Tests and Reviews: DNA 200 by Vaporshark ~ The Vapelier

Commercial characteristics

Sponsor having loaned the product for the magazine: Vaporshark
Price of the tested product: 199.99 Euros
Product category according to its selling price: Luxury (over 120 euros)
Mod type: Variable power electronics and temperature control
Is the mod telescopic? No
Maximum power: 200 watts
Maximum voltage: 9
Minimum value in Ohms resistance for a start: 0.05

Reviewer comments on business characteristics

The Evolv DNA 200 chipset has already been on everyone's lips for some time and is causing a stir in the community. How could it be otherwise? The latest chipset from one of the world's two great founders can indeed only attract lust, jealousy, rumors, joys or doubts.

We had stuck with a DNA40 which had moved, disappointed and finally satisfied its users, over various and varied versions which had finally managed to stabilize the electronic reliability of the product after a fierce battle of several months. We imagine that Evolv has learned its lesson and gives us here a successful chipset.

To put this chipset in value, we needed a manufacturer up to the task and, as usual, Vaporshark sticks to it by offering us this DNA 200 mod. The price is high in absolute terms but not that much if we consider that for an equal or higher price, other European manufacturers content us with 24 or 40W. For that price, Vaporshark offers us the chipset, of course, the temperature control that goes with it and a slew of innovations that will undoubtedly make the difference and set the record straight but also a new box which, even if it looks like two drops of water to a… Vaporshark, promises us greater reliability and a more solid finish.

Well, at the table, the coffee is hot, too and I am not equipped with the temperature control ...

Physical characteristics and felt quality

Width or Diameter of the product in mms: 49.8
Product Length or Height in mms: 89.2
Product weight in grams: 171.3
Material composing the product: Aluminum
Form Factor Type: Classic Box - VaporShark type
Decorative style: Classic
Quality of decoration: Good
Is the coating of the mod sensitive to fingerprints? No
All components of this mod seem well assembled? Yes
Fire button position: Lateral near the top cap
Fire button type: Mechanical plastic on contact rubber
Number of buttons making up the interface, including touch zones if they are present: 2
Type of user interface buttons: Mechanical metal on rubber contact
Quality of the interface button (s): Excellent I love this button in every way
Number of parts in the product: 2
Number of threads: 1
Quality of the threads: Excellent
Overall, do you appreciate the quality of manufacture of this product with regard to its price? Yes

Rating of the vapelier as to feelings quality: 4.7 / 5

Reviewer's comments on physical characteristics and perceived quality

Taking a Vaporshark in hand is always an emotional mini-event. The fame of the object and its aura awaken in us this child's soul ready to marvel at a new toy and the passionate who was sleeping wakes up with a single shot of adrenaline to scrutinize the object of his lust.

Objectively, the softness of the coating is incomparable and even quite sensual, with a touch of peach skin which in itself is worth the grip. But what surprises here is the lightness of the mod. We are not at all on the same basis of weight as the rDNA 40. The explanation lies in the use of an aluminum alloy 6031, which contains a proportion of magnesium and silicon and which is obtained by wrought ( pounding). This alloy has the reputation of being strong and light, which a small comparison of weight shows beautifully:

DNA 200: 171.3 gr
rDNA 40: 210 gr

Games are made ….

However, there is an unknown factor that owners of rDNA 40 are unfortunately well aware of: what about the reliability of the coating after a few days or weeks? Indeed, many users were disappointed with the poor hold over time of the previous coating and had to resolve to get a silicone skin to avoid ruining their precious mod. Which was a shame since we then went from a velvet touch to a silicone touch… Beark. Vape with a condom does not protect anything but on the other hand, in terms of sensations, it was a disaster since we lost what was precisely the interest of this finish: the touch ...

