August 27, 2020 Aperitive Collaborator

Voopoo Argus Air Review: Attractive and Versatile All-in-One Vape

Product intro and specs

The Argus Air is a versatile pod-style AIO that utilizes two types of pods. One of them takes replaceable plug and play coils, and the other one is disposable with non-replaceable coils. Both pods hold 3.8 mL, which is a lot for a pod system, especially if you’re using it with nicotine salts! If you’re into direct lung vaping, the device is also compatible with Voopoo PnP coils, as long as they are 0.6 ohms or higher.

The Argus features a similar airflow adjustment system to what we’ve seen on the Vinci Air. The airflow holes will either match up or will be blocked off when the pod is inserted 180 degrees in the other direction. It’s such a simple yet brilliant idea. The device is powered by the Gene chip, which also provides various safety features–like overcharge and short circuit protection. It also features Micro-USB C fast charging, a 900 mAh battery and wattage adjustability from 1-25 watts.

Read on to find out how the Argus Air performs compared to the best pod vapes we’ve tested.

Price: $33.99 (Here)
Colors: Black, carbon fiber, vintage brown, vintage grey, snow land camouflage, desert camouflage, red/black

Specifications

Dimensions: 95.3 mm x 31.4 mm x 19.3 mm
Material: Leather / zinc alloy
Pod material: PCTG
Power range: 5-25 watts
Capacity: 3.8 mL / 2 mL (TPD)
Resistance range: 0.6-3.0 ohm
Output voltage: 3.2-4.2 volts
Battery: 900 mAh built-in
Standard coils: PnP-TM1 0.6-ohm mesh coil (20-25 watts / nicotine 35 mg)
Compatible coils: PnP coils of 0.6-ohm and above

Kit contents

1 x Argus Air device
1 x Standard cartridge (3.8 mL)
1 x Pod cartridge (built-in 0.8-ohm coil / 3.8 mL)
1 x PnP-TM1 0.6 ohm
1 x Type-C cable
1 x User manual

Build quality and design

The Argus Air is pretty lightweight for its size. It weighs in at around 68 grams with a pod installed, or 54 grams by itself. That’s about double the weight of the Caliburn, and slightly lighter than the original Nord. It also has a USB-C port located on the bottom. I received the vintage brown edition, which I really like. If I could have chosen one out of the seven available color options, I probably would have gone with vintage brown or carbon fiber.

The form factor is Nord-esque, but completely decked out with leather and gunmetal trimmings. (It’s like a Nord crossed with an Aegis.) It stands at 95.3 mm tall, 31.4 mm wide and 19.3 mm in depth. It fits in the palm of my hand, and slips into the pocket with ease, but you’ll feel it in there. The build quality seems to be up to snuff with what we have seen on previous devices from Voopoo. It doesn’t seem like they are cutting corners. For the price, it feels justified. It has a pretty high-end look for a relatively inexpensive vape.

The kit includes both pods, one with a non-replaceable 1.2-ohm coil and the other one features a replaceable 0.6-ohm coil. More on that later. As I mentioned earlier, the airflow can be adjusted by flipping the pod. This allows you to switch from a restrictive lung hit down to a real deal MTL draw. Last but not least, the Argus Air has a bright LED screen that looks nice and is easy to read.

Getting started

If you’re using the disposable pod, all you really have to do is fill it up and drop it in. The other pod works just like Nord-style pods. You just pop in the coil through the bottom and the O-rings will take care of the rest. They are press-fit, also known as plug and play.

Filling the pods is super easy. Just open the rubber seal and start filling. The fill port is big enough to accommodate fine tip or regular droppers. I do recommend tilting the pod when filling to guide the liquid inside. The pods are tinted, but not to the point where you can’t see your juice levels. They are held into the device by magnets, which seem to be strong enough for this particular design. They do a really good job at “grabbing the pod”.

The Argus Air utilizes one-button operation. That used to be my worst nightmare on mods, but for a device like this, it’s no big deal. The device will automatically detect your coil resistance and set the wattage accordingly when you turn it on, but not if you swap it out while it’s on, so just keep that in mind so you don’t blow out a fresh coil by accident.

You can’t just click the fire button to lock or turn the device off. You have to go through the menu first. This is where things get a bit wonky, because you will incidentally fire the device a few times unless you remove the pod. It can also happen when selecting your wattage if you hold it down too long.

The LED screen displays all of your information including wattage, coil resistance, puff count and how many seconds you vaped after each puff. It also has a battery indicator on top which is tiny but not hard to see.

Here is a rundown on how to use the Argus Air:

Five clicks to turn the device on
Three clicks to access wattage adjustment
Wattage round robins from 1-25 watts
Hold the fire button to lock in your setting
When on, five clicks to access the menu
Press the fire button to cycle through the options
Hold the fire button to select: lock, power off, puff clear and exit
When locked, click the fire button five times to unlock

Performance

The Argus Air kit includes two pods, each pre-installed with a different coil. I also purchased the RBA head to try out, because why not?

0.8-ohm integrated MTL coil – rated for 12-18 watts
0.6-ohm PnP-TM1 mesh coil – rated for 20-25 watts

At first, I didn’t realize the Argus had dual-firing capabilities. It is button and draw activated. I was caught off guard when it started firing automatically on me while I was giving the coil a few primer puffs! Dual firing is a great feature, and it made me appreciate this device even more. It doesn’t work so well with direct lung vaping, but it’s perfect for MTLing.

