Today we’re reviewing Voopoo’s latest offering in the Drag series of mods, their Drag 5 kit that’s coupled with the new UForce-X Tank.
Drag 5 with UForce-X Tank Vs Drag 4 with UForce-L Tank
The Drag 5 is a subtle upgrade, with a face-lift over the earlier Drag 4 which we reviewed at the back end of 2022. Its form and function are similar to the Drag 4 with a few tweaks here and there but it does come with one major change. The rigid C-Frame battery door has now been replaced with an innovative leather hide magnetic battery door cover that looks and works really well.
UForce-X Tank with PnP-X Coils
UForce-L Tank with PnP Coils
Where the earlier Drag 4 kit included the very popular UForce-L tank with PnP coils (which we also saw when reviewing the Drag M100 S and Argus MT/XT), the Drag 5 kit includes the new UForce-X tank which accepts the latest PnP-X series of coils. We’ve used these coils when we reviewed the Drag S2/X2 and Argus E40.
I have high expectations with this new release as the kits I’ve mentioned above are all really good devices and have a lot in common with the Drag 5 kit. Performance and longevity from the PnP-X coil range is well proven and are some of the best coils we’ve come across.
Having reviewed an endless stream of Pod kits and Disposables over the last couple of years, it’s our pleasure to get our hands on a Mod and Tank setup again to get our teeth into. I was beginning to forget what a 510 thread was!
As always we’ll give a quick overview covering the main points and features of the Voopoo Drag 5 kit and then jump into the main body of the review covering everything there is to know about it.
Overview of the Drag 5 Kit
The Drag 5 is an external dual 18650 battery full feature box style mod with a maximum output power of 177W. Its operating modes include Smart (auto coil detect), RBA (variable wattage), Temperature Control with 4 pre-set wire types and an Eco mode.
We also have the animated graphic display that we’ve started seeing on Voopoo’s Vmate i2 and Argus G2 pod mods that we’ve recently reviewed. Dont panic, the animation can be turned off under the THEME menu options.
A 3A Type-C USB super-fast charging port is located on the front panel just below the + and – control buttons with the larger fire button positioned towards the top of the mod just above the 0.96 inch colored display. The Drag 5 maintains the round toggle switch just below the display which was on the Drag 4 that is configurable to lock/unlock the device, lock/unlock the control buttons or turn the device on/off.
The dual battery compartment door is now upgraded (well completely changed) from the C shaped lift out rigid frame which covered two thirds of the Drag 4 body. The Drag 5 utilizes a magnetic slide to open leather hide C-Frame panel that lifts open to access the dual battery compartment. It still covers two thirds of the body but the reverse side is magnetically attached and can be completely removed. This gives the added possibility of purchasing different covers to personalize your device.
Control of the Drag 5 mod is carried out by the GENE.TT 2.0 chip, providing accurate power levels, ultra-fast firing speeds, individually monitored battery management and the usual host of safety features including a new function called “Battery Evaluation System” that informs you of the condition of your batteries. One of my matched pair of batteries was showing one of them to have a problem as you can see in the photo above.
Included in the Drag 5 kit is the all new UForce-X tank with an e-liquid capacity of 5.5ml (standard) or 2ml (TPD). It’s a slide to open top fill cap with a removable wide bore drip tip and fully adjustable dual slot top located airflow control. It accepts the complete range of Voopoo’s PnP-X push fit coils and comes supplied with both the PnP-X 0.15 ohm and 0.3 ohm coils.
Voopoo Drag 5 & UForce-X Tank Kit Review
Drag 5 177W Mod
·Dimensions: 55.1mm (W) x 26.1mm (D) x 89.4mm (H)
·Weight: 156.58 grams (excluding batteries)
·Construction: Zinc Alloy + Leather
·Charging: Type-C USB (5V/3A)
·Output Wattage: 5W – 177W
·Temperature: 100 – 315C / 200 – 600F
·Output Voltage: 3.2V – 8.4V
·Resistance Range: 0.05 ohm – 3 ohm
·Battery Specification: External Dual 18650’s (not included)
·Display: 0.96 inch Multi-color OLED + Animated Graphics
·Firing Mechanism: Button Fire Activated
·Connection Type: Threaded 510
·Output Modes: Variable Wattage (RBA)/Smart/Eco/TC SS316/SS430/Ni200/Ti
·Chip Set: GENE.TT 2.0 Chip
·Front Fitted 3in1 Multi Lock Switch
·Battery Evaluation System
·7 Different Colors
·6 Safety Protections
UForce-X Tank
·Dimensions: 29mm x 52.95mm (Standard) / 28.4mm x 49.95mm (TPD)
·Weight: 65.76 grams
·Construction: Stainless Steel + Pyrex Glass
·E-liquid Capacity: 5.5ml (Standard), 2ml (TPD)
·Filling Method: Slide To Open Top Fill
·Coil Type: All PnP-X Coil Series – 0.15 ohm / 0.3 ohm Included
·Airflow: Fully Adjustable Top Dual Airflow Slots
·Connection Type: Threaded 510
·Drip Tip: Wide Bore
The combined height of the Drag 5 and UForce-X tank (standard version) is 142.7mm with the combined weight being 227.5 grams. When the dual batteries and the PnP-X coil is fitted the overall weight is 325.5 grams making the Drag 5 and UForce tank a very solid and hefty device.
