VooPoo Argus P1s
Hello folks! Today we'll be taking a look at VooPoo's latest pod system, the Argus P1s. This is a taller and skinnier version of their Argus P1 that has more of a boxy shape. I wasn't given the chance to test their P1, but giving it a quick look over, it has almost identical features to the P1s. I'm going to guess that the "s" in the P1s is indicative of its slender aesthetic. If you actually know or have other ideas about what the "s" stands for, don't be afraid to leave a response! After a little bit of research, I figured out that the "s" stand for "stick-shaped", lol.
The P1s follows a long line of Argus Pod kits, and they've made quite a few improvements since some of the first few I tested. The biggest improvement is the 2A Type-C charging which was actually clocked higher than advertised, for once. I'll get more into detail about everything as we cruise through this review.
I want to thank VooPoo for sending this product out. As always, this critique will be conducted in a fair and honest manner. I've been quite critical of VooPoo in the past few years, so you can be sure that will not be changing for this review.
First I'll leave a few snippets of what VooPoo has to say about this product as well as some pictures from their site, and then will be leaving my own test results and experiences further below. If you want a more interactive look at the Argus P1s, please visit VooPoo's very own page. There are some things I purposefully left out, to give you an incentive to go check it out.
The P1s follows a long line of Argus Pod kits, and they've made quite a few improvements since some of the first few I tested. The biggest improvement is the 2A Type-C charging which was actually clocked higher than advertised, for once. I'll get more into detail about everything as we cruise through this review.
I want to thank VooPoo for sending this product out. As always, this critique will be conducted in a fair and honest manner. I've been quite critical of VooPoo in the past few years, so you can be sure that will not be changing for this review.
First I'll leave a few snippets of what VooPoo has to say about this product as well as some pictures from their site, and then will be leaving my own test results and experiences further below. If you want a more interactive look at the Argus P1s, please visit VooPoo's very own page. There are some things I purposefully left out, to give you an incentive to go check it out.
- BRIEF SITE OVERVIEW -
Color Options:
From left to right and top to bottom:
> Cyber Black
> Cyber Cyan
> Cyber Red
> Cyber White
> Cyber Green
> Creed Black
> Creed Rose
> Creed Cyan
Key Features:
> 2A Fast Charging Type-C
> iCOSM
So what exactly is iCOSM?
Specs & Package List:
The package list for the Standard, US, and TPD versions are all the same being that the included cartridges are 2 mL in volume.
- TEST RESULTS & OBSERVATIONS -
Intro:
Everything comes packaged nice and tidy. There's a plastic crate that holds the battery and cartridge protecting it from taking any fall damage during transport. Inside the box, aside from the battery and cartridge, you'll receive a bag-o-goodies and a lanyard. Inside the bag-o-goodies, you'll receive a spare cartridge (1.2Ω), a USB Type-C charging cable (about a foot long), a User Manual, and an Argus Platform Card which tells you which devices the Argus cartridges and pods are compatible with. I say cartridges and pods, because the included cartridges are also compatible with Argus pods that are available in other kits and for separate purchase. The pods use VooPoo's replaceable ITO coils, which allows you to save the pod and replace the coil instead of throwing out the entire cartridge when the coil burns out. There's a picture below when we reach the cartridges that explains this a bit further.
Because this kit comes with a spare Argus cartridge and USB Type-C cable, I'd consider this a great starter kit for new vapers. Older vapers that are interested in a very loose MTL or very restricted RDL will find this kit to be a great transition from whatever it is they're using if convenience is what they seek.
The Argus P1s Battery:
Because this kit comes with a spare Argus cartridge and USB Type-C cable, I'd consider this a great starter kit for new vapers. Older vapers that are interested in a very loose MTL or very restricted RDL will find this kit to be a great transition from whatever it is they're using if convenience is what they seek.
The Argus P1s Battery:
I received the Cyber White colorway for this review, and as you can see it's quite sharp looking. I'm a huge fan of the cyberpunk look when it comes to mods and devices, so the aesthetic is right up my alley.
When holding the device flat in your hand, you'll notice in the aluminum alloy, two small pin-sized holes on each side of the mod near the top of the battery; these are your airflow holes. There is no airflow control for this device. Instead, the air restriction is controlled by the air inlets on the bottom of the cartridge, and this more or less depends on what resistance the cartridge is. Generally speaking, the higher the resistance of the coil/cartridge, the less airflow there will be. This is to stay consistent with RDL (Restricted Direct Lung - lower to mid ohms) and MTL (Mouth To Lung - higher ohms) draw methods.
