Commercial characteristics
- Sponsor having loaned the product for the magazine: Pipeline France
- Price of the tested product: 229 €
- Product category according to its selling price: Luxury (over 120 €)
- Mod type: Variable power electronics and temperature control
- Is the mod telescopic? Yes by adding a specific tube to be purchased separately
- Maximum power: 60 W
- Maximum voltage: 11 V
- Minimum resistance value for a start: Less than 0.1 Ω
Reviewer comments on business characteristics
Each new Pipeline release is hailed as an event. And each time, it is partly true. We must believe that it is still the prerogative of the high-end to make this wow effect on the consovapeurs and that is explained.
First, new commercial releases in this niche are rare and this scarcity creates excitement. Over a year, maybe an exit? In the same period of time, a Chinese manufacturer, without any critical spirit on my part, will release 20 or 30 different materials.
Then there is passion. We may say that the vape is above all an important aid to weaning and it is completely accurate and demonstrated, there is also and it is not you who will contradict me, a passionate aspect. The love of beautiful objects, the irrepressible desire to vape different, the desire to tune your vape. It's not for nothing that a crazy about cars will dream of Ferrari, Porsche or BMW. Beyond the rational aspect, there is an exclusive aspect. It's human.
Finally, the vape of tomorrow is already here, around us. For 3 years, there has been a multiplication of pods, puffs, more or less relaxed thong clearomisers. Easy to use material that primarily targets those who do not want to bother to understand or learn. And it works! This type of gear, totally adapted to the times, revolutionized the industry and societies. And that's normal. As in cars, where electric vacuum cleaners aim to scrap the noble V6, V8 or V12 of the beautiful thermal achievements. Sign of the times.
Also, when an exceptional object goes out in the vape, it is therefore an event!
And Pipeline delights us with a new device whose mere look arouses lust. The Pro Side Mini QI, since that's its little name, takes the opportunity to smash a record in passing: that of height! Indeed, this new mod can be equipped with an 18350 battery, an 18500 battery and an 18650 battery. For this, it offers three tubular extensions to accommodate different batteries, one of which, the 18350 is included in the kit departure.
Ok, but what is it for, an 18350 battery? Well, to vape cool. A nice MTL atomizer like the Kayfun X or the Arcana 24 will be excellent companions as long as you vape around 17 W with a resistance of 1 Ω or more. Many people have an MTL vape, more than you might think. It is a vape of flavors, precise and sharp, which requires optimal equipment, both for vaporization and for the delivery of an excellent electrical signal. In this specific case, the Mini QI is a textbook case and will easily accept an 18350 for vaper light.
But if you prefer a slightly more sassy MTL vape, the 18500 awaits you while the 18650 will be waiting for you to vape RDL or DL, with great ease. It must be said that the little thing is able to send 60 W like a big one and to manage all types of vape.
Another particularity, you will find in the box an induction charger. It will be enough to put the mod on it for it to recharge. No more cables and even chargers. The small plastic plate 5 mm high will do the job perfectly!
Of course, all this is not free. The mod in 18350 with the induction charger will cost you 229 € and 25 € more for each optional tube (the 18500 and the 18650) It's not given my good lady but it is justified by a few logical reasons:
- The legendary reliability of Pipeline and Dicodes
- A two-year warranty, without equivalence on the market.
- A very good rating on the second-hand market.
- A massive stainless steel construction is increasingly rare these days.
- A flawless finish.
So, who is this material for?
- For those who vape from morning to night and who need a reliable object for many years.
- For those who love beautiful objects or who hate plastic.
- To those who know that an excellent mod does as much for the flavors as an excellent atomizer.
- To those who still dream.
Physical characteristics and felt quality
- Width or Diameter of the product in mm: 49
- Product Length or Height in mm: 44
- Product weight in grams: 100
- Material composing the product: Stainless steel
- Type of Form Factor: Box plate
- Decorative style: Classic
- Quality of decoration: Excellent, it is a work of art
- Is the coating of the mod sensitive to fingerprints? No
- All the components of this mod seem well assembled? Yes
- Position of the fire button: On the bottom cap
- Fire button type: Mechanical metal on contact rubber
- Number of buttons making up the interface, including touch zones if they are present: 0
- User interface button type: No other button
- Quality of the interface button (s): Not applicable no interface button
- Number of parts making up the product: 2
- Number of threads: 2
- Quality of the threads: Excellent
- Overall, do you appreciate the quality of manufacture of this product with regard to its price? Yes
Vapelier's note on quality feelings: 5 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on physical characteristics and perceived quality
What strikes you at first glance is obviously its small size! 49 mm in length, 24 in width and 44 in height. Suffice to say that at this level, watchmaking is a mess! In 18500, we add 15 mm and in 18650 30 mm, which means that at maximum battery capacity, we are still on an object that displays 49 x 24 x 74! It is about 15 mm less than a lambda mono battery box in 18650. And again, we must not lose sight of the fact that the atomizer takes its place in Pro Side, that is to say next to the tube, this which means that you will never exceed, even with the longest atomizers, the standard size of a box on its own!
