Here I am again with another review for you. This time I was sent the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 Kit by Sourcemore in order to provide you with a fair and honest review. The Pulse AIO.5 is the second edition of the Pulse. It has the ability to use 21700, 20700, or 18650 batteries with the included adapter. It has a maximum output of 80 watts and is what I call a boro type device. There are two different versions of this kit. One comes with just pre-built coil tank and for an additional charge you can get what they are calling a Vessel DIY RBA tank. I received the pre-built coil version only which uses the VVC series coils. I think it’s very nice that the kit comes with an extra set of panels because it also includes a second button panel that you can switch out depending on whether you want to use the round button with the panels that have the round hole cut or the square button panel with the corresponding side panels.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
1* Pulse AIO.5 Device
1* Pulse Vessel Pre-Built Tank
2* VVC Coil
1* QC Type-C USB Cable
1* Instruction Manual
1* Accessory Bag
1* Wrench
1* 18650 Battery Adaptor
1* Bonus Round Button Set
SPECIFICATIONS:
Size: 55.6*97.5*28.2mm
Power Range: 5-80W
Operating Voltage: 3.2-4.2V
Maxim Output Current: 32A
Charging Input Voltage 5±0.25V
Resistance: 0.05-3.0ohm
RBA Pod Capacity: 3.7ml
Charging Current: 1000mAh
Pre-built Pod Capacity: 5ml
Battery Type: 21700/20700/18650 cells (Not included)
Color: Black, Frosted Blue, Frosted Black, Frosted Red, Frosted White, Frosted Green
FEATURES:
1. Metal interface for the 510 nut
2. New square button and matching panel
3. Round button for matching inner panel and round button panel
4. Compatible with all previous accessories and aftermarket accessories
5. Vessel DIY RBA tank with curved 180 degree airflow
6. Vessel pre-made coil tank with 5ml capacity
7. Supports 21700, 20700 and 18650 (w/adapter) batteries
8. Adjustable positive pin, type-c charging
9. Temp control/voltage/bypass/smart mode, 80W max
10. LEXAN EXL1414T polycarbonate reinforced design
11. Easy to customize button and plates
12. Boro compatible and tanks work in most boro style mods
13. The pre-built tank is compatible with VVC coils
14. Safety protections: Open Circuit/Over-current/10s Cut-off/Short Circuit/Over-temperature/Low-battery Warning Protection
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I found the packaging for the Pulse AIO.5 rather interesting. If you’ve read many of my reviews then you know that I like viewing windows on packaging. This one is a real treat for me because it has viewing windows on both sides of the box. The front has the Tony B Project written on the top. I don’t know much about him besides he helped design both of the Pulse mods. On the bottom is the Pulse AIO.5 name and through the viewing window you can see the mod, pre-built coil tank, and drip tip. There is a different kit that comes with an rba tank but Sourcemore did not send that kit so I won’t be covering the vessel rba. I noticed immediately that this updated version has a square button instead of a round button like the original.
On the opposite side is a second viewing window where you can see a second set of panels are included and have a really nice design on them. To the right of the panels is a round fire button panel that can be used only with this second set of doors that also have a round cut out for the round fire button. As much as I like the square button, I like the round button panels much better and immediately swapped out the button panel so I could use the side panels with the nice design on them.
Some time ago, I reviewed the original Pulse AIO. From my understanding, some people had issues with the top of the Pulse breaking from over tightening the nut on top. I never had that issue. So with this updated version there is an extra metal ring around the top of the nut housing on top and the body of the unit has been reinforced on top. Also they body was made from a different material from what I have heard. However, once Vandy Vape was aware of it then they started replacing units under warranty. It is good to hear about a company standing behind their products like that. Since I have already reviewed the original Pulse AIO, here is a link to my prior review (10) VANDY VAPE PULSE AIO KIT review by hittman | E-Cigarette Forum (e-cigarette-forum.com).
