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- Jul 11, 2012
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Disclaimer: This was sent to me free of charge for the purpose of reviewing. This will be an honest and impartial review and all thoughts are purely my own and are not the opinions of POTV!
I was contacted a little while ago by @VOOPOO asking if I was interested in trying out their latest mod, the X-217, in return for an honest review. I have been intrigued by their gene chip for a while so I decided to take them up on their offer. Despite them being known for being rather vocal and in your face, I have to say that they seemed very keen that I take my time and really put the device through its paces. I actually received it just before christmas so I've had it for just over two weeks and have been able to test it to the fullest of my ability and I have definitely stepped out of my comfort zone to do this review!
Specs:
Build quality and design:
This is a pleasantly solid device. The buttons are are positive with a good click and are comfortable to use. They have enough resistance that you won't accidentally press them and they were fine when the mod was in my pocket. You can't lock the resistance which I was a bit concerned about but it wasn't a problem as the screen lock comes on automatically and everything locks until you push the fire button. The speed that the lock screen kicks in is spot on too so there is little chance of accidentally changing the settings.
It is a fairly large device for me as I have tiny hands and I was a bit worried that it would feel cumbersome but the shape is well thought out and sits comfortably. For a dual 21700 device, it is a compact device. The carbon fibre sides stop it feeling like a bar of soap and I felt confident that it wouldn't slip out of my hands! The battery door is very secure, with a good amount of vent holes should the worst happen.
The finish seems to be of a high quality too and it shows no signs of scratches. It doesn't even show up finger prints which is handy as I get quite sweaty hands! There is a resin strip along the back and as an inlay for the fire button. the panel doesn't sit totally flush which some people may not like but it didn't bother me and I quite like the feel of it. I'm not too sure why this finish was used as it doesn't really look particularly high quality but it breaks up the metal back nicely.
The 510 connector is smooth and does the job, everything I tried sat flush and there is plenty of space for any diameter atomiser. It has a wide base around it too which will stop the main mod getting any atty swirls.
The display is great, very nice screen which is easy to use in any light from bright sunlight to low lighting and you can adjust the brightness in the settings. The lock screen is a clock which I thought was a bit useless but I actually ended up quite liking it as it was easy to check when my mod was on the side.
Then there are the disco lights! Some people will love them, others will hate them. I ended up turning them off as they got annoying. You can set them to red, blue, green or multicoloured, and they graduate and change. They are on all the time and are bright so you'll definitely need to turn them off at night time. They also pulse when you take a puff and the pulsing gradually gets faster the longer you inhale. I have no idea what the point is and was quite glad to get rid of them. But that is purely down to personal taste
Performance:
So now to the meat of the review...performance! I have a set build and don't really step outside of my comfort zone so this was a real test for me! The chip is a very clever thing and when you put your atty on, it asks if it is a new coil and then sets things up for what it feels is the best for that build. My standard build is .9 kanthal which I normally put at 17w. The X-217 decided 25w was suitable and, whilst slightly warmer than I like, it did suit the build and I got no burnt taste. It also fires immediately which I absolutely love and now all other devices seem sluggish! I was really surprised how well it worked and I would like to see other chip designers working on their ramp up times. It all worked exactly as it should, no problems.
So next I thought id try a more intensive build, so I went down to my local shop and got a few bit build coils (I can't remember exactly which ones but they were alien claptons). Once fitted in to my squape, I screwed on the tank and selected new coil and it said that I should be at 45w. Once again, the choice seemed pretty spot on and I had fun blowing some pretty huge clouds. It was all very simple and great for a newer vape who is a bit overwhelmed by this side of things.