Vaporshark assures us that the coating of the DNA 200 will hold much better and shows us that the mod required three different applications to obtain the famous “Vaporshark's Touch” with the reliability that goes with it:

We first have a black anodization on the aluminum itself to ensure better resistance to scratches, heat and corrosion.
The manufacturer then coated the object with a layer of black paint.
Then, Vaporshark applied a light rubberized coating that creates this famous tactile emotion.

In use, it will of course be necessary to remain vigilant because, even if the process developed by the manufacturer seems complete, daily use remains the only valid experience to gauge the result. I note all the same that I screwed my Taifun Gt on it relatively tight, that it is slightly started at the level of the base and that it tends to make grooves on the mods which are a little fragile. Here, nothing like it, for the moment the coating remained virgin. (Sorry Spoke, but if we do not crash-test at Vapelier, who will? ???)

The battery access hatch is easy to remove and does not risk falling off by itself. It is magnetized on the top and clipped on the bottom. An additional quality guarantee.

The 510 connector also seems to be of good quality, it is judiciously placed facing the trenches in the rubber which allow the arrival of air for the atos taking their air through the connection.

In short, an excellent quality assessment that will of course have to be checked when the mod is faced with the vicissitudes of time.

Functional features

Type of chipset used: DNA
Connection type: 510, Ego - via adapter
Adjustable positive stud? Yes, through a spring.
Lock system ? Mechanical
Quality of the locking system: Excellent, the chosen approach is very practical
Features offered by the mod: Display of the battery charge, Display of the resistance value, Protection against short circuits from the atomizer, Display of the current vape voltage, Display of the power of the current vape , Variable protection against overheating of the atomizer resistors, Temperature control of the atomizer resistors, Support the update of its firmware, Clear diagnostic messages, Light indicators of operation
Accu Compatibility: Proprietary Accus
Does the mod support stacking? No
Number of batteries supported: The batteries are proprietary / Not applicable
Does the mod retain its configuration without batteries? Not applicable
Does the mod offer a recharge feature? Charging function possible via Micro-USB
Is the recharge function pass-through? Yes
Does the mode offer a Power Bank function? No power bank function offered by the mod
Does the mode offer other functions? No other function offered by the mod
Presence of air flow regulation? Yes
Maximum diameter in mms of compatibility with an atomizer: 20
Accuracy of the output power at full charge of the battery: Excellent, there is no difference between the requested power and the real power
Accuracy of the output voltage at full charge of the battery: Excellent, there is no difference between the requested voltage and the actual voltage

Vapelier's note regarding functional characteristics: 5 / 5

Reviewer's comments on functional features

The features of the DNA 200 bloom like pimples on a teenage face. So it is difficult to know where to start.

Okay, let's solve the security problem once and for all. You just need to know that the only scourge the Vaporshark is not protected against is a possible rise in the dollar. For the rest, apart from testing it in sulfuric acid with a Peugeot 204 battery, I don't see. Everything is there, it's not more complicated.

The 510 connector is located on a fairly tight spring, which will ensure a “flush attitude” to all your atos but also better resistance over time. It does not move sideways and appears to be well insulated in the event of leaks.

Regarding energy, the mod is powered by three Fullymax brand Lithium Polymer cells (30C) of 900mAh each (http://www.fullymax.com/en), which gives us a good 2700mAh if I'm not mistaken. But the real revolution is elsewhere. Indeed, we can easily change these batteries !!! It had to be thought about and Vaporshark did it. The set is available from Evolv for around $ 20 and probably elsewhere for less. Be careful, however, changing the battery is quite simple but requires special concentration so as not to tear off at the same time the wires which join the crew to the electronics. The battery pack detaches by pulling from the top and unfolds gently (gently ……) to exit. At this point, we unclip the various pins, we replace the block with a new one and we put everything back in place in the same way we proceeded for the extraction.

Breathe, this will not happen to you every day but it is good to know that this feature was designed from the start in order to give this mod the maximum possible life. It's probably less simple than changing a simple 18650 but at least you will never have any problem with a battery whose technical specifications do not match the energy demand of the mod.

