The Uwell Caliburn GK3 is the latest iteration in Uwell’s popular Caliburn pod vape series. Building on the success of past models, the GK3 aims to deliver upgrades in power, battery life, and ease of use. 

The Caliburn GK3 features the iconic slim, rectangular shape that the Caliburn Koko line is known for. 

The GK3 now packs a 900mAh battery, an upgraded 1.45-inch LCD display, and adjustable wattage up to 25W.

The GK3 utilizes Uwell’s new Caliburn G3 pods, which have a larger 2.5ml capacity with easy side-filling. The Uwell Caliburn GK3 is available in Black, Silver, Red, and Blue.

The Bottom Line

The Caliburn GK3 is a significant step up from previous KOKOs. The increased battery life, LCD screen, and fully adjustable wattage make it an exceptional pod vape. While the new pods do bring fantastic flavor and vape performance – it is at the sacrifice of replaceable coils and fully adjustable airflow. However, the GK3, like its G3 sibling, is still at the front of the pack for pod vapes – Highly recommended.

Design & Build Quality

At first glance, the Caliburn GK3 looks very similar to past Caliburn Koko devices with its iconic slim, rectangular shape. 

But upon closer inspection, you notice its slightly more expansive dimensions to accommodate the 20% larger 900mAh battery. 

The GK3 measures in at 74.8 mm × 49.2 mm × 17.1 mm.

Despite the size increase, the GK3 still feels pleasingly slim and lightweight at just 52 grams. I found it extremely comfortable to hold and use for extended vaping sessions.

The main body has a premium feel, constructed from ABS plastic, with a colorful matte finish. 

On either side, you have polycarbonate panels with the intricate Koko design pattern.

While largely plastic, the GK3 doesn’t feel cheap or toy-like whatsoever. 

The plastic has a dense quality with no creaks or rattles, and the gently rounded edges sit nicely in hand. 

The addition of stainless steel elements, like the robust lanyard attachment, brings a more sophisticated look.

I’m impressed by the range of colors Uwell offers the GK3 in. 

The vibrant red adds some nice flair that stays true to the Caliburn style. The blue is an interesting washed-out style. The black with a red accented lanyard attachment is my favorite for its more stealthy look. 

You can clearly see the synchronicity in the Koko design language on the GK3, which matches well with the recently reviewed Caliburn Bar B6000 disposable.

On the back side panel of the device, you have the KOKO symbols behind the smooth plastic panel. 

Then above that is the printed writing of ‘Keep on Keeping On.’ To this day, I haven’t released that’s what KOKO stands for. 

On the front panel, you will see the sizeable 1.45-inch LCD display. The screen reminds me of an old-style Casio watch with its simplicity.

I’m glad Uwell went with a basic LCD display and made it large. It won’t drain the battery much, and it’s better than some minuscule ones that are hard to read on other pods.

The pods connect securely in the top of the device with strong magnets, and there’s a small cutout window so you can see your juice level.

On the front side of the device, towards the bottom, you have the on/off and power adjustment button.

The tactile firing button itself sits nearly flush with clean, clicky feedback on presses.

On the reverse side, you will see the airflow hole. There’s no adjustable airflow on the device itself. This is controlled by the pod, which we’ll cover later.

On the base of the GK3 is the USB-C port for charging the 900mAh battery. 

Despite the affordable price tag, the GK3 feels like a far more expensive device in hand. The plastics, while light, seem highly durable and able to withstand daily use and abuse. Nothing feels flimsy or poorly made.

Overall, I’m really impressed with the GK3 design. It’s a solid evolution of the KOKO design.

Features & Functions

The Caliburn GK3 packs an impressive array of features into its compact frame. The most noticeable upgrade is the inclusion of a sharp 1.45-inch LCD display.

While not as advanced as full-color screens seen on mods, the monochrome display is extremely crisp and packs in coil resistance, battery life, voltage, and puff count stats – not bad for a humble pod system!

I especially like that the display is constantly on as it’s a low-power LCD. Then, when you click the power button, the back panel lights up.

Speaking of customization, the GK3 introduces fully adjustable wattage from 5 to 25 watts. The increments allow for precise one-watt adjustments through the spectrum. 