What’s in the Box?
·Voopoo Drag 5 177W Mod
·Voopoo UForce-X Tank (5.5ml)
·PnP-X Mesh Coil (0.15 ohm)
·PnP-X Mesh Coil (0.3 ohm)
·Spare Glass – 5.5ml Bubble Glass
·Spare Silicone O-Rings Pack
·Type-C USB Cable
·User Manual
·Battery Warning Card
·PnP-X Platform Card
Voopoo Drag 5 Kit Packaging
The packaging box is quite unique in that it’s quite a large box and colored gold with a magnetically released lift open side and top section that folds back giving access to the contents within.
Once the top is opened and the opaque sheet of paper with the wording “Drag 5 Designed By Voopoo” is removed, the Drag 5, UForce-X tank and the spare 5.5ml bubble glass sit separately housed in a white plastic insert.
Underneath this plastic insert is a white box that contains the two PnP-X coils, a sachet of different spare O-rings, the Type-C USB charging cable, user manual, battery warning card and the PnP-X platform card.
On the front of the packaging box on the left hand side are the words “Voopoo” and “Drag 5” in large lettering with a smaller “Gene TT” and “Designed By Voopoo” underneath. The remainder of the front has abstract images of different patterns and shapes with another abstract image of the Drag 5 all in two-tone gold.
The reverse side of the box is plain gold colored and includes the package contents, an authentication sticker, the manufacturer’s details and the relevant safety marks and warnings.
One side of the packaging includes the abstract images with a QR code and the other side has a full length gold sticker that has a photo of the Drag 5 kit with its name above, the color name of the included device and 3 bullet points that read “PnP-X Platform”, “Smart Leather Cover” and “Battery Evaluation System”.
The overall dimensions of the packaging box measures 131mm x 123mm x 52mm.
Preparing to Use the Voopoo Drag 5 Kit
Once you’ve unboxed your Drag 5, slide open the battery door and fit your fully charged pair of matched batteries. The battery orientation is clearly marked in the battery tray with a “+” and “-” symbol in each battery compartment. Yes they are Iron Man battery wraps!
Undo the bottom of the UForce-X tank, remove one of the PnP-X coils from its sealed carton and drip a few drops of e-liquid into each wicking port. Fit the coil into the bottom of the tank and resecure the base of the tank.
Fill the tank with your e-liquid and leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes so the e-liquid saturates the wicking material. Once this time has passed, screw the UForce-X tank into the 510 thread on the top of the Drag 5 and turn it on by pressing the fire button 5 times.
Switch the Drag 5 to RBA mode by pressing the + and – buttons together and selecting the “Mode” menu then “RBA”. Press the – control button to set the wattage to around 15W and take a few draws to slowly bed your new coil in. Gradually increase the wattage, each time talking a few draws until you reach the wattage that gives you your desired draw. Don’t forget to adjust your airflow setting to suit your style of vaping.
The Drag 5 has a clear film sticker that protects the smoked black transparent full length screen and control buttons during the packing process and transportation. It’s down to user preference whether you remove this or leave as it is.
For reference, we’ve written a detailed description on all of the menus and how to select and adjust them in the Functionality section of this review. We’ve also covered how to Charge and Fill your Voopoo Drag 5 and UForce-X tank.
Voopoo Drag 5 Kit Design and Appearance
Drag 5 Mod
The Drag 5 is constructed out of Zinc Alloy with a leather wrap-around hide magnetically attached battery door cover and measures 89.4mm tall (excluding the tank), 55.1mm wide by 26.1mm deep. It’s a very solid and very robust device, weighing in at a hefty 156.58 grams (249 grams with both 18650 batteries fitted).
It’s a multi-function mod capable of 5W – 177W with the following 4 different operating modes:
·RBA: Variable wattage from 5W – 177W
·SMART: Auto selects the optimum wattage and limits the maximum wattage for each coil type
·ECO: Power saving mode to conserve battery power
·TC: Temperature Control modes with 4 selectible options of SS316, SS430, Ni200 and Titanium (Ti)
Although the Drag 5 has temperature control, it is limited to the 4 selectable wire types. There is no option for selecting TCR (Temperature Coefficient of Resistance) so you can’t input any wire type.
Dual external 18650 batteries (not included) power the mod with the batteries fitted in the dual battery tray which is concealed behind the magnetic slide to lift open and fold back leather frame cover.
This cover can also be completely removed giving the option of customizing your Drag 5 with a different color battery frame cover.
A small arrow with the words “PUSH” are indented into the left side edge of the leather hide next to the chrome finished metal edge showing the direction the leather cover slides to open. The inside of the leather hide has thin metal plates within the backing material that provide the magnetic attachment to the Drag 5 body.
Once the leather hide frame is opened, the dual battery compartment is visible and shows the correct orientation that the two batteries need to be fitted. A nylon strap is fixed to the inside of the battery compartment to aid removing the batteries once they’re fitted.
