# Geekvape Zeus Dual vs OBS Engine Review



## daniel craig (17/7/18)

Geekvape has earned its title for being one of the best tank manufacturers in the ecig market with tanks such as the Griffin in the past, and recently the Blitzen RTA which had rave reviews and performed exceptionally. The Zeus Dual RTA is no exception.




The Zeus Dual RTA is a dual coil version of their previous, Zeus RTA which was a single coil RTA. It still features a leak proof, top airflow and top fill design with an improved, post-less build deck.

*In the box you will receive*:

1 x Zeus Dual RTA
1 x Spare Glass Tube
1 x 510 Drip Tip Adaptor
1 x Allen Key
1 x 510 Delrin Tip
1 x 810 Drip Tip
1 x User Manual
2 x Braid Coils






*Zeus Dual Coil RTA Specs*

Size: 46.4mm x 26mm
Both Single & Dual Coil
510 & 810 drip tips are available
Color: SS, Gun Metal, Black, Blue
4ml Capacity



*Design:*

The Zeus Dual RTA can be used as a single or dual coil RTA. The design is very similar to the previous single coil Zeus with a few minor tweaks. The first design difference you will notice is that on this version compared to the previous version, the inner cage has been removed which gives the RTA a cleaner look. Other than that, the RTA has received a slight facelift in it’s external design with most of the changes being made internally.

The Zeus Dual is available in many different colour options so you won’t have a problem finding a colour you want. It is available in: SS, Gunmetal, Black, Blue, Gold, Polished SS, Red/Black and Rainbow. I have the Blue which is more of a navy blue and has a really nice glossy metallic finish to it. The finish on the RTA is excellent and I highly doubt it will peel off.

You also have the option of using either 810 or 510 Drip tips on this RTA with the inclusion of the 510 drip tip adapter. I think the included tips work best on this RTA because it covers the lip. If you were to use your own 810 Drip tip, you may experience a slight overhang.

The build deck and airflow design at the deck is also different. On the Single Coil Zeus you have a sort of ‘wall’ with holes which direct the airflow to the side of the coils.




This is no longer the same on the Zeus Dual. The new design features more airflow and the airflow is now directed to the bottom of the coil depending on how high you place your coil. The new deck design is definitely an improvement from the previous Zeus RTA and makes the wicking process easier.




*Building/Wicking:*

Building on the Zeus Dual is very simple due to the postless design. You simply cut your leads at the same length and drop them in the slots. When you try tightening the leads, it starts to become frustrating because the screws on this RTA are small. The one con that postless decks have is that it requires trial and error to get your coils to the ‘correct’ height or the height you want. This means that you will need to insert your coil, remove your coil, trim the leads and repeat until you get the perfect height. I would’ve really liked to see something like the coily coil trimming tool included to make building that much easier.




Wicking the Zeus Dual is easy but wicking the Zeus Dual properly takes a few attempts. Although this RTA is very forgiving with how you wick, you will not be getting the full experience if it is not wicked properly. To wick this RTA properly you will want to the cotton to just cover the top of the wicking ports and not fill up the ports. If you do fill up the ports, what you may experience will be a rather muted kind of vape which feels almost like an ‘airlock’.

*Comparison to other Top Airflow RTA’s*

I have tried a few top airflow RTA’s like the OBS Engine Nano and Engine Dual so I thought I’d do a quick comparison of how these compare.

For a long time OBS has changed the game with the release of the Engine line of RTA’s. These were among the very first of top airflow RTA’s that were released and have excellent reviews. Both RTA’s performed excellent.

