Hello once again and thank you for taking the time to read my review of the Smoant Charon TS 218 Touchscreen mod I received directly from Smoant for the purpose of this review.
If you want to find out really quick my overall conclusion you can scroll down to the Pros and Cons section and Conclusion to save you some time.
Smoant Charon TS 218 mod Package includes
My first look was at the ECC Show in Ontario CA were I met up with Bear and the whole Smoant crew. A lot of you know Bear and I can say he is even cooler in person, real good dude. The whole Smoant team were very friendly and excited about what they had on hand with good reason.
Since I had my Digital Camo Battlestar with me I had to snap a pic next to the TS in the same kick ... color, just wish I would have taken a better pic:
For me the woodgrain finish was just awesome though, someone who stopped by the booth actually thought it was real wood, that's how good it looks.....I am thinking a Stabilized Wood TS in the future...cmon Smoant!
I was fortunate enough to get one for review at the show, really fell for the woodgrain but that Digital Camo has been whispering sweet nothings in my dreams so might have to buy that one soon.
Right off the bat the touchscreen interface is simple to use without even reading the owner's manual. Really the main thing you need to know is the small button above the fire button is the screen lock, just hold it for 1 second to lock and unlock the screen, it really is that simple. The screen lock button can also bring up or down the screen by simply tapping it.
Navigating the menu is really simple and intuitive, I love to tinker and this had me really happy for a long time.
The Charon TS 218 left me with a great first impression as I am sure you can tell.
Here is a welcome addition to Smoant mods, the fixed preheat modes which of Max, Hard, Normal and Minimum. Of course you still get the VW Curve. The Charon TC 218 introduced the VW Curve but that is setup only via the Smoant PC interface, with the new TC 218 is can be done right on the screen which is awesome. If you want to read about how the TC 218 does the power curve you can see my review here.
I compared it in power mode to my SXMini G Class and with both set to standard on the G and Normal on the TS 218 I noticed a slight firing delay on the TS using the same tanks. This went away when I set the preheat to Hard or Max, that preheat really helps for high powered vaping.
In power with no preheat the power output felt about the same as the G Class once the TS got going following the delay. With both mods set to max preheat the G Class gave more of a kick, really only noticeable when using them back to back.
The VW Curve mode is just the best I have tried in a mod thus far, easy to setup and worked great. I have never been a big fan of VW curves just because of the hassle to set up with different mods but with the touchscreen it was easy. I change tanks a lot and a lot of times they require different VW Curves, who wants that hassle every time if it is not easy to do? It can be a little tricky to set watts exactly with the touchscreen if your OCD about that. In VW curve move but it never bothered me if it was 176 watts instead of 180 on the nose, I could get pretty close if not spot on most of the time.
In SS TC mode it was smooth and consistent but ran a little hot dependant on the tank used. Anywhere from 10 to 20f hot but just turn it down and the TC worked really well and kept me satisfied.
I did experience some firing delays with some tanks, not all. With my RDA's with simple SS316L builds there was no delay but with the Supertank mini using the Aspire SS316L coils the delay was noticeable, about a half second firing delay compared to my DNA and Yihi mods. I did experience a little delay with my Aromamizer Plus using SS316L Aliens but not as noticeable as it was with the Supertank mini.
The TC Curve is just as easy to set up as the VW Curve which is great. Since the preheat presets are not available in TC mode you can set your own preheat by starting out at a higher temp and gradually bringing it down to your desired temp. I was able to get great results using this by having my first temp set to max of 600f then gradually bringing it down to my prefered 430f near the end of my draw. I did experience the same delay with my Aromamizer Plus though, that is something I am hoping they can correct via a firmware update.
I have had the TS 218 for nearly 3 weeks now and the finish is just as nice as new and no scratches on the glass screen. This is with having it in my pocket with another mod while walking for 6 hours at the ECC show as well, the other mods actually got a couple of scratches but the TS finish is still good as new. I have also had a LOT of tanks screwed on and no tank rash, bravo to Smoant, they really know how to apply a durable finish.