Branding in the battery compartment is quite detailed and includes the following:
·“+” and “–“ battery orientations
·“A” and “B” for each battery tray
·“Just Drag” stamped into the side case
·“Spark Your Life” on the nylon battery strap
·“Gene TT” and “CE” marking on the back of the battery tray
Two large rectangular magnets above and below the battery tray do a good job of securing the leather left side panel with two smaller magnets ensuring the back end of the leather hide remains secure.
A further raised long chrome bar magnet aligns with the corresponding cut out in the back of the battery tray to secure the right hand side of the leather hide.
With the leather hide wrap-around panel fitted, the left hand side has “Voopoo” branded into the leather and the back side has a stitched full length zip effect panel.
The right hand side has another stitched rubber panel that has the words “Drag Drag Drag” with two circular discs either side of the Drag words that have “Button Button” around them. What this panel is supposed to depict is beyond me!
The only other branding on the Drag 5 is on the right hand side of the colored zinc alloy body, below the “Drag Drag Drag” stitching with “Voopoo” in very discrete lettering.
At the top of the Drag 5 mod is a flush fitting circular off-centered aluminium plate that’s secured to the Drag 5 casing with 3 star shaped screws. Within this plate is a slightly raised center threaded 510 insert with the spring loaded center pin that’s isolated with an opaque silicone O-ring.
The base of the Drag 5 is flat and because of the weight and large cross-sectional area of the device means it easily stands upright and won’t topple over.
On the front of the Drag 5 is a full length black insert panel that contains the fire button, + and – control buttons, multi-function toggle button/switch, the Type-C USB charging port and a multi-colored 0.96 inch OLED display.
Changing the screen colors is done by selecting the “Colour” option in the menu settings to switch between the 5 different color options:
·Classic
·Green
·Pink
·Purple
·Yellow
An 11.5mm circular chrome fire button with a convex surface sits just above the OLED display and two smaller 6mm + and – control buttons in the same style and finish are positioned just above the Type-C USB charging port.
Above these two control buttons is a third slider button that has a multi-function operation and is configurable from the “Switch” menu to operate under the following conditions:
·Device Lock/Unlock
·Power On/Off
·+ / – button adjustment Lock/Unlock (W)
Depending on what action you’ve selected, this operation is carried out by moving the slider in the up or down position. Down will activate the selection i.e. lock and Up will unlock. When the switch is moved, the screen will display the lock/unlock symbol and the main display will also show a locked red padlock symbol to let you know that operation is locked.
We saw the introduction of this multi toggle switch on the Drag 4 and Argus MT/XT which worked really well in that you can configure the switch to operate for the separate functions giving you that extra control.
The two + and – control buttons, the fire button and the lock/unlock slider have a positive “click” feel to them with NO button rattle at all.
All of the user information is clearly visible on the display, even in pretty bright sunlight. Different color display options are selectable via the “Colour” menu. Further explanation of these options and the different menu settings are detailed in the Functionality section of this review.
The information on the main display includes the following:
·Selected mode (RBA / Smart / Eco / TC)
·Dual battery level icons with % values
·Wattage / Voltage / Temperature levels
·Lock / Unlock
·Coil resistance reading
·Puff Counter
·Vape time duration
·Animated Flame graphic when fired
Control of the Drag 5 is carried out by the GENE.TT 2.0 chipset and provides all the necessary protection and will display these notifications on the 0.96 inch OLED display screen:
·Time Out
·Check Atomizer (no resistance detected)
·High Temperature Protection
·Low Voltage / Battery Low
·Atomizer Short / Low Resistance Protection
·Same / New Coil Selection
·Device Function Lock / Unlock
·Charging
·Max Power
Charging the dual batteries in the mod can be carried out using the supplied charging cable plugged into the Type-C USB port on the lower part of the front panel, just below the + and – control buttons. This USB port is specified as 5V/3A so to maximize high speed charging you will need a QC compatible charge source/plug.
However, I always recommend using a dedicated external battery charger and not using the on-board USB port as you have control of the charging currents, the benefit of advanced protection and can see the real time status of the batteries. I will try the on-board charging circuit and report what happens in the How Do I Charge The Drag 5 section.
The Drag 5 kit we received from Voopoo was Gradient Blue color and can be seen in the photos within this review. There are a total of 7 available color options in the Drag 5 range, each having different color Zinc Alloy bodies and a different color/pattern leather hide battery door panel. As far as I can tell the included UForce-X tank comes in 3 colors, either black, gunmetal or silver and depends on which color Drag 5 you choose.
Voopoo Drag 4
Voopoo Drag 5
When comparing the Drag 5 against the earlier Drag 4, its build quality, functionality and aesthetics although quite similar is a welcomed improvement.
UForce-X Tank
UForce-X Tank with PnP-X Coils
UForce-L Tank with PnP Coils
Before we delve into what the UForce-X tank is all about, it’s not too dissimilar to the U-Force-L tank that came with the earlier Drag 4 kit, Drag M100 S kit and the Argus MT/XT kit. There are differences but in essence the UForce-L tank accepts the PnP series of coils and the UForce-X tank utilizes the newer PnP-X series of coils. It’s now a slide to open top fill cap instead of the earlier quarter turn lift off top cap.
