Every Uwell Caliburn Compared: A-Series, G3, G4 Pro Koko and G5 Lite

Uwell have put the word Caliburn on a lot of devices over the years, and they do not all take the same pod. That is the one thing worth getting straight before you buy, because it decides what you are buying for the next two years, not just today.

The short version:

• A-series (A2, AK2, A3, A3S) — takes Caliburn A2/AK2 pods. Its own platform. Nothing else fits.

• G-series (G3, G3 Pro, G4, G4 Pro Koko, G5, G5 Lite) — built around G3 pods and the newer GPP cartridges, and the newer kits take both.

So the split is not "every Caliburn is different". It is one older, simpler platform, and one long-running family that has stayed largely compatible with itself. If you are already in the G-series, you are in a good place.

What we have in the shop

We keep two kits in stock at the moment, and they are the two worth talking about.

• Caliburn G4 Pro Koko — 2000mAh · 35W · 2.0-inch touch screen · side fill · stepless airflow

• Caliburn G5 Lite — 1600mAh · 35W · auto-draw, no buttons · dual airflow, MTL or RDL · 4-bar LED

Both charge over USB Type-C. Both take GPP cartridges. Neither of them will make you learn a menu you did not ask for.

Which of those two

Get the G4 Pro Koko if you want to see what it is doing. The 2-inch touch screen is the whole point of it — wattage, puff count, battery percentage, all readable at a glance and changed with a finger. The 2000mAh battery is the biggest in the range, and the side fill means you are not wrestling the pod out to top it up. It is the one to buy if you like adjusting things.

Get the G5 Lite if you want it to disappear. No button, no menu, no screen — you fill it, drop the pod in and inhale. The dual airflow switches between a tight cigarette-like draw and a looser one, which is unusual at this size, and the 360-degree window means you can actually see when you are running low. It is the one we hand to somebody who has just stopped smoking and does not want a gadget.

Neither is a compromise on power — both run to 35W. The difference is entirely how much you want to be involved.

If you already own a Caliburn

Check which pod you are holding before you buy anything.

If it takes G3 pods — you are on the modern platform. A G4 Pro Koko or a G5 Lite will accept the pods you already have, so upgrading costs you nothing in spares.

If it takes A2 or AK2 pods — you are on the older platform, and none of your pods will fit a G-series kit. That is not a reason to avoid upgrading, but budget for pods when you do.

Not sure which you have? Try the coil finder or bring the device into either Northampton shop and we will tell you in a minute.

Pods and resistances

• Caliburn G3 pods — 0.4Ω, 0.6Ω, 0.9Ω and 1.2Ω. There is also an XL version if you want fewer refills.

• Caliburn GPP cartridges — the newer cartridge, and what both kits above ship with.

As a rule: go higher in ohms for a tighter, cooler draw on high-strength nic salts, and lower for a warmer, more open one. The 0.9Ω and 1.2Ω suit 20mg salts; the 0.4Ω is the loosest and the hardest on battery.

There is a full guide to which Caliburn pod you need if you want the detail.

A note on the names

"Pro" does not mean one range. The G3 Pro and the G4 Pro Koko are different devices on different form factors — the Koko is the square one.

"Lite" does not mean weak. The G5 Lite runs the same 35W as the G4 Pro Koko and has a larger battery than several kits that cost more. It is lighter on features, not on output.

If you are stuck between two, ring either shop. We would rather spend two minutes on the phone than have you back in with the wrong pods.