What is then striking is the beauty of the object. It is composed of a flat sole where the switch, the single button of the mod, and the small but clear screen that allows you to see where you are are nestled. Built entirely in brushed stainless steel, it delivers a high perceived quality.
Below the mod, you have a plastic plate allowing the induction by the charger. The aesthetics of the object seem to refer to the beginnings of the vape, a golden age when manufacturers were not afraid to try new and artistic formats. Here, it feels like a crossroads between the purest craftsmanship and industry. It's sexy as hell and, whatever tube you stick to it, it sounds like a tube amp, an ambitious mix of modernity and steampunk. Fabulous !
The finish is exceptional. In this all-steel version, we hallucinate both on the rendering and on the meticulousness with which each detail has been thought out. Chamfers everywhere to avoid sharp angles, no screws worthy of the aeronautical industry, perfect adjustments, once again we are in the craftsmanship and there is no room for guesswork . It's amazing quality and it's even more so considering the size of the Mini QI.
The switch is placed on the sole and will therefore be below the atomizer. It will take a bit of getting used to, nothing too bad. But this switch, which brand aficionados know well, is perfect in every way. Just clicky enough to signal that the instruction has been taken, responding wonderfully to multi-clicks. It has a round shape reminiscent of the brand's first ball-shaped switches.
The oled screen sits roughly in the center of the sole and hits the mark with its clarity even if it is, and we understand why, small in size. But its dimensions fit it perfectly into the aesthetics of the object. The tubes screw onto the sole, you guessed it. A simple assembly and it is easy to switch from one format to another as the thread seems made in butter.
The 510 plate used to accommodate your atomizer is massive and has three grooves, reminiscent of a time when atomizers took their air through the connection. Speaking of connection, this is spring-loaded and the positive pin is made of beryllium copper, a material with excellent thermal and electrical properties and great ductility, perfect for our use.
Well, we could say that's about all, but it's not because the features of the Mini QI are as numerous and interesting as its physical characteristics.
Functional features
- Type of chipset used: Dicodes
- Connection type: 510
- Adjustable positive stud? Yes, through a spring.
- Lock system ? Electronic
- Quality of the locking system: Good, the function does what it is for
- Features offered by the mod: Display of the charge of the batteries, Display of the value of the resistance, Protection against short circuits coming from the atomizer, Protection against the reversal of polarity of the accumulators, Display of the current vape voltage , Display of the power of the current vape, Fixed protection against overheating of the resistors of the atomizer, Temperature control of the resistors of the atomizer, Adjustment of the brightness of the display, Clear diagnostic messages, Diagnostic messages by alphanumeric codes, Operation light indicators
- Battery compatibility: 18350, 18500, 18650
- Number of batteries supported: 1
- Does the mod keep its configuration without a battery? Yes
- Does the mod offer reload functionality? Induction charging function
- Is the recharge function passthrough? Yes
- Does the mod offer a Power Bank function? No power bank function offered by the mod
- Does the mod offer other functions? No other function offered by the mod
- Presence of air flow regulation? Yes
- Maximum diameter in mm of compatibility with an atomizer: 24
- 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: 4.8 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on functional features
Here begins the heavyweight chapter! Because owning a Pipeline mod and a fortiori this one means having to get your hands dirty to understand, adjust, refine. Because here, everything, I mean everything, is likely to be modified by the user. To find your vape, the one that suits you perfectly, you will therefore have to spend a little time to grasp all the nuances, understand all the settings. But rest assured, you won't be doing this every day because when your Top Vape is found, the Mini QI will spin like a Swiss watch.
In this chipset developed by Dicodes engineers, you can opt for:
- A classic variable power operation.
- A temperature control taking into account all the available resistives
- The variable power with the Heat Protection, namely a module allowing to curb the heat of the resistance.
- A Power boost which will deliver a higher current at the start of the puff to wake up the somewhat diesel resistors.
- A By-Pass mode which will emulate the operation of a mechanical mod by sending the remaining voltage in the battery