Advken truly covers every aspect of vaping. The FOB AIO, which was kindly
sent to me by ADVKEN for free and without any monetary compensation for writing this text, is their first real "AIO" device with its own dedicated RBA as well. Advken had already experimented with this format through the Artha Pod Mod, taking inspiration from the Billet Box style and using prebuilt coils to offer a well-priced starter kit.
The FOB AIO, however, steps things up in terms of price range and build quality. It measures 78 x 26 x 46 mm (78 mm in height without the drip tip, reaching 89 mm when the drip tip is included) and is made from aluminum and PCTG. The FOB AIO alone weighs 126 grams (without battery), and the Boro tank plus the FOB RBA add another 33 grams. It's powered by a single 18650 battery and can output up to 80 watts.
The box also reflects the more high-end positioning of this product in Advken's lineup, with an all-black design contrasted by white lettering. To avoid ruining the look with the usual "Warning, this product blabla" labels, Advken places that on a cardboard sleeve, which also features a scratch & check code on one side to verify authenticity, along with various contact details.
Inside the box, along with the FOB AIO already assembled, you'll find a Boro tank and its dedicated FOB RBA, accompanied by 5 airflow pins (plus a sixth one pre-installed). In the Advken-branded bag, there's a tool for unscrewing the post screws, two spare screws, various o-rings, and a replacement gasket for the Boro tank. Lastly, there's a card: on the back, it shows the specs and how the chipset works, while the front simply says FOB AIO.
The FOB AIO features the standard "nut" connection, allowing the Boro tank to be properly read once inserted into the threading. The nut is made of stainless steel, with a base o-ring and well-cut threads, and luckily includes a 510 drip tip hole. This means that if the stock drip tip isn't to your liking, you can use any other 510-compatible one. The stock drip tip, with a 5.5 mm inner diameter, has a clever design, two small "wings" that, once inserted into the nut, make it easier to unscrew. Even with third-party drip tips, the o-rings provide enough grip to screw and unscrew the nut for proper reading. So, there's no need to search for or buy aftermarket adapters compatible with the FOB AIO.
On one side, there's the battery compartment, which only supports 18650 batteries. It's protected by a perforated aluminum door held in place by magnets. The battery is completely safe from condensation, as the Boro tank is positioned elsewhere in the FOB AIO. The door fits quite close to the battery, and thanks to the tight compartment, even if it's not fully sealed, it's still difficult for dirt to get inside. Slightly to the side, you'll find the USB Type-C port.
Cleverly, Advken has adapted a solution for inserting the battery by using a wheel that, depending on what you need to do, can be rotated to raise or lower the battery. Goodbye to chewed-up battery wraps and awkward extractions. On the body, you'll find the CE, UKCA, disposal logo, and a "-" symbol indicating the direction of battery insertion, with the negative side facing up.
The bottom has a brushed steel-like finish, although it should still be aluminum. It is engraved with "FOB AIO," the serial number, and two screws that secure it to the rest of the body. From its shape, it should be clear that it's a rather "sturdy" product that doesn't wobble when placed on a table, unlike AIOs with panels, which are thinner and less balanced.
On the other side, there's the "input" section with the rounded fire button. Activation is almost mandatory with the thumb, making it very convenient for firing, although navigating the menu takes a bit of getting used to. Below the Boro tank compartment are the up and down buttons, or + and -, which are smaller than the fire button but, since they protrude quite a bit from the steel plate set on a raised surface compared to the FOB AIO's body, they're easy to press.
Front side, the first detail is something that almost goes unnoticed in the flyers: the transparent PCTG cover that protects the Boro tank. Held in place by two magnets on each side, it covers only the front part, leaving the sides open to prevent condensation. At the bottom, it also has a hole to let in air and further limits condensation buildup. Removing it gives access to the Boro tank compartment, where you can see the gold-plated pin, which is not spring-loaded but height-adjustable, allowing proper reading once the nut is screwed in.
Advken states that, in addition to the one provided in the package, any Boro tank can be installed on the FOB AIO.
