VooPoo Drag X and Drag S Review

With its Vinci series dominating the pod mod market with  an iron fist, VooPoo didn’t really need to launch another set of pod mods, but the Chinese manufacturer did so anyway. And it wasn’t just any pod mod line either, but one under the iconic Drag brand, the one that pretty much put VooPoo on the map a few years back. But we’ve seen Drag-branded fail to meet expectations in the past, like the Drag Baby Trio, so are the new VooPoo Drag X and Drag S pod mods any different? Read our review and find out:

A Look at the Contents

Both the Drag X and Drag S come in rectangular cardboard boxes very similar to those used for Vinci pod mods. They have a picture of the mod and some pictograms of their main features on the front, and on the back you’ll find a list of contents, the usual warnings and manufacturer contact information.

Inside the packaging, we have the mod sitting snug in a Styrofoam holder along with a USB Type-C charging cable, a couple of Plug n’ Play (PnP) coil-heads and a user manual. It’s essentially a standard pod mod starter kit, nothing more, nothing less.

Design and Build Quality

First, let me explain why I decided to do a 2-in-1 review for the VooPoo Drag X and Drag S. Yes, they are two different devices, but apart from a couple of simple differences, they are basically the same thing. It’s the same as the Vinci vs the Vinci X, only this time VooPoo did us reviewers a favor and launched them both at the same time, so we didn’t have to do separate reviews.

The Drag X differs from the Drag S in that it is powered by an external 18650 battery, while the latter has a 2,500mAh non-removable battery. This is why the Drag X is a few millimetres taller than the S version, because of the taller battery compartment. In terms of functionality, the Drag S has a maximum power output of 60W, while the X goes up to 80W. Also just like the original Vinci had both a draw-activated switch and a manual fire button, while the X only had the button, so too the Drag S can be activated by simply drawing on the pod or pressing the fire button, while the Drag S only has manual activation.

That may sound like a lot of differences, but it’s not. Even VooPoo thought the two were so similar that it created a single user manual for both. Now on to the design:

I’ll just come right out and say that the Drag X and Drag S are hands down the most eye-catching pod mods money can buy. The Vinci line was ok too, they didn’t look bad or anything, and the build quality was decent, but they hit it out of the park with these two Drag pod mods.

The first thing that draws your attention is the stitched leather with the embossed “Drag” logo. It comes in different colors, and there’s even a carbon fiber version if you prefer that to the leather. But let me tell you, this is the best fake leather I’ve ever seen used on a vape mod. I assume it’s fake because genuine leather would probably be too expensive, but this really feels genuine to the touch. I for one can’t tell the difference at all.

The leather comes in different colors. For this review, I received the Drag X with the Retro color and the S variant with the burgundy Marsala. They’re both stunning to look at, I would consider them the two best looking of the lot, but at the end of the day it’s a matter of personal taste.

But it’s not just the leather. It’s obvious that VooPoo put a lot of though and attention into the design of these pod mods. The sides of the front panel features discrete elements found on the original Drag 157W mod, the adjustment buttons have stainless steel edges, and the Drag S even has some tiny rubber plugs on the bottom that provide more stability when placed upright. It’s these little details that put the new Drag pod mods ahead of the competition in terms of design.

The zinc alloy frame of the Drag X and Drag S feels very sturdy and the fine machining and paint finish really give both devices a premium look at feel. There is definitely an obvious improvement over the Vinci line, and I would even go as far as to call them the most high-quality pod mods on the market.

Another note-worthy improvement is the “Infinite Airflow System”, which consists of a metal knob that opens and closes two large airflow slots on either sides of the device. It’s an ingenious design that provides loads of airflow for direct lung vaping, but one that isn’t at all suitable for mouth-to-lung (MTL). You can’t even do a loose MTL draw with the airflow completely shut, that’s how much air comes in.

If there was anything to complain about, although I would be very picky, it would have to be the bell-shape of the refillable pods. They sort of look like transparent RDAs, but because they are smaller in diameter than the pod mods, they look a bit weird to me. As I said, it’s a subjective thing, and not really a criticism as it doesn’t affect the look of the pod mods that much, I just think they could have come up with something a bit cooler.

The pods are very interesting as well. They are circular and the bottom design allows you to attach and turn them any way you want on the mod, without affecting the contact with the battery. They hold up to 4.5ml of e-liquid, are easy to refill through a large fill port on the bottom, and they sit on top of the mod, so you can always see how much juice is left.

The pods are interchangeable, so you can use the one on the Drag S on the X version and vice-versa, and they are compatible with all previously-released VooPoo PnP coil-heads, as well as the Vinci RBA. The Drag X comes with a new type of mesh coil-head with a recommended range of 60W – 80W. Sadly it won’t work very well on the Drag S, as it only outputs a maximum of 60W.