The mod feel solid as hell and no battery door or button rattle. The rounded corners make it comfortable to hold but the panels take away from that a little. The big fire button is easy to find and nice feel to it with a solid click. It is a big mod though, that what is expected when you have such a large screen. Decent weight to it too, with batteries installed it weighed in at 311 grams. Might not be the most pocket friendly but hey, that is why you buy a Smoant Battlestar for the road and the TS 218 for home...haha. Seriously though I had no problem carrying it around with me for 6 hours.
The battery door is held on well with 4 magnets but is simple to remove as it has a gap on the bottom to get your fingernails under. No problem installing and removing batteries but the ribbon could have been a little longer, sometimes it takes me a little bit to grab it.
The 510 is nice and firm and every tank I tried sat nice and flush. 30mm tanks don't actually overhang the entire mod but it appears so with the way it is set up and the bevel.
I went ahead and took the TS 218 partially apart to see what it looks like inside and more importantly see how the 510 is mounted. I do this so you don't have to as if it is put back together wrong you may have a problem.
As you can see Smoant does it again and does it right. Love the quality they put in there products at a value price which is hard to beat. No press fit 510 connections here that are just waiting to eventually pop out, it may cost them a bit more but the consumer wins.
With the nearly 3 weeks spent with the TS 218 I need to mention some quirks I encountered. First quirk was the 2nd day I had it, I went to change settings as was unable to unlock the screen. A quick removal of one of the batteries cleared that up and it hasn't happened since. I once had the screen just stay dark, didn't matter if I pressed the lock or fire button it would not comes back on. Again a quick removal of one of the batteries and it worked again and never happened a 2nd time. These are the only 2 bugs I found and each time it went back to normal after removing then reinstalling one battery, not bad at all but it should be noted.
If I was chain vaping all day with a TFV12 at 150 watts I would go through 2 sets of batteries. With normal watts I could get through a full day. I measured 3.38V on one of my batteries and 3.4V on the other when I got the "Check Batteries" warning.
It should be noted that you can adjust the screen timeout from 10 to 240 seconds and also never have the screen not come on when vaping by just tapping the screen lock button. This will help extend battery life by not having the screen on for long or on at all until you tap the screen lock button again.
Pros
I really had a great time using the Smoant Charon TS 218, is it a perfect mod....no but the pros outweigh the cons for me. The touchscreen is a joy to use, you can tell a lot of thinking went into the design of it as it is easy to navigate and very responsive. The durability of the mod has been outstanding, still looks new and no scratches even on the screen. All in all this is an easy recommendation if the size doesn't bother you.
I would like to thank Smoant for allowing me to review the Charon TS 218, it is a fun mod and belongs in everyone's vape collection.
Here is some pics with different tanks
Smoant Battlestar RTA
Cigpet ECO12
Geekvape Medusa Reborn
Aspire Clieto EXO
Uwell D1
BPI Sumo RDA
Aromamizer Plus 30mm
If you want to find out really quick my overall conclusion you can scroll down to the Pros and Cons section and Conclusion to save you some time.
Smoant Charon TS 218 mod Package includes
- Smoant Charon TS 218 mod
- Usb charge cable
- User Manual
- Size: 59.5*85*29.3mm
- Dual 18650 batteries
- 2.4 inches super big touch screen
- High-tech and user-friendly interface
- Customized VW/TC curves
- VW mode:
- Power range: 1-218W
- Support resistance low to 0.1ohm
- Five heating modes: Min / Norm / Hard / Max / VW Curve
- Full Temperature Control:
- supports Nickel-200/Titanium/Stainless Steel/TCR/TC Curve
- Resistance Range: 0.05ohm-2.0ohm
- Temperature range: 200F-600F/ 100C-300C
- Screen lock function
- Screen brightness adjustment
- Pass through & 5V/1A balanced charging
- Low Resistance Protection
- Over-time Protection
- Reverse Polarity Protection
- Overheating Protection
- Temperature protection
- Low voltage protection
- Rainbow/ Dark blue/ Black/ Stainless Steel/ Wood Grain/ Digi camo 6 colors available.
