Voopoo Argus XT Kit Review: Something Sleek This Way Comes!
It wasn’t that long ago when Voopoo released an all-new look (amongst their products), Argus GT II Kit. Yes, this one was rather successful with being tri-proof, lightweight, and overall sturdy mod and tank. Prior to that release, we saw a couple of Argus releases that looked rugged but weren’t tri-proofed, so a truly outdoors-compatible Argus kit was a welcome sight.
And now, Voopoo has come at us again with a couple of new additions to their growing Argus line, one of which is the subject of this review: the Argus XT Kit!
This kit was sent to me for review purposes by Voopoo (much love, Nical!).
Another Argus? And so soon after the previous one? Well, we shall see in this review what makes the XT hold it’s own and different from other kits in the Argus series.
As always, this review is from my own genuine experience of using this kit as an average vaper.
Packaging and Contents
I was sent a sample of the Argus XT Kit, packaged very similarly to the Argus GT II (metal box with cardboard sleeve). The box contained:
§Argus XT Mod that uses an external battery (21700, 20700, or 18650).
§MAAT Tank New that can hold up to 6.5 mL of E-liquid.
§A TPP-DM1 0.15-ohm coil.
§A TPP-DM2 0.2-ohm coil.
§A USB-C charging cable.
§User manual and battery warning card.
§18650 battery adaptor.
§Spares for the MAAT Tank like o-rings and fill gasket.
§Spare bubble glass.
Salient Features include:
§The kit utilises the MAAT Tank New as we’ve seen in the Argus GT II (also reviewed on the blog!), and therefore enjoys the same advantages that include the use of the TPP coil environment and volcano crater structure to collect condensation.
§In the tradition of the new Argus line, the mod is water, drop/shock, and dustproof!
§Mod goes from 5-100W with a 21700 cell, or 5-80W with a 18650 cell, in 1W increments.
§Mod has a lock switch called QS Lock.
§Mod uses the Gene.TT2.0 chip.
§Reads 0.05 ohm to 3.0 ohms resistances.
§Maximum output voltage at 8.5V.
§Tank dimensions at 26 x 52mm; mod dimensions at 148 x 35 x 37mm.
§Has 3A charging via its USB-C port which has a dust cover.
§As seen with the Argus GT II, the mod’s menu has Smart, RBA, TC (Ni, SS, Ti), and Turbo mode.
Impressions and Experience
I’m really liking this new presentation style by Voopoo with the Argus series. From the moment you set your eyes on it, the packaging already conveys toughness and sturdiness, which is what this line seems to be all about. You will have everything you need to get started apart from the battery, and even spares to make kit maintenance easy.
As a kit, it really looks the business! I took it with me one day to town, and with the silver grey finish I received, it indeed turned some heads! The design name is a bit of a misnomer though, I think, as the leather patches on the mod are actually grey and green (tea green?). Nonetheless, the contrast with these colours along with the metal look of the tank and mod makes for a very beautiful kit. It will also be available in other colours and designs and I am sure you will find one to suit your style.
A. MAAT Tank New and TPP Coils
As mentioned, we’ve seen the MAAT Tank New before with the release of the Argus GT II Kit. You can refer to this kit’s review on the blog for more details, but essentially:
§Made with stainless steel and pyrex for the glass, of course.
§Chunky looking as compared to the coils it uses.
§Uses a custom drip tip that I still feel is on the tall side.
§Top-fill via a quarter turn of the top cap.
§Bottom airflow is effectively controlled via sliding levers that regulate the size of the airflow holes.
§Push-and-pull coil installation/removal.
§Compatible with all TPP platform coils, and yes, including those that do not have an elongated metal contact at the bottom.
I’ve said in my Argus GT II review that I really rate this tank over the TPP pods when it comes to the performance of the TPP coils, and I maintain that stance even more with longer use of the MAAT Tank New. I just feel that I get more performance out of the coils with the tank, and the issues that I had before with the pod-coil combination have all but disappeared (like flooding, for example). I was a fan of the MAAT Tank New when it came out, and I still am!
Moving on to the coils, the TPP-DM1 0.15-ohm coil (60-80 W, best at 65-75W) performed brilliantly in flavour for a stock coil (7.5/10), as well as in terms of draw warmth and cloud production. I used this coil with dessert e-liquids and it brought out a sweet yet pleasant taste, translating the different juice notes and ingredients into my vape. My sweet spot was at 75W with a fully-open airflow for the strawberry cheesecake e-juice I was vaping. The coil did not leak or flood on me and was just awesome in performance!
Next was the TPP DM2 0.2 ohm coil (40-60W, best at 50-55W) which I am familiar with, having come with a few Voopoo kits I have reviewed in the past. This coil continued to vape well (flavour 7/10) with decent cloud production. I used this coil mostly at 60W, with the airflow halfway closed, and with fruity e-liquids to get that vape experience I liked.
