PAX 2 vs. PAX 3 Comparison: Is the PAX 3 Vaporizer Worth It?

Over the last decade or two, the market for premium dry herb vaporizers has grown more rapidly than anyone could have possibly imagined. Although there are certainly plenty of people who are happy to spend the minimum amount of money possible on a vaporizer that just gets the job done, more people than ever have already had their first vaping experiences and are now looking for something that offers more convenience, superior performance or just better design sensibilities. 

As long as there has been a market for high-end portable vaporizers, San Francisco’s PAX Labs has been right there, ready to give the vaping community exactly what it wants. When the original PAX vaporizer hit the market, there was simply nothing else that looked remotely like it. People had begun to think that it was perhaps unrealistic to expect a portable vaporizer to deliver performance anything even remotely like a desktop vaporizer. The PAX vaporizer delivered a vaping experience unlike anything anyone had ever seen with a battery-powered device, and it delivered that performance in an unbelievably stylish package. It was truly a game changer, and it continues to influence the design of dry herb vapes today.

Fast forward to today, and the PAX vaporizer line is still going strong. If you don’t spend a lot of time reading about the latest dry herb vaping products, though, it’s easy to get a little lost when you look at PAX vaporizers because, although the PAX 3 is the latest and greatest portable vaporizer on the block, the slightly older PAX 2 is still in production and costs a little less. 

So, which device should you buy if you’re trying to choose between the PAX 2 vs. PAX 3? In this guide, we’ll provide some important information that can help you make the right decision for your needs.

PAX 2 vs. PAX 3: What’s the Quick Answer?

If you’re just here for a quick answer, here it is: You should buy the PAX 3 Complete Kit and never look back. The PAX 3 vaporizer has everything that the PAX 2 has, and it also adds some key new technologies that were missing from the previous-generation device. The price difference between the PAX 2 and PAX 3 is so small that there’s really no reason to buy the PAX 2 unless you’re on an extremely tight budget. The PAX 3 is also a very compelling upgrade if you’re an existing PAX 2 owner.

PAX 2 vs. PAX 3: What Do They Have in Common?

In terms of their basic specifications, you’ll find that the PAX 2 and PAX 3 are quite similar. They’re the same size and shape, so they have roughly the same exterior appearance aside from the fact that the PAX 2 has a polished finish, and the PAX 3 has a matte exterior. They’re both extremely stylish. They both employ motion-sensing and lip-detecting technology, and they have the same ability to conserve your material by cooling down when they’re not in use. In terms of their basic usage, the main difference between the PAX 2 and PAX 3 is that the PAX 3 offers haptic feedback, which allows it to communicate its status by vibrating. The two devices have similar battery life, but the PAX 3 charges about 25 percent faster.

Oven Heat-Up Time

Although the PAX 2 and PAX 3 are similar on a basic level, the PAX 3 has three key differences that can dramatically affect the quality of your vaping experience. The first difference is in the efficiency of the oven, which is always the key factor affecting the basic quality of a vaporizer. While the PAX 2 warmed up very quickly compared to the other portable vaporizers available at that time, its heat-up time of up to 60 seconds pales in comparison to the 22-second preheating time of the PAX 3.  

The efficiency of the oven essentially makes the PAX 3 an on-demand vaporizer once you’ve waited those initial 22 seconds. When you’re not puffing on the device, the oven cools down immediately to conserve your material – and when you resume puffing, you get vapor instantly. The PAX 3 does a great job of preventing waste, which really helps you get the most out of your herbs and can help the device pay for itself in the long run.

Support for Wax Concentrates

While you can technically get wax concentrates to work with the PAX 2, the PAX 3 is the only one of the two devices that supports concentrates officially. If you buy the PAX 3 Complete Kit, it’ll include the concentrate insert. Simply add your wax to the chamber and enjoy. The concentrate insert also works with the PAX 2, but the performance isn’t as good. If you don’t currently own either device, there’s no reason to buy the PAX 2 for concentrates because you’ll also need the concentrate insert – which is included with the PAX 3 Complete Kit.

Bluetooth Configuration and Temperature Settings

The second major functional difference between the PAX 2 and PAX 3 is that the PAX 2 offers only four pre-set vaping temperatures. While it’s true that those four temperatures are entirely fine for most PAX 2 owners, the PAX 3 goes a step further by allowing you to define your own vaping temperature down to the exact degree. To do that, you’ll connect to the PAX 3 via Bluetooth. If you’re using an Android device, you can install the free PAX app from Google Play. If you’re using an iOS device, you’ll need to use the PAX web interface. The PAX 2 doesn’t offer Bluetooth connectivity.

How Do the PAX 3 Basic Kit and Complete Kit Differ?

The PAX 3 vaporizer comes in two forms. You can get the Complete Kit for $259.99, or you can buy the Basic Kit for $199.99. We strongly suggest buying the Complete Kit because the accessories that it includes would cost significantly more than $60 if you purchased them separately. The first accessory is the concentrate insert, which costs $64.99 on its own. Unless you are absolutely certain that you will never vape concentrates, you definitely want it.

The second major accessory included with the PAX 3 Complete Kit is the half-pack lid, which is great if you enjoy shorter vaping sessions. A PAX vaporizer will always give you the biggest, thickest clouds if you pack the oven tightly. With the half-pack lid, you can have the same high-quality vaping experience without filling the oven completely.

The PAX 3 Complete Kit also includes a few spare oven screens along with a tool that makes it easier to fill and empty the oven.

Pre-Set Dynamic Vaping Modes

With the PAX 2, you’ll have a great vaping experience – but it’ll be entirely static. You choose between four different temperatures, and that’s all you can do with the device. The PAX 3, on the other hand, doesn’t just let you customize your vaping temperature down to the exact degree – it also has several built-in dynamic modes that automatically tailor your vaping experience for maximum vapor, maximum flavor, conservation of your herbs and more. 

Warranty Length

The final major difference between the PAX 2 and PAX 3 is the warranty length. While the PAX 2 had a ten-year warranty when it was first released, the length of the warranty has since been reduced in keeping with the device’s lower price. The PAX 3, on the other hand, is still guaranteed for ten years. Given the fact that neither device is cheap, we think that the ten-year warranty adds a great deal of value to the PAX 3.