I’m glad to be back today again with a review for you in which I will do my best to cover the new Voopoo Argus GT II kit. I was a big fan of the original Argus GT and have 4-5 of them. The original was 160 watt maximum output. They were such a small and lightweight dual 18650 mod. The new GT II is also a dual 18650 mod with some significant changes. It is in fact a 200 watt maximum output mod that uses the Gene.TT 2.0 chipset and offers 3 amp USB-C type charging capability. This new model is IP68 certified and offers a new output mode called Turbo. The tank included in the kit is a Volcano crater design called the MAAT and has a liquid capacity of 6.5ml. The tank uses the TPP series of coils that we have seen from Voopoo before so there is a little cross compatibility if you’ve been using those coils on one of their other devices. Before I start showing images and giving my opinions, let’s go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room. This mod is very similar in appearance to another mod that I have previously reviewed for a different company. I liked that mod very much which leads me to believe that I will like this one very much also. Now that’s out in the open, let’s take a look at the Voopoo Argus GT II kit.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
1pc ARGUS GT II Device
1pc MAAT Tank New (6.5ml)
1pc TPP-DM2, 0.2ohm
1pc TPP-DM3, 0.15ohm
1pc Type-C Cable
1pc User Manual
SPECIFICATIONS:
Size: 142.8* 54* 29mm
Battery: Dual 18650 batteries (not included)
Output: 5-200W
Output Voltage: 0-12V
Resistance Range: 0.05-3.0ohm
Capacity: 6.5ml (Standard) / 6.5ml (US) / 2ml (TPD)
Resistance: TPP-DM2 / TPP-DM3
Package: Gift Box
FEATURES:
1. Powered by dual 18650 batteries, max 200W output
2. 3A type-C charging
3. Gene.TT 2.0 chip
4. IP68 certificated
5. Turbo mode
6. Volcano crater design tank
7. Compatible with TPP-DM1, TPP-DM2, TPP-DM3, TPP-DM4 coils
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
The first thing I noticed when I opened the shipping box was that the kit came in a really nice metal case with a cardboard sleeve over the outside. On the front of the sleeve is a sketch of the mod and tank with a few specifications. The back of the sleeve has the usual contents list and company information along with a scratch off authenticity code. The front of the metal container has the following message “Solid and compact Argus Outdoor to create a better life experience”. I remember the original Argus GT coming in a nice case and am glad that Voopoo decided to keep with that tradition.
Let’s start out by taking a look at the MAAT tank. This new tank is said to have had 1,257 airflow adjustments and was designed in volcanic crater structure in order to drain condensate down and isolates it at the bottom to prevent seepage. It is said to provide a leak proof experience. I can say that I have not experienced any leaking during my time testing it at the time of writing this review. The base of the tank has two very large airflow openings that are easily adjusted by a lever that is incorporated into the airflow adjustment. The adjustment slide has vertical lines etched into it to easily tell where you have the airflow set.
It seemed odd to me that the top cap of the tank that is removed in order to fill seemed very lightweight. Almost to the point of feeling cheap. The tank is easily disassembled for cleaning. Once the top cap is removed there is a white gasket covering the fill ports and there is a single small hole over each port which I assume is to allow air to vent while filling. This is something I have not seen before as usually when a tank has a gasket like that then there are just slots that the bottle tip is pressed through.
I very much like the 810 drip tip with the stainless base which gives a nice appearance. It was comfortable to use so didn’t find it necessary to change like I usually do with most tanks. You can see in the picture that the inside of the base has gold plated contacts to match up with the coil to provide a good connection. The MAAT tank uses the same TPP series of coils that I’ve tested previously from Voopoo with other kits and they do provide good flavor but had experienced some minor seeping in the past with them. The two coils included in the kit are the TPP DM2 which is .2 ohm and rated at 40-60 watts. I found that I liked it at 51 watts. The other coil is the TPP DM3 which is .15 ohm and rated at 80-100 watts. That one is a little out of my comfort zone but did run it at about 70 watts for a while. I obviously preferred the DM2 which I used the most for testing.
Now on to the Argus 2 mod. On the top of the mod is of course the spring loaded gold contact center pin. It should allow up to about a 28mm base tank. Also found on top is one of my favorite features of this mod which is the metal sliding door for the 3A USB-C charging port. I like this design much better than the rubberized port cover that I have seen on other IP68 rated mods.
On the bottom of the mod is the sliding lever with an arrow on it indicating which way to slide the lever to open the spring loaded door to install the batteries. The battery polarity is clearly marked on the underside of the battery door on the contacts. I would assume that there is no battery venting on this unit since it is IP68 rated and venting would allow liquid and dirt intake.
The frame of the mod is made of zinc alloy and on the left side is “Designed by Voopoo” and “Made in China” etched into the frame. Then on the right side of the frame is “Gene Chip inside” etched in the frame. The version I received is the silver grey model with the brown leather backing. The backing has the Argus II name stamped into the leather. The leather is very soft to the touch. Almost to the point where it feels like suede. The Argus II is IP68 rated and said to be “indestructible”. I personally don’t consider anything to be indestructible. If there’s a will then there’s a way to break something. That being said, this mod should hold up to most environments that it finds itself it in.
Now onto the part you’ve been waiting for, the display and operation of the mod. Going from top to bottom is the nice sized fire button, the large display, the plus button, the minus button, and on the bottom is the lock button. The lock button completely locks out the mod and is another feature that I really like and have found myself using quite often. In the left position like in the picture below, it is in the unlocked position. Before putting it in a pocket or a bag just slide the lever to the right to lock the mod.
The Argus II uses the Gene.TT 2.0 which uses automatic power matching and provides Smart, RBA, Turbo, and TC modes. As you are probably familiar with, the Smart mode automatically chooses the optimal wattage depending on the coil resistance. In RBA mode you can choose any setting you like between 5-200 watts. The TC memory mode can record the set values of up to three temperature control parameters. I don’t feel like the Turbo mode was clearly explained to me but here is what I was told. “The new turbo mode is the output mode most in line with the smoking habits of users, and it can instantly maximize the release of the maximum smoke of TPP with a full sense of explosion.” I could tell the difference between the Turbo mode and RBA mode but don’t really know what is causing the difference. It almost seems like the difference between normal and hard modes seen on some mods.
The .96” TFT display of the Argus II shows the following information from top to bottom.
- Set wattage
- Output mode
- A battery indictor with percentage for each battery
- Puff counter
- Coil resistance, Output voltage while firing, and length of time of current puff
I very much like that it shows the battery percentage along with the indicator. I also like that if you do charge the batteries inside the mod then it shows the percentages of each battery during charging.
The review sample that I received has a screen time of 15 seconds but am told that the production model will have an adjustment available of 10-20 seconds. Also on the sample the screen brightness cannot be changed but the production model will be able to adjust the brightness from 1-100. I will however be able to download a software update the end of April that will add these features.
The button operation for this sample mod is as follows:
- Press the fire button 5X to turn on/off
- Press the + and – buttons to enter the menu which gives the options of Mode, Setting, About Device, and Exit
- Once you press the fire button to select Mode, then the options available are Smart, RBA, Turbo, and TC
- On the sample I received the only option inside the Setting selection is to clear the puff counter. This is probably where the other two features I mentioned will be found on production models
- About Device shows the chip information and firmware
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I very much enjoyed testing the Voopoo Argus II kit. The metal case that the mod comes in really sets the mood when you see it before opening the case. I assume that if someone is willing to provide a case like this then what’s inside must be good and in my opinion it is. The mod although similar in appearance to another I’ve seen before, has some really nice features like the sliding cover on top for the 3A charging/update port, the sliding device lock on the front and of course the new Turbo mode.
I was a little surprised at the flavor production I experienced using the MAAT Tank with the TPP coils. I am very familiar with these coils and have used them in prior reviews. I remembered them producing very good flavor but this time they didn’t seem quite as good as I remembered. I ran the .2 ohm coil at 55 watts with the airflow maybe ¼ open since this tank offers huge airflow. The flavor was good but not as good as I expected. I thought perhaps that I got a subpar coil so moved on to the other coil included in the kit.
Next up I installed the .15 ohm coil and started out at 65 watts and worked my way up to 72 while using a LMN# DIY mix that I use a lot for reviews. I still wasn’t getting that great flavor that I was looking for. After a suggestion from a friend, I went ahead and moved up to 78 and then 80 watts. The flavor was a tiny bit better but still not quite there. I had been running in RBA mode so decided to switch to Turbo mode. When I did, it defaulted to 65 watts and seemed almost as strong as the 78 watt setting. I’ve seen with different tanks and devices that a superior tank and coil combination will bring out notes in the liquid that other tanks don’t. For me, this wasn’t one of those combinations but the tank is good in its own right but the TPP coils with this tank didn’t quite hit that superior mark for me. Don’t get me wrong, the flavor production is pretty good and there’s nothing wrong with that but having tested some of the best coils and tanks on the market, I probably have set a higher bar than most.
The mod itself is fantastic in my opinion. With a 200 watt maximum output and all of the different modes it should be a good fit for most users. Although my sample didn’t have them, the production models will also allow the user to adjust the screen time and display brightness. Also with the IP68 rating it should be very durable and last a long time. I am curious as to how the soft leather backing will wear with time. I love the softness of the leather wrap.
I’d like to thank Voopoo and Aimer for sending the Voopoo Argus GT II kit for this review. Also thanks to the readers. I know this one got a little long so thanks for making it to the end. Below is a link to the Voopoo website. The full information on the GT II is not up on the website yet but should be soon.
VOOPOO VAPE Spark Your Life
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
1pc ARGUS GT II Device
1pc MAAT Tank New (6.5ml)
1pc TPP-DM2, 0.2ohm
1pc TPP-DM3, 0.15ohm
1pc Type-C Cable
1pc User Manual
SPECIFICATIONS:
Size: 142.8* 54* 29mm
Battery: Dual 18650 batteries (not included)
Output: 5-200W
Output Voltage: 0-12V
Resistance Range: 0.05-3.0ohm
Capacity: 6.5ml (Standard) / 6.5ml (US) / 2ml (TPD)
Resistance: TPP-DM2 / TPP-DM3
Package: Gift Box
FEATURES:
1. Powered by dual 18650 batteries, max 200W output
2. 3A type-C charging
3. Gene.TT 2.0 chip
4. IP68 certificated
5. Turbo mode
6. Volcano crater design tank
7. Compatible with TPP-DM1, TPP-DM2, TPP-DM3, TPP-DM4 coils
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
The first thing I noticed when I opened the shipping box was that the kit came in a really nice metal case with a cardboard sleeve over the outside. On the front of the sleeve is a sketch of the mod and tank with a few specifications. The back of the sleeve has the usual contents list and company information along with a scratch off authenticity code. The front of the metal container has the following message “Solid and compact Argus Outdoor to create a better life experience”. I remember the original Argus GT coming in a nice case and am glad that Voopoo decided to keep with that tradition.
Let’s start out by taking a look at the MAAT tank. This new tank is said to have had 1,257 airflow adjustments and was designed in volcanic crater structure in order to drain condensate down and isolates it at the bottom to prevent seepage. It is said to provide a leak proof experience. I can say that I have not experienced any leaking during my time testing it at the time of writing this review. The base of the tank has two very large airflow openings that are easily adjusted by a lever that is incorporated into the airflow adjustment. The adjustment slide has vertical lines etched into it to easily tell where you have the airflow set.
It seemed odd to me that the top cap of the tank that is removed in order to fill seemed very lightweight. Almost to the point of feeling cheap. The tank is easily disassembled for cleaning. Once the top cap is removed there is a white gasket covering the fill ports and there is a single small hole over each port which I assume is to allow air to vent while filling. This is something I have not seen before as usually when a tank has a gasket like that then there are just slots that the bottle tip is pressed through.
I very much like the 810 drip tip with the stainless base which gives a nice appearance. It was comfortable to use so didn’t find it necessary to change like I usually do with most tanks. You can see in the picture that the inside of the base has gold plated contacts to match up with the coil to provide a good connection. The MAAT tank uses the same TPP series of coils that I’ve tested previously from Voopoo with other kits and they do provide good flavor but had experienced some minor seeping in the past with them. The two coils included in the kit are the TPP DM2 which is .2 ohm and rated at 40-60 watts. I found that I liked it at 51 watts. The other coil is the TPP DM3 which is .15 ohm and rated at 80-100 watts. That one is a little out of my comfort zone but did run it at about 70 watts for a while. I obviously preferred the DM2 which I used the most for testing.
Now on to the Argus 2 mod. On the top of the mod is of course the spring loaded gold contact center pin. It should allow up to about a 28mm base tank. Also found on top is one of my favorite features of this mod which is the metal sliding door for the 3A USB-C charging port. I like this design much better than the rubberized port cover that I have seen on other IP68 rated mods.
On the bottom of the mod is the sliding lever with an arrow on it indicating which way to slide the lever to open the spring loaded door to install the batteries. The battery polarity is clearly marked on the underside of the battery door on the contacts. I would assume that there is no battery venting on this unit since it is IP68 rated and venting would allow liquid and dirt intake.
The frame of the mod is made of zinc alloy and on the left side is “Designed by Voopoo” and “Made in China” etched into the frame. Then on the right side of the frame is “Gene Chip inside” etched in the frame. The version I received is the silver grey model with the brown leather backing. The backing has the Argus II name stamped into the leather. The leather is very soft to the touch. Almost to the point where it feels like suede. The Argus II is IP68 rated and said to be “indestructible”. I personally don’t consider anything to be indestructible. If there’s a will then there’s a way to break something. That being said, this mod should hold up to most environments that it finds itself it in.