First Impressions
My first look was at the ECC Show in Ontario CA were I met up with Bear and the whole Smoant crew. A lot of you know Bear and I can say he is even cooler in person, real good dude. The whole Smoant team were very friendly and excited about what they had on hand with good reason.
Since I had my Digital Camo Battlestar with me I had to snap a pic next to the TS in the same kick ... color, just wish I would have taken a better pic:
For me the woodgrain finish was just awesome though, someone who stopped by the booth actually thought it was real wood, that's how good it looks.....I am thinking a Stabilized Wood TS in the future...cmon Smoant!
I was fortunate enough to get one for review at the show, really fell for the woodgrain but that Digital Camo has been whispering sweet nothings in my dreams so might have to buy that one soon.
Right off the bat the touchscreen interface is simple to use without even reading the owner's manual. Really the main thing you need to know is the small button above the fire button is the screen lock, just hold it for 1 second to lock and unlock the screen, it really is that simple. The screen lock button can also bring up or down the screen by simply tapping it.
Navigating the menu is really simple and intuitive, I love to tinker and this had me really happy for a long time.
The Charon TS 218 left me with a great first impression as I am sure you can tell.
Power and VW Curve Mode
Here is a welcome addition to Smoant mods, the fixed preheat modes which of Max, Hard, Normal and Minimum. Of course you still get the VW Curve. The Charon TC 218 introduced the VW Curve but that is setup only via the Smoant PC interface, with the new TC 218 is can be done right on the screen which is awesome. If you want to read about how the TC 218 does the power curve you can see my review here.
I compared it in power mode to my SXMini G Class and with both set to standard on the G and Normal on the TS 218 I noticed a slight firing delay on the TS using the same tanks. This went away when I set the preheat to Hard or Max, that preheat really helps for high powered vaping.
In power with no preheat the power output felt about the same as the G Class once the TS got going following the delay. With both mods set to max preheat the G Class gave more of a kick, really only noticeable when using them back to back.
The VW Curve mode is just the best I have tried in a mod thus far, easy to setup and worked great. I have never been a big fan of VW curves just because of the hassle to set up with different mods but with the touchscreen it was easy. I change tanks a lot and a lot of times they require different VW Curves, who wants that hassle every time if it is not easy to do? It can be a little tricky to set watts exactly with the touchscreen if your OCD about that. In VW curve move but it never bothered me if it was 176 watts instead of 180 on the nose, I could get pretty close if not spot on most of the time.
TC and TC Curve mode
In SS TC mode it was smooth and consistent but ran a little hot dependant on the tank used. Anywhere from 10 to 20f hot but just turn it down and the TC worked really well and kept me satisfied.
I did experience some firing delays with some tanks, not all. With my RDA's with simple SS316L builds there was no delay but with the Supertank mini using the Aspire SS316L coils the delay was noticeable, about a half second firing delay compared to my DNA and Yihi mods. I did experience a little delay with my Aromamizer Plus using SS316L Aliens but not as noticeable as it was with the Supertank mini.
The TC Curve is just as easy to set up as the VW Curve which is great. Since the preheat presets are not available in TC mode you can set your own preheat by starting out at a higher temp and gradually bringing it down to your desired temp. I was able to get great results using this by having my first temp set to max of 600f then gradually bringing it down to my prefered 430f near the end of my draw. I did experience the same delay with my Aromamizer Plus though, that is something I am hoping they can correct via a firmware update.
Build Quality and the guts!
I have had the TS 218 for nearly 3 weeks now and the finish is just as nice as new and no scratches on the glass screen. This is with having it in my pocket with another mod while walking for 6 hours at the ECC show as well, the other mods actually got a couple of scratches but the TS finish is still good as new. I have also had a LOT of tanks screwed on and no tank rash, bravo to Smoant, they really know how to apply a durable finish.
