Eleaf box mod duel, iStick i80 vs iStick T80

Browse any vape shop listing and two Eleaf box mod names often turn up side by side, the iStick i80 and the iStick T80. Same 3000 mAh battery, same 80 watt ceiling, same 78 mm height, and on paper nothing separates them. We set them against each other on five checkable criteria (settings, resistance range, protections, size and charging), using the spec pages and user manuals Eleaf publishes, to work out which one to keep.

Which Eleaf box mod to pick, the iStick i80 or the iStick T80

Of the two Eleaf box mod options, the iStick i80 wins for anyone who wants a device that is easy to set up. It suggests a wattage suited to the coil it detects, remembers the setting you choose, locks its adjustment buttons and flips its screen, four features the T80 manual does not describe.

The iStick T80 keeps one precise technical argument. Its manual accepts coils from 0.05 ohm in every mode, whereas the i80 will not go below 0.15 ohm in wattage mode. It is also the only one of the two for which Eleaf publishes a weight and a charging time.

The spec table for two 80 W Eleaf box mods

Every figure below comes from the product pages and user manuals published by Eleaf. An empty cell means the manufacturer does not give the value. Retailer listings disagree on the maximum atomiser diameter, given as 25 or 26 mm depending on the shop, so that row stays out of the table.

Criterion	iStick i80	iStick T80
Battery	3000 mAh built-in	3000 mAh built-in
Output	1 to 80 W	1 to 80 W
Modes	VW, Bypass, TC (Ni, Ti, SS316), TCR M1 to M3	VW, Bypass, TC (Ni, Ti, SS316), TCR M1 to M3
Resistance range	0.15 to 3.0 ohms (VW and Bypass), 0.05 to 1.0 ohm (TC)	0.05 to 3.0 ohms
Screen	OLED, can be flipped 180 degrees	OLED
Suggested and remembered wattage	yes	not described in the manual
Lock for the + and - buttons	yes	not described in the manual
Charging	USB-C, 5 V and 2 A	USB-C, full charge in 1 h 30 min
Dimensions	78 x 36 x 29 mm	78 x 36 x 28 mm
Weight		120 g
Body		aluminium alloy

Four rows make the difference, the resistance range, the setting assistance, the button lock and the screen. Battery, output and the list of modes are identical, right down to the three TCR memories, labelled M1 to M3.

Settings and handling, where the iStick i80 pulls ahead

The i80 adds neither watts nor milliamp-hours. What it brings lies in its firmware, described in its manual and missing from the T80’s, and the gap shows mostly when you first get to grips with it.

A suggested wattage that the box then remembers

In wattage mode, the i80 offers a wattage suited to the resistance of the coil it detects. You can still change it with the + and - buttons, within a range the box treats as sensible for that coil.

The manual adds a detail that sales listings leave out. The box keeps your usual wattage for a given coil once you have vaped at that setting at least twice in a row. Swapping to another tank and back to the first therefore saves you from resetting everything by hand.

A flippable screen and lockable buttons

With the box switched off, holding the fire button and the + button together rotates the display by 180 degrees. The screen then reads either way up, depending on the hand holding the device.

With the box switched on, pressing + and - together for two seconds locks the adjustment buttons, and the screen shows “Key Lock”. The same move releases them. On the T80, the manual only mentions locking the coil in temperature control, a feature the i80 also has. On top of that, the i80 flags a missing atomiser with its own message, “No Atomizer Found”.

Resistance range, the one real strength of the iStick T80

Both boxes share the same list of modes. The difference sits in the resistance values they accept, a criterion that matters to only some vapers but can settle a purchase.

0.15 ohm against 0.05 ohm in wattage mode

The i80 manual splits two ranges. In wattage and bypass modes it accepts 0.15 to 3.0 ohms, and in temperature control 0.05 to 1.0 ohm. The T80 manual gives a single range of 0.05 to 3.0 ohms, whatever the mode.

In practice, a 0.1 ohm kanthal coil run in watts falls inside the T80’s range and outside the i80’s. That is rebuildable atomiser territory, where you wind and fit your own wire. With tank coils above 0.15 ohm, the two boxes are level. If you would rather use removable batteries, our battery box mod ranking led by the Geekvape Legend 5 takes over from here.