All in all, both the Drag X and the Drag S are among the best products that VooPoo has ever released. The design and attention to detail, the build quality and innovative airflow system, they all come together perfectly to create a pod mod that anyone would be lucky to have in their collection.

Menu System and Navigation

The VooPoo Drag X and Drag S have a very similar display and menu system as the Vinci and Vinci X, but just like in the design and build quality department, VooPoo has made some interesting tweaks.

To turn on the device, it’s the same five clicks of the fire button in rapid succession. Then to switch between the pod mod’s two modes – Smart and RBA – it’s three clicks of the fire button. Smart mode works just like on the Vinci, automatically reading the resistance of whatever PnP coil-head you attach and adjusting the power accordingly. It also doesn’t let you increase the power output over the recommended range of each coil-head.

In RBA mode, the pod mod doesn’t treat the user as a total noob anymore, allowing them to play with the power setting anyway they please. If you want to push a coil-head past its recommended range, you have to switch to RBA mode.

When using the Drag S pod mod, you can activate the battery by simply drawing on the pod’s drip tip, but you have to be in Smart mode for that to work.

Pressing the fire button and the + button at the same time locks all the buttons, pressing the fire button and the – key clears the puff counter, and pressing the + and – buttons gets you into the same puff monitoring section we’ve already seen on the VooPoo Vinci. It basically allows you to track your daily puff numbers for up to 14 days.

That’s basically all there is to the menu system, as far as I am concerned. VooPoo has also implemented a controversial “achievement system that tracks the number of puffs you take and the intensity of those puffs and awards you a number of points for each. You can unlock achievements from ‘Iron’ to ‘King’ based on hw points you rack up. It seems really gimmicky to me, and it certainly doesn’t help fight the stigma that vaping devices are marketed to kids. I for one have decided to ignore this “feature”.

Battery Life and Performance

As i mentioned above, the VooPoo Drag X needs an external 18650 battery (not included in the kit), while the Drag S has a built-in 2,500mAh battery. I think both are great, and the choice depends on personal preference. The Drag X is slightly taller, but comes with the advantage of being able to switch batteries on the go, and not having for your device to charge.

The Drag S, on the other hand, is more compact, has a decent battery capacity, and comes with USB Type-C charging, which means you can charge it up from depleted to full in about an hour. Plus you can also uses while it is charging. So they both have their advantages, it just comes down to which one you prefer.

Regarding performance, the fast firing capabilities of VooPoo’s GENE chip are common knowledge within the vaping community, and the Drag X and Drag S only serve as further proof of the chip’s firing speed. A simply press of the fire button is enough to instantly activate the battery, and the power-ramp up is nothing short of impressive.

Because of the airy nature of the pod mods and the refillable pods, MTL vaping is all but impossible on these two devices, but if you’re into direct lung vaping, you’re going to love both the adjustable airflow and the instant power offered by both Drag pod mods.

There is a huge selection of PnP coil-heads to choose from – the Drag X comes with a brand new one as well – and there is always the RBA base to experiment with if you want even more freedom, so I think it’s safe to say that even the pickiest of vapers are bound to find something they like.

The 0.3Ω coil-head that comes with both the Drag X and the Drag S has been my favorite of the coil-heads in these two kits, simply because it puts out excellent flavor, plenty of vapor, and allows me to conserve some battery life. But if you prefer a hotter vape, the 0.15Ω that only comes with the Drag X should be a great choice as well.

I have been using both devices for almost a week now, and I’ve had no issues with them whatsoever. I was a bit worried about leaking, since the pods have fill ports on the bottom, but both pod mods are bone dry. Just make sure to put the rubber plug back in completely and you should be good.

Conclusion

VooPoo had to dig deep to come up with a better line of pod mods than their very own Vinci line, but I personally think they did a phenomenal job with the Drag X and Drag S. These are some of the coolest, most robust vaping devices that I have ever used, and I’ve used a few in a decade of vaping. The leather is a nice touch, as are the design elements reminiscent of the original Drag 157W, and the build quality is fantastic. Performance wise, they are about as good as the Vinci and Vinci X, with the added bonus of an improved airflow system.

Would I recommend you buy the new VooPoo Drag X and Drag S? Yes, most definitely, whichever one you prefer, they’re very similar, but you have to have one of them in your collection. Unless you’re an MTL vaper, in which case, you should spend your money elsewhere.

The Drag X and Drag S pod mods wee sent to me directly by VooPoo for the purpose of this review.

Tags : Drag pod mod,Drag S,Drag X,mod reviews,pod mods,VooPoo,VooPoo Drag S,VooPoo Drag X