*Capacity:*​
The OBS Engine had a 5.2ml juice capacity were as the Zeus Dual has a 4ml capacity however, some versions of this RTA come with a bubble glass which increases the capacity to 5.5ml. The bubble glass can be purchased separately if you don’t get it in your box.​
*Building:*​
If you remember the OBS Engine dual, you will know it featured a velocity style build deck which did make building a breeze however, it couldn’t really take massive coils but installing a build didn’t require much trial and error. The Zeus Dual on the other hand, supports bigger coils but installing the coils takes a bit more effort to get it set up correctly.​
*Wicking:*

The OBS Engine and the Zeus Dual do require you to experiment a bit to get it wicked perfectly. Since these RTA’s are top airflow, you won’t get leaking but you do get dry hits, gurgling or spit back due to incorrect wicking. The only fix to these issues is re-wicking.​
_For spit back and gurgling: _

Spit back is mostly caused because over saturated coils. To fix this, use more cotton (thicker piece) and try to cover the wicking ports a bit more. Fixing this issue requires trial and error to find a method that works best for you. 

_For Dry hits:_

Dry hits occur due to you using to high wattage or wicking incorrectly (Too much cotton). Most of the time it’s using too much cotton that causes this issue. To fix this, simply use less cotton through the coil (if it is too tight through the coil) and cut the ends of the wick more so that it just sits and covers the wicking ports.​
*Flavor and performance:*

Once built and wicked correctly, the Zeus Dual RTA performs excellent! Compared to the OBS Engine, there is most certainly a noticeable difference in flavor. Using the same juices in both RTA’s which range from fruits, RY4, menthols, I have found the Zeus to be more flavorful and potent compared to the OBS Engine. The Zeus Dual, with its cons are my pick from the top airflow RTA’s I have tried. The Engine has had its place for a long time but the Zeus Dual is definitely the better option if you had to choose between the 2. I didn’t test out the Zeus Single Coil version but I would assume that with the versatility the Zeus Dual offers (Single or Dual coil) and making wicking easier for you by not needing to bend your cotton, the Zeus Dual should be considered.




_*In short*:

The Zeus Dual RTA performs excellent in flavor and vapor production and is the best dual coil leakproof RTA I have tried to date. The only cons for this RTA is the use of small screws on the build deck which make it frustrating to tighten your leads, the lack of a bubble glass in most editions. I would’ve love for Geekvape to include a Coily Coil Trimming tool or similar to the tool Wotofo Includes with their Recurve RDA._

Reactions: Like 2 | Winner 5


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## kev mac (17/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> Geekvape has earned its title for being one of the best tank manufacturers in the ecig market with tanks such as the Griffin in the past, and recently the Blitzen RTA which had rave reviews and performed exceptionally. The Zeus Dual RTA is no exception.
> 
> View attachment 139002
> 
> ...


Sold! Nice job Dan,this one has been on my radar and now I'm pulling the trigger. As a huge OBS fan in general especially my Engine how can I not get the Zeus? To me the Zeus has mighty big shoes to fill and I look forward to confirming your assessment. I'm in a good place vape wise as I've finally overcome my gear addiction but I can't resist this one.I just might try the Boreaus 2 also as I've heard great reviews and I loved the original.

Reactions: Like 4


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## JurgensSt (17/7/18)

First let me thank you for taking the time to do this review.

First RTA i bought was the Zeus single coil and its still my go to tank. 
Have a couple of OBS Engines and they are great tanks, but i can't wait to get my hands on the Zeus Dual

Reactions: Like 3


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## daniel craig (17/7/18)

kev mac said:


> Sold! Nice job Dan,this one has been on my radar and now I'm pulling the trigger. As a huge OBS fan in general especially my Engine how can I not get the Zeus? To me the Zeus has mighty big shoes to fill and I look forward to confirming your assessment. I'm in a good place vape wise as I've finally overcome my gear addiction but I can't resist this one.I just might try the Boreaus 2 also as I've heard great reviews and I loved the original.


Scratch the boreas V2 off your list. I truly believe that the Boreas V2 could've been better flavor wise. 

I'm getting the inTake RTA coming in soon so I will update my review and compare the inTake with the Zeus Dual. The inTake isn't looking to bad at all.