As you work your way down from the aluminum alloy, there's a transition to the PCTG plastic housing that gives this devices it's transparency and gleam. On the front side, you can see the battery indicator that's pasted front and center on the chip that's positioned right behind it. The "pipes" you see are strictly in place to add to the cyberpunk look as far as I know.
Near the bottom of the battery on the front and back, there's a reflective iridescent sticker under the PCTG casing that gives the Argus P1s a bit of a futuristic look.
On the top of the battery where the cartridge or pod seats, there are the standard positive and negative spring-loaded, gold or brass-plated pins along with the auto-draw sensor and two small rectangular magnets to hold the cartridge in place. I would like to see a slightly deeper drip tray to ensure the auto-draw sensor stays well clear of getting clogged up, but supposedly the new Argus cartridges are leak-proof. I've not experienced any leaking during my testing (3 weeks), but it's usually a month or two in before you start experiencing any leaking - this goes for pretty much any pod device. We'll see down the line if the new Argus cartridges can stand the test of time like VooPoo claims they do.
At the bottom of the battery is where you'll find the Type-C fast charging port. VooPoo claims that this port charges at 2A, but I actually clocked it at up to 2.4A which is extremely impressive. It's very rare to see VooPoo under-advertise their specs, so this is a huge kudos to them. The Argus P1s does indeed fully charge in almost exactly 20 min., and reaches the trickle charge at 15 min., which is around 90% - this is a common safety feature for lithium-ion batteries. It should be noted that this device simply does not want to stand. You can get it to stand, but you'll want to hold your breath indefinitely if you want it to continue standing.
The battery LEDs when lit, transition between cyan, blue, purple, pink, white, yellow, and green. However, the colors themselves do not indicate the status of your battery, but rather how many bars there are. 3 bars = 60-100%, 2 bars = 30-60%, and 1 bar = 0-30%.
I noticed one thing about the safety features mentioned for this device, and in particular, the 5-second cutoff. I'm not sure when they implemented this, but I've been wondering when someone was going to reduce the usual 10-second cutoff, because I think that's entirely too long. I don't think I know a single person that takes a 10-second puff, and if the device auto-fires for 10 seconds straight, you might as well just throw it away - it's toast. 5-seconds is far more than reasonable, and I applaud VooPoo for finally doing this.
The battery fires up to 25W based on the cartridge or coil resistance but it's all auto-adjusting, so there is no concern on your part about needing to change any settings for which cartridge or pod you use.
I'm also not a fan of the 3 bar LED indicator system. Anywhere between 60-100% just seems like too much leeway for a long day out and about - that's nearly half the battery gone where you think it might be fully charged. A 4 or 5 bar LED system would be much better.
The Argus Pod Cartridge:
I'm a bit surprised that VooPoo did not give their new Argus cartridges and pods an updated nomenclature, such as Argus Pod Cartridge 2.0. There are a few key ways to tell if you're getting the new pods versus the older non-updated pods.
One of the first things you'll notice in the new cartridges is that the juice ports that feed the cotton wick are cut out a tad larger in diameter. Way up above in the Site Overview section under Key Features, there are 2 pods positioned vertically from one another that shows this a bit better. Unfortunately I don't have an older cartridge to show you the difference in juice port sizes. This is something you should keep in mind when reordering cartridges to ensure you're getting the newest ones.
The other telltale is a bit more obvious. On the backside of the cartridge where the VooPoo logo is engraved, you'll notice that it says Argus just below it. The older cartridges do not say Argus, just VooPoo. Let's hope vendors do not try selling their older stock under the guise of the new Argus cartridges.
The cartridges themselves vape very well. I've been quite impressed with the 0.7Ω cartridge. I would give it a flavor rating of 9, which is about as good as it gets. Furthermore, I've been more or less doing what I can to try and burn this coil out, and it's keeping up without a hitch. I've been testing out the 5-second cutoff safety feature quite a bit, and I have yet to reach a dry or burnt puff which again, is very astonishing. I'm going to have to give the new Argus cartridges a big thumbs up. The 1.2Ω is a bit lackluster in flavor output in comparison to the 0.7Ω cartridge, but not everyone is flavor chasing, and we also have to take into consideration the differing nicotine concentrations people seek. You can't have it all in a single coil, so I think both the 1.2Ω and 0.7Ω cartridges have their place in terms of demand.
