I know there's modders, and vapers, that are up in the air (read: confused ) on which to choose to mod with, and which to choose to vape with.
After modding with, and vaping with, both the Nivel and the DNA20D I have likes/dislikes between the two that I thought I would share.
Modding:
Nivel - it comes pre-wired with only a fire button required as an external component (adding an LED is optional). The LCD is easy to mount and secure in the case. The only dislike about modding with the Nivel is that the LCD is not centered on the board, which makes for a bit of finagling when trying to center the LCD in the case.
DNA20D - it's not a difficult board to mod with, but there are quirks with it. It doesn't come pre-wired like the Nivel and requires more external components in addition to the fire button (specifically up/down watts buttons or POT). If I had my preference, the up/down watts feature would be built into the fire button like the 5x clicks on/off feature. The most obvious bugaboo with the DNA20D is the short, dangling cable attached to a piece of glass on one end and to the board on the other end. Most modders have lost a screen or two (or more ) because of the screen breaking or the cable breaking away from the board so not only a frustration/stress factor, but also the expense adds up to replace the whole thing, rather than just the OLED/cable if you want the display. It would be much much better to have a detachable cable/OLED to secure in the case, then attach the board to the cable.
Onboard Protection:
Nivel has full onboard protection whereas the DNA20D has onboard protection, but does not have reverse polarity protection. None of Evolv's products have reverse polarity protection which I feel is a major oversight or failure to consider the importance of it. Not a factor with modders and users who build and have mods with internal batteries, but a HUGE concern for modders and users that have user replaceable batteries. Putting the battery in backwards will immediately fry the DNA20D board and it will then need to be replaced. Not only that, but the battery will get hot hot hot really fast due to the release of current. Not a major concern with protected batteries, but is a major concern with IMR batteries.
User Interface:
Huge like - DNA20D. The all-in-one display is absolutely great! Easy readability of the battery charge level, ohms, volts, and watts without having to access a menu system to see the data is a major plus.
Nivel - has a learning curve with how to use the menu system/standby mode/operating mode to access data or change vaping preference and can be confusing/frustrating for the user until they learn the ins and outs of it.
Capability/Specs:
Nivel - vv (3.0 - 6.0 volts) or vw (3 watts - 15 watts) option with 3.5A max current capability. Downside: for me being a high watts vaper the 15 watts is in my vaping range, but notice a bit of sag at that load. Upside: those who vape very low to low to mid watts (up to about 14 watts) will have a stable, consistent, reliable hit.
DNA20D - vw option only with a range of 7 watts - 20 watts with 6A max current capability. Upside: absolutely no glitches in load when vaping at higher watts. The 20 watts max and 6A cushion make for a stable, reliable, consistent hit when vaping high watts. Downside: those who want lower watts, lower than 7 watts, will not be able to vape with the DNA20D. Also, when vaping at 7 watts with low ohm resistance, the DNA20D kicks into unregulated mode (will see a flashing ohms reading). So the DNA20D is suitable for low to mid to high watts vapers, but not the very low watts vapers.
Features:
Nivel - Operating Mode: displays battery charge level and has easy access to change power/volts. Menu mode (each feature accessed by a specific number of clicks of the fire button): access/change voltage vs power regulation, timer that displays actual vape time plus allows you to document when the battery is near the end of its life when actual vape time starts to decrease from a full charge, adjust brightness for the LCD, turn on/off the LCD and/or LED, displays resistance of the atty/carto, intake timer, firmware.
DNA20D - locked mode (5x clicks of the fire button turns off to firing the atty/carto and off to changing the watts level), normal/stealth mode (turns on/off the display), left/right mode (flips the screen 180 degrees).
Quirks:
Nivel - when getting an error message, it immediately kicks you into menu mode.
DNA20D - the display remains on when not pressing the fire button. Although it dims then blanks out over time, I would prefer that the display is on when pressing the fire button and immediately off and remains off when not pressing the fire button.
DNA20D - always on (only off to firing the atty/carto and changing watts level when in the locked mode) - because it's always on, it draws current from the battery. After a few days to a week of not using your mod you will have a totally drained battery - even if you have it in locked mode. For this reason, it would be better to have the master on/off feature with the 5x clicks of the fire button.
DNA20D - when power disconnect (or changing out the battery), the preset watts changes - usually ups 0.1 watts or so.
Summary:
I like both the Nivel and DNA20D - it's an awesome time to be a modder with these boards available to us and also as a vaper to vape with consistent reliable regulated vaping.
Which do I prefer? As a modder - the Nivel due to the ease of working with it, less external components, and ease of mounting it in a case. As a user - the DNA20D due to the high watts capability with max amps cushion and the easy user interface.
