As of late it seems PAX is suffering a bit of an identity reset. Once the undisputed high-flyer of the portable vape world, it seemed nothing could dominate the space like PAX & their portable herb vaporizers. Then in 2022, after a huge decline in sales (and the cannabis market overall)  PAX themselves publicly admitted what everyone else in the dry herb vaporizer market already knew –   dry herb vaporizers had turned into a race to the bottom. Cheap competitors entered the market, innovation capped out, and PAX shifted focus toward their Era Pods and other ancillary goods in search of margins of years past.

In November 2022 PAX  released the Original Mini and Plus which ultimately were cost saving downgrades to their PAX 2 and PAX 3 Vaporizer. We thought this was their white flag of surrender and  didn’t think we would ever get a PAX 4 or anything meaningful that was more evolved — but 2025 proved us wrong.

First came the PAX Flow, and now the all-new PAX Mini v2 (2025 model) in November of 2025, signaling a real return to form.

The Original PAX Mini

The original  PAX Mini was marketed as the follow-up to the PAX 2 — a slightly smaller, more streamlined version designed for quick sessions and easy portability. 

But in reality, it stripped away many of the core features that made the PAX 2 a fan favorite. The Mini had one dynamic temperature setting and an oven which could only functionally accommodate a tad more than  .15 grams of herb.  While the heating was dynamic (ramping up over the session) it took so much away from the user experience.

Users complained about the Original PAX Mini’s lack of features and  abysmal vapor production. While it was easy to use and operate, all of that is for naught if the device doesn’t satisfy the end goal of giving you robust vapor of your choosing. 

The New PAX Mini v2 (2025 release)

To avoid confusion following the release, PAX temporarily added “New” to the product name; however, with the original PAX Mini now discontinued, the device will soon revert to being referred to simply as the PAX Mini. Other companies have done this such as Puffco with their Peak and Proxy where the v2s are just dubbed “New Peak and New Proxy”.

Put simply, the New PAX Mini simply restored what was missing from the original PAX Mini. The universally sized herb chamber and the ability to adjust through four temperature settings. This has largely been PAX’s bread and butter design for their PAX 2, PAX 3 and PAX Plus models.

One notable downgrade will be that of battery life. The PAX Mini v2 only has a 1500 mAh battery vs. the original which has a 3000 mAh battery. This was in order to keep the device the same size and enlarge the chamber back to the PAX standard. Also with the new PAX Mini you can adjust the temperature higher – higher temperatures take more energy, depleting the battery faster.

In our testing of the New PAX Mini v2 we got about 60 minutes in total run time all over the place with the temperature settings. So this would track with getting roughly 105 minutes (1.75 hours) of what you can get out of the Original PAX Mini.

Other minuscule differences are the packaging on the new PAX Mini which as you can see above is the same as that of the PAX Flow. It is much more elegant and refined but not practical at all. The sleeve is a pain to take off and put away. As with the Flow we recommend picking up an aftermarket case for your PAX Mini v2 should you purchase.

A totally irrelevant difference between the PAX Mini & Mini v2 is the serial number placement with the Mini v2 having the serial number on the side under the mouthpiece lid.

Original PAX Mini Vs. NEw PAX Mini V2

While the v2 is clearly the winner based on regaining the standard chamber and controls, it is sort of a non-comparison given the v1 is out of production. I mentioned the differences between the two versions above but everything else being equal if you want to learn everything else about v2 just check out our PAX Mini Review Here.

Ahh yes one more difference is the v2 Mini does come with the Half Pack Oven Lid for those who want to reduce their chamber sizes for smaller sessions.

The mini v2 | Not Improved but back to form

If you want the PAX which is going to give you that ultra crispy high end vapor, that is going to be the Flow. However the PAX Mini v2 is likely what most people are going for when they say they want a quick & easy to use and durable portable dry herb vaporizer akin to what they had in the PAX 2 or PAX 3. The Mini also does not break the bank either at $150.

I am going to complicate the matter at hand here however and question PAX on why they decided to keep the Mini and discontinue the PAX Plus. The PAX Plus is exactly what the new Mini is albeit a fraction larger. At the size difference between the two it is irrelevant when in your pocket.

The PAX Plus also has a slight edge over the newly released Mini in terms of battery life (3300 mAh) and that added power is oddly noticeable when vaping and comparing the two sessions. I really feel the PAX Plus was sort of what embodied the standard after the PAX 2 and PAX 3 discontinuation.

This is my appeal to you to buy a PAX Plus over the new Mini while inventory remains around. Better yet PAX released two versions of the PAX Plus in the Basic Kit and Standard Kit (as they did with the PAX 3) where you can get the Basic Kit for $50 cheaper if you don’t want all the knickknacks and accessories many won’t even use. This is the exact same price as the New Mini, is a more powerful PAX and comes with a 10 year warranty versus the 3 year on the Mini 2.

Regardless of which you go with however it is nice to see PAX adjust and sideline the OG Mini as it was not fitting of a company who pioneered the space.