B. Argus XT Mod
In my mind, this is sort of the single-cell version of the Argus GT II mod, as they share many similarities including the chipset, being tri-proof, and many more.
The mod is very comfortable in the hand with its rounded corners. It has just the right size and weight too for a sturdy single-cell mod. Made with zinc alloy and leather, it looks fantastic although the glossy finish of the mod frame does make it a bit of a fingerprint magnet. Branding is also there, being a Voopoo device, with “Argus XT” debossed on the leather patch behind the mod. But that’s pretty much the main branding on the mod, which is a pro for me as it is still subtle and classy.
At the top, you’ll find a centred 510 plate which appears to be glued on. This 510 platform easily accommodates the MAAT Tank New, as well as most atomisers in the market without any overhang (I’d say up to 28 mm diameter would look good but you might get away with 30 mm ones too). At the rear where the leather design is, there is a protruding loop that you can use to hook the mod to, say, a thin carabiner or a lanyard. I suppose this adds to the “outdoorsy” image of the mod and is a nice feature for those who may find it useful.
The mod’s battery door opens with a spring-loaded sliding switch, with the door not moving about too much when open. The battery door is marked for cell polarity but unfortunately, there was none inside the battery chamber. The door is also lined with rubber to help with waterproofing the mod. When loaded with a battery (or even with the 18650 adaptor), the mod is secure with no play of the cell inside nor any movement with the battery door even when the mod is dropped at a reasonable height. The switch and battery door are also flush to the base of the mod body, adding to its stability when set on a flat surface.
The front of the mod has the fire button, TFT coloured screen, up and down adjustment buttons, and QS Lock. The screen is clean and bright, displaying data such as battery life as an icon and also in percentage, power level in big bold letters, the mode selected, ohm load, voltage, duration of puff, and a 5-digit puff counter. I’ve mentioned this before too but the bottom of the screen may be a little hard to read for some because of the small fonts; I really hope Voopoo could decrease the power level font a little to be able to use bigger fonts for the information below it.
There is also a little play on the buttons with this sample mod I received, unfortunately. Hopefully, this won’t be the case in the retail version of this kit.
Operating the mod is very intuitive:
§Five clicks of the fire button to turn the mod on/off.
§Toggle the QS Lock to your right to lock the adjustment buttons only.
§Centre the QS Lock and unlock all buttons.
§Toggle the QS Lock to your left to lock all buttons.
§Pressing the up and down buttons at the same time accesses the menu. The menu has Mode (Smart, RBA, Turbo, TC in most common materials), Setting (clear puffs, adjust screen brightness and display time), About the Device, and Exit.
§Pressing the fire and down button at the same time is a shortcut to clearing puffs.
As you can see, most of the mod’s operation is centred around the QS Lock. It’s simple and easy enough to use, but I do wish that Voopoo will include a shortcut (like three clicks of the fire button) to easily switch between mod modes rather than going into the menu just to do this.
Smart mode is when the mod reads the coil resistance and assigns a wattage limit automatically. The RBA mode opens up the whole wattage range depending on the battery you’ll use. TC would surely be welcome for TC vapers, and the mod does have memory slots for 3 presets. Coming to Turbo, this mode is supposed to deliver a more concentrated burst of power to the coil, and it does. But in my opinion and in the way I like to vape, it doesn’t really make a world of difference, especially when using the TPP coils supplied with the kit. I am satisfied enough with vaping these coils in Smart mode.
As with all Voopoo mods I have used in recent years, the Argus XT fires lightning quick and doesn’t really ramp up: it hits fully from the split second I press the fire button. I have to say that this is something I find unique to Voopoo and is always a pro in my book.
The mod does charge quickly via its 3A charging, but Voopoo didn’t include a fast-charger set with this kit (maybe there will be an FC option kit in future?). Nonetheless, this mod charged my partially drained cells very quickly and didn’t get warm either during charging, even in the hot summer we are having in the UK. But as always, I highly recommend using an external charger rather than charging your cells using your mods!
Overall: Yay or Nay?
For a solid, tri-proof single battery kit, the Argus XT Kit does receive a Yay from yours truly! As said, I really like the MAAT Tank New combined with the TPP coils for its smooth airflow and great flavour. The mod looks and feels sturdy, and does have a boost to achieve true wattage even with diminishing battery life.
I would recommend this kit to vapers wanting to get into sub-ohm vaping for its simplicity, or for vapers wanting a decent DL kit that requires just a single battery without sacrificing the power delivered to the coils.
The QS Lock does make operating the mod so easy; you wouldn’t even need to look at it to lock the mod!