Finally I tried it in temperature control mode. I haven't used TC coils for ages as quite frankly the last time I tried, it was too much faff for very average results. But I said I would test things thoroughly so reluctantly I pulled my reel of NI200 out and got coiling. Three presses of the fire button gets it in to temp mode and once again the mod did most of the thinking for me. I had to bump up the max temp to my taste but the menus are very easy to navigate so that was fine. As for performance, it ended up being a great experience. The chip is rock solid in TC mode and made it a great experience, no fluctuations or issues at all and I could just get on and enjoy the vape.
Every build I tried, the chip read perfectly and the results were accurate to what my coil reader and my danibox said too.
Round up:
I was very surprised how much I enjoyed the Voopoo X-217. It is a very well made device which seems to do everything well. The menu system is easy to understand and use and there is enough custom settings to keep most vapers happy. Build quality is solid and feels like it will last a long time. I tried it out in some cold weather too (-1 degree) and there was no problems with any drop off. I wasn't able to try the bigger batteries as over christmas most places were either closed or sold-out so I had to use 2 18650s with the sleeves provided and the battery life was a little disappointing. I only got a day out of it, but that was using it more than I usually would. Turning the lights off didn't improve things much either. I'm sure the bigger batteries would be more suited but this was the one area that wasn't great (I usually get a day out of a single 18650 in my danibox).
Along with the disappointing battery usage, the only other thing I didn't like was changing between the modes. You have to press the fire button three times to scroll between normal mode, TC and settings. This means that because of the instant ramp up, it does fire when you are pressing. For example if you are in TC mode and want to go into the settings, you press three times. Then you have to go again to go to normal mode and again to get back to TC and it sounds pretty fierce when moving from normal to get back to TC. I feel there should be a better way to move between the modes or maybe it should sense if you are dabbing the button to move around.
All in all, there is a lot to like with this device and it should suit most vapers needs. The looks are going to be down to personal taste but there is nothing too offensive and compared to other devices in the voopoo range, it is positively understated. If you are looking for a solid, easy to use mod then you could do a lot worse that the X-217.
I was contacted a little while ago by @VOOPOO asking if I was interested in trying out their latest mod, the X-217, in return for an honest review. I have been intrigued by their gene chip for a while so I decided to take them up on their offer. Despite them being known for being rather vocal and in your face, I have to say that they seemed very keen that I take my time and really put the device through its paces. I actually received it just before christmas so I've had it for just over two weeks and have been able to test it to the fullest of my ability and I have definitely stepped out of my comfort zone to do this review!
Specs:
- Size: 93.6×49.6x33mm
- Output: 5-217W
- Resistance range: 0.05-1.5ohm (VW/VV) / 0.05-3ohm (TC)
- Temperature range: 200-600°F / 100-315°C
- Modes: VW, VV, TC, Custom
- Display : 1.3in TFT IPS HD colour
- Battery: 2×21700 / 20700 / 18650
- Breathing light effect
- Sandblast finish
- GENE.FAN chipset
- Firmware Upgradeable
Build quality and design:
This is a pleasantly solid device. The buttons are are positive with a good click and are comfortable to use. They have enough resistance that you won't accidentally press them and they were fine when the mod was in my pocket. You can't lock the resistance which I was a bit concerned about but it wasn't a problem as the screen lock comes on automatically and everything locks until you push the fire button. The speed that the lock screen kicks in is spot on too so there is little chance of accidentally changing the settings.
It is a fairly large device for me as I have tiny hands and I was a bit worried that it would feel cumbersome but the shape is well thought out and sits comfortably. For a dual 21700 device, it is a compact device. The carbon fibre sides stop it feeling like a bar of soap and I felt confident that it wouldn't slip out of my hands! The battery door is very secure, with a good amount of vent holes should the worst happen.
The finish seems to be of a high quality too and it shows no signs of scratches. It doesn't even show up finger prints which is handy as I get quite sweaty hands! There is a resin strip along the back and as an inlay for the fire button. the panel doesn't sit totally flush which some people may not like but it didn't bother me and I quite like the feel of it. I'm not too sure why this finish was used as it doesn't really look particularly high quality but it breaks up the metal back nicely.
