IQ OVS Pod Review
Pod systems are all the rage in the vaping world these days, and for good reason. They are easy to use, relatively cheap, and most of them do a great job of replicating that cigarette-smoking experience that ex-smokers are looking for. But like with virtually any other product, some vape pods are better than others. Today we’re looking at one of the best pod systems I have ever tested, the IQ OVS from Hangsen. Yes, Hangsen, the Chinese company that has been synonymous with vaping for over a decade now.
I’ve been vaping since 2010 so I can remember when Hangsen and Dekang were pretty much the only e-liquid producers in the world. They didn’t make the world’s best juices, but they were instrumental in jump-starting the vaping phenomenon, so after learning that Hangsen was behind the IQ brand, I just had to give their new pod systems a try. So let’s check out the IQ OVS and see if it has what it takes to compete against the very stiff competition.
A Look at the Contents
The IQ OVS comes in a small cardboard box with a picture of the device and a large nicotine warning on the front, and a list of contents, company information and more nicotine warnings on the bak. It’s worth mentioning that my sample came from Hangsen’s European warehouse, so if you’re based outside the EU, your package may not feature the mandatory nicotine warnings.
Inside the box, we have the sleek IQ OVS pod system sitting snug in a white Styrofoam holder, and underneath that are the included accessories: one refillable pod, a micro-USB charging cable, a plastic refill bottle and a user manual. I really wish Hangsen would have included two refillable pods, but they were kind enough to send me a 2-pack of pods, so I really can’t complain too much. Still, buyers will only get one pod, and if that one happens to be a dud, or if they happen to accidentally burn the cotton wicking, they’ll need to buy extra pods just to be able to use the product.
You don’t often see a plastic refill bottle included in vape pod kits, but in this case, it’s actually necessary. The pods have such a tiny fill-port that yo actually need the narrow metallic needle of the bottle to make sure you don’t spill any of the juice when refilling.
Design and Build Quality
The IQ OVS measures 44mm x 10mm x 78mm, is made primarily of zinc alloy and features a matte paint finish that makes it less of a fingerprint magnet than other glossier vape pods.
In terms of design, the OVS looks a lot like one of those small SSD drives and has a very similar weight to it as well. It’s definitely not a classic pod system design, like the JUUL or the Vladdin, but I personally find it sleek and elegant. The all-metal casing and the extra weight it adds also give the IQ OVS a high-quality feel, which I’m happy to report mirrors its performance. But more on that later.
Like most other pods I’ve reviewed in the past, the OVS has a minimalist look. Apart from the classy ‘IQ’ logo, a small LED battery indicator and a decorative round button-like element, there’s really not a lot to talk about. Well, I guess there is the micro-USB port on the bottom, and the small switch right next to the pod bay, which actually serves a purpose.
The pods go into the hollow right corner of the IQ OVS pod system and only go in one way. It’s easy to figure out which way you’re supposed to insert them, though, as they have a rounded corner and a sharp one. The rounded corner should always be on the outside of the device, in order to align perfectly with it. There’s also a tray system inside the loading bay, so you’ll have to align the pod with it in order to slide it in. Then all you have to do is slide it inside all the way, until the rounded corner of the pod aligns perfectly with the IQ OVS.
Now, when vaping on the IQ OVS vape pod there are two ways to do it. You can just draw on the corner of the device where the refillable pod is located, like on the Suorin Air, which is a bit weird but works just fine, or you can press that switch at the top of the pod system, which will cause the pod to pop out just enough to make it easier for the user to put their lips around the mouthpiece, without actually touching the metal casing of the OVS. That’s the way this vape pod is designed to be used, but I’ve seen people using it both ways, which is fine.
That pop-out switch also serves a second purpose. Even if you prefer to use the IQ OVS with the pod pushed in all the way, you’ll still have to use the switch when you need to refill or replace the pod. Once you pop it out, use your fingernail to yank the pod out all the way, from the side. Don’t be afraid to put some muscle into it, as the pods have a plastic latch on the bottom, which keeps them connected to the battery casing, and you’ll need to apply a bit of pressure to release them.
The IQ OVS pods are made of slightly tinted plastic and come with a built in 1.25Ω coil suitable for MTL (mouth to lung) vaping, although I’ve found that you can direct-lung hit it as well. The pods hold up to 2ml of e-liquid and Hangsen claims they last for about three refills. However, that is a very conservative estimate, as I personally have refilled my pod five times now and it still works great. How long a pad is good for depends a lot on what kinds of e-liquid you are using. If it contains lots of sweeteners or food coloring, it’s going to gunk up the coil a lot faster, while a clear, low-sweetener juice will keep it working for longer.