Shared modes and protections

For everything else, the menu is the same. Three presses of the fire button open the mode selection, made with + and -, and pressing the fire button and + together opens the secondary settings, including preheat, stealth mode and the choice of counter shown on screen (puffs, time or current).

Both boxes cut the output after 10 seconds of continuous firing and stop firing below 3.3 volts. The i80 then shows a low voltage message, while the T80 will not power on. The T80 page also lists protection against overcharging, over-discharge, overcurrent and short circuits.

Size, body and charging of the two Eleaf box mods

The dimensions of these two Eleaf box mods are almost identical. Both stand 78 mm tall and 36 mm wide, and the i80 is 29 mm deep against 28 mm for the T80. Multiplying the three dimensions, the body volume goes from 78.6 cm³ for the T80 to 81.4 cm³ for the i80, 3.6 per cent more for the same battery.

Eleaf describes the T80 as a 120 g box in aluminium alloy, and the i80 as a compact body with rounded edges, without giving its material or weight. The T80 is therefore the only one of the two whose weight you know before ordering. The manufacturer also presents it as the successor to the iStick TC40W, which it calls a best-seller.

Both charge over USB-C. Eleaf quotes a 2 A current for the i80 and a full charge in 1 h 30 min for the T80, without publishing the missing figure on either side. Comparing their charging speeds from the spec sheets alone would therefore be guesswork. The same reading grid, 3000 mAh battery included, runs through our 3000 mAh duel between the GTX One Pro and the Drag S3.

Our pick for each type of vaper

When two Eleaf box mods share battery, output and modes, the right choice depends on how you like to set up your vape far more than on the spec sheet. Three profiles come out of the manuals.

Vaper new to box mods with a screen

The iStick i80. The suggested wattage for each coil, the remembered settings and the button lock cut down on fiddling, and its range covers every tank coil above 0.15 ohm. To decide which draw to aim for with it, our guide to MTL vs DTL draws explains both ways of inhaling.

Rebuildable atomiser enthusiast

The iStick T80. Its 0.05 to 3.0 ohm range applies in every mode, wattage included, whereas the i80 requires temperature control below 0.15 ohm.

Former iStick TC40W owner

The iStick T80, which the manufacturer presents as its direct successor, with a 3000 mAh battery and a full charge quoted at 1 h 30 min through the USB-C port.

FAQ

These five questions come up often when getting started with an iStick, and the duel above does not cover them.

How do you turn on an Eleaf iStick i80 or T80?

Five quick presses of the fire button, within one and a half seconds, switch either box on. The same sequence switches it off, a handy step before slipping the device into a bag.

How do you adjust the wattage on an iStick i80 or T80?

In wattage mode, the + and - buttons change the watts, and holding one down scrolls faster. In temperature control, those buttons set the temperature, and you first need four quick presses of the fire button to reach the wattage setting.

Which coil should you use on an 80 W Eleaf box?

The one your tank is designed for, staying within the wattage range printed on the coil or its packaging. The box accepts the value, but the coil sets the useful wattage, and going beyond the recommended range risks a burnt taste.

How do you clean a box mod?

Eleaf advises against leaving the device somewhere hot or damp, so a box mod never goes under the tap. A dry cloth is enough for the body and for the 510 connector, where a little e-liquid can run down during a refill.

Should you start with a box mod or a pod kit?

It depends on how much bulk you accept. A box such as the i80 or the T80 pairs with the tank of your choice, whereas a pod kit puts battery and pod in a single body. In the UK, refillable tanks and pods sold with nicotine vaping products are limited to 2 ml either way, and nicotine e-liquid to 20 mg/ml in bottles of 10 ml at most. Our Voopoo Drag H40 vs Drag X3 comparison goes through that trade-off.

Eleaf box mod i80 or T80, what to remember before choosing

The iStick i80 and the iStick T80 offer the same energy, the same output and the same modes. The i80 stands out for its setting assistance and its locks, the T80 for a wider resistance range in wattage mode and a fuller spec sheet on weight and charging.

Before ordering an Eleaf box mod, checking the exact model name and the coil values you plan to use is enough to choose between the two. The same reading, spec page and manual side by side, works for any box on the market.

Editorial content intended for adults. Vaping products can contain nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance, and nicotine vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This spec comparison is not a buying recommendation.