The PAX 3 is one of the most portable vaporizers ever made, but how does it stack up against the new Arizer Air 2? We’re about to find out by putting them head to head in a matchup to judge them on categories like vapor quality, battery life, and portability, so lets jump right in with the PAX 3 vs Arizer Air 2.
I like to start off comparing the vapor quality because it’s arguably the most important feature of a vaporizer.
While I originally thought that the PAX 3 didn’t offer any improvements over the PAX 2, the more I’ve used it the more I realized I was wrong. The difference isn’t immediately noticeable. If you just pick up the PAX 3 and use it for a full session, you really wouldn’t notice much difference at all. The vapor is above average, offering good flavor and density. It’s also smoother than you would think because the heating chamber is on the bottom of the unit, giving the vapor more time to cool.
The difference comes from the ‘smart’ features of the PAX 3. If you aren’t actively using it, the temperature will drop so that your cannabis isn’t being vaped. This allows the PAX 3 to create better vapor for long sessions where you aren’t constantly taking a draw. I find this great for solo sessions. Group sessions tend to go faster.
While the PAX 3 offers good vapor, the Arizer Air 2 performs much better in my opinion. The Air 2 has a hybrid heating style, and the flavor is noticeably better. You can also get the Glass Aroma Tube for the Arizer Air 2 separately, in case you ever intend to replace your old one. It’s not that the PAX 3 has bad flavor, you just get a lot more of the flavor range coming through with the Air 2. It also has the nice long glass stem working in tandem with the Arizer Air mouthpiece to allow the vapor to cool, so it’s smoother and less harsh on your throat as well. However, if you want something with a little less irritation, then the Zeus Arc GTS Hub can definitely be another great option because of its gold heating chamber.
Manufacturing Quality
These are both very well made vaporizers. So who wins this round of Arizer Air 2 vs Pax 3? Let’s start by going through the different features you get with each.
For the PAX 3, I’ve already mentioned my favorite one: the smart heating. I don’t know that it makes a big enough difference to choose one vape over the other yet, but I imagine manufacturers will continue to experiment with this and find ways to make vaporizers even better. Right now, it’s a cool way to keep the vapor more flavorful for longer.
One of my big complaints with the PAX 3 was the glossy finish that is a complete scratch magnet. It doesn’t stay looking good for long, especially if you carry it in your pocket (which is one of the biggest advantages of using a PAX). Fortunately, they listened to the many people who had a similar experience and just recently introduced a matte version.
In general, you can expect the PAX 3 to be small, simple, and well made.
The Air 2 is also well made. It’s not as small and compact as the PAX 3, but it has its own unique strengths. One big advantage it has is the digital screen. This gives you precision temperature control from the device itself. While you can also adjust the temperature in one-degree increments with the PAX 3, you have to use the app to do so. But if you want a more sleek and stylish design, the Utillian 722 can be another great choice, especially with its metal shell finish.
The Air 2 also has a removable battery, which is nice because you can get extras to extend the battery life. This also guarantees that your device won’t become worthless if your battery happens to fry.
This is a very solid vaporizer, and I would expect it to last a very long time. Considering you can replace the battery, it could conceivably go for decades with good care.
Ease of Use
These are both very easy to use.
The PAX looks a little easier at first glance, but looks can be deceiving. While the small, sleek body with no screen gives the appearance of a device you can just pick up and use with no fuss, you have to remember that you have to pair it with an app to unlock the precision temperature control.
To use the Air 2, you just turn it on and select your temperature using the up and down arrows. It can scroll in 1 or 10-degree increments, which is arguably more convenient and also be easily cleaned with a cleaning solution such as the Zeus cleaning kit.
At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have a problem using either of these, even if you’ve never used a vaporizer before. Another easy to use device compared to these two would be the Utillian 421 which only has one button, features a digital display and is much simpler to use.
Portability
The PAX 3 is the clear winner in this round of Pax 3 vs Arizer Air 2, in terms of portability. There really isn’t a vaporizer out there that can beat it. This is the hallmark of the PAX line of vaporizers, after all. It’s extremely small and durable, plus it has a good battery life and even automatically shuts down like the Utillian 722 when it detects no draws.
In my opinion, the Air 2 needs some type of case if you want to carry it with you places. This is because of the glass stem, which you have to detach and carry separately.
In my testing, both of these get around 1.5 hours on a full charge. That’s seriously impressive on the PAX 3’s part considering on small it is. With that being said, the Air 2 still outperforms it thanks to the removable batteries.
This allows you to double the battery life – or more – for relatively cheap. If you’re smart about how and when you charge them, you can pretty much guarantee that you’re never in a situation where your vaporizer is out of battery life. You can also acquire the Air 2 Usb Power Adapter and batteries separately for the Air 2. However, if you want a vape with a much more robust and premium battery life then don’t forget to check out the Mighty Vaporizer after reading this review.
Discreetness
This is another category where the PAX 3 exceeds and pretty much beats every vaporizer out there. It’s very small and you can easily conceal the whole thing in your hand.
The Air 2’s stem again gets in the way a bit here. There’s no good way to conceal the whole thing, and you also have to set it up before using it. This means you can’t just pull it out of your pocket and use it like you can with the PAX 3.
In case you are looking for maximum discreetness and getting the best vapor cloud in the market, the Crafty Plus Vaporizer can also be another great option to choose from.
Temperature Flexibility
The Air 2 has better temperature flexibility for two reasons. First, the range it offers is slightly bigger. Second, you can access that whole range just by using the vaporizer itself.
Specifically, you can choose any temperature between 50°C / 122°F and 220°C / 428°F.
The PAX 3 has four preset temperatures that you can choose between using the device itself:
182°C / 360°F
193°C / 380°F
204°C / 400°F
215°C / 420°F
It falls behind others unlike the Utillian 722, which offers 8 different temperature settings.
The PAX app allows you to customize your temperature and choose special heating modes, but the Air 2 still has a bigger range and the more convenient method to adjust the temperature.
SHOWDOWN
The Arizer Air 2 is our winner!
The Air 2 took some important categories, including vapor quality, battery life, and temperature flexibility. They tied in manufacturing quality and ease of use, while the PAX 3 took portability and discreetness.
If you’re looking for an all-purpose vaporizer that you will primarily use at home or in specific locations, then the Air 2 is your better bet here. You’ll get better, more flavorful vapor and a device that could last you for years and years and years.
However, the PAX 3 is a clear choice if you want an on-the-go unit. These vaporizers actually complement each other nicely. If you have the money to get different vaporizers for different situations, these would make a great pair. Although I’d probably go with the Solo 2 over the Air 2 in that situation.
If you’d like to see another comparison like the PAX 3 vs Arizer Air 2, check out our recent showdown between the Arizer Solo 2 and Arizer Air 2 and to see how these 2 units stack up against the field, be sure to check out our Portable Vaporizer Ranking Chart.
Alex is a cannabis enthusiast, long time vaporizer lover, writer and filmmaker. He is also a board and video game nerd with a penchant for hosting a weekly board game night. Partygoers have been heard saying things like “is anyone else going to show up?” and “I don’t think I can make it next week”. He strives to make people laugh at every opportunity and sees cannabis as a helpful tool in doing so.
The reviews and ratings are based on personal and decade-plus of industry experience. Such content is based on the opinion of the Editor/Author. They are solely provided as a basis for research and should be used only as guidance. We encourage thorough research by all visitors to attain the most objective viewpoint before purchasing.