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## daniel craig (17/7/18)

JurgensSt said:


> First let me thank you for taking the time to do this review.
> 
> First RTA i bought was the Zeus single coil and its still my go to tank.
> Have a couple of OBS Engines and they are great tanks, but i can't wait to get my hands on the Zeus Dual



If you are a fan of single coil RTAs, you might want to wait a bit (seeing that you already have the single coil Zeus) . I have the inTake RTA coming in very soon which is a single coil RTA designed by Mike Vapes and Augvape. When I get it, I'll do a comparison flavor wise.

Reactions: Like 1


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## daniel craig (17/7/18)

@kev mac Here's a thread to the Boreas V2: https://www.ecigssa.co.za/index.php?threads/48643/


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## StompieZA (17/7/18)

You might have just convinced me to start looking/saving for a Zeus. I am currently using the OBS Engine and very happy with it but more flavor is always welcome


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## daniel craig (17/7/18)

StompieZA said:


> You might have just convinced me to start looking/saving for a Zeus. I am currently using the OBS Engine and very happy with it but more flavor is always welcome


I would think the reason that the Zeus Dual beats the Engine is because of the airflow design.

On the engine, air enters the airflow, travels through the chamber and hits the coil at the top.

On the Zeus Dual, air enters the airflow, travels and gets directed to the bottom of the coil. This style of airflow is what makes the Zeus Dual better.

The only other leak proof RTA that has this bottom airflow is the inTake RTA so I'm curious to see how the inTake performs. In my opinion, it's this 'bottom airflow' design that really makes the flavor shine on these leak proof RTA's. 

@Kev mac

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Vino1718 (17/7/18)

Care to compare the Engine V2?

Reactions: Like 1


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## daniel craig (17/7/18)

Vino1718 said:


> Care to compare the Engine V2?


I haven't tried the Engine V2. It features a very interesting build deck and airflow system. I'd love to try one out at some point.


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## daniel craig (27/7/18)

Vino1718 said:


> Care to compare the Engine V2?


I just took a look online and I've seen people say that the Engine V2 is a let down. I would assume this is true because I've never heard much talk about it since its release. I think I'll give it a skip.


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## kev mac (28/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> Scratch the boreas V2 off your list. I truly believe that the Boreas V2 could've been better flavor wise.
> 
> I'm getting the inTake RTA coming in soon so I will update my review and compare the inTake with the Zeus Dual. The inTake isn't looking to bad at all.


Thanks bro, I'm gonna hold back on the Boreaus as I trust your opinion. I haven't pulled the trigger on Zeus yet the first is around the corner and I'm waiting for the pension check,things are a bit tight as my wife suffered a mild stroke and can't work.Good news is she's doing much better and expected to recover fully,so a little belt tightening is a minor annoyance in the scope of things.A final thought, how do you rate the single vs.dual?

Reactions: Like 1


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## kev mac (28/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> I just took a look online and I've seen people say that the Engine V2 is a let down. I would assume this is true because I've never heard much talk about it since its release. I think I'll give it a skip.


Dan,I can tell you that the Engine is a very good RTA. It holds a place of honor atop my SX mini g class
The flavor is very good maybe not my absolute favorite but consistently satisfying .Never leaked a drop and building and wicking on it is a dream. I have the entire line and love them all.A bonus is they are priced right,the dual original can be found around $20 usd.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Bulldog (28/7/18)

I get great flavour and really enjoy my Boreas V2 and a bonus it just does not leak. Thinking about it I get great and very similar flavour from my Intake, Zeus Single, Kylin Mini (single coils) Manta and Boreas V2. Struggling a bit with my Themis flavour wise.


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## daniel craig (28/7/18)

kev mac said:


> Dan,I can tell you that the Engine is a very good RTA. It holds a place of honor atop my SX mini g class
> The flavor is very good maybe not my absolute favorite but consistently satisfying .Never leaked a drop and building and wicking on it is a dream. I have the entire line and love them all.A bonus is they are priced right,the dual original can be found around $20 usd.


I do have the OBS Engine dual (1st one). I will do a test on flavor again now and let you know. What types of flavors you generally vape? I'll try finding a similar profile flavor in my collection and use the same build, same wattage and let you know which one does it better.