The mod feel solid as hell and no battery door or button rattle. The rounded corners make it comfortable to hold but the panels take away from that a little. The big fire button is easy to find and nice feel to it with a solid click. It is a big mod though, that what is expected when you have such a large screen. Decent weight to it too, with batteries installed it weighed in at 311 grams. Might not be the most pocket friendly but hey, that is why you buy a Smoant Battlestar for the road and the TS 218 for home...haha. Seriously though I had no problem carrying it around with me for 6 hours.
The battery door is held on well with 4 magnets but is simple to remove as it has a gap on the bottom to get your fingernails under. No problem installing and removing batteries but the ribbon could have been a little longer, sometimes it takes me a little bit to grab it.
The 510 is nice and firm and every tank I tried sat nice and flush. 30mm tanks don't actually overhang the entire mod but it appears so with the way it is set up and the bevel.
I went ahead and took the TS 218 partially apart to see what it looks like inside and more importantly see how the 510 is mounted. I do this so you don't have to as if it is put back together wrong you may have a problem.
As you can see Smoant does it again and does it right. Love the quality they put in there products at a value price which is hard to beat. No press fit 510 connections here that are just waiting to eventually pop out, it may cost them a bit more but the consumer wins.
Quirks
With the nearly 3 weeks spent with the TS 218 I need to mention some quirks I encountered. First quirk was the 2nd day I had it, I went to change settings as was unable to unlock the screen. A quick removal of one of the batteries cleared that up and it hasn't happened since. I once had the screen just stay dark, didn't matter if I pressed the lock or fire button it would not comes back on. Again a quick removal of one of the batteries and it worked again and never happened a 2nd time. These are the only 2 bugs I found and each time it went back to normal after removing then reinstalling one battery, not bad at all but it should be noted.
Battery life
If I was chain vaping all day with a TFV12 at 150 watts I would go through 2 sets of batteries. With normal watts I could get through a full day. I measured 3.38V on one of my batteries and 3.4V on the other when I got the "Check Batteries" warning.
It should be noted that you can adjust the screen timeout from 10 to 240 seconds and also never have the screen not come on when vaping by just tapping the screen lock button. This will help extend battery life by not having the screen on for long or on at all until you tap the screen lock button again.
Pros
- Quality construction
- Easy peasy touchscreen interface
- loads of options with the touchscreen
- 510 securely mounted with nut from under
- Very good TC Performance
- Very responsive touchscreen
- Preset preheat options in power mode along with a VW Curve which is easy to setup on the mod
- TC curve setup on the mod
- Great looking
- Durable finish
- Firing delay in power mode when in normal, set preheat to hard or max to avoid delay
- Firing delay with some tanks in SS TC mode
- Not the most comfortable to hold due to size and the panels but your buying it for the large touchscreen
- TC is a little on the hot side, just lower 10 to 20f and your good to go
- Touchscreen went unresponsive 2 times in nearly 3 weeks, a quick removal of one of the batteries fixed that
- Battery ribbon could be a little longer
- No Stabilized wood version....Cmon Smoant, we need a special edition...haha
I really had a great time using the Smoant Charon TS 218, is it a perfect mod....no but the pros outweigh the cons for me. The touchscreen is a joy to use, you can tell a lot of thinking went into the design of it as it is easy to navigate and very responsive. The durability of the mod has been outstanding, still looks new and no scratches even on the screen. All in all this is an easy recommendation if the size doesn't bother you.
I would like to thank Smoant for allowing me to review the Charon TS 218, it is a fun mod and belongs in everyone's vape collection.
Here is some pics with different tanks
Smoant Battlestar RTA
Cigpet ECO12
Geekvape Medusa Reborn
Aspire Clieto EXO
Uwell D1
BPI Sumo RDA
Aromamizer Plus 30mm
Last edited:
