Hi All, Anthony Vapes back here with my review of the voopoo alpha zip mod. Please see bottom for disclaimers and links. Note: This is not marked as a sample.
Introduction:
The Voopoo Alpha Zip mod is the latest mod from somewhat popular vape manufacturer Voopoo. Their Drag models are widely popular especially the original one due to its performance and price point at the time, but since then they have gone downhill a bit and their most recent drag 2 and drag 2 platinum mods were let downs. So let's see if the alpha zip can start their redemption. The Alpha Zip is a dual 18650 battery mod rated at 180 watts. It comes in a kit with the new MAAT tank, which i’ll be reviewing on it’s own next week so not here. It’s available in 5 colors all of which have a silver frame and the color options are just different panels. The panel designs are called Stars, Checkerboard, Glory, Knight, and Locomotive. Looking around online I only seen 2 sites that had it listed at all both for pre-order in a kit for like 90-100 bucks which is crazy. I’d assume the price once it gets closer to release and comes out will be closer to the 60ish for a kit.
Manufacturer's Specs:
album
Initial Impressions and features
When I first got this mod it looked and felt like your typical voopoo mod. Outside of the too mod all they mods have a pretty similar design. It’s a good side has a similar screen and has panels but not resin this time. The one thing that stood out though that i liked is no giant logo like the drag mods have on one side. Instead you have matching panels on both sides which looks much better to me.
Watt Mode Performance (chart and spreadsheet in picture album)
Now let’s get into some data. I ran my normal testing. I used Sony VTC5A batteries for the testing. Testing resistances were done at .12, .15, .20, and .64 ohms. wattage points were max (180), 150, 100, 75, 50 and 25. At .12 ohms it maxed out at 163 watts and 37 amps. For the rest of the testing it struggled a bit which isn’t uncommon but not the norm either. At 100+ it was 6-10 watts low and under 100 1-9 watts low, so not great but not bad either pretty average. At .15 it maxed out at 176 watts. The rest of the testing performance was solid, at over 100 watts it was 7 watts low and under 100 4 low to 2 high. For the .20 test it maxed out at 186 watts. For the rest of the tests it performed great, it was on point at 150 and under that only 1-3 watts high. For the .64 testing it maxed out at 85 watts and 7.363 volts. For the rest of the testing it was a little 3 watt at 75 but under 75 it was on point. The volts shows there is no boost circuit in this mod like most dual battery mods which isn’t a big deal as it’s not needed, but nice when they have one.
Overall I felt the performance of this mod was really good. It wasn’t anything impressive, but it was better then many although not as good as some of the best. More than good enough for anyone’s normal usage. It’s a solid performer in power mode like all of voopoos mods. The 7.363 volt limit shows there is no boost circuit but not needed here. Their manual lists a limit of 7.5V so great rating there. They don’t list an amp limit and I wish they would list all 3 personally. On this mod and the most amps i got was 37 with a .12 ohm coil which is pretty average for a dual 18650 mod. Average these days is around 40ish give or take a couple. More than good enough. The watt curve mode also works great as well. Personally If i was listing the specs I’d call the mod 185 watts, 7.5V and 37A. So overall good performer and good ratings
Simplified TLDR Power Performance summary
Mod performance is solid. Good rating for watts (186), No boost circuit but not required, solid amp limit of 37. Hits a little weak at .12 ohms but above that petty accurate. Watt curve mode works great as well
Temperature Control Performance
Using SS316 wire and SS mode, i’ll keep this pretty short and sweet. They still have that 80 watt limit which isn’t even really 80 watts anyway. For example using a .26 ohm build the mod outputs under 40 watts only. No way i can pass a mod with TC like this these days so I didn’t need to get too much more into it at all. If voopoo wants to have a good TC mod these days they need to shed that 80 watt limit and also since they use a non-standard TCR system they should also look to update that to the standard one 95% of mods use these days. I won’t recommend a dual battery mod for TC that doesn't at least give a true 80 watts minimum at any resistance and I have a hard time recommending one with a non standard TCR system unless it works great out of the box without adjustments. SO overall not a mod i’d recommend for TC mode.