The screen is a color LCD, which is even brighter due to being installed in a small niche in the casing. The brightness is not adjustable, but from photos of other boxes, it can be seen that under the same lighting, they are not visible. The FOB AIO screen, however, is clearly visible, even when wearing sunglasses.
The circuit installed on the FOB AIO allows vaping at various wattages, with a selection from 1 to 80 watts. However, when adjusting from 1 watt, going backward takes you to 80 watts. It compensates for this by providing all necessary information such as battery indicator, puff counter (4 digits), voltage, and wattage.
- 5 clicks to turn the FOB AIO on or off
- 3 clicks to lock the + and - buttons, with the fire button still firing
- Fire button + button to enter theme selection mode
Included with the FOB AIO is its black aluminum tank/Boro and a convenient panel that, to be opened, must be pressed downward. The capacity is either 4 or 5 ml, depending on the RBA used. Inside, I assume it's the FOB RBA, a sub-ohm rebuildable atomizer, made of steel, suitable for MTL to RDL vaping thanks to 6 airpins included in the kit. The Boro is compatible with other RBAs, and the FOB RBA is compatible with other Boros.
The FOB RBA consists of three pieces in daily use: the chimney held by an O-ring installed on the bell, and the deck. It's also possible to unscrew the ring beneath the deck, making it easy to install the FOB RBA on a box with a 510 connection for initial firings, or, without unscrewing it, on boxes with a spring-loaded pin, where it screws on perfectly. Therefore, there's no need to buy adapters every time, which is a big plus.
The chimney is closer to the MTL world, with a 4.5mm diameter, as well as the internal dimensions of the bell. The deck is quite standard, with screws to secure the coil and wicks that need to be placed in the slots, with two holes present on the chamber to allow the cotton to feed. In the center, there's a replaceable gold-plated airpin. The geometries are neither too small nor too open, allowing both MTL and RDL draws to coexist without one being worse than the other.
The airflow system is "fixed," without an airflow ring, but it offers the possibility to choose between 6 airpins: 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4 mm, with the measurements also marked on the bottom. They are screwed in and also act as the positive pin. Unscrewing them also releases the positive tower. If you want to replace the airpin with the coil already installed, you need to open everything up and hold the tower in place while screwing it back in. Below the positive tower is its insulator, which, for now, seems to remain in place.
Some specifics on the build. First, there is a sort of notch on the deck to make cutting the wire easier, as it tends to easily touch the RBA's chamber. When the coil is installed "normally," it ends up upside down, and as shown in the photos, it can be installed without any problems thanks to the ample space for maneuvering. If you don't like the coil upside down, the turns should be flipped in reverse or to the left.
The build is slightly limited by the generous size of the cotton slots, with a 2.25 mm tip just about covering them, but it's still sufficient as long as the cotton isn't too thin or overly packed. The only caution here is that once the slots are covered, the cotton feeding and wire diameter should be chosen depending on which undercoil pin you want to use. The 1.5mm pin might be a bit too tight for vaping, more like a 1.3 or 1.4 mm. The 2mm pin offers a fairly tight MTL draw. Advken nailed the airflow system design.
Excellent work from Advken, who ventured into two unexplored fields despite having 12 years of experience in the vaping industry. The materials are excellently made, with attention to the issues the AIO world often faces, which many vapers, especially those used to box mods and RTAs, don't appreciate, myself included. From the non-existent condensation, thanks to ample space around the airpin, to the "open" design and the inclusion of the negative contact pre-installed, saving additional costs and making it easy to install. A similar story for the nut, already equipped with a 510 connector. These may seem like small details, but it's the first AIO that really feels complete, with the option to buy other RBAs if needed.
The FOB AIO is available on Advken's official store and through various authorized distributors of the brand, in three color options: Hainan Blue, Cissa Green, and Magpie Black:
Advken FOB AIO
Thanks to Advken for the FOB AIO, to e-cigarette-forum and for the space, and to you for reading.