To charge the DNA 200, the box is simply equipped with a micro USB connection which will carry up to 2A per hour of current instead of the 1A commonly used to charge your mod in record time. This is still a fairly rare possibility in the high end yet it avoids a lot of existential angst when you are on the move and you only have one mod.

As the name suggests, it is 200W that you will have on hand to use your mod in all possible types of vape. Capable of collecting up to 0.02Ω and delivering from 1 to 200W with a maximum intensity of 50A (55A in point peak), which means that nothing scares him! From the quiet vape in genesis mounted in 3Ω to the power-vaping in clapton / tiger / parallel coil in 0.1Ω, it does not flinch and welcomes all your atos with a smirk limit. The curves below will show you the performance to expect depending on the wire used and the resistance.

Of course, Vaporshark being one of the pioneers of temperature control, the mod is also capable and much better than the rDNA 40. The wanderings of the past seem to belong… to the past precisely. So, it's up to you, the NI200, to benefit from this functionality which, if it still does not appeal to me and this, whatever the mod, will in any case please fans for a hot, lukewarm or icy vape. The Vaporshark can go up to 300 ° C, which is very (too) largely sufficient given the limit that I recommend at 280 ° C which is the temperature where Vegetable Glycerin breaks down and produces acrolein . On the other hand, the manufacturer remains evasive on the Titanium which is a priori not accepted. Which suits me personally as I think the NI200 is a healthier wire to use and I have no confidence in the oxidation of titanium. Of course, this is only a personal opinion based on reading and I leave it to possible future studies to make the difference.

The firmware control and update software

In the long list of features of the DNA 200, there is of course the software Escribe, downloadable HERE (as well as the user manuals and all the documentation available on the chipset) which will allow you to view all the parameters and influence the behavior of your mod by creating different user profiles to better match your atos favorite.

So let's talk a little about this software ... and immediately announce to all vapers fans of the apple brand, that there is not yet an application dedicated to their favorite platform. According to all the information we have come across on the subject, the EVOLV roadmap does not foresee an IOS application until the beginning of 2016. Also if you do not have PC virtualization on your mac, and that this is your only machine, you will need to get closer to a friend who has a PC running Windows 7 and beyond.

First of all know that Write is self-sufficient on its own. Once in place and the box connected to your pc, the software is able to download all its Escribe updates, but also all the FIRMWARE updates of your box depending on the version it embeds. For those wondering what firmware is, it is a generic name given to any software embedded and executed by a component, in this case the DNA 200D. The latter controls the functionalities, as well as the interface of the box.

The installation of the software conforms to the canons of the genre under Windows… .or the waltz of the next ones (yes the software is not yet Francisé) and does not pose any particular problem, if it is not a real latency as for the installing the USB device driver (the driver in English) you will have to be patient (it was the case for me for a good 7 minutes) before seeing it announce that it is correctly configured and installed.

This being done, you will have to launch EScribe which will be present on your desktop through the icon:

the application window will then open!

The first thing to do will be to check (it is validated by default, but check all the same) that the options to check for updates are checked.
For that you will have to locate the classic menu bar:

and click on Options, the first choice should be checked ... only uncheck it if you do not want the application to automatically search for updates (which would be a shame ...)

The help button will allow you to access the various resources available on the net, including a simulator for getting started with the Escribe software, and forums ... All of this is completed by the classic About which you will give the version number of the software used:

Now connect the box and if all went well you should hear the small sound of Windows USB peripherals connecting, but also and above all the name of your box appears in the section of the quick access buttons below the classic menu:

On the far right, we see “Evolv DNA 200 connected on USB”… phew! everything is fine !

Let's take this opportunity to quickly talk about these buttons.

It allows you to connect the box (if you have disconnected it from the button ) and download the configuration for this.

will allow you to download within the box, a particular configuration through the management of profiles, or others (we will see that below).