Other Usage Notes
The mod uses a standard 5 click to turn on and off. The menu system is pretty much the same as all their past mods really and needs a huge update. It doesn't have a true menu system for modes. You click fire 3 times to cycle to the next mode which goes watts > Fit > TC (use up and down to select between SS, NI, and TI. I won’t get into the TC area anymore as it’s not useful on this mod anyway and neither is fit mode. In power mode use up and down to enter the sub menu for the mode which allows you to change between watts (labeled M) and watt curve (labeled M1-5) when in watt curve mode, click fire 4 times to program the settings. You can program 5 different watt curve memories. Holding fire and up locks the mod (can’t fire doesn't lock just the adjustment buttons) and holding down and fire flips the screen. They really need an overhaul of the menu system to be more user friendly but won’t be much of an issue since most people will use just watts mode anyway here and changing between that watt curve is simple enough.
The Voopoo Alpha Zip adjusts by 1 watt increments only from 5-180 watts. I love that personally. Holding it makes it adjust pretty fast as well, so well done there. There is no round robin though. The mod itself is built solid with no rattle at all, and has a good solid weight to it. The Battery door is a standard magnetic side plate. It works really well and fits nice with almost no play and has a coating on the inside for extra protection. The paint on the mod is nice as well no signs of wearing outside the normal bottom wear and tear every mod gets. I got the stars one which is a silver body with a stars and stripes design on it. The blue parts are reflective and shiny while the red parts are matte and non reflective. Really nice design and contrast. All the colors have a Silver body.
The fire button is standard size simple rectangle button with an engraved X. It works well and It never gets stuck or anything though which is as it should be, no complaints there. The 510 pin is great and gave me no issues with any atomizer. The mod handles a 25mm atomizer with no overhang and the 510 is not centered just slightly more towards the back of the mod then the front, It’s only limited by the thickness of the mod. The screen is the old outdated “dna” style black and white screen. They really need to get nicer screens. It is however pretty bright and much better looking then the ones on the drag 2 mod. Also for branding the mod itself there is just a small voopoo on each side panel hidden into the design. Nothing crazy or in your face. Nicely branded overall. They list a charging rate of 1.8A, but i don’t recommend charging internally in your mods like these however for the sake of info I did a quick test on the charge rate and the max i got was 1.64a so good enough for the rating and a little over 1.5A charging. No complaints there
Pros:
So with all that said, do I recommend this mod or not? I don’t like to do a hard yes or no and this one i’m going to have to lean a little towards the yes. The dual 18650 market is flooded with so many good options these days and is really competitive so it's hard to stand out. The alpha zip doesn't stand out but if you don’t use TC mode it’s as good of a performer as many and more than acceptable. It’s also one of voopoo’s best dual battery mods overall to date (this and the too) and a nice improvement over the drag 2. Better paint, no 510 gap, better battery door, no giant drag logo, nicer screen etc etc. It fixed pretty much all my complaints about the drag 2 except for the TC mode. So yeah if you are in the market for a power mode only mod it’s worth a look and if you are a voopoo fan and looking at the drag 2 , get this one instead it’s a much better option of course assuming it’s available at a reasonable price point like all their other mods upon release. I added this to my sheet of recommendations linked down below as a power mode mod only, feel free to check out that link if you are in the market for anything.
This is Anthony Vapes just keeping it honest, hopefully you all can say the same and i’ll catch you on my next review.
Product Disclaimer
This product was sent to me from Voopoo
Review Disclaimer
Due to possible QC difference your experience may vary.
Reviewer Disclaimer
I’ve been doing vape reviews since late 2016 and have done over 300 reviews to date. I enjoy helping vapers on forums as well and helping contribute to the great vape community. I’m not an “out of the box” reviewer. I do my best to be thorough at all times and have enough experience with many products to tell what’s good and what’s not. All mods get tested with an oscilloscope and stress tested and results are posted in my reviews.
Recommendations and Past Review Links
written reviews list here
Youtube Channel here
Spreadsheet of Recommendations here
Best of 2018 list here
Best of 2017 list here
Introduction:
The Voopoo Alpha Zip mod is the latest mod from somewhat popular vape manufacturer Voopoo. Their Drag models are widely popular especially the original one due to its performance and price point at the time, but since then they have gone downhill a bit and their most recent drag 2 and drag 2 platinum mods were let downs. So let's see if the alpha zip can start their redemption. The Alpha Zip is a dual 18650 battery mod rated at 180 watts. It comes in a kit with the new MAAT tank, which i’ll be reviewing on it’s own next week so not here. It’s available in 5 colors all of which have a silver frame and the color options are just different panels. The panel designs are called Stars, Checkerboard, Glory, Knight, and Locomotive. Looking around online I only seen 2 sites that had it listed at all both for pre-order in a kit for like 90-100 bucks which is crazy. I’d assume the price once it gets closer to release and comes out will be closer to the 60ish for a kit.