The fill-port is located on the bottom of the pods and is sealed off with a rather long silicone plug. It’s important that you keep that in mind when refilling, as on the other side is another small hole in which you definitely don’t want to be pouring e-liquid. That’s the air channel, so make sure you only fill the pod through the sealed hole. I personally, wish they would have made the fill port a bit larger, so I could fill the pod a glass dropper, but seeing as they provide a special juice bottle that fits that narrow hole perfectly, I don’t consider this a con.
Overall, the IQ OVS looks and feels like a high-quality device and the pods themselves look pretty decent themselves. Now if only Hangsen would start offering two of them with every starter kit…
Battery Life and Performance
One of the main features that sets the IQ OVS vape pod apart from most of its main competitors is the battery life. While popular pod systems like the Suorin Vagon or Wismec Motiv 2 have a battery capacity of 400mAh – 450mAh, the OVS has a built-in 600mAh battery. That might not seem like a huge difference, but for this type of vaping device, it’s actually considerable and probably translates into a couple of hours of vaping without worrying about having to recharge.
To incorporate such a large battery, Hangsen’s designers had to compromise. The battery is probably the reason why the IQ OVS looks like a portable SSD drive, whereas devices like the Suorin Drop, for example, are almost as thin as a credit card. But the difference in bulkiness doesn’t bother me at all, as the OVS still looks very sleek and keeps me vaping for longer.
The battery life indicator lights up every time you draw on the IQ OVS, but in different colors, depending on the charge level of the battery. When the battery is full, or close to full, the LED will light up green, when you have about half battery left it will be blue, and when it’s getting close to empty, it will light up red. When it’s time to recharge the battery, the IQ OVS will stop firing and the indicator will blink 10 times.
One really cool feature of the IQ OVS is the quick-charge function, which allows you to fully recharge the battery in just 30 minutes, which is pretty sweet for such a high-capacity battery. However, you’ll need to use the provided USB cable, which is rather short. You can also use the OVS as a passthrough, while it’s charging, but again, the short USB cable is a bit awkward.
In terms of performance, the IQ OVS is hands-down one of the best pod systems I have ever used, but it took me a while to reach that conclusion.
My initial experience with this vape pod wasn’t the greatest. You see, the pods have two small holes on the mouthpiece, and for some reason I thought I only had to “suck” on the larger one, which didn’t really work. I needed to draw really hard just to activate the battery, and the LED indicator shut off as soon as the suction decreased. I had started to think that my unit was broken, or that the automatic switch was poorly calibrated. But then I covered the smaller hole with my mouth as well, and discovered that had just been using it wrong.
The draw-activated switch is actually very sensitive, so the slightest draw will activate the battery. However, the tightness of the draw is kind of middle-of-the-road between mouth to lung and direct lung, so you can actually do both. Usually, I don’t really like that, but for some reason, I enjoy vaping both ways on the IQ OVS. Granted, the lung hits aren’t perfect on this device, but whenever I feel the need for a stronger throat hit and a bit more vapor, it works just fine.
I’ve had no issues with this device so far, to be honest. The one pod I’ve been using doesn’t leak at all and has been going strong after 5 refills, the battery life is great, and I can vape it any way I feel like it. The flavor I get from it is on par with most of the other pod systems I’ve used, although it’s noticeably better when I take direct lung hits. It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s definitely decent, as is the vapor production.
Conclusion
I really wasn’t expecting too much from the IQ OVS, considering that it’s a pod made by a company that specializes in e-liquid production. I thought it was just another company jumping on the vape pods bandwagon to bump up their earnings, but this device exceeded my expectations. Not only does it have a high-quality look and feel, but it also works great and has above-average battery life.
Would I recommend the IQ OVS? Most definitely! If you’re looking for a reliable pod system, this is one of the best and most affordable options on the market right now.
I bought 2 on the basis of this review and boy am I disappointed. Tasteless vape. I tried the same juice side by side to a Magma AIO I also got at the same time. Using the 1.2 coil to keep things as similar as possible and the taste is heaven and earth.
Even the battery will not charge for a long time out of the box leading me to think it is DOA.
I will still keep this as I need a stealth vape to bring into a country where vaping is banned and this looks like a SSD portable drive. Once my trip is over, this will just go into storage and forgotten about.
Price