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## daniel craig (28/7/18)

kev mac said:


> Thanks bro, I'm gonna hold back on the Boreaus as I trust your opinion. I haven't pulled the trigger on Zeus yet the first is around the corner and I'm waiting for the pension check,things are a bit tight as my wife suffered a mild stroke and can't work.Good news is she's doing much better and expected to recover fully,so a little belt tightening is a minor annoyance in the scope of things.A final thought, how do you rate the single vs.dual?


I haven't used the Zeus Single coil but going from my findings, I am pretty sure I'll like the Zeus Dual more.

I recently got the Augvape inTake RTA which is a single coil leak proof RTA and I have to say that RTA was very impressive as well. So I took a look at the Zeus Dual and inTake and the thing they had in common was the top to bottom airflow design. From what I have found, it's the airflow which is directed to from the top to hit the bottom of the coil that makes these RTA's great.

I would say, if you prefer single coil RTAs, the inTake should be right up your alley and if you prefer dual coils, the Zeus Dual is an excellent choice.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## daniel craig (28/7/18)

Bulldog said:


> I get great flavour and really enjoy my Boreas V2 and a bonus it just does not leak. Thinking about it I get great and very similar flavour from my Intake, Zeus Single, Kylin Mini (single coils) Manta and Boreas V2. Struggling a bit with my Themis flavour wise.


What build do you have in your boreas V2? I may need to bring mine out again and re-test it.


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## Bulldog (28/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> What build do you have in your boreas V2? I may need to bring mine out again and re-test it.


I have a fused clapton 28g x2 SS316L +36g Ni80, 3mm ID, 7,5 Wrap coming in at 0.23Ohm dual. I did lift my coils just short of the top of the posts. I did a build a while ago where the coils were a bit low and the flavour was very muted. My previous build was plain SS316L 24g and was still good on the flavour front.

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## daniel craig (28/7/18)

Bulldog said:


> I have a fused clapton 28g x2 SS316L +36g Ni80, 3mm ID, 7,5 Wrap coming in at 0.23Ohm dual. I did lift my coils just short of the top of the posts. I did a build a while ago where the coils were a bit low and the flavour was very muted. My previous build was plain SS316L 24g and was still good on the flavour front.


I'll test that out tonight or tomorrow and let you know. 

I used to position my coils such that the air enters and hit the bottom of the coil. Now that you mention that you raise your coils high, I will need to redo my build in it and check. My coil build is pretty good. I have a Framed Alien. I just need to reposition it and it should be good. I'll report back.

Reactions: Like 1


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## kev mac (29/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> I do have the OBS Engine dual (1st one). I will do a test on flavor again now and let you know. What types of flavors you generally vape? I'll try finding a similar profile flavor in my collection and use the same build, same wattage and let you know which one does it better.


I'm doing mainly pastry type of late specifically Cannoli (Cassadegga the best but not exclusively),Crack Pie by Food Fighter's good also,and Glazed Donut is a good one as is Lemon Square.
Claptons by me are on all my RTAs,generally in the .15 to1/2 ohm range ,50-60 watts
Also Dan the Engine Nano is probably my favorite single coil RTA. Not having the Zeus I will add that subjectivity figures into things as you're well aware and though i own many tanks including some high end ones the Engine just struck a cord with me.


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## daniel craig (29/7/18)

kev mac said:


> I'm doing mainly pastry type of late specifically Cannoli (Cassadegga the best but not exclusively),Crack Pie by Food Fighter's good also,and Glazed Donut is a good one as is Lemon Square.
> Claptons by me are on all my RTAs,generally in the .15 to1/2 ohm range ,50-60 watts
> Also Dan the Engine Nano is probably my favorite single coil RTA. Not having the Zeus I will add that subjectivity figures into things as you're well aware and though i own many tanks including some high end ones the Engine just struck a cord with me.


I have both, the Engine Nano and Engine Dual. I'll compare the inTake RTA with the Nano and the Engine Dual with the Zeus Dual.