I didn't notice much of an airflow difference between the cartridges which was a bit of a bummer. You can expect a fairly loose draw that I'd categorize in the very loose MTL or very restricted RDL.
The Argus cartridges included in this kit along with Argus pods (old and new cartridges and pods) are all compatible with the Argus Z, Argus Pod SE, Argus POD, Argus G, and Argus P1.
I see this asked all the time on Reddit - should I be concerned about bubbles? You should be concerned IF THERE ARE NO bubbles. Bubbles mean the wick is properly wicking. Bubbles in the tank are good.
When holding the device flat in your hand, you'll notice in the aluminum alloy, two small pin-sized holes on each side of the mod near the top of the battery; these are your airflow holes. There is no airflow control for this device. Instead, the air restriction is controlled by the air inlets on the bottom of the cartridge, and this more or less depends on what resistance the cartridge is. Generally speaking, the higher the resistance of the coil/cartridge, the less airflow there will be. This is to stay consistent with RDL (Restricted Direct Lung - lower to mid ohms) and MTL (Mouth To Lung - higher ohms) draw methods.
As you work your way down from the aluminum alloy, there's a transition to the PCTG plastic housing that gives this devices it's transparency and gleam. On the front side, you can see the battery indicator that's pasted front and center on the chip that's positioned right behind it. The "pipes" you see are strictly in place to add to the cyberpunk look as far as I know.
Near the bottom of the battery on the front and back, there's a reflective iridescent sticker under the PCTG casing that gives the Argus P1s a bit of a futuristic look.
On the top of the battery where the cartridge or pod seats, there are the standard positive and negative spring-loaded, gold or brass-plated pins along with the auto-draw sensor and two small rectangular magnets to hold the cartridge in place. I would like to see a slightly deeper drip tray to ensure the auto-draw sensor stays well clear of getting clogged up, but supposedly the new Argus cartridges are leak-proof. I've not experienced any leaking during my testing (3 weeks), but it's usually a month or two in before you start experiencing any leaking - this goes for pretty much any pod device. We'll see down the line if the new Argus cartridges can stand the test of time like VooPoo claims they do.
At the bottom of the battery is where you'll find the Type-C fast charging port. VooPoo claims that this port charges at 2A, but I actually clocked it at up to 2.4A which is extremely impressive. It's very rare to see VooPoo under-advertise their specs, so this is a huge kudos to them. The Argus P1s does indeed fully charge in almost exactly 20 min., and reaches the trickle charge at 15 min., which is around 90% - this is a common safety feature for lithium-ion batteries. It should be noted that this device simply does not want to stand. You can get it to stand, but you'll want to hold your breath indefinitely if you want it to continue standing.
The battery LEDs when lit, transition between cyan, blue, purple, pink, white, yellow, and green. However, the colors themselves do not indicate the status of your battery, but rather how many bars there are. 3 bars = 60-100%, 2 bars = 30-60%, and 1 bar = 0-30%.
I noticed one thing about the safety features mentioned for this device, and in particular, the 5-second cutoff. I'm not sure when they implemented this, but I've been wondering when someone was going to reduce the usual 10-second cutoff, because I think that's entirely too long. I don't think I know a single person that takes a 10-second puff, and if the device auto-fires for 10 seconds straight, you might as well just throw it away - it's toast. 5-seconds is far more than reasonable, and I applaud VooPoo for finally doing this.
The battery fires up to 25W based on the cartridge or coil resistance but it's all auto-adjusting, so there is no concern on your part about needing to change any settings for which cartridge or pod you use.
I'm also not a fan of the 3 bar LED indicator system. Anywhere between 60-100% just seems like too much leeway for a long day out and about - that's nearly half the battery gone where you think it might be fully charged. A 4 or 5 bar LED system would be much better.
The Argus Pod Cartridge:
I'm a bit surprised that VooPoo did not give their new Argus cartridges and pods an updated nomenclature, such as Argus Pod Cartridge 2.0. There are a few key ways to tell if you're getting the new pods versus the older non-updated pods.
One of the first things you'll notice in the new cartridges is that the juice ports that feed the cotton wick are cut out a tad larger in diameter. Way up above in the Site Overview section under Key Features, there are 2 pods positioned vertically from one another that shows this a bit better. Unfortunately I don't have an older cartridge to show you the difference in juice port sizes. This is something you should keep in mind when reordering cartridges to ensure you're getting the newest ones.