The UForce-X is top fill and top variable airflow tank with a removable 810 wide bore mouthpiece and a 5.5ml e-liquid capacity from the fitted Pyrex bubble glass. Unfortunately TPD user will have the 2ml version which uses a smaller straight glass. The measurements of the two different capacity tanks are:
·2ml tank = 28.4mm in diameter by 49.95mm tall
·5.5ml tank = 29mm in diameter by 52.95mm tall
Made out of stainless steel, the UForce-X tank feels very solid and really well made. The threads feel smooth and well machined and the slide to open / close top cap has a positive action to it. It’s a pretty heavy tank weighing in at 70.85 grams with the 5.5ml bubble glass fitted minus the coil.
To open the sliding top cap, there is a directional arrow printed on the top on the cap with the words “Push” on the side edge. Push the top cap in this direction and it will slide open to reveal a silicone rubber seal (membrane) enclosing the fill port opening.
The top cap will only open half way but is enough to pass the tip of your e-liquid bottle through the rubber seal to fill. If you’re using large e-liquid bottles to may have to remove the 810 mouthpiece so the tip of the e-liquid bottle can pass through the membrane.
Below this top cap is the variable airflow control ring making the UForce-X tank a top airflow design so there’s no leaking from the dual Cyclops slots. There is no end stop so the control ring will continually turn round. Printed on this ring is the branding “Voopoo” and “PnP-X”.
To gain access to the coil chamber, unscrew the base of the tank that incorporates the threaded 510 connector. Once the bottom 510 base section of the tank is unscrewed, you can insert the push fit PnP-X coil into the bottom of the tank.
On the inside of the 510 base, there is a gold plated spring loaded center coil positive contact pin that is isolated from the base plate with a silicone seal. Either side of this pin are two raised tags that latch into the coil base plate.
With the 510 base removed, the 5.5ml pyrex glass can then be gently eased off from its silicone rubber seals if cleaning is needed or you need to replace the bubble glass. This glass fits either way round so there’s no need to worry about its orientation.
Because of the range of push fit PnP-X coils available, the UForce-X tank is extremely versatile in catering for various styles of vaping.
Two PnP-X coils are supplied with the Drag 5 kit, a 0.15 ohm mesh rated at 60W – 80W and a 0.3 ohm mesh coil rated at 32W – 40W. Additional PnP-X coils can be purchased and these currently include:
·PnP-X 0.2 ohm mesh rated at 40W – 60W
·PnP-X 0.45 ohm mesh rated at 25W – 32W
·PnP-X 0.6 ohm mesh rated at 18W – 23W
On the base (underneath) of the tank are the words “UForce-X Tank” printed in small white lettering together with the CE markings.
The only other markings are on the chimney section. There are 3 images of a 3 headed Wolf like figure with what looks like a fang neck collar. A bit hard to describe but you can see what I mean in the photo.
Color wise, the UForce-X tank is available in 3 different color options; Silver, Black and Gunmetal. The one that came with the Gradient Blue kit we received was the black version.
The UForce-X tank dismantles into 5 sections, including the coil, with 2 O-rings sealing the Pyrex glass, 1 O-ring sealing the 510 base section and 2 O-rings on the 810 drip tip.
I have to say the earlier UForce-L tank was one of the best looking and functional tanks I’d come across and have been using them for the last couple of years. The UForce-X tank is equally as impressive and no doubt will be using this for a long time to come.
Voopoo Drag 5 Mod Functionality
Before we detail what the Drag 5 has to offer, it is very similar to the Drag 4 functionality and menu layout with just a couple of additions. Because of this, we’ve used the same wording we used for the Drag 4 review with the appropriate changes where applicable.
The Drag 5 mod is a 5W-177W variable power (RBA mode) device which also includes 4 different temperature control modes (SS316, SS430, NI200 and TI). There are also modes for “Smart” coil detection and an Eco mode to conserve battery power.
Although it facilitates temperature control, there is no option for setting your own Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (TCR) values. Equally there is also no Variable Power Curve (VPC) option.
Accessing these different functions is carried out using combinations of the fire button and the + and – buttons with the 0.96 inch colored OLED display highlighting all these changes.
It’s worth having a read of the manual to familiarize yourself with the structure of the menus. The manual is very good as it shows and explains most of the available options. The menu structure is straight forward and easy to follow but I would recommend for the first time having a play with the different menu’s to familiarize yourself before you fit the UForce-X tank.
