VooPoo Argus P1 Review: A Bold & Futuristic New Pod!
The new VooPoo Argus P1 pod system is a fast-charging wonder of modern vape technology. This review takes a deep-dive into the device and its features.
VooPoo Argus P1 Pod Kit
The VooPoo Argus P1 Pod Kit is a cyber-punk pod vape by VooPoo. With its compact design and 800mAh battery, it delivers 15W of power output. With its state-of-the-art USB-C, the Argus P1 charges from 0-100% in just 18 minutes. The Argus P1 comes equipped with variable airflow and is ready to go out of the box with two refillable pods with built-in mesh coils.
Features:
- For MTL vaping
- Built-In 800mAh battery
- Charges in 18 minutes via USB-C (cable included)
- Adjustable airflow
- Buttonless draw activation
- Easy 2ml bottom-fill pods
- Compatible with Argus Pods
- Attachable fabric lanyard
Included with the kit:
- 1 x VooPoo Argus P1 Device
- 1 x VooPoo Argus 0.7Ω Mesh Pod
- 1 x VooPoo Argus 1.2Ω Mesh Pod
- 1 x USB-C Charging Cable
- User Manual
- Fabric Lanyard
Product | Price | Battery | Weight | Dimensions | Materials |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
VooPoo Argus P1 | £29.99 | 800mAh | 72g | 75mm X 50mm X 20mm | Zinc Alloy, PC |
VooPoo Argus P1 Overview
VooPoo keeps on churning out the hits recently, with new additions to the Drag and Argus series making waves across the vape industry.
I was lucky enough to get a sample of the Argus P1 in Green for this review, and I was really blown away at first glance.
After having used the ultra-ritzy Aspire Riil X, which is another stylish, matchbox-shaped device with a nice lanyard, I was excited to try the Argus P1 to compare the two.
The Argus P1, weighing 72g fully assembled (with an added few grams for the lanyard), is a fresh take on a classic matchbox-style vape, complete with an attachable fabric lanyard for added portability and a number of customisable (but still user-friendly) features.
The device offers simple auto-draw activation, plus adjustable airflow via the handy side switch, pods with built-in mesh coils, and a sleek, futuristic-looking outer body.
Let’s get into my impressions of the device!
Design & Appearance
This is where the Argus P1 really, really shines. At first glance, this device is absolutely stunning from every angle. It’s futuristic and sleek, but not imposing or flashy (unless, of course, the lights are on!).
The body of the box-shaped device comprises two pieces: one coloured metal piece with gold or silver accents (depending on the finish), and a clear PC (plastic) shell wrapped around the side. Beneath the clear plastic, you can see VooPoo’s patented Gene chip, decorated with circuit-like embellishments.
On top, the Argus P1 has a rectangular bar where the lanyard piece is attached, and when you flip the device over, you can see where this bar goes inside the body of the kit through the clear plastic. It’s a really neat little design.
On the inside of the device, just beneath the lanyard bar, you’ll find the 4 LED indicator lights, somewhat obscured by the bar from some angles (too minor to be a con).
On the opposite metallic side of the Argus P1, you’ll find both the USB type-C port and the airflow adjustment switch. The switch is sturdy and movable, but not flimsy like it is on some other kits (ahem, Caliburn X, ahem)—which is one of my biggest pet peeves with adjustable airflow. Thankfully, the airflow switch on this device can be minutely adjusted, yet isn’t easily moved if you aren’t intending to change it.
Plus, the airflow can range anywhere from an ultra-tight MTL draw to a wide open RDTL, adding loads of versatility for vapers of various styles. Huge pro!
Overall, I’m really in love with the device. My husband’s first impression was that it looks like something out of the Fallout series—and I could easily see a Vault Dweller sporting one of these bad boys post-apocalypse. The style has just the right amount of futurism and tech, making it a perfectly cool (and unisex) accessory for anyone.
One downside is that the device is a bit of a fingerprint magnet, especially on the clear plastic area. This is a huge con for some people, but I don’t mind it so much.
Last but not least, I want to mention the lanyard, which is made of a woven fabric material complete with a glossy, leather-like finish. The end of the lanyard has the classic loop fixture seen in those early mobile phone attachments (remember when we used to attach little charms to our phones? Simpler times…).
The lanyard itself has a sliding clasp like the one found on a bolo tie, which serves little to no purpose and doesn’t stay in place very well even if you are inclined to use it.