As I mentioned earlier, the AIO.5 comes with the square button panel installed. I do like the pulse symbol on the metal ring around the fire button but like the side covers with the round button cut out better so immediately changed the button panel. To do this you need to remove the four screws in that panel. There is an allen wrench included but it’s much easier if you have a screwdriver with magnetic bits. The screws are very small and can be a little hard to get a grip on. Initially the 18650 adapter is sitting inside the battery compartment but I always use a 21700 when I can so set the adapter to the side and installed the larger battery.
In the second picture below you can see the 21700 battery installed as well as the pre-built coil tank that was included in the kit I received. That side has the Pulse and Tony B names below the opening for the tank. One of the included drip tips is installed but end up using either of the included tips.
The third picture below is after I installed the round button panel and the extra side covers that were included. I like these side covers much better than the plain black ones. I kind of wish that these would have been the ones with the square cut out so I could have used the square button with these.
The display for the AIO.5 is fairly basic and shows Set Wattage, Coil Resistance, Puff Counter, and Battery Indicator. The fire button is located above the display while the + and – buttons as well as the USB-C charging port are below. The USB-C port offers a charging rate of 5V/1000mah although no one ever recommends charging inside a mod. The menu/button operation for the AIO.5 is as follows.
The tank included with the basic kit is called the Pulse Vessel Prebuilt Tank. The tank is clear which I like very much. The white fill plug that you lift to fill the tank seems kind of thin and cheaply made. I’m not sure how long that will last. However, you can use about any boro tank in this so if you have a couple others wondering around like I do then the plug is no worry. T
The coils included with the tank are VVC-30 which is .3 ohm and rated at 30-45 watts and the VVC-60 which is .6 ohm and rated at 18-26 watts. The coils are a simple push in type coil and just seats into the bottom of the tank which has an airflow control ring built into it. All of the VVC series of coils are compatible with this unit. Once the coil is primed, inserted, and the tank is filled then you simply slide it into the AIO.5 and screw the top nut down to hold the tank in place. The kit comes with two white drip tips but I really didn’t like either one of them and ended up using one of my own 510 drip tips.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I have just started getting into AIO or Boro type devices the last year or so. I like the idea of the tank being protected inside the mod with only the drip tip being exposed. I liked the original Pulse AIO and very much like the AIO.5 with its upgrades like the metal support plate on top, the reinforced frame, and the use of a stronger material in the Lexan that was used.
I like the side covers with the design on them but wish that I could use the square button with them. I could always use the panel with the design on it on the back and use the plain black one with the square button panel on the front. It’s very nice that they include two sets of side covers and two button panels in the kit. I would have liked to have gotten the Vessel RBA to try out but unfortunately was not sent the deluxe version of the kit.
I started out using the .3 ohm coil in the tank with an RY4 Cream recipe that I very much like. I had about 400 puffs on the counter and the coil was still performing pretty well when I made the switch to the second coil. I thought the flavor and vapor production was very good while running the mod at 38 watts and the airflow control completely open.
Next up I switched out the coil to the .6 ohm coil. By the way, I would suggest keeping track of the tool that comes with the kit. It not only is good for tightening the top nut but also makes pulling out a coil much easier than doing it with your fingers. I ran this coil starting at 18 watts and worked up slowly from there. I ran it at 22 watts with the airflow half open and got what I thought was very good flavor from it. I was actually kind of impressed with the flavor while using the same RY4 recipe. After a day or two I tried running it up to 24 watts which was still in the operating range but after a few puffs I felt like the coils wasn’t staying saturated and the puffs seemed a little dry/slightly burned tasting so I went ahead and dialed it back to 22 watts and it was fine again. This took place with about 250 puffs on the counter.
Overall, I think the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 is a pretty nice device and would recommend it if you like AIO/Boro type devices. I don’t have very large hands so the body of the AIO.5 is a little wide for me but I can still put my hand around it and fire it with my thumb. I look forward to trying some of my other boro style tanks and rbas in it.
I’d like to thank Sourcemore and Kavis for sending the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 for this review. As always, thanks to you the readers. I greatly appreciate you taking time to read my reviews. I have a coupon code for you below as well as a link to the website.