A quick start guide of the basic functions are:
·Front slide switch will lock/unlock the device, power on/off or unlock the +/- buttons
·Fire button pressed 5 times turns the device on or off
·If front switch is configured to on/off, fire button pressed 3 times will lock/unlock the device
·+ button will increase the wattage in 1W steps
·– button will decrease the wattage in 1W steps
·In TC mode, Fire button and + button will access the Wattage
·In TC mode, Fire button and – button will switch between degC/degF
·In TC mode, + button will increase the temperature in 1 deg steps
·In TC mode, – button will decrease the temperature in 1 deg steps
·+ and – buttons together will switch to the menu settings
Included on the 0.96 inch OLED colored display Main screen is all of the read-out information as follows:
·Numerical Wattage/Temperature values
·Selected mode (RBA / Smart / Eco / TC)
·Dual battery level icons with % value
·Smaller Wattage / Voltage levels
·Lock / Unlock
·Coil resistance reading
·Puff Counter
·Vape time duration
·Animated Flame graphic when fired
Also the safety read-outs and the protection of the Drag 5 are:
·Reverse Battery Protection
·Overtime Protection (10s)
·No Atomizer (open circuit protection)
·High Temperature Protection
·Low Battery (low voltage protection)
·Atomizer Short (short circuit protection)
·Over Charge Protection
·Over Discharge Protection
·Max Power Protection
Turning the Drag 5 mod on/off is carried out by pressing the fire button 5 times in quick succession. When turning on, the screen will display “Voopoo” with “Just Drag” and then the control chip version “GENE.FAN V2.0”. After that, the display shows the mode you are in, displaying the coil resistance, volts, wattage or temperature, puff counter, vape time reading and battery status.
When turning off, press the fire button 5 times in quick succession and the mod will display “OFF” and then shut down.
Switching between the different modes is very straight-forward and the display is very intuitive. The display is not cluttered and the size of the numerical information, especially the wattage/temp values make it easy to read. Brightness of the display is nice and bright so will be no trouble seeing in normal sunlight.
In-activity of any button presses after a period of 30 seconds will put the display into standby mode (blank).
The multi-function toggle button switch just below the display can be configured from the “Switch” menu to lock/unlock the Drag 5, lock/unlock the wattage/temperature control buttons or power the device on/off.
·Device Lock/Unlock
·Power On/Off
·Wattage Adjustment Lock/Unlock
Moving the slider switch button down will put the Drag 5 into the lock position. The initial screen will display the lock/unlock symbol (red = locked, green = unlocked) and the main display will also show a locked red padlock symbol to let you know that operation is locked. Moving the slider up will unlock the function.
If you’ve configured the switch to turn the Drag 5 on/off, moving the slider button down will turn the device off and moving the slider button up will turn the device on.
Menu Settings
To gain access to the menu screen settings, press the + and – buttons together. The display will switch from the main screen to a menu screen showing the following:
·Mode (additional menus)
·Switch (additional menus)
·Colour (additional menus)
·Battery Evaluate – Checks the performance of both batteries
·Puff Reset – Yes/No
·Theme – On/Off – Animated real time flame while vaping
·About – Chip ID / Level Code
·Exit – Returns to Main screen display
Use the + or – button to scroll through the available options. As you scroll through each one, the one that’s selected will be highlighted. Press the fire button on the selected menu and it will take you to that particular menu.
Mode Menu
You can select the mode of operation you require. With the Mode screen highlighted, press the fire button and it will take you to the available options under that menu:
·Smart – Selects auto coil recognition
·RBA – Normal power mode
·ECO – Conserves battery power
·TC – Temperature control (additional sub-menus)
·Back – Returns to main screen
Use the + or – buttons to select the mode you want by highlighting that menu. Press the fire button and it will set that mode of operation.
The only menu that has additional sub menus is the TC mode as follows:
·Ni200
·Ti
·SS 316
·SS 430
·Back – Returns to main screen
Use the + or – buttons to scroll through each of the available settings. As you scroll through each one, the one that’s highlighted can be selected by pressing the fire button.
Switch Menu
You can configure the operation of the button slider lock/unlock switch. With the SWITCH screen highlighted, press the fire button and it will take you to the available options under that menu:
·Lock/Unlock (lock/unlock whole device)
·Power On/Off
·W Lock/Unlock (lock/unlock +/- control buttons)
·Back – Returns to main screen
Use the + or – buttons to select the mode you want by highlighting that menu. Press the fire button and it will set that mode of operation.
Colour Menu
You can change the color of the main display. With the COLOUR screen highlighted, press the fire button and it will take you to the available options under that menu:
·Classic
·Green
·Pink
·Purple
·Yellow
·Back – Returns to main screen
Use the + or – buttons to select the color you want by highlighting that menu. Press the fire button and it will set the display screen to that color.
Temperature Control Adjustment
If you want to vape in temperature control mode, select the Mode menu using the +/- buttons together then scroll down to TC and press the fire button. The screen displays the 4 different options of Ni200, Ti, SS316 and SS430.
Select the option you require and press the fire button. The main display will now show the mode you’ve selected and the numerical value of the temperature in either #C or #F.
The + and – buttons will increase and decrease the temperature values and pressing the fire button and – button together will switch between degreesC and degreesF. The range of temperature control for each mode is:
·Centigrade – 100C -315C
·Farenheight – 200F – 600F
To alter the wattage while in temperature control mode, press the fire button and + button together. The small “W” wattage value to the right of the battery icons will flash. While it’s flashing, use the + or – buttons to select the maximum wattage that can be achieved.
Observation: I will be honest and say I don’t vape in temperature control mode. From what I’ve understood, I have two concerns that I’m not sure about. The maximum wattage that can be set only goes up to 80W and I couldn’t find any way of locking the resistance.