After modding with, and vaping with, both the Nivel and the DNA20D I have likes/dislikes between the two that I thought I would share.
Modding:
Nivel - it comes pre-wired with only a fire button required as an external component (adding an LED is optional). The LCD is easy to mount and secure in the case. The only dislike about modding with the Nivel is that the LCD is not centered on the board, which makes for a bit of finagling when trying to center the LCD in the case.
DNA20D - it's not a difficult board to mod with, but there are quirks with it. It doesn't come pre-wired like the Nivel and requires more external components in addition to the fire button (specifically up/down watts buttons or POT). If I had my preference, the up/down watts feature would be built into the fire button like the 5x clicks on/off feature. The most obvious bugaboo with the DNA20D is the short, dangling cable attached to a piece of glass on one end and to the board on the other end. Most modders have lost a screen or two (or more ) because of the screen breaking or the cable breaking away from the board so not only a frustration/stress factor, but also the expense adds up to replace the whole thing, rather than just the OLED/cable if you want the display. It would be much much better to have a detachable cable/OLED to secure in the case, then attach the board to the cable.
Onboard Protection:
Nivel has full onboard protection whereas the DNA20D has onboard protection, but does not have reverse polarity protection. None of Evolv's products have reverse polarity protection which I feel is a major oversight or failure to consider the importance of it. Not a factor with modders and users who build and have mods with internal batteries, but a HUGE concern for modders and users that have user replaceable batteries. Putting the battery in backwards will immediately fry the DNA20D board and it will then need to be replaced. Not only that, but the battery will get hot hot hot really fast due to the release of current. Not a major concern with protected batteries, but is a major concern with IMR batteries.
User Interface:
Huge like - DNA20D. The all-in-one display is absolutely great! Easy readability of the battery charge level, ohms, volts, and watts without having to access a menu system to see the data is a major plus.
Nivel - has a learning curve with how to use the menu system/standby mode/operating mode to access data or change vaping preference and can be confusing/frustrating for the user until they learn the ins and outs of it.
Capability/Specs:
Nivel - vv (3.0 - 6.0 volts) or vw (3 watts - 15 watts) option with 3.5A max current capability. Downside: for me being a high watts vaper the 15 watts is in my vaping range, but notice a bit of sag at that load. Upside: those who vape very low to low to mid watts (up to about 14 watts) will have a stable, consistent, reliable hit.
DNA20D - vw option only with a range of 7 watts - 20 watts with 6A max current capability. Upside: absolutely no glitches in load when vaping at higher watts. The 20 watts max and 6A cushion make for a stable, reliable, consistent hit when vaping high watts. Downside: those who want lower watts, lower than 7 watts, will not be able to vape with the DNA20D. Also, when vaping at 7 watts with low ohm resistance, the DNA20D kicks into unregulated mode (will see a flashing ohms reading). So the DNA20D is suitable for low to mid to high watts vapers, but not the very low watts vapers.
Features:
Nivel - Operating Mode: displays battery charge level and has easy access to change power/volts. Menu mode (each feature accessed by a specific number of clicks of the fire button): access/change voltage vs power regulation, timer that displays actual vape time plus allows you to document when the battery is near the end of its life when actual vape time starts to decrease from a full charge, adjust brightness for the LCD, turn on/off the LCD and/or LED, displays resistance of the atty/carto, intake timer, firmware.
DNA20D - locked mode (5x clicks of the fire button turns off to firing the atty/carto and off to changing the watts level), normal/stealth mode (turns on/off the display), left/right mode (flips the screen 180 degrees).
Quirks:
Nivel - when getting an error message, it immediately kicks you into menu mode.
DNA20D - the display remains on when not pressing the fire button. Although it dims then blanks out over time, I would prefer that the display is on when pressing the fire button and immediately off and remains off when not pressing the fire button.
DNA20D - always on (only off to firing the atty/carto and changing watts level when in the locked mode) - because it's always on, it draws current from the battery. After a few days to a week of not using your mod you will have a totally drained battery - even if you have it in locked mode. For this reason, it would be better to have the master on/off feature with the 5x clicks of the fire button.
DNA20D - when power disconnect (or changing out the battery), the preset watts changes - usually ups 0.1 watts or so.
Summary:
I like both the Nivel and DNA20D - it's an awesome time to be a modder with these boards available to us and also as a vaper to vape with consistent reliable regulated vaping.
Which do I prefer? As a modder - the Nivel due to the ease of working with it, less external components, and ease of mounting it in a case. As a user - the DNA20D due to the high watts capability with max amps cushion and the easy user interface.