The 510 connector is smooth and does the job, everything I tried sat flush and there is plenty of space for any diameter atomiser. It has a wide base around it too which will stop the main mod getting any atty swirls.
The display is great, very nice screen which is easy to use in any light from bright sunlight to low lighting and you can adjust the brightness in the settings. The lock screen is a clock which I thought was a bit useless but I actually ended up quite liking it as it was easy to check when my mod was on the side.
Then there are the disco lights! Some people will love them, others will hate them. I ended up turning them off as they got annoying. You can set them to red, blue, green or multicoloured, and they graduate and change. They are on all the time and are bright so you'll definitely need to turn them off at night time. They also pulse when you take a puff and the pulsing gradually gets faster the longer you inhale. I have no idea what the point is and was quite glad to get rid of them. But that is purely down to personal taste
Performance:
So now to the meat of the review...performance! I have a set build and don't really step outside of my comfort zone so this was a real test for me! The chip is a very clever thing and when you put your atty on, it asks if it is a new coil and then sets things up for what it feels is the best for that build. My standard build is .9 kanthal which I normally put at 17w. The X-217 decided 25w was suitable and, whilst slightly warmer than I like, it did suit the build and I got no burnt taste. It also fires immediately which I absolutely love and now all other devices seem sluggish! I was really surprised how well it worked and I would like to see other chip designers working on their ramp up times. It all worked exactly as it should, no problems.
So next I thought id try a more intensive build, so I went down to my local shop and got a few bit build coils (I can't remember exactly which ones but they were alien claptons). Once fitted in to my squape, I screwed on the tank and selected new coil and it said that I should be at 45w. Once again, the choice seemed pretty spot on and I had fun blowing some pretty huge clouds. It was all very simple and great for a newer vape who is a bit overwhelmed by this side of things.
Finally I tried it in temperature control mode. I haven't used TC coils for ages as quite frankly the last time I tried, it was too much faff for very average results. But I said I would test things thoroughly so reluctantly I pulled my reel of NI200 out and got coiling. Three presses of the fire button gets it in to temp mode and once again the mod did most of the thinking for me. I had to bump up the max temp to my taste but the menus are very easy to navigate so that was fine. As for performance, it ended up being a great experience. The chip is rock solid in TC mode and made it a great experience, no fluctuations or issues at all and I could just get on and enjoy the vape.
Every build I tried, the chip read perfectly and the results were accurate to what my coil reader and my danibox said too.
Round up:
I was very surprised how much I enjoyed the Voopoo X-217. It is a very well made device which seems to do everything well. The menu system is easy to understand and use and there is enough custom settings to keep most vapers happy. Build quality is solid and feels like it will last a long time. I tried it out in some cold weather too (-1 degree) and there was no problems with any drop off. I wasn't able to try the bigger batteries as over christmas most places were either closed or sold-out so I had to use 2 18650s with the sleeves provided and the battery life was a little disappointing. I only got a day out of it, but that was using it more than I usually would. Turning the lights off didn't improve things much either. I'm sure the bigger batteries would be more suited but this was the one area that wasn't great (I usually get a day out of a single 18650 in my danibox).
Along with the disappointing battery usage, the only other thing I didn't like was changing between the modes. You have to press the fire button three times to scroll between normal mode, TC and settings. This means that because of the instant ramp up, it does fire when you are pressing. For example if you are in TC mode and want to go into the settings, you press three times. Then you have to go again to go to normal mode and again to get back to TC and it sounds pretty fierce when moving from normal to get back to TC. I feel there should be a better way to move between the modes or maybe it should sense if you are dabbing the button to move around.
All in all, there is a lot to like with this device and it should suit most vapers needs. The looks are going to be down to personal taste but there is nothing too offensive and compared to other devices in the voopoo range, it is positively understated. If you are looking for a solid, easy to use mod then you could do a lot worse that the X-217.