Also I struggled to get it to operate at all in temperature mode. Irrespective of the temperature values I used, it would only fire if I set the small wattage value to the watts I was using in either Smart, Eco or RBA mode.
I suspect the wire type of the PnP-X 0.15 ohm and PnP-X 0.3 ohm coils are Kanthal so won’t operate in TC mode. I would have thought that selecting TC using these coils if they are Kanthal would have prohibited the operation.
I did build an NI200 coil on my RDA and tried it on the Drag 5 but still struggled to get it working in TC mode. I had the same issues as this on the Drag 4 so it would be interesting to hear from any TC vapers as to how they get on with vaping in this mode.
Overview of Modes
The user manual, while covering the available options, doesn’t quite detail what each mode setting does. To give a little insight to what the different options mean, we’ve included a brief description below:
Smart Mode
Smart mode will auto detect the type of coil fitted and set the optimum wattage for that coil. This is only a guide as you can adjust the wattage up or down using the + / – control buttons. What the Smart mode does is limit the maximum wattage you can go up to depending on the coil type you’re using.
You won’t be able to increase the wattage beyond the maximum wattage specified for the type of coil that’s in the tank. In the case of the two different supplied coils, the maximum wattage available before the display indicates “MAX POWER” is:
·PnP-X 0.15 ohm = 80W
·PnP-X 0.3 ohm = 40W
RBA Mode
RBA mode, while meaning something different to me (Re-Buildable Atomizer), is basically the standard wattage mode. The Drag 5 will operate between 5W all the way up to 177W in 1W increments. Holding down the + or – button will scroll through the increments faster.
There is no round robin when using the + / – buttons, once you reach the maximum value (177W) the display will show “MAX POWER”. You will have to press the – button to go back down and vice versa for the minimum value.
ECO Mode:
Eco mode is a selectable option and Voopoo state this as a function to conserve battery power. Switching between ECO mode and RBA mode irrespective of the remaining battery charge didn’t appear to show any difference in power.
From Voopoo’s literature, I was expecting the Eco mode to kick in when the remaining battery percentage reaches 20%. I assumed from the description than an icon appears on the display asking if you want to enter the ECO mode “Y” or “N”. I didn’t get this option come up.
I continued vaping on the Drag 5 in RBA mode until the batteries reached below 10% and then even further until I reached “Check Battery” and still didn’t see the “Eco Y/N” icon. I’ve been vaping on the Drag 5 for nearly three weeks having recharged the batteries many times in that time. Each time the batteries discharged, the “Eco Y/N” icon didn’t appear.
Observation
I’m struggling to understand what the “Eco” mode actually does. To conserve the remaining battery power, the Drag 5 would have to automatically reduce the wattage level and or limit the function or display. From what I see you can adjust the wattage levels in Eco mode the same as if in RBA mode. This begs the question why even have an Eco mode!
That covers the functionality and what the Drag 5 mod is capable of doing. The menu structure is very intuitive to navigate though and once you’ve familiarized yourself with the options, it’s very easy to use.
The 0.96 inch OLED screen is bright, crisp and the detailed information is clearly visible. The main numerical wattage and temperature levels are large and very easy to see.
Voopoo Drag 5 Kit Performance
Both the PnP-X 0.15 ohm (black O-ring) and PnP-X 0.3 ohm (red O-ring) coils provided in the Drag 5 kit for the UForce-X tank are Direct-To-Lung (DTL) coils. I believe they are Kanthal A1 mesh coils but I couldn’t find out what the coil wire type was.
As I mentioned earlier in the review, I struggled to get TC working with these coils so can only assume they are Kanthal. Because of this, my performance tests were only carried out in RBA and Smart mode.
Even though I verified what the wattage values were in Smart mode for each coil, I always bed my coils in initially at well below the minimum recommended wattage level so not to stress the coils too quickly.
The PnP-X coils and their wicking ports are a reasonable size so are capable of working equally well with 50/50 VG/PG or 70/30 VG/PG ratio e-liquids.
PnP-X 0.15 ohm Mesh Coil (Black O-Rings)
Voopoo specify the minimum and maximum wattage range for this coil is 60W – 80W.
When the Drag 5 is set to “Smart” mode, the wattage will be automatically set to 65W. The operating wattage of the Drag 5, when using the 0.15 ohm coil is 5W to 80W.
After priming the coil, filling the tank with 70VG/50PG Malaysian Mango e-liquid and waiting 10-15 minutes, I set the wattage to 20W to take a few draws to bed the coil in. Even at this wattage, the flavor was present and was giving a pretty good vape with ok vapor.
Taking it up to 30W was another experience, everything performed great. The flavor and vapor came through really good. At 40W and 50W the flavor was about the same but the amount of vapor was insane.
Increasing the wattage to 55W and then incrementing it to 80W was amazing. This was way too intense for my style of vaping but the old fashioned cloud chasers would love this.
My ideal wattage for this coil was 25W with the airflow fully open. I do prefer a long slow draw so this low wattage is perfect for my style of vaping. The airflow on this tank is nothing short of amazing. It produces one of the best DTL draws I’ve experienced, only rivalled by the UForce-L tank.