To control the GK3 is simple:

• On/Off = 5 clicks of the power button
• Adjust Wattage = 3 clicks of the power button, then subsequent slick increases wattage by 1.
• Clear Puff Count = 4 clicks of the power button

The GK3 can be fired manually with the fire button or through. 

The device has a 900mAh battery, a step up from previous KOKO devices and in line with the Caliburn G3. 

It can be charged via USB-C and has a 2A fast charge, so it will top up in 45 minutes.

Another neat feature is the haptic feedback built inside the GK3. Just like the Caliburn G3, the device will vibrate when you turn it on or off, insert a pod, or plug it in to charge.

Additional features include short circuit protection, over-time vape protection, no atomizer detection, and low battery protection.

Pods/Coils

The Caliburn GK3 utilizes Uwell’s latest Caliburn G3 pods, which feature a new design from previous generations. Right away, you notice the increased 2.5ml capacity and side fill port.

The G3 pods are now enclosed units with fixed mesh coil internals, meaning no ability to swap out coils. However, Uwell claims this allows better vacuum insulation for optimal flavor.

You get two pods included:

• 0.6Ω (25W)
• 0.9Ω (15W)

Both the 0.6Ω and 0.9Ω resistances use FeCrAl alloy heating elements. So those sensitive to nickel needn’t worry.

Refilling is a breeze thanks to the chunky silicone gasket on the side fill method. It creates an extremely tight seal, and I haven’t experienced any leaks or mess whatsoever when topping up.

While the coils are fixed, a neat design upgrade is an adjustable airflow via rotating the pod 180 degrees. Two distinct airflow ports of different sizes efficiently provide a looser MTL or tighter MTL draw.

The pods snap in extremely securely thanks to strong magnets, yet they are easy to detach when needed. You get excellent feedback when a pod clicks into place.

Performance 

When it comes to vaping performance, the Caliburn GK3 delivers an absolutely stellar experience that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the best pod systems out there. 

Starting with the 0.9Ω pod, the flavor production is just fantastic. It brings out the intricacies and nuanced notes in complex e-liquids better than any other pod I’ve tried recently.

The vapor is extremely dense and saturated. And the draw provides the perfect tightness for that immensely satisfying MTL inhale.  

Caliburns pods have always been great for flavor, and these G3 pods are the best of the bunch.

Like with the Caliburn G3, I’m disappointed there’s no fully adjustable airflow.

Adjusting the airflow by rotating the pod gives you two options: a medium loose MTL and a tighter, more cigarette-like draw. I tended to prefer the tighter setting for maximum flavor.

The pods handle 80VG/20PG e-liquids with ease. I encountered no dry hits or wicking issues, even with thick juice and heavy use cycling between flavors.

Turning my attention to the 0.6Ω pod, it delivers an airier draw best suited, but I would still class it as a loose MTL, not quite a restricted DL inhale. 

The maximum 25W wattage setting brings dense, warm vapor, and probably the best flavor from this pod.

My preference with the GK3 is the 0.9Ω pod. It’s easier on the battery and still delivers an excellent MTL vape experience.

Much like with the G3, I got about 2 weeks and about 20 refills from the 0.9Ω pod.

The battery life has seen a noticeable bump up to 900mAh compared to earlier Caliburns. I’m easily getting a full day or close to two days lifespan with moderate use.

Charging speeds are respectable at 45 minutes for a full top-up. However, when I measured the charge rate, it seemed to max out around 1.4A.Overall, the performance of the GK3 is excellent and pretty much identical to the G3.

You can check the G3 review out if you prefer that form factor.

Verdict

The Caliburn GK3 is easily the best KOKO device that Uwell has released and is now on par with the G3.

While both deliver fantastic performance from the pods and have equal features, there are a lot of differences in their styling.

For those who prefer a more exciting design and something of the boxy format, the GK3 is the one to go for, especially with that large LCD display.

Personally, I prefer the traditional form factor of the G3.

Whichever way you go, you will end up with one of the best pod vapes on the market right now, especially when it comes to flavorful MTL vaping.