The other telltale is a bit more obvious. On the backside of the cartridge where the VooPoo logo is engraved, you'll notice that it says Argus just below it. The older cartridges do not say Argus, just VooPoo. Let's hope vendors do not try selling their older stock under the guise of the new Argus cartridges.
The cartridges themselves vape very well. I've been quite impressed with the 0.7Ω cartridge. I would give it a flavor rating of 9, which is about as good as it gets. Furthermore, I've been more or less doing what I can to try and burn this coil out, and it's keeping up without a hitch. I've been testing out the 5-second cutoff safety feature quite a bit, and I have yet to reach a dry or burnt puff which again, is very astonishing. I'm going to have to give the new Argus cartridges a big thumbs up. The 1.2Ω is a bit lackluster in flavor output in comparison to the 0.7Ω cartridge, but not everyone is flavor chasing, and we also have to take into consideration the differing nicotine concentrations people seek. You can't have it all in a single coil, so I think both the 1.2Ω and 0.7Ω cartridges have their place in terms of demand.
I didn't notice much of an airflow difference between the cartridges which was a bit of a bummer. You can expect a fairly loose draw that I'd categorize in the very loose MTL or very restricted RDL.
The Argus cartridges included in this kit along with Argus pods (old and new cartridges and pods) are all compatible with the Argus Z, Argus Pod SE, Argus POD, Argus G, and Argus P1.
I see this asked all the time on Reddit - should I be concerned about bubbles? You should be concerned IF THERE ARE NO bubbles. Bubbles mean the wick is properly wicking. Bubbles in the tank are good.
As I had mentioned above, this is the Argus Pod. This pod works in tandem with replaceable ITO coils, shown at the very top, and is also compatible with the same devices that use the Argus cartridges included in the P1s kit. I believe the ITO coils are also getting a facelift, as they're mentioned in the iCOSM page shown here, but I am not entirely sure how to tell if you're receiving the newer or older ones.
The replaceable coil option is more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Right now on VooPoo's online site, a 5-pack of ITO coils cost $17.99 (or ~$3 each) whereas the Argus Pod Cartridges come in 3-packs at the cost of $14.99 (or ~$5 each). Convenience or cost-effective and environmentally friendly? Pick your poison.
The replaceable coil option is more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Right now on VooPoo's online site, a 5-pack of ITO coils cost $17.99 (or ~$3 each) whereas the Argus Pod Cartridges come in 3-packs at the cost of $14.99 (or ~$5 each). Convenience or cost-effective and environmentally friendly? Pick your poison.
- CONCLUSION -
There really isn't anything bad to say about the Argus P1s. The only thing I'm not entirely sure of, is the battery size. I've sucked down an entire battery while writing this review which seems rather quick to me for an 800 mAh device, but that's just my opinion. I do not have the gear to prove otherwise. The device charges in the advertised 20 min, it charges faster than 2A which is nice to see for a change, and the new Argus cartridges certainly deliver; the 0.7Ω more so than the 1.2Ω in terms of flavor, but again - there's a place for both cartridges. In terms of a size comparison, the new Argus P1s is 2-3 mm taller than the Argus G found furthest to the right in the following picture:
++ PROS ++
> Pocket-friendly
> No leaking as of yet
> Cyberpunk aesthetic
> Long-lasting cartridges
> Super fast charging (up to 2.4A)
> 20 min. full recharge
> Flavor monster (0.7Ω cartridge specifically)
> Comes with a lanyard
> Comes with a spare cartridge
> USB Type-C (can we consider this the norm, yet?)
> Argus cartridges are cross-compatible with several other Argus family products
- - CONS - -
> Not convinced the battery is a full 800 mAh
+- CONSIDERATIONS -+
> Little to no variation in airflow - Very loose MTL or very restricted RDL (plugging a hole doesn't really do much)
> 3 bar LED indicator (4 or 5 bar is certainly much more accurate)
> Argus cartridges are not as environmentally friendly as the Argus Pod + ITO coils
Overall Rating:
9.0
And that about wraps up this review on VooPoo's Argus P1s pod kit. I hope I didn't miss anything - feel free to ask questions. If you're interested in purchasing this kit, you can find it here for $23.99, and replacement Argus cartridges can be found here for $14.99. Thanks for sticking with me, and I hope to catch you in the next review.
Happy vape hoarding!
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