PnP-X 0.3 ohm Mesh Coil (Red O-Rings)
Voopoo specify the minimum and maximum wattage range for this coil is 32W – 40W.
When the Drag 5 is set to “Smart” mode, the wattage will be automatically set to 35W. The operating wattage of the Drag 5, when using the 0.3 ohm coil is 5W to 40W.
After priming the coil and using the same e-liquid and VG/PG ratio as the PnP-X 0.15 ohm coil, I started off at 10W. The flavor and vapor was already present with pretty good results. Increasing the wattage to 15W produce decent flavor and quite dense vapor.
At 20W both the flavor and vapor was really good . Incrementing the wattage in 2W steps each time still gave the same great flavor with the level of vapor increasing and only requiring a shorter draw.
Increasing it further to the minimum recommended for the coil (32W) and the Smart coil detect at 35W did increase the intensity of the draw but I felt it was not needed. This level of power for me again really was too intense.
My ideal wattage for this coil was around the 15W – 18W power level with the airflow half open.
Flavor and vapor was equally as impressive as the PnP-X 0.15 coil. Airflow control really is amazing, a smooth draw with no turbulence and VERY airy with the airflow open and an RDL draw with the airflow virtually shut off.
Coil Summary
Both these coils produced terrific results. I use a lot of different Voopoo PnP-X coils in other mods/pods I have and the flavor from them has always been very good, these are no exception. The amount of vapor always surprises me; for quite small coils and not really that high wattage the vapor is off the charts.
Vaping on these coils at lower wattage’s can easily be done with very good results. I do feel that the Smart auto setting on these coils is too high which ultimately will reduce the lifespan of the coil.
Airflow, as expected from the large dual cyclops slots was very airy and gave one of the best DTL draws ever. No turbulence was detected and the vape draw was very smooth. Reducing the airflow for a Restrictive Direct to Lung draw (RDL) needed the airflow control ring to be just off the fully closed position.
Voopoo Drag 5 Battery Performance
The Drag 5 mod is powered by dual 18650 batteries. Always ensure you only use ‘Matched Pairs’. Further understanding on married/matched batteries can be found in our guide Matched/Married/Paired Batteries.
I opted to use my matched Samsung 30Q batteries (20A/3000mAh) and was getting 1.5 days vaping when using the 0.15 ohm coil at 25W before I needed to re-charge. Obviously these vape times are very subjective and depend on several factors:
·Your vaping style
·Type of coil you’re using
·Capacity of your batteries
·Age of your batteries
·Power level (wattage) you vape at
Switching out the coil and using the PnP-X 0.3 ohm coil with the power level set to 15W increased my vaping times between charges to around 2 days.
The Drag 5 indicates the status of both the individual batteries with the percentage value against each battery icon on its display so you can keep an eye on the remaining charge of your batteries. The little icons will turn red when the batteries reach less than 10% remaining charge.
When your batteries run out of charge, the display will indicate “Check Battery” and you will no longer be able to vape. At this point you will have to re-charge your batteries or swap out for another set of fully charged batteries.
Unfortunately the Drag 5 doesn’t include pass-thru vaping so you won’t be able to vape while your batteries are being charged in the mod. I do recommend charging your batteries in an external battery charger.
Please use our Battery Amp Draw/Drain Calculator to determine the correct CDR value batteries you should use for the wattage you plan to vape at. Using the Drag 5 with another RBA or RTA tank at wattage’s in excess of 110W will require higher value CDR batteries than the one’s I’m currently using.
How do I Fill the Voopoo UForce-X Tank?
The UForce-X tank is a top filling slide to open mechanism, it really is very easy to fill. You simply slide the top cap in the direction of the indented arrow symbol that’s on the top cap just above the PUSH writing and VOOPOO branding.
Once the top cap slides open, the fill port with its opaque silicone rubber membrane seal will become visible. Pass the tip of your e-liquid bottle through the opening of the silicone rubber seal and fill the UForce-X tank with your e-liquid.
Once filled, remove the e-liquid bottle from the filling port and slide the top cap back into position ensuring the opaque silicone seal is no longer visible and the top cap is flush with the airflow control ring.
As we mentioned earlier, if you’re using large e-liquid bottle and the tip of the e-liquid bottle doesn’t make contact with the fill port hole, remove the 810 bore mouthpiece and try again.
Quick Tip: If you are filling the tank for the first time, drip a few drops of e liquid onto the wicking ports of the coil first. Push the coil into the tank then fill the tank and leave to stand for approx. 10-15 minutes before you start to vape. This will help saturate the wick fully in e-liquid and help prolong the life of your coil.
How do I Change the Coil in the Voopoo UForce-X Tank?
When the coil you’re using shows an “Atomizer Short” or your e-liquid starts producing a burnt taste it’s time to replace your coil with a new one.
Unscrew the UForce-X tank off the Drag 5 mod. Grasp both the top cap and glass tube then slowly unscrew the bottom 510 threaded base section anti-clockwise. Continue unscrewing until the base section comes away from the main body of the tank.
Because the Voopoo coils are a push fit type, simply pull the old coil out from the bottom of the tank and replace with a new one.