Manufacturer's Specs:
- Dimensions: 85 x 51.3 x 25.5mm
- Power Range: 5-180W
- Battery: Dual 18650 Batteries (Not included)
- Mod Material: Zinc Alloy & Stainless Steel & Plastic
- Resistance Range: 0.5-5.0ohm
- Output Voltage: 0-7.5V
- TC Range: 200-600℉/100-315℃
- Weight: 166.5g
- 1 x Alpha Zip 180w Mod
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x GENE CHip Card
- 1 x Warranty Card
album
Initial Impressions and features
When I first got this mod it looked and felt like your typical voopoo mod. Outside of the too mod all they mods have a pretty similar design. It’s a good side has a similar screen and has panels but not resin this time. The one thing that stood out though that i liked is no giant logo like the drag mods have on one side. Instead you have matching panels on both sides which looks much better to me.
Watt Mode Performance (chart and spreadsheet in picture album)
Now let’s get into some data. I ran my normal testing. I used Sony VTC5A batteries for the testing. Testing resistances were done at .12, .15, .20, and .64 ohms. wattage points were max (180), 150, 100, 75, 50 and 25. At .12 ohms it maxed out at 163 watts and 37 amps. For the rest of the testing it struggled a bit which isn’t uncommon but not the norm either. At 100+ it was 6-10 watts low and under 100 1-9 watts low, so not great but not bad either pretty average. At .15 it maxed out at 176 watts. The rest of the testing performance was solid, at over 100 watts it was 7 watts low and under 100 4 low to 2 high. For the .20 test it maxed out at 186 watts. For the rest of the tests it performed great, it was on point at 150 and under that only 1-3 watts high. For the .64 testing it maxed out at 85 watts and 7.363 volts. For the rest of the testing it was a little 3 watt at 75 but under 75 it was on point. The volts shows there is no boost circuit in this mod like most dual battery mods which isn’t a big deal as it’s not needed, but nice when they have one.
Overall I felt the performance of this mod was really good. It wasn’t anything impressive, but it was better then many although not as good as some of the best. More than good enough for anyone’s normal usage. It’s a solid performer in power mode like all of voopoos mods. The 7.363 volt limit shows there is no boost circuit but not needed here. Their manual lists a limit of 7.5V so great rating there. They don’t list an amp limit and I wish they would list all 3 personally. On this mod and the most amps i got was 37 with a .12 ohm coil which is pretty average for a dual 18650 mod. Average these days is around 40ish give or take a couple. More than good enough. The watt curve mode also works great as well. Personally If i was listing the specs I’d call the mod 185 watts, 7.5V and 37A. So overall good performer and good ratings
Simplified TLDR Power Performance summary
Mod performance is solid. Good rating for watts (186), No boost circuit but not required, solid amp limit of 37. Hits a little weak at .12 ohms but above that petty accurate. Watt curve mode works great as well
Temperature Control Performance
Using SS316 wire and SS mode, i’ll keep this pretty short and sweet. They still have that 80 watt limit which isn’t even really 80 watts anyway. For example using a .26 ohm build the mod outputs under 40 watts only. No way i can pass a mod with TC like this these days so I didn’t need to get too much more into it at all. If voopoo wants to have a good TC mod these days they need to shed that 80 watt limit and also since they use a non-standard TCR system they should also look to update that to the standard one 95% of mods use these days. I won’t recommend a dual battery mod for TC that doesn't at least give a true 80 watts minimum at any resistance and I have a hard time recommending one with a non standard TCR system unless it works great out of the box without adjustments. SO overall not a mod i’d recommend for TC mode.