Now onto the part you’ve been waiting for, the display and operation of the mod. Going from top to bottom is the nice sized fire button, the large display, the plus button, the minus button, and on the bottom is the lock button. The lock button completely locks out the mod and is another feature that I really like and have found myself using quite often. In the left position like in the picture below, it is in the unlocked position. Before putting it in a pocket or a bag just slide the lever to the right to lock the mod.
The Argus II uses the Gene.TT 2.0 which uses automatic power matching and provides Smart, RBA, Turbo, and TC modes. As you are probably familiar with, the Smart mode automatically chooses the optimal wattage depending on the coil resistance. In RBA mode you can choose any setting you like between 5-200 watts. The TC memory mode can record the set values of up to three temperature control parameters. I don’t feel like the Turbo mode was clearly explained to me but here is what I was told. “The new turbo mode is the output mode most in line with the smoking habits of users, and it can instantly maximize the release of the maximum smoke of TPP with a full sense of explosion.” I could tell the difference between the Turbo mode and RBA mode but don’t really know what is causing the difference. It almost seems like the difference between normal and hard modes seen on some mods.
The .96” TFT display of the Argus II shows the following information from top to bottom.
- Set wattage
- Output mode
- A battery indictor with percentage for each battery
- Puff counter
- Coil resistance, Output voltage while firing, and length of time of current puff
I very much like that it shows the battery percentage along with the indicator. I also like that if you do charge the batteries inside the mod then it shows the percentages of each battery during charging.
The review sample that I received has a screen time of 15 seconds but am told that the production model will have an adjustment available of 10-20 seconds. Also on the sample the screen brightness cannot be changed but the production model will be able to adjust the brightness from 1-100. I will however be able to download a software update the end of April that will add these features.
The button operation for this sample mod is as follows:
- Press the fire button 5X to turn on/off
- Press the + and – buttons to enter the menu which gives the options of Mode, Setting, About Device, and Exit
- Once you press the fire button to select Mode, then the options available are Smart, RBA, Turbo, and TC
- On the sample I received the only option inside the Setting selection is to clear the puff counter. This is probably where the other two features I mentioned will be found on production models
- About Device shows the chip information and firmware
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I very much enjoyed testing the Voopoo Argus II kit. The metal case that the mod comes in really sets the mood when you see it before opening the case. I assume that if someone is willing to provide a case like this then what’s inside must be good and in my opinion it is. The mod although similar in appearance to another I’ve seen before, has some really nice features like the sliding cover on top for the 3A charging/update port, the sliding device lock on the front and of course the new Turbo mode.
I was a little surprised at the flavor production I experienced using the MAAT Tank with the TPP coils. I am very familiar with these coils and have used them in prior reviews. I remembered them producing very good flavor but this time they didn’t seem quite as good as I remembered. I ran the .2 ohm coil at 55 watts with the airflow maybe ¼ open since this tank offers huge airflow. The flavor was good but not as good as I expected. I thought perhaps that I got a subpar coil so moved on to the other coil included in the kit.
Next up I installed the .15 ohm coil and started out at 65 watts and worked my way up to 72 while using a LMN# DIY mix that I use a lot for reviews. I still wasn’t getting that great flavor that I was looking for. After a suggestion from a friend, I went ahead and moved up to 78 and then 80 watts. The flavor was a tiny bit better but still not quite there. I had been running in RBA mode so decided to switch to Turbo mode. When I did, it defaulted to 65 watts and seemed almost as strong as the 78 watt setting. I’ve seen with different tanks and devices that a superior tank and coil combination will bring out notes in the liquid that other tanks don’t. For me, this wasn’t one of those combinations but the tank is good in its own right but the TPP coils with this tank didn’t quite hit that superior mark for me. Don’t get me wrong, the flavor production is pretty good and there’s nothing wrong with that but having tested some of the best coils and tanks on the market, I probably have set a higher bar than most.
The mod itself is fantastic in my opinion. With a 200 watt maximum output and all of the different modes it should be a good fit for most users. Although my sample didn’t have them, the production models will also allow the user to adjust the screen time and display brightness. Also with the IP68 rating it should be very durable and last a long time. I am curious as to how the soft leather backing will wear with time. I love the softness of the leather wrap.
I’d like to thank Voopoo and Aimer for sending the Voopoo Argus GT II kit for this review. Also thanks to the readers. I know this one got a little long so thanks for making it to the end. Below is a link to the Voopoo website. The full information on the GT II is not up on the website yet but should be soon.
VOOPOO VAPE Spark Your Life