When I first saw the lanyard, I found the material a little anticlimactic—but at the same time, I can’t think of another material that would go well with this device. Can you imagine how much cheaper it would look if it had, say, a gold chain? Yikes.
So, in summary, I love the convenience of the lanyard in general, as it adds portability, but the lanyard itself doesn’t blow me away. Of course, this is very subjective. It does its job.
Key Specs
- Weight: 72g
- Dimensions: 75mm x 50mm x 20mm
- Materials: Zinc Alloy, PC
Interface & Features
The Argus P1 has almost no interface—just the tiding battery indicator lights to notify you of various scenarios. Plus, the device has auto-draw activation, meaning you only need to inhale on the mouthpiece to fire. What you end up with is a really stylish but unobtrusive vape: my favourite kind! I really do love a device that requires almost none of my attention.
One point worth mentioning is that the LED lights are difficult to see while you’re vaping, since they’re obscured by the bar that attaches to the lanyard.
I did find that the signals from the LED lights weren’t very intuitive. For instance, when I first opened the vape, adjusted my airflow, and began vaping, only two of the lights would glow—and I was confused, as the device was meant to come with a full battery.
Then, I tried inhaling a little harder, and lo and behold: all 4 lights glowed. So, I had a look at the user manual and found that while vaping, the lights glow to signify the power output—not the battery level. This isn’t very clear.
Still, this means that the Argus P1 tailors the power output of each individual puff to better suit the user’s draw (mine is a tight MTL, which explains the lower power output), which is excellent. I really love this feature, even though I found the signals from the lights a bit confusing. This preserves battery and, among other things, ensures you’re getting the perfect inhale every time.
The only way to check your battery level is to either remove or insert the pod—at which point, the lights will glow depending on how much battery you have left. Again, this was something I had to look up in the user manual. And if the lights glow red while you’re vaping, this means the device is below 25% battery.
Maybe I’m just thick, but it feels like one of those instances where a video game tries to be edgy by mapping the jump button in a different spot from where every other game has it. Sometimes, it’s best to just stick to the controls everyone else is using for clarity and user experience.
Battery Life & Performance
One of the main selling points of the VooPoo Argus P1 is its fast charging capabilities. The device has an 800mAh built-in battery that charges to 100% in just 18 minutes, and I’ve witnessed this myself (in fact, it actually took less than 18 minutes—closer to 13).
I would, for the price, expect a larger battery size, as there are several kits on the market right now for under £15 with battery sizes up to 1000mAh. I really don’t think there’s any viable excuse for these more expensive kits (and by more expensive, I mean above the £20 mark) to have small battery capacities.
For me, a very frequent vaper, I can get just over half a day’s use out of a single charge from the Argus P1. Normally, I charge my vape while I get ready for work in the morning (where I vape the most—upside to working at a vape company), then again at around 1pm. That second charge will last me until the next morning, when I start the cycle all over again.
For most vapers, I’d say that the Argus P1 should last you a full day before it’ll need another recharge—and luckily, charging takes less than 20 minutes, so there’s almost no down time.
One definite con for the Argus P1—and all of VooPoo’s devices, in fact—is that there is no pass-through charging capability. This means that you cannot use the device while it’s on charge. This can be really irritating for some people.
Imagine: you’re out and about, desperate for a nicotine hit, your vape is dead, and you’ve got it plugged into a portable battery—but you can’t vape while it’s plugged in. Bummer.
VooPoo negates this issue a bit with the fast-charging capability, and the company maintains that there is a reason for this: because pass-through charging degrades the battery faster over time, leading to a decreased capacity and a shorter lifespan. This is true, but also, the real reason behind this is an issue with the software in VooPoo’s Gene chip, which doesn’t allow for pass-through charging.
We, and many others, have discussed this with VooPoo, as it’s the only major con with the company’s hardware, but it’s present across the board. Hopefully they’ll rectify the issue in future versions of the Gene chip.
Key Specs
- Battery size: 800mAh
- Charging type: USB-C
- Total charging time: 18 mins.
Pod
The VooPoo Argus Pods supplied with the device have built-in mesh coils for denser flavour production and are available in two resistances: 0.7Ω (ohm) mesh and 1.2Ω (ohm) mesh. You get one of each with your purchase of the device, and replacement pods are available in packs of 3.
