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Zeus Arc S Hub vs Omura Series X – Convenience is King
By
Alex Karakatsanis
Zeus Arc S Hub vs Omura Series X – Convenience is King
October 6, 2023
on
Portable Showdown, Showdowns
Updated: October 6, 2023
With the recent advent of 3rd generation vaporizers such as the Zeus Arc GTS Hub and the Zeus Arc S Hub, vaping with dry herb has never been more convenient. We thought it might be a good idea to square it off against other dry herb vaporizers that focus on accessibility, quick set up, and straightforwardness of use.
The top contender that came up top of our list was the Omura Series X with it’s Heat-not-Burn system and it’s use of pre-filled Flowersticks that eliminate the need to manually grind and load dry herb. So without further ado, let’s get down into how the Zeus Arc S Hub, the more budget and pod-oriented variant of the 3rd Gen Zeus Arc series squares off against the Omura Series X.
Review: Zeus Arc S Hub vs Omura Series X
Table of contents
Vapor Quality
We’re not going to beat around the bush here, the Omura Series X doesn’t fare well at all when it comes to any standard or criteria set for overall vapor quality. The prefilled Flowersticks give off a flavor that tastes more like paper than actual dry herb and vapor production is weak and isn’t satisfying at all.
In contrast, the Zeus Arc S Hub offers full-flavored hits with every inhale. Even on its maximum temperature setting, hits on the Zeus Arc S Hub hardly taste “overcooked” or anywhere remotely close to burnt. Cloud chasers will also find a lot to like with this setup as vapor production compares well even against more expensive portable dry herb devices such as the Mighty+.
We’re frankly a bit disappointed that the Omura Series X doesn’t measure up in any way when it comes to vapor quality. It would’ve been nice to see a few alternatives that focus on ease of use the same way that 3rd Generation vaporizers do. To top it off, the Zeus Arc Series can also use water filtration via a waterpipe adapter and bubbler which in terms of vapor quality makes the Zeus Arc S take the cake on this one.
Manufacturing Quality
Despite it’s lackluster vaporization, the Omura Series X manages to come out strong with it’s attractive aesthetic and overall attention to detail when considering the fit and finish of the device. It’s ergonomic form factor coupled with the button-less design and a high quality zinc aluminum alloy results in a very premium hand feel when in operation.
The Zeus Arc S Hub is also very well built with a similar zinc alloy body that manages to evoke a pleasant feeling of heft while offering a smooth satin finish that feels grippy enough to be comfortably used. While the Zeus Arc S Hub doesn’t exactly break the mold when it comes to overall vaporizer design, the tried and true form-factor does inspire confidence in its reliability as a vaporizer.
The accessories that come with the Zeus Arc S Hub also add further value to the kit. The Zeus Xtruder makes quick work of dry herb with it’s precision made blades while the Zeus Hub’s lightweight yet durable plastic shell makes moving the entire kit around easy.
Battery Life
One area where the Omura Series X beats the Zeus Arc S Hub is its inclusion of a Type-C USB port whereas the latter uses a rather dated Micro USB charging port. In terms of actual battery life, the Omura Series X is decent at best although it fails to outperform most well reviewed vaporizers in the market, the Zeus Arc S Hub included. At most we were able to get around 2-3 full sessions on our test unit.
Unfortunately, Omura doesn’t list the actual battery specifications anywhere so it’s impossible to make a comparison based purely off numbers. The Zeus Arc S Hub on the other hand houses a respectable 3500mAh lithium-ion battery within it’s housing and while it is not user-replaceable, it’s definitely up to the task for day-to-day use. Charging the 3500mAh battery on the Zeus Arc S Hub does take a bit more time but given its price to performance ratio, it’s something we’re willing to look over.
Portability
Another strong point of the Omura Series X is its diminutive form factor and low weight which makes it incredibly easy to pocket for those that dislike stowing their gadgets away in a separate purse or bag. The streamlined and unfaceted design of the Series X also ensures that it does not experience any unwanted snags on your clothing when pocketing it away.
The Zeus Arc S is slightly larger although it’s easily one of the most portable dry herb vaporizers given its battery capacity and overall thermal firepower. While it can still comfortably fit in almost all but the tightest of pockets, it’s true strength comes in the form of the included Zeus Hub which can effectively function as a handy storage or carry case not just for the Zeus Arc S itself, but all the requisite accessories such as the Zeus Xtruder and Zeus ArcPods.
The Zeus Hub also features custom cutouts to securely hold the Arc S and all accessories in place so nothing gets tossed around and out of order when moving the entire kit from one location to another.
Ease of Use
Both the Omura Series X and the Zeus Arc Hub are kits optimized for the user that doesn’t want to deal with the know-how and technicalities of properly grinding dry herb, making them great for everyday casual use on the fly. One major drawback with the Omura Series X unfortunately is its strict limitation to its use with the Flowersticks, especially when compared to the wide variety of dry herb which can be grinded and loaded into an ArcPod when setting up the Zeus Arc S.
While the Omura Series X and its Flowersticks do manage to omit the grinding and loading process that’s inherent with the Zeus Arc S, the latter is still incredibly easy to use, even for absolute beginners to vaporization.
Honestly speaking, the slight convenience advantage the Omura Series X poses over the Zeus Arc S isn’t worth the tradeoff in vapor quality and production that you’ll be losing out on. It would be an altogether different story however if only the Heat and Burn technology and Flowersticks used by the Omura Series X actually managed to perform at least on par with the average and most basic dry herb vaporizer.
Discreetness
The sleek and stealthy black finishes featured on both the Zeus Arc S Hub and Omura Series X make either device suitable for incognito vaporization, especially when in public. The smaller size of the Series X does make it slightly more palmable especially for those with smaller to medium sized hands. Those with larger hands however should have no issues concealing the entirety of the frame of the Zeus Arc S Hub.
Overall Experience
While the Omura Series X does manage to get a few things right such as its appealing design, low price point, portable frame, and straightforward operation, the sheer lack of quality of the vapor produced, unfortunately, make it a no-go, especially when compared to the powerhouse that is the Zeus Arc S Hub.
Granted that the Zeus Arc S Hub does necessitate a few extra steps when setting up the kit, filling up multiple ArcPods in advance for continuous sessions is an absolute breeze thanks to the seamless cooperation of the Zeus Xtruder with the ArcPods.
We won’t hesitate to give the Zeus Arc S Hub the overwhelming win in this comparative review. The vapor performance is really what sets it apart from the Omura Series X but we do hope that other Heat and Burn dry vaporizers show up on the market as these provide a very interesting sub-category of devices for beginners to vaporization that doesn’t want to spend time setting up their vaporizer prior to each session.
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