
| Mini 5 | 3200 mAh built-in battery, 100 W | No | B series (Z Nano 3) |
| Boost 3 | 3000 mAh built-in battery, 60 W | No | B series (Boost cartridge) |
| Hero 5 | 2000 mAh battery, 50 W | None listed | B series (Hero cartridge) |
The reading is clear. Three devices leave you buying cells, and four share the same B coil family.
One box of B coils for several devices
A retailer FAQ states that Aegis coils and tanks are not interchangeable from one model to another, and sends readers to each product page. That holds when crossing families, since a Z coil will not go into a Hero cartridge.
Within the B series, however, the coil page published by Geekvape lists six compatible atomisers, the Z Nano 3, the Z Nano 2, the Z Nano MTL, the Aegis Hero cartridge, the Boost cartridge and the Force cartridge. One box of B coils can therefore serve a Hero 5 in the pocket and a Mini 5 fitted with its Z Nano 3.
For anyone who owns two devices from the range, this is the most practical argument. Picking two models from the same family avoids keeping two kinds of coil in the drawer, the same family logic set out for Luxe X pods.
Quoted coil life on Aegis devices and tank refills
Geekvape expresses coil life as a volume of liquid vaped. The B series page gives roughly 50 to 60 ml for a B Boost coil and 20 to 30 ml for a B MTL coil. The same page claims that the new generation of B coils lasts twice as long as the previous B coil. On the Hero 5 page, though, Geekvape gives a different figure for the same new-generation B coil, 40 ml against 20 ml for the old one.
Measured against the 2 ml tank allowed in the UK, the B series page figures come to about 25 to 30 refills for a B Boost coil and 10 to 15 for a B MTL coil. An MTL coil is therefore replaced roughly twice as often, for the same volume of liquid. With the 40 ml quoted on the Hero 5 page, a B Boost coil would last 20 refills.
These lifespans remain orders of magnitude. The manufacturer notes that they vary with how often the device is used, the PG/VG ratio and individual habits, and a very sweet liquid generally clogs the wick sooner.
Aegis tank capacity on British shelves
International product pages quote capacities well above 2 ml. The manufacturer gives 6.5 ml for the Hero 5 cartridge, and retailer listings quote up to 7 ml for the Z Subohm Tank 5.
UK rules, however, cap refillable tanks and cartridges at 2 ml, and nicotine e-liquid at 20 mg/ml in bottles of no more than 10 ml. Before ordering a spare tank or cartridge, the capacity line on the listing is the quickest way to confirm you are buying the edition meant for the British market.
Which Aegis to choose to rebuy less
The right model depends above all on how long you plan to keep it, and on how many devices you own. Three profiles stand out.
To keep a mod for several years, the Legend 5 and the Solo 5 fit that aim, since their power source can be renewed without changing device. The Solo 5 needs one cell, the Legend 5 two.
To buy nothing extra at the start, the Mini 5 meets that aim. Its built-in battery spares you the cell and the charger, and its B series covers both direct-to-lung and tight MTL vaping.
For a vaper who switches between a mod and a pod, the Mini 5 and Hero 5 pairing needs the fewest different parts, with a single coil family for both. Our guide on how to compare vape costs then helps keep track of those purchases.
FAQ
Five practical questions about the range, alongside the points covered above.
What is the Geekvape Aegis box?
Aegis is not a single model but a range, which brings together Geekvape mods such as the Legend 5 or the Solo 5 and pods such as the Hero 5. The range is built around resistance to knocks, dust and water, with an IP68 rating quoted for the Solo 3 and the Boost 3, and IP67 for the Mini 5.
How do you charge an Aegis that runs on cells?
The cells can generally be charged inside the mod through its USB port, or in an external charger. An external charger spares the mod’s port and keeps one pair of cells ready while the other is in use.
Which liquid suits an Aegis Legend 5?
With the Z XM coils supplied in the kit, the manufacturer recommends freebase liquids at no more than 3 mg, meant for direct-to-lung vaping. It advises against nicotine salts on these coils.
What do you need to buy alongside the Aegis Solo 5 kit?
A cell, since the kit is sold without one. According to a retailer listing, it contains the mod, the Z Subohm Tank 5 and two Z XM coils, of 0.2 and 0.4 ohm.
Which tank suits an Aegis Solo 3?
The Solo 3 is presented with the Z Subohm 2021, which fills and draws air from the top. Its page lists it as compatible with the Z series, from the Z0.25 (45 to 57 W) to the Z0.15 (80 to 90 W), and the 510 connection accepts other tanks.
Geekvape Aegis, choosing by what you rebuy
Choosing a Geekvape Aegis means choosing what you will rebuy. Models with removable cells leave you buying batteries but outlast their first pair, while built-in battery models spare that purchase and age with their battery.
The coil family then carries the most weight, the Z series for the direct-to-lung mods, the B series for the Mini 5, the Boost 3 and the Hero 5. What a device costs always shows in its consumables, and that is the lens we apply to every piece of kit reviewed on this site, as in our guide to a monthly vaping budget.
Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products can contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This article is not a buying recommendation.