COUPON CODE FOR $39.99 = PAIO5K
Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 Kit 80W Box Mod Kit (sourcemore.com)
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
1* Pulse AIO.5 Device
1* Pulse Vessel Pre-Built Tank
2* VVC Coil
1* QC Type-C USB Cable
1* Instruction Manual
1* Accessory Bag
1* Wrench
1* 18650 Battery Adaptor
1* Bonus Round Button Set
SPECIFICATIONS:
Size: 55.6*97.5*28.2mm
Power Range: 5-80W
Operating Voltage: 3.2-4.2V
Maxim Output Current: 32A
Charging Input Voltage 5±0.25V
Resistance: 0.05-3.0ohm
RBA Pod Capacity: 3.7ml
Charging Current: 1000mAh
Pre-built Pod Capacity: 5ml
Battery Type: 21700/20700/18650 cells (Not included)
Color: Black, Frosted Blue, Frosted Black, Frosted Red, Frosted White, Frosted Green
FEATURES:
1. Metal interface for the 510 nut
2. New square button and matching panel
3. Round button for matching inner panel and round button panel
4. Compatible with all previous accessories and aftermarket accessories
5. Vessel DIY RBA tank with curved 180 degree airflow
6. Vessel pre-made coil tank with 5ml capacity
7. Supports 21700, 20700 and 18650 (w/adapter) batteries
8. Adjustable positive pin, type-c charging
9. Temp control/voltage/bypass/smart mode, 80W max
10. LEXAN EXL1414T polycarbonate reinforced design
11. Easy to customize button and plates
12. Boro compatible and tanks work in most boro style mods
13. The pre-built tank is compatible with VVC coils
14. Safety protections: Open Circuit/Over-current/10s Cut-off/Short Circuit/Over-temperature/Low-battery Warning Protection
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I found the packaging for the Pulse AIO.5 rather interesting. If you’ve read many of my reviews then you know that I like viewing windows on packaging. This one is a real treat for me because it has viewing windows on both sides of the box. The front has the Tony B Project written on the top. I don’t know much about him besides he helped design both of the Pulse mods. On the bottom is the Pulse AIO.5 name and through the viewing window you can see the mod, pre-built coil tank, and drip tip. There is a different kit that comes with an rba tank but Sourcemore did not send that kit so I won’t be covering the vessel rba. I noticed immediately that this updated version has a square button instead of a round button like the original.
On the opposite side is a second viewing window where you can see a second set of panels are included and have a really nice design on them. To the right of the panels is a round fire button panel that can be used only with this second set of doors that also have a round cut out for the round fire button. As much as I like the square button, I like the round button panels much better and immediately swapped out the button panel so I could use the side panels with the nice design on them.
Some time ago, I reviewed the original Pulse AIO. From my understanding, some people had issues with the top of the Pulse breaking from over tightening the nut on top. I never had that issue. So with this updated version there is an extra metal ring around the top of the nut housing on top and the body of the unit has been reinforced on top. Also they body was made from a different material from what I have heard. However, once Vandy Vape was aware of it then they started replacing units under warranty. It is good to hear about a company standing behind their products like that. Since I have already reviewed the original Pulse AIO, here is a link to my prior review (10) VANDY VAPE PULSE AIO KIT review by hittman | E-Cigarette Forum (e-cigarette-forum.com).
As I mentioned earlier, the AIO.5 comes with the square button panel installed. I do like the pulse symbol on the metal ring around the fire button but like the side covers with the round button cut out better so immediately changed the button panel. To do this you need to remove the four screws in that panel. There is an allen wrench included but it’s much easier if you have a screwdriver with magnetic bits. The screws are very small and can be a little hard to get a grip on. Initially the 18650 adapter is sitting inside the battery compartment but I always use a 21700 when I can so set the adapter to the side and installed the larger battery.
In the second picture below you can see the 21700 battery installed as well as the pre-built coil tank that was included in the kit I received. That side has the Pulse and Tony B names below the opening for the tank. One of the included drip tips is installed but end up using either of the included tips.
