Focus Carta OG vs. Focus Carta 2

Should you buy the Carta OG or Carta 2?

If you’ve been looking for a new Electric Dab Rig, then two of the top picks are going to be the Carta OG and the Focus Carta 2.

Although they’re made from the same brand, Focus V, there are quite a few feature differences to compare to help you decide which to buy! Ultimately it comes down to preference – Will you prefer the Carta 2’s larger atomizer, new HD screen, but reduced battery power? Read on to find out.

Focus Carta OG vs Carta 2 Specs + Ratings

Kit Comparison

Which has the better build quality?

The Carta OG uses a straightforward three-part design which includes the base, glass bubbler, and either a quartz or titanium bucket atomizer. It uses a black and white checkered design that, to be honest, is kind of hideous. It uses a matte finish and is somewhat comfortable to hold in the hand. Apart from the glass, you can tell that it’s made from durable and high-quality parts.

While the Carta 2 uses much of the same functionality, Compared to the original Carta and other E-rigs on the market, the base has ergonomic grip holds that will help you hold it up to your mouth during hits and feel better in your hands. Although the glass is a different shape on Carta 2, the OG glass will fit and work on the Carta 2 if you break your glass. The main difference is the HD screen that the Carta 2 has, which will now let you have much better functionality compared to the original. The only real downside of the Carta 2’s build quality is that the battery is non-swappable and is slightly weaker than the OG.

Key Features Comparison

The Carta 2 has some serious upgrades over the original which help to justify the $150 price jump

• 360° Ceramic Glazed Atomizer
• Lower temperatures with better-maintained voltages
• HD screen and 3-button control
• Better Phone app + session control
• New LED lights display on frosted bubbler + lights strip
• 14mm atomizer increased from 10mm on the OG

OG bucket atomizer vs. Carta 2 Intelli-core atomizer

Let’s just start out by saying that we would have been happy with the release of the Carta 2 if its only upgrade was only the new Intelli-core atomizer! It features new technology that heats the element 360° around at a more stable voltage which will help you to get a much more even vaporization of your dabs.

You’re not going to get any hot or cold spots, which also makes cleaning a breeze since you won’t get any burn marks that cheaper E-Rigs are prone to. The atomizer is now also 14mm across compared to 10mm on the original buckets, so you’ll be able to vape huge globs of concentrate. This is also helped by the fact that the carb cap cover is now integrated instead of being a dinky piece of glass tethered to the OG’s atomizer.

The session timer being reduced to a maximum of 60 seconds compared to three minutes on the OG tell you all you need to know about the massive amount of clouds the Carta 2 will be putting out – Like holy cow, batman!

Carta OG vs Carta 2 Portability

The main difference between the Carta 2 and Carta OG’s portability is the new ergonomic contouring on the Carta 2. The new rubber has more grip, and combined with the narrower base with finger holds makes an ambidextrous-friendly design that’s easier to pick up and hold. In terms of overall size, they are very close to one another.

One difference in terms of portability is the difference in batteries. The Carta OG uses two swappable batteries that were 1200mAh each. The Carta 2 has a proprietary battery that’s only 2000mAh but can be wirelessly charged via the Focus V Wireless Charger. If you don’t mind picking up the sold separately power dock, it’s okay, but out of the box, the Carta 2 is going to be easier to take with you on the go.

Both have a Flower and Oil mode

By default, both the Carta 2 and Carta OG will be in oil mode when the atomizer is secured firmly, but you can just loosen the atomizer thread to change this setting over to flower mode. With the HUD on the Carta 2, you’ll be able to tell which mode you’re on much easier, though.

When using flower mode, you’ll want to use a very fine grind and smoosh your cannabis down for a very even conduction roast just like you would on the 2-in-1 Dr. Dabber Switch E-Rig.

Carta OG vs Carta 2 Vapor Quality

With the new atomizer, you’re going to have cloud output that will be consistently putting out clouds. You will lose some of your terpene flavors the higher temperature you go more than the OG, but at low temperatures, they both shine with inhales full of flavor.

At higher temperatures, the Carta 2 has much faster extraction than the OG, and will have the bubbler much more milky and condensed full of vapor. When that happens, shorter hits will be your friend to not burn your throat.

Wireless charging vs. Swappable batteries

In terms of battery life, it’s more of a preference since the two swappable 18350 1200mAh batteries on the OG are technically more powerful than the 2000mAh proprietary battery built into the Carta 2. While the battery is less powerful and not swappable, it does come equipped with wireless charging capabilities as well as fast charging. For heavy users, this means that you’ll be able to use the pass-through charging while it’s on the charging dock to have a totally normal session as it charges up on the 10k mAh dock.

Which is easier to use?

With the Carta 2 app, the newer device is much easier to use as you’ll be able to have full commands over what temperature or preset, timer, see oil or flower mode, and also what LED light to pre-set you want. On the HD screen, you’ll also be able to see all of your information which really takes away from some of the guesswork involved on the OG.

The OG used a one-button design that operated with a color display to show you the information you needed to see. Because of how many button combinations there are on the Carta 2, I suggest just using the app unless you’re a very heavy user that will be vaping on the go a lot and wants to spend the time studying the owner’s manual.

Which is easier to maintain?

With the OG and Carta 2 bubbler, you’ll be able to clean them in seconds by using Orange Chronic Glass Cleaner which works as a supercharged isopropyl alcohol. Some Carta 2 users have complained about staining on the atomizer, but some Orange Chronic should be able to wipe these marks out with ease.

For easier maintenance, make sure that you wipe down the atomizer with a vape cleaning stick. This will ensure that you don’t get any resin buildups that would otherwise cook onto the ceramic glaze and eventually add a burning taste to your dabs. For a thorough cleaning, you can choose to completely unscrew the atomizer and pop out the atomizer out of the tether for a soak in isopropyl, but that shouldn’t be necessary unless you’re a very user.

Warranties

Each vape comes with a one-year warranty that will cover against defects. As the Carta 2 was just recently released, so far the only common issue is the atomizer being stuck on flower mode, which have been dealt with swiftly by Focus V. Only time will tell if the proprietary battery holds up over the years, though.

Carta OG vs. Carta 2 Comparison Summary

In conclusion, the 360-degree atomizer is powerful enough to pump out bigger clouds than the OG but it comes at the cost of cost and some battery performance. The Carta OG still performs quite well in the market in 2022 with modern features like USB-C fast charging.

The Carta 2 just outshines it with very small changes around the board that all add up to a much-improved device. If you’re a heavy user that likes to keep up with the latest technology and biggest clouds, I would say that the Carta 2 is for you. If you’re just getting into dabs, the OG still performs very well.

Beginners might also even consider The Core 2.1 vaporizer as it performs similarly well while using the same atomizers as the Utillian 5 if you’re into compatibility with one of the best wax pens on the market.

For now, we definitely consider both rigs to be a part of our Best Electric Dab Rigs, so you’re not really making a mistake if you choose one of the other!