The first coil I tested was the 0.8-ohm MTL coil that came pre-installed in the disposable pod. The flavor from the coil was on point, but it took a day or two to get rid of the plastic taste from the pod. You can’t really rinse it out either, since the coil is not removable. I preferred the draw on the MTL airflow setting, but you can get a lot more airflow when you flip it around to the RDL airflow configuration. The MTL setting provides a nice tight draw, and a decent throat hit, especially with a 30 mg menthol flavor.

I left the pod sitting for almost a week with e-liquid in it and it flooded badly. Big mistake. The coil eventually stopped working completely after about a week. I wish that would have happened with the replaceable coil instead, but it was nice while it lasted. This is a perfect example of why I am not a fan of these disposable pods and tanks with fixed coils. They depend on the longevity of a single coil, which is only good for a week or two tops. And apparently once it’s full, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

Moving on to the 0.6-ohm mesh coil, the flavor is slightly better than the 0.8-ohm dual coil. It also provides a less restrictive lung hit on both airflow configurations. I used 25 mg nicotine salt and it was smooth and flavorful. I also tested some 3 mg e-liquids with it and it was great, but I prefer my sub ohm tanks for that. The vape temperature is cooler on this coil, since it provides more airflow, and not much of a throat hit. The cloud production, especially at 25 watts, is a lot more abundant than the 0.8-ohm coil at 12 watts (obviously).

Overall, I didn’t experience any leaking, spitting or popping with any of the pre-built coils. The RBA was a different story, but we’ll get to that next. I did have that flooding issue which eventually killed my coil somehow, so I don’t know the longevity of the 0.8-ohm coil, but the 0.6-ohm mesh coil lasted well over a week, and I was running all kinds of dessert flavors through it.

Using the PnP RBA head

As for the RBA head, it works, but it’s not perfect. I haven’t been building a whole lot lately, but I managed to do a nice 1.0-ohm spaced coil using 28 g Kanthal. I ended up taking the pod out a few times, which is no big deal as long as the pod isn’t more than half full. The hard part was building on the RBA, since the screws are extremely tiny and they only give you one spare. I still haven’t mastered the wicking and coil placement, but I figured out that the coil needs to be at an angle to line it up with the wick holes in order for the airflow to work properly. Otherwise it will be completely choked off.

I’m still getting a bit of spitback once in a while with spaced builds, but the flavor is really good. Not so much spitback when I use regular contact coils. No leaking either, but I do get some condensation underneath the coil every once in a while. It’s not the most convenient RBA system ever, but it’s still a nice option to have as a backup when you run out of coils, or to just save some money. Be sure to keep your resistance above 0.6 ohms.

Wicking it was easy, and I haven’t gotten any dry or burnt hits running my 1.0-ohm coil at 10 watts. Like any rebuildable atomizer, you’ll want to cut your wicks short, at an angle and avoid stuffing them. There is something really cool about vaping on a coil you built, on a vape with draw activation, in my opinion. I would only recommend the RBA to the more advanced vapers. I could go into a lot more depth, but this review is about the device itself.

Battery life and charging

The Argus Air has a 900 mAh internal battery. The on-screen battery indicator gives you an idea of how much charge you have left. When it goes down to one bar, you need to charge it as soon as possible because it does not do passthrough charging.

The power doesn’t seem to drop off towards the end. I was able to get through most of a full pod in one charge with a 1.0-ohm coil, so not bad. But the battery life will vary depending on which coil you are using.

Charging the Argus Air took a little over an hour—close to 75 minutes. That’s not bad considering its battery life, but in this day and age, I would expect to be able to vape it while charging.

Pros / Cons

(+) High-end aesthetic
(+) Dual-firing mechanism
(+) Clever adjustable airflow system
(+) Bright OLED screen
(+) Compatible with PnP coil heads and RBA (>0.6 ohms)
(+) Good coil longevity
(+) Coils provide nice flavor
(+) No leaking / dry hits/ burnt hits / spitback with PnP coils
(+) USB-C fast charging
(+) 900 mAh battery
(+) Nice build quality
(+) Affordable
(+) 3.8 mL pod capacity
(+) Suitable for MTL and RDL

(-) No passthrough charging
(-) Pods can flood if full for too long
(-) Disposable pod stopped working
(-) Single-button operation
(-) Slight plastic taste from pods

Gallery

Verdict

Considering all of the pros above, the Argus Air has a lot going for it. I would recommend it if you’re looking for a pod-style AIO that’s extremely versatile and holds a lot of juice, both literally and figuratively—with its 900 mAh battery and 3.8 mL capacity. It even has an RBA option for the more advanced vapers who enjoy building their own coils. I also found that a lot of shops carry PnP coils, so that’s another bonus point.

I think a second function button or wattage adjustment buttons would have been nice. I’m not a fan of the whole disposable pod thing, especially with my experience with this one in particular. It probably could have been avoided if I didn’t let it sit for so long with a full pod, so it could have been partially my fault. Aside from that, the Argus Air is a rather well-put together AIO with a high-end appeal that is relatively affordable.

How do you feel about the Voopoo Argus Air? Leave a comment below!

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Article Author: Dave Kriegel

Filed in: Voopoo Argus Air Review: Attractive and Versatile All-in-One Vape

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