Launches an application for monitoring the behavior of the box in real time, you just have to check the information you want to monitor in real time by checking them (on the left of the window of the application in question) ... very practical to “see” and monitor precise behavior, based on the implementation of a new configuration, and this in use of the box.

this button, finally, will allow you to choose on the fly and without disconnecting them, THE box equipped with a DNA 200D on which you want to work… Yes you understood correctly, the software allows to manage the case where you would have SEVERAL DNA200D boxes simultaneously connected to your pc ...

Below the quick access buttons are the tabs, five to be exact:

This is where the REALLY interesting things happen ... so let's take a look at them one by one.

The tab general is there to give us the basic information about the connected box

Clicking on the button will tell us about the manufacturer of the box, as well as the date of the last update

Always from the same tab, we have EIGHT profiles, which correspond to specific settings possible by atomizers (thus HUIT atomizers pre-set maximum)

For each profile it is possible via the button to have a real-time analysis of the ato currently on the box, so in my case, with my Nautilus:

The values vary a little when this window is displayed ... too large a variance inevitably indicates a connection problem, or a coiling problem (short circuit or electrical leak).

Each profile allows you to assign a name (for better user convenience), but also and above all a personalized screen when connecting the ato for which the profile is dedicated (we will see this principle of personalization on the theme tab a little lower). It is also possible to choose the desired power and / or the temperature, as well as the unit of measurement and display of the latter.

In terms of temperature management the most interesting part is without question:

The first “Material Coil” field allows you to work with Nickel 200, the behaviors of which are preloaded in the software, or to construct a personalized resistive profile, for which you will have to download the various behavior data at different temperatures (this which is essential for a good control of the latter by the box).

The second field “Preheat power”, or preheating power, asks the box to go up to 200 W (by default or the desired power), with an aggressiveness ranging from 1 to 5 (the punch) and for a preheating duration of Default 1 second or more depending on your desires.
A great American reviewer, famous for his beard and his speech rate, recommends that he go down the 200 W preheats to 150 or less, because according to him, the rendering is otherwise too hot for his taste.
If you are like him, this implies that a connection from your box to your pc is mandatory, because these 200W preheating cannot be modified from the box itself.

Now let's tackle the tab Theme

The latter makes it possible to personalize all the message displays given by the box. The only condition to do, respect the size 128 pixels wide for 32 height.
It is also the only way to totally francize the box, or quite simply to insert your logo when it is switched on 🙂

The tab Screen on the other hand

allows customization of the screen and the various information that it will display during the vape (not including its orientation).
Supreme gadget, it is even possible to ask the box to display the temperature of the room where you are ... but I'll let you find it 🙂

We will stop here for this software part. For information P Busardo devoted two videos of one hour to him! but we wanted to help you get started with it, through this quick introduction.

Whatever you do, don't forget to save your settings before you start, so if you get lost you can always reload them.

Evaluation of the packaging

Presence of a box accompanying the product: Yes
Would you say that the packaging is up to the price of the product? We make fun of us!
Presence of a user manual? No
Is the manual understandable for a non-English speaker? No
Does the manual explain ALL features? No

Vapelier's note on packaging: 0.5 / 5

Reviewer's comments on conditioning

The packaging is a vast joke.

We have a very Innokian plastic box which contains the mod and a USB / micro USB cable. And basta! The entire manual is included in the box (it's a practical thing!) And only explains how you press a particular button to obtain a given result in English of course ...

To know:

5 clicks on the switch: we lug and delocke.
1 click on the “-”: it lowers the power.
1 click on the “+”: it increases the power.
1 click on the USB socket: well that's okay, obviously ...

Once the mod is locked, you press “+” and “-” at the same time to switch to temperature control mode and adjust this temperature, in Fahrenheit or Celsius (300 ° C maximum).

To switch back to variable power mode, lock the mod and simultaneously press the switch and the “-” and choose “normal mode”. There is also a “Stealth Mode” which allows the screen to be deactivated to save energy.

