Arizer Solo 3 vs Zeus Arc GTS Hub Review: Glass Stems vs Gold Vapor Path
Short answer: the Arizer Solo 3 sends vapor through glass and reaches temperature in seconds, with up to three hours of runtime. The Zeus Arc GTS Hub is a conduction-heated, gold-lined device that takes about 80 seconds to warm up and is built around pre-loaded ArcPods. If flavor from a glass path, quick heat-up and flexible cooling matter to you, the Solo 3 is the more versatile pick. If you want a light, self-contained kit with a gold chamber, the Zeus is the alternative.
We stock the Arizer Solo 3 V2.0 and its stems, but not Zeus devices, so the Zeus details below come from the manufacturer's site and specification listings from independent retailers and reviewers.
First, a naming update
The Arc GTS Hub is a third-generation Zeus kit that has been on sale for several years. Zeus's own website now sends the old Arc GTS Hub address to the newer Arc GT3 page, which lists a USB-C port and “better airflow compared to the GTS model”, and it also offers an Arc GT4. Some retailers still carry the GTS Hub, so it is still worth understanding, but if you are shopping the Zeus range you should compare it against the newer models too.
Vapor path: glass or gold
The Solo 3's air travels through glass: an XL or standard aroma tube that doubles as chamber and mouthpiece. Because it is glass, taste is neutral and you can change length, cooling and shape by swapping stems.
The Zeus Arc GTS uses a gold-plated chamber and a gold-lined vapor path, which Zeus markets as Goldsink technology. Retail specification lists give the materials as gold-plated stainless steel and zirconia ceramic, plus anodised aluminium and plastics elsewhere in the body. Reviewers describe the vapor as flavorful but on the warmer side, which is normal for a compact conduction device.
Heating and heat-up time
This is the biggest practical difference.
- Solo 3: hybrid, 80% convection and 20% conduction, ready in 5–15 seconds, with temperature adjustable in 1° or 10° steps.
- Zeus Arc GTS: conduction, about 80 seconds to reach one of three preset temperatures: 205, 215 or 225 °C by default (firmware can change them, according to independent spec sheets).
Zeus markets the device for quick sessions, but that refers to how fast you can reload with pods, not how fast it warms up: the Solo 3 is far quicker to be ready, and it lets you dial in a wider temperature range (Arizer lists 50–220 °C in our product listing).
Loading and cleaning
ArcPods are the Zeus signature. The Xtruder grinder packs 0.3 g into a small pod, you pre-load several, and the hub tray helps empty them afterwards. It is neat and very quick to swap.
The Solo 3 keeps things simple. You pack the stem, and if you like capsule-style loading you can add quick-load capsules or in-chamber XL dosing capsules. Cleaning is a rinse of the glass and a brush of the oven.
Battery, charging and warranty
| Arizer Solo 3 V2.0 | Zeus Arc GTS Hub | |
|---|---|---|
| Heating | Hybrid convection-led | Conduction |
| Ready in | 5–15 seconds | About 80 seconds |
| Vapor path | All glass, swappable stems | Gold-plated chamber and path |
| Battery | Up to 3 hours or 100+ On Demand draws | 3,500 mAh; around 90 minutes |
| Charging | USB-C PD, use while charging | Micro-USB on the GTS (the newer GT3 lists USB-C) |
| Weight | 280 g (Arizer) | About 125 g (retailer specs) |
| Warranty | Lifetime heater, 2-year limited, 1-year battery; glass excluded | 3 years (retailer and review listings) |
The Zeus is clearly the lighter device. The Solo 3 wins on runtime, charging convenience and speed to first pull.
Cooling and water use
The Solo 3 has an unusually large accessory ecosystem for cooling: bead-filled stems, spiral paths, side-mounted bubblers and WPAs that plug directly into a water piece. The screen even flips automatically when you invert the device. Browse the cooling stems, water bubblers and WPAs collections. Good starters are the Vortex spiral stem, the Ultra dry cooling stem and the multi-fit XL WPA.
A note on availability: Zeus has moved on from the GTS Hub, and its own website now points visitors to the newer Arc GT3 and GT4 models. Anyone shopping for a GTS Hub today is therefore looking at remaining retail stock or second-hand units, so warranty terms are worth confirming with the seller before you buy. The Solo 3, by contrast, is a current Arizer product with a full accessory range and support from the manufacturer.
Which one should you get?
Solo 3 if…
- you want to be ready in seconds and adjust temperature precisely;
- you want a flexible, all-glass path with many stem options;
- you value runtime and the option to use a water pipe.
Zeus Arc GTS if…
- you prefer a light kit built around pre-loaded pods;
- you are happy waiting about a minute and a half for it to warm up;
- you like the look and feel of a gold-lined chamber.
If you go with the Solo 3, a small kit of spares saves hassle: start with a backspacer kit, domed screens and a pair of 110 mm straight stems. The full collection has everything else, and our guide to how Arizer's airflow works is a good next read.
Recall reminder: the June 2026 Solo III recall applies only to the Intergalactic (Black) colourway with specific serial prefixes. Details are in our Journal summary.