Do note if the tank has e-liquid in it while you’re removing the coil, e-liquid will spill from the tank. The best method to avoid this or to keep e-liquid spillage to a minimum is to hold the tank upside down (drip tip pointing downwards), place your finger tightly over the opening of the drip tip and then remove the coil.
Replace with a new coil while still holding your finger over the drip tip. Turn the tank the right way up and take your finger off the drip tip. Re-secure the base section ensuring it’s securely fitted but not over tightened.
Fill the tank up with your e-liquid using the procedure outlined in How Do I Fill The UForce-X Tank.
Do ensure that your new coil is primed and when filled, left to stand for 15 minutes so the e-liquid fully saturates the wick. See our guide on Prolonging the Life of your Coil.
How do I Charge the Voopoo Drag 5 Mod?
As with most external battery mods, there are always 2 ways which you can charge the battery. Either in the mod itself or using an external charger (recommended).
The Drag 5 has a front panel located Type-C USB port just below the + and – buttons. A Type-C USB charging cable comes supplied with the kit. Simply connect the cable into the USB port on the front of the Drag 5 mod and the other end into a suitable USB power source. The specified charging circuit of the Drag 5 is 5V/3A.
Because of this super-fast 3A capability, it’s great that it charges super quick but I would take caution as I personally would always charge my batteries at a lower charge rate. It’s perfect for charging on the go, but at this high amp rate I would recommend using an external battery charger at a lower charge rate to prolong the life of your batteries.
When the Drag 5 mod is first placed on charge, the main display will switch after a few seconds to a battery charging icon showing a dotted circle with the percentage values of the two batteries inside. Underneath this is a moving data type icon that makes it look like power is going into the batteries.
After approximately 10 seconds, the screen brightness will dim down to half brightness. A further couple of minutes later the display goes blank. At this point there is no visual indication that the batteries are being charged.
To see the charge status of your batteries, you will have to press either the fire button or the +/- control button on the Drag 5 to bring up the display again but it will only remain visible for another few minutes.
Full charge is achieved when both batteries indicate 100%. The Drag 5 does stop charging when full charge is reached but again there is no display indication that lets you know this unless you press a button.
I’ve seen this on a couple of mods before and to be honest I don’t like it. When I place a mod on charge I want to see a visual indication that the batteries are being charged throughout the charging cycle. I don’t want to have to keep pressing buttons to see the charge status of my batteries.
There is NO Pass-Through function on the Drag 5 so you will NOT be able to vape while it’s being charged. This further cements the advantage of charging your batteries in an external battery charger and having spare charged batteries so you can just swap them out.
Charging time from full discharge to fully charged took approximately 2 hours on my 3000mAh batteries when using a standard 5V/2.1A source. This time will vary depending on the current rating of the source plug and the capacity of the battery you’re using.
As with any vape device, ALWAYS charge the mod resting on a non-flammable surface and NEVER leave your mod unattended whilst charging.
If you prefer to charge your battery externally and I really would recommend doing this, always use a reputable charger.
Voopoo Drag 5 Kit Price
The Voopoo Drag 5 mod together with the UForce-X tank is a great looking kit and performs very well. The quality of both the mod and tank are impressive. 177W with dual batteries and that lovely leather hide frame finish with the performance from the UForce-X tank make this a very worthy purchase.
Expect to pay around the £50/$50 mark for the complete kit and in my opinion it’s well worth the money.
Voopoo Drag 5 Mod Kit Verdict
Pros
·Very good build quality
·Robust
·Lovely aesthetics
·Leather hide frame battery cover
·Multi-function lock switch
·Great flavor and amazing vapor production
·Fully adjustable dual cyclops airflow
·No leaking
·Easy top fill
·Clear, crisp and bright colored display
·Accepts all Voopoo PnP-X push fit coils
·Temperature control option
·Smart coil detection
·Type-C 3A super-fast charging
·Spare Glass and O-rings
Cons
·Eco mode operation seems unclear
·Display doesn’t remain illuminated when charging
·No pass-through vaping while on charge
·No TCR facility
·I struggled with Temperature Control
Voopoo Drag 5 Mod Kit Summary
If any of you have read my Drag 4 kit review then you will know that I loved the Drag 4 and the UForce-L tank combo. The Drag 5 kit that includes the new UForce-X tank with the PnP-X coils is definitely a worthy upgrade to its earlier predecessor.
The look and feel of the Drag 5 is more modern and has a few more options with a much improved leather hide battery cover. If you already own the Drag 4 then I wouldn’t rush out to get the Drag 5 but if you don’t have the Drag 4 then I would definitely say go get the Drag 5, you wont be disappointed.
I was blown away with the earlier UForce-L tank but will say whether you have one or not I would certainly invest in the UForce-X tank. The tank itself is really good and the PnP-X coils are exceptional.
The Drag 5 kit isn’t for the fainthearted as it is a bit of a beast but it sure does pack one hell of a punch. The design and build quality are really good, the operation and menu structure is straight-forward and simple to use and the 0.96 inch OLED colored display with the animated flame graphic is very crisp and clear. I would definitely recommend this device and am really enjoying using it.
Hope you enjoyed this review on the Voopoo Drag 5 with the UForce-X kit and found it informative and useful.