I'll try and match the flavor type, wattage you vape at and resistance as well. For the Single coil RTA's, I'll use 22g flat wire, 6 wrap around a 3mm diameter. This should get me to around 0.28/0.3 ohms or so. 

For the engine dual and Zeus Dual I'll probably do 6 or 7 wraps dual. I will report back later.

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## daniel craig (29/7/18)

@kev mac I did the test. I used a 7 wrap 22g Ni80 on a 3mm ID in both RTA's. The juice I have in both is a Savoury type of flavor which has sweet elements as well as savoury notes and creams. 

I gave it to 3 other people to test it out. These people have not used either of these RTA's before. 

This is my experience:
On the Engine Dual - I get more of the sweet notes with light creams and a very subtle savoury note. This doesn't taste bad at all. If you've never used the juice in an RDA or other setups, you'll say it tastes great in this RTA. 

In the Engine, the strongest note was the Sweetness followed by creams and a faint Savoury note. This was by no means terrible flavor. In fact, if I didn't have the Zeus I would've been perfectly happy with this flavor. 

On the Zeus Dual - I get a more 'balanced' flavor. Its not as sweet as the flavor I've got from the Engine. Instead here it tastes less sweet, followed by creams and the savoury note. With this RTA the savoury note stands out a bit more than it does on the Engine. 

Overall, I would say that the Engine mutes/tones down some notes. Sometimes this may be to your advantage or disadvantage depending on the flavor you're using. 

As for which one I liked more, I would say I liked the flavor from the Zeus Dual a bit more mainly because I could taste more of the creams and savoury notes. 

Looking at ease of use, I'd say I enjoyed building on the Zeus Dual more because of its post less style deck. The velocity style deck on the Engine is not difficult to build but I prefer post less nowadays because velocity style decks do have their cons (coils don't sit perfectly. The legs move). For wicking, I find the Engine easier to wick compared to the Zeus Dual. The Zeus is easy to wick but like I stated in my review, wicking it correctly takes a few attempts. 

This is what my 3 other testers had to say:

Person 1 Said he preferred the Zeus Dual because flavor was better and the draw was nicer. 

Person 2 Said he likes the sweeter flavor the Engine was giving and found flavor to be similar. 

Person 3 said he gets a more 'bold' flavor from the Zeus Dual but likes both RTA's.

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## daniel craig (29/7/18)

Next up I'll be comparing the Engine Nano with the inTake RTA. I'll probably post my thoughts on Tuesday or so along with my review on the inTake RTA.

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## kev mac (29/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> @kev mac I did the test. I used a 7 wrap 22g Ni80 on a 3mm ID in both RTA's. The juice I have in both is a Savoury type of flavor which has sweet elements as well as savoury notes and creams.
> 
> I gave it to 3 other people to test it out. These people have not used either of these RTA's before.
> 
> ...


Great work Daniel,you certainly know your stuff. A totally fair comparison .The Zues is coming to Johnston!

Reactions: Like 2


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## daniel craig (29/7/18)

kev mac said:


> Great work Daniel,you certainly know your stuff. A totally fair comparison .The Zues is coming to Johnston!


Great to hear. You will most certainly be happy with having both RTA's in your arsenal. I believe some flavors will be great in the Zeus and others great in the Engine. After testing both side by side, I am currently using both RTA's now with different juice in each. Some flavors are that much better in the Engine due to it muting the right stuff and other flavors really pop in the Zeus.

My next test is going to be the Engine Nano vs the inTake RTA. I'm curios to know how these 2 will compare to each other side by side.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Silver (30/7/18)

daniel craig said:


> @kev mac I did the test. I used a 7 wrap 22g Ni80 on a 3mm ID in both RTA's. The juice I have in both is a Savoury type of flavor which has sweet elements as well as savoury notes and creams.
> 
> I gave it to 3 other people to test it out. These people have not used either of these RTA's before.
> 
> ...



Excellent feedback @daniel craig !
Wow

Reactions: Agree 1


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