The third picture below is after I installed the round button panel and the extra side covers that were included. I like these side covers much better than the plain black ones. I kind of wish that these would have been the ones with the square cut out so I could have used the square button with these.
The display for the AIO.5 is fairly basic and shows Set Wattage, Coil Resistance, Puff Counter, and Battery Indicator. The fire button is located above the display while the + and – buttons as well as the USB-C charging port are below. The USB-C port offers a charging rate of 5V/1000mah although no one ever recommends charging inside a mod. The menu/button operation for the AIO.5 is as follows.
- Press the fire button 5X to turn the device on/off
- Press the fire button and the – button to reset or retrieve the puff counter
- Press the fire button and the + button to lock the adjustment buttons
- Press the fire button 3X and the wattage will flash. Use the + and – buttons to choose between Wattage, Voltage, TC (SS, TI, Ni), Bypass.
The tank included with the basic kit is called the Pulse Vessel Prebuilt Tank. The tank is clear which I like very much. The white fill plug that you lift to fill the tank seems kind of thin and cheaply made. I’m not sure how long that will last. However, you can use about any boro tank in this so if you have a couple others wondering around like I do then the plug is no worry. T
The coils included with the tank are VVC-30 which is .3 ohm and rated at 30-45 watts and the VVC-60 which is .6 ohm and rated at 18-26 watts. The coils are a simple push in type coil and just seats into the bottom of the tank which has an airflow control ring built into it. All of the VVC series of coils are compatible with this unit. Once the coil is primed, inserted, and the tank is filled then you simply slide it into the AIO.5 and screw the top nut down to hold the tank in place. The kit comes with two white drip tips but I really didn’t like either one of them and ended up using one of my own 510 drip tips.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I have just started getting into AIO or Boro type devices the last year or so. I like the idea of the tank being protected inside the mod with only the drip tip being exposed. I liked the original Pulse AIO and very much like the AIO.5 with its upgrades like the metal support plate on top, the reinforced frame, and the use of a stronger material in the Lexan that was used.
I like the side covers with the design on them but wish that I could use the square button with them. I could always use the panel with the design on it on the back and use the plain black one with the square button panel on the front. It’s very nice that they include two sets of side covers and two button panels in the kit. I would have liked to have gotten the Vessel RBA to try out but unfortunately was not sent the deluxe version of the kit.
I started out using the .3 ohm coil in the tank with an RY4 Cream recipe that I very much like. I had about 400 puffs on the counter and the coil was still performing pretty well when I made the switch to the second coil. I thought the flavor and vapor production was very good while running the mod at 38 watts and the airflow control completely open.
Next up I switched out the coil to the .6 ohm coil. By the way, I would suggest keeping track of the tool that comes with the kit. It not only is good for tightening the top nut but also makes pulling out a coil much easier than doing it with your fingers. I ran this coil starting at 18 watts and worked up slowly from there. I ran it at 22 watts with the airflow half open and got what I thought was very good flavor from it. I was actually kind of impressed with the flavor while using the same RY4 recipe. After a day or two I tried running it up to 24 watts which was still in the operating range but after a few puffs I felt like the coils wasn’t staying saturated and the puffs seemed a little dry/slightly burned tasting so I went ahead and dialed it back to 22 watts and it was fine again. This took place with about 250 puffs on the counter.
Overall, I think the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 is a pretty nice device and would recommend it if you like AIO/Boro type devices. I don’t have very large hands so the body of the AIO.5 is a little wide for me but I can still put my hand around it and fire it with my thumb. I look forward to trying some of my other boro style tanks and rbas in it.
I’d like to thank Sourcemore and Kavis for sending the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 for this review. As always, thanks to you the readers. I greatly appreciate you taking time to read my reviews. I have a coupon code for you below as well as a link to the website.
COUPON CODE FOR $39.99 = PAIO5K
Vandy Vape Pulse AIO.5 Kit 80W Box Mod Kit (sourcemore.com)