Appreciations in use

Transport facilities with the test atomizer: Ok for an inside jacket pocket (no deformations)
Disassembly and cleaning facilities: Super simple, even blind in the dark!
Easy to change the batteries: Difficult because requires several manipulations
Did the mod heat up? No
Has there been any erratic behavior after a day of use? No
Description of situations in which the product has experienced erratic behavior

Vapelier's rating in terms of ease of use: 4.3/5

Reviewer's comments on the use of the product

The Vaporshark is easy to use and ergonomic. Tested over two full days and without wanting to prejudge any damage that could occur over a longer period of time, it delighted me with its ease of use but also and above all with its versatility.

A little delirium in 100W with a big dripper? Don't move, I'm coming !!!! A small cushy vape at 17W for tasting my favorite juice on a freshly coiled Nectar? The DNA200 responds present! An allday in a clearo without implementation problems, she still replies “Go send!”. It's very simple, in all sectors, it behaves royally and wins all the votes, at least mine. Easy, reliable and stable, a daily mod that largely avoids the clutter of multiple tubes and chargers and batteries. Lightness as a big plus for those who carry around with them during their working day.

Aesthetically, since it seems important to me to talk about it, the DNA 200 has the genetics of the Vaporshark family and looks like the rDNA 40 like a cardinal's hat seen from a plane to a Smarties. Slightly higher, slightly wider but much less heavy, it evokes more and more the famous monolith sliding in the interstellar void to the music of Strauss in 2001, A Space Odyssey. She is beautiful, monastic soberly and her deep matte black impresses. It is not a flashy box for laughing with friends but a piece of black aluminum which silently impresses by its singularity. Do not look for full and loose here, we are in the realm where the shortest way from one point to another is a straight line.

Faults ? Yes of course. At least, I grabbed one in passing. I found the autonomy weaker than I expected. Of course, I did not spare it and I had to go through the entire power scale, up to 200W with the temperature control. But all the same, I found that the autonomy remained a little tight. On the other hand, the battery gauge seemed to me better calibrated than on previous models.

Otherwise, no complaints. The switch, borrowed from the rDNA 40, is always on top, soft and precise at the same time. The increment and decrement buttons are just perfect and fall under the right finger. A pearl in short.

Recommendations for use

Type of batteries used during the tests: The batteries are owners on this mod
Number of batteries used during the tests: The batteries are proprietary / Not applicable
With what type of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? Dripper, A conventional fiber - resistance greater than or equal to 1.7 Ohms, A low resistance fiber less than or equal to 1.5 ohms, In sub-ohm assembly, Reconstructable Genesis type metal mesh assembly, Reconstructable Genesis type metal wick assembly
With which model of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? Any atomizer is welcome on this mod.
Description of the test configuration used: Taifun GT, Joyetech Ego One NI200 Mega, Subtank, Mutation V4, DID
Description of the ideal configuration with this product: Any ato equipped with an 510 connection and less than or equal to 23mm in diameter

was the product liked by the reviewer: Yes

Overall average of the Vapelier for this product: 4.8 / 5

Link to a video review or blog maintained by the reviewer author of the review

The mood ticket of the reviewer

Vaporshark bluffs us with his DNA 200.

We expected a lot, we are served! Between the visible improvement of the coating, finally efficient temperature control and versatility never before achieved, the Evolv chipset has found a showcase for its disproportion.

This box can do everything and do well. The price may seem high and the autonomy could have been greater but these considerations cannot overshadow the clear fact that this mod is certainly the most successful and the most ambitious of the galaxy of electro mods.

The software part, if it may seem complex and / or unnecessary, will appeal to the most demanding of vapers who want to create profiles according to the atos they use.

But if we had to remember only one thing, it is this exceptional ability to produce a tasty and coherent rendering at all powers and in all imaginable configurations.

A big, a HUGE blow of heart! and a Top Mod more than deserved!

(c) Copyright Le Vapelier SAS 2014 - Only full reproduction of this article is authorized - Any modification of any kind is totally prohibited and infringes the rights of this copyright.