Other Usage Notes
The mod uses a standard 5 click to turn on and off. The menu system is pretty much the same as all their past mods really and needs a huge update. It doesn't have a true menu system for modes. You click fire 3 times to cycle to the next mode which goes watts > Fit > TC (use up and down to select between SS, NI, and TI. I won’t get into the TC area anymore as it’s not useful on this mod anyway and neither is fit mode. In power mode use up and down to enter the sub menu for the mode which allows you to change between watts (labeled M) and watt curve (labeled M1-5) when in watt curve mode, click fire 4 times to program the settings. You can program 5 different watt curve memories. Holding fire and up locks the mod (can’t fire doesn't lock just the adjustment buttons) and holding down and fire flips the screen. They really need an overhaul of the menu system to be more user friendly but won’t be much of an issue since most people will use just watts mode anyway here and changing between that watt curve is simple enough.
The Voopoo Alpha Zip adjusts by 1 watt increments only from 5-180 watts. I love that personally. Holding it makes it adjust pretty fast as well, so well done there. There is no round robin though. The mod itself is built solid with no rattle at all, and has a good solid weight to it. The Battery door is a standard magnetic side plate. It works really well and fits nice with almost no play and has a coating on the inside for extra protection. The paint on the mod is nice as well no signs of wearing outside the normal bottom wear and tear every mod gets. I got the stars one which is a silver body with a stars and stripes design on it. The blue parts are reflective and shiny while the red parts are matte and non reflective. Really nice design and contrast. All the colors have a Silver body.
The fire button is standard size simple rectangle button with an engraved X. It works well and It never gets stuck or anything though which is as it should be, no complaints there. The 510 pin is great and gave me no issues with any atomizer. The mod handles a 25mm atomizer with no overhang and the 510 is not centered just slightly more towards the back of the mod then the front, It’s only limited by the thickness of the mod. The screen is the old outdated “dna” style black and white screen. They really need to get nicer screens. It is however pretty bright and much better looking then the ones on the drag 2 mod. Also for branding the mod itself there is just a small voopoo on each side panel hidden into the design. Nothing crazy or in your face. Nicely branded overall. They list a charging rate of 1.8A, but i don’t recommend charging internally in your mods like these however for the sake of info I did a quick test on the charge rate and the max i got was 1.64a so good enough for the rating and a little over 1.5A charging. No complaints there
Pros:
- batteries are easy to get in and out without damaging wraps
- nice panels and designs
- color options (5)
- good 510 pin
- handles 25mm attys without overhang
- power adjustments are fast and easy
- accurate rating for watts
- accurate rating for Volts
- solid amp limit
- good performance in power mode
- good watt curve mode
- TC performance is bad
- small outdated black and white screen
- menu system needs an overhaul for easier use
- All color options have the same frame color (SS only)
So with all that said, do I recommend this mod or not? I don’t like to do a hard yes or no and this one i’m going to have to lean a little towards the yes. The dual 18650 market is flooded with so many good options these days and is really competitive so it's hard to stand out. The alpha zip doesn't stand out but if you don’t use TC mode it’s as good of a performer as many and more than acceptable. It’s also one of voopoo’s best dual battery mods overall to date (this and the too) and a nice improvement over the drag 2. Better paint, no 510 gap, better battery door, no giant drag logo, nicer screen etc etc. It fixed pretty much all my complaints about the drag 2 except for the TC mode. So yeah if you are in the market for a power mode only mod it’s worth a look and if you are a voopoo fan and looking at the drag 2 , get this one instead it’s a much better option of course assuming it’s available at a reasonable price point like all their other mods upon release. I added this to my sheet of recommendations linked down below as a power mode mod only, feel free to check out that link if you are in the market for anything.
This is Anthony Vapes just keeping it honest, hopefully you all can say the same and i’ll catch you on my next review.
Product Disclaimer
This product was sent to me from Voopoo
Review Disclaimer
Due to possible QC difference your experience may vary.
Reviewer Disclaimer
I’ve been doing vape reviews since late 2016 and have done over 300 reviews to date. I enjoy helping vapers on forums as well and helping contribute to the great vape community. I’m not an “out of the box” reviewer. I do my best to be thorough at all times and have enough experience with many products to tell what’s good and what’s not. All mods get tested with an oscilloscope and stress tested and results are posted in my reviews.
Recommendations and Past Review Links
written reviews list here
Youtube Channel here
Spreadsheet of Recommendations here
Best of 2018 list here
Best of 2017 list here
