Uwell Caliburn A2 vs. A3: Is It Worth the Upgrade?

Ever since the release of the first device in the series toward the end of 2018, the Uwell Caliburn brand has been perhaps the most popular name in the world of refillable pod systems. The original Uwell Caliburn was one of the first really popular refillable pod vapes to hit the market in the wake of the JUUL brand’s success, and the main reason for its success was the fact that the Caliburn pod had the same type of high-quality coil that you’d normally only get in a full-sized vape tank. Before the release of the original Caliburn, people expected poor flavour quality from pod systems and bought them more for their convenience and small size than for the overall quality of the vaping experience.

With its full-sized coil and excellent flavour quality, the Uwell Caliburn was a revelation – and ever since then, Caliburn devices have appeared on just about every review site’s list of best vapes.

The only drawback to the success of the Caliburn range is the fact that several new Caliburn devices have appeared almost every year, while previous devices in the series have remained in production because people have continued to buy them.

That can make your buying decision a little difficult because a good vape shop is likely to have several different Caliburn devices available, and it’s hard to understand at a glance how they differ from one another. What are the differences, for instance, between the Caliburn A2 and A3? You might assume that the Caliburn A3 is better because it has a bigger number, but is that actually the case? What about the Caliburn A3S and A2S – what does the “S” mean?

In this guide, we’re going to clear up the confusion. Should you buy the Caliburn A2 or A3? What about the Caliburn A2S and A3S? By the time you’re done reading, you’ll have all of the information that you need.

Caliburn A2 vs. A3: Comparing the Specs

We’ll begin with a basic overview of the specifications of the Caliburn A2 and A3. As you can see, the devices don’t differ greatly from one another in terms of their basic features and capabilities.

• Body Style
  • Caliburn A2: Matte surface with small status LED
  • Caliburn A3: Smooth surface with shell-shaped LED
• Firing Style
  • Caliburn A2: Button or draw activated
  • Caliburn A3: Button or draw activated
• Battery Life
  • Caliburn A2: 520 mAh
  • Caliburn A3: 520 mAh
• Charging Time
  • Caliburn A2: 35 minutes to 90%
  • Caliburn A3: 15-30 minutes to 100%
• Operational Wattage
  • Caliburn A2: Up to 15 watts
  • Caliburn A3: Up to 13 watts
• Coil Resistance
  • Caliburn A2: 0.9-ohm mesh coil
  • Caliburn A3: 1.0-ohm mesh coil
• Pod Compatibility
  • Caliburn A2: Compatible with A2 and A2S pods only
  • Caliburn A3: Compatible with A3 and A3S pods only

What Are the Main Differences Between the Caliburn A2 and A3?

As you’ve seen from reading the specifications above, the Caliburn A2 and A3 are fairly similar devices on the surface. The improvements in the A3 are definitely incremental rather than transformative; here are the high points.

• The Caliburn A3 has a faster charging time, which Uwell claims is just 15 minutes. Users have reported that the device’s real charging time is a bit longer than that – more like 30 minutes – but the A3 definitely charges more quickly than the A2.
• The Caliburn A3 has a modernised design with an outer shell that looks slightly polished rather than matte. It also has a redesigned status LED with a shell-shaped cover.
• The Caliburn A3 has a redesigned pod with a slightly higher coil resistance of 1.0 ohm. The higher coil resistance means that the vapour is a bit cooler and smoother compared to the Caliburn A2, and it also means that you’ll get a few more puffs out of the A3 before the battery dies.
• According to Uwell, the Caliburn A3 pod is easier to open. The Caliburn A2 pod was already easy to open, though, so we’re not sure that most users will notice a difference.
• The Caliburn A2 and A3 pods are not compatible with one another.

Is the Caliburn A3 Worth the Upgrade?

Given that the differences between the Caliburn A2 and A3 are mainly incremental in nature, there probably isn’t much of a reason to upgrade to the A3 if you already own the A2 and are still happy with it. The faster charging and refined appearance of the Caliburn A3 are definitely nice additions, but they’re probably not enough to justify the cost of buying an entirely new device unless your Caliburn A2 is beginning to get a little long in the tooth and is no longer holding much of a charge.

What About the Caliburn A2S and A3S?

As if the existence of the Caliburn A2 and A3 didn’t make things confusing enough, you’ll also notice two other devices with very similar names – the Caliburn A2S and A3S – when browsing the pod systems at your favourite vape shop. The Caliburn A2, A2S, A3 and A3S all have slightly different design elements, but they look essentially the same on the surface. So, what’s the difference?

• The “S” indicates that the device comes with a side-filling pod. A standard Caliburn pod is top filling, which means that you need to remove the mouthpiece to fill the pod. To fill an A2S or A3S pod, you need to open the silicone stopper on the side of the pod.
• The Caliburn A2S and A3S devices use puff-based firing only and do not have manual fire buttons.
• Compared to the A2 and A3 pods, the A2S and A3S pods have slightly higher coil resistances and produce somewhat smaller and cooler vapour clouds.
• The A2 and A2S pods are interchangeable between the A2 and A2S devices, and the same is true of the A3 and A3S pods and devices.