VooPoo Navi Review
Following the success of their Vinci box mod, VooPoo have recently launched another very similar device but with a form factor more akin to the Lost Vape Orion Plus or Smoant Pasito pod systems. It uses the same Gene board as the Vinci, so it has exactly the same features, but if you just hated the squarish look of VooPoo’s latest hit, perhaps the new Navi will be more to your liking.
A Look at the Contents
The VooPoo Navi pod mod comes in a white cardboard box, with a picture of the elegant-looking device, as well as some pictograms representing its main features, on the front, and a list of contents, the usual warnings, manufacturer information, and a scratch-and-check authenticity seal on the back. It’s basically the same packaging we saw on the Vinci and VooPoo Vinci X.
Inside the small box we have the assembled Navi pod mod sitting snug in a Styrofoam holder, and underneath we have the accessories box. The Navi comes with just one refillable pod, but two replaceable PnP (plug n’ play) coil-heads, a micro-USB charger, and a multi-language user manual.
Design and Build Quality
As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, the design of the VooPoo Navi is perhaps its main draw, as otherwise it’s simply a Vinci in disguise. The device measures 96mm x 34.5mm x 18mm and is made primarily of zinc alloy. As far as I can tell, the Navi comes in just a gun-metal color, but it does have a decorative panel that comes in several resin patterns, as well as a glossy blue gradient. There may be other decorative options, but the official Navi page is down right now, so there is no way for me to check.
For this review, I received the “Ink” version of the VooPoo Navi, which essentially has a white, black and grey resin pattern. Not the most colorful option, but I like it, and the resin is very smooth to the touch. One thing is for sure, the Navi is a much better looking version of the Vinci mod.
I thought the Vinci and Vinci X pod mods were very sturdy, well built devices, but the Navi seems to be even more so. The zinc alloy body has a nice weight to it, the buttons don’t have any rattle, and even the glass cover of the display feels very solid.
Like the Vinci pod mods, the new Navi has a round fire button, and a rocker-style button for adjusting the wattage. Both feel very sturdy and are very responsive, the color display is very bright and has an impressive resolution for what many would consider an entry-level type of vaping device. The layout of the display is identical to that of the Vinci, which is unsurprising considering they are powered by the same Gene chip.
The Navi pods are refillable and compatible with the same PnP style coil-heads we’ve seen on both Vinci mods and the VooPoo Find S Trio pod system. They hold up to 3.8ml and are tinted just enough to offer a clear view of the juice level, to avoid accidental dry hits. The pods are somewhat similar to those of the SMOK Trinity Alpha and Lost Vape Q-Pro, but don’t have the same top-fill system. Instead, we have a bottom fill port closed off by a rubber plug. That means you will have to take out the pod in order to refill it.
Wobbling has always been a problem for pod system, but VooPoo seems to have solved the problem with its magnet system, as the Navi pod doesn’t wobble at all.
The thing that most stood out to me about the Navi pods were the small cutouts on the front and back, which are apparently part of a triple airflow system (haven’t identified the third airflow slot yet). They let in a lot of airflow, but you can cover one or both with either the thumb or index finger when vaping, to get a more restrictive draw. It’s not the most ideal or elegant solution, but you have to work with what you’ve got…
All in all, the VooPoo is a very nice looking, solid pod system. It’s basically an alternative for vapers who don’t like the design of the Vinci pod mod, and a very cool one at that.
Battery Life and Performance
As I wrote before, the Navi is a VooPoo Vinci in disguise, so it comes as no surprise that it’s powered by the same 1,500mAh battery. That’s a lot of battery life for such a small device. The Lost Vape Orion, for example, only has a battery capacity of 950mAh; granted it’s considerably thinner, and a bit shorter, but still, the difference in battery life is considerable.
Like the Vinci pod mods, the Navi has fast charging, requiring under an hour and a half to fully charge after the battery has been depleted, as well as passthrough functionality, which means it can be used while it is charging.
Normally, I would have gone through the various functions, vaping modes and button combinations of the VooPoo Navi, in our “Menu System and Navigation” section, but there was really no point in doing that considering everything is exactly the same as on the VooPoo Vinci. Just check out my review of the Vinci and read about all the smart functions in detail.
In short, the Navi features the same smart resistance reading, where it will automatically set the wattage to what it considers an appropriate level after you attach a pod. Even if you change the wattage afterwards, detach the pod and reattach it, will again set it to what it considers the right wattage. There is also that triple functioning mode, where the mod is activated either manually, by pressing the fire button, automatically, via a built-in draw-activated sensor, or both. Finally, the feature that allows you to track your daily puffs over a period of 14 days is also included. Everything you can find on the VooPoo Vinci, you can find on the Navi pod mod.
When it comes to the vaping experience, the VooPoo Navi is sadly not as similar to the VooPoo Vinci and Vinci X as I would have liked, and that’s due to one of the most important elements of the other two mods – the adjustable airflow. Granted, it wasn’t the most efficient airflow control system ever designed, but still, it did allow you to get a more restricted lung hit. Sadly, the Navi has no airflow control, other than covering one or both of the airflow slots with your finger while vaping. That kind of works, but you shouldn’t have to do that, really.
Otherwise, it uses the same style of coil-heads as the Vinci, although you don’t get the 0.8Ω version with the Navi kit, just an 0.6Ω and an 0.45Ω coil-head, which is probably for the best, as the loose draw doesn’t really fit MTL coil-heads anyway. I will say that as long as you don’t expect a tight draw, the two coil-heads perform great, producing big, fluffy clouds of vapor, and a flavor intensity you won’t get from many other pod systems or even AIO vaping devices.
Conclusion
The VooPoo Navi is definitely a better looking device than the Vinci pod mod, and it has all the same smart features and same battery capacity as VooPoo’s original pod mod, but when it comes to vaping experience, it’s not quite as good due to the lack of adjustable airflow. The draw is way too loose for my liking, but if you’re the kind of vaper who prefers an airy, direct-lung hit, you may actually prefer it to that of the Vinci.
Should you buy the VooPoo Navi? If you already have the Vinci or Vinci X, definitely not, but if you don’t, it’s definitely something to consider, especially if you don’t like the squarish design of the other devices.
The VooPoo Navi kit was sent to me directly by VooPoo, for the purpose of this review.
its a great smoking vape but the pod falls out so easy,i was getting off my boat, had my vape in my hand and the pod fell out in the water the magnet is week in it from day 1 bought.just ordered a pod online for it cause i cant find one at any of the smoke shops we have