Overall, I really love the shape of the pod, and I appreciate that the way it’s situated means you can always see exactly how much E-Liquid you have left inside. This is a huge pro for the Argus P1.
The flavour in the pods is really excellent—smooth and consistent in every puff. And while I know that most pods with built-in coils tend to have a much shorter lifespan than their replaceable coil counterparts, these pods last longer than most of the others I’ve used.
In the past, other pods with built-in coils would last me an average of 3 to 5 days due to the sweetness of the E-Liquids I use. I’m on day 5 of using my current pod—the 1.2Ω (ohm) version—and the flavour shows no signs of waning. I estimate that I’ll get another two to three days out of this pod before it needs replacing.
The fill port is located on the bottom-front of the pod, which is a bit of a strange location. Refilling is easy, if a bit fiddly at times, though it doesn’t bother me at all. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the snap-off mouthpiece on the Caliburn X.
Still, I did find that the placement of the fill port leads me to overfill the Argus pods, which causes an ugly gurgling sound and some minor spitting after refills. Thankfully, this subsides as the E-Liquid level goes down, but it’s really easy to overfill the pods and I would suggest only filling to about 80% capacity.
Overall, the pods are really great, and I have no qualms aside from the overfilling issue and the slightly odd placement of the fill port. I’ve experienced no leakage so far, and my experience with the coils was stellar.
When it comes to pairing the pods with E-Liquids, it’s recommended that you only use high-PG vape liquids like 50/50 juices or salt nicotine. Using a high-VG E-Liquid—like a shortfill, for example—will cause a really unpleasant vape experience.
Key Specs
- Capacity: 2ml
- Fill port: Side/bottom-fill
- Coil resistance: 0.7Ω, 1.2Ω
- Coil type: Mesh
- Compatible E-Liquids: Nic Salts & 50/50 E-Liquids
Vaping the VooPoo Argus P1
The Argus P1 is a breeze to use. Simply fill the pod, pop it in, and vape! It’s really as easy as that. Plus, this is one of the quietest vapes I’ve ever used.
The airflow on the device is perfect (and very quiet), with the option for everything from a super tight MTL to an airy RDTL draw and everything in between. My airflow sweet spot on the Argus P1 is almost closed, and that provides a warm, tight MTL draw.
When I hand the vape to my husband to use, he opens the airflow all the way for a really satisfying RDTL draw. And of course, switching back and forth between these styles is as simple as adjusting the switch.
In addition, I’ve had some issues with the sensitivity of some auto-draw vapes in the past, where the sensitivity is low so there is a delay in the actual firing of the vape. I’m so pleased to report that the Argus P1’s auto-draw sensors have a perfect hair trigger.
I have absolutely zero qualms with the use and functionality of this vape. It does exactly what it says, and it does it perfectly well. If you like a hassle-free, unobtrusive vape that takes almost no maintenance to upkeep, you’ll positively adore the Argus P1.
Who should get the VooPoo Argus P1?
To be perfectly honest, I can’t think of a single demographic that this vape wouldn’t suit, except for sub-ohm vapers (as this isn’t a sub-ohm vape). Usually, I’ll have to include a note about how a given device isn’t accessible for those with certain disabilities, particularly those affecting dexterity—but I can’t even say that about the Argus P1.
In truth, this is a really excellent choice for just about any vaper, from the average commuter to your nan who has arthritis. The Argus P1 is exceptionally easy to use and maintain, ideal for beginners and portable enough to be a hardcore vaper’s travel vape.
Whether you’re looking for something stylish to treat yourself to or you’ve got an elderly uncle you want to help quit smoking, you really can’t go wrong with the Argus P1.
VooPoo Argus P1 FAQs
Pros & Cons of the VooPoo Argus P1
The Argus P1 has a few important cons, but honestly, these are definitely outweighed by the pros. As usual, please consider these my subjective personal opinions.Â
Pros
Cons
Ratings
Overall Rating: 4.72 stars
Conclusion
The VooPoo Argus P1 isn’t just stunning—it’s also incredibly user-friendly and perfect for beginners. Whether you’re after something stylish, or portable, or low-maintenance, or quick to charge, you’ll find all of these qualities in the Argus P1.
This vape, thanks to its beginner-friendly features, would make an excellent gift for just about any vaper at any experience level.
I’ve really loved using the VooPoo Argus P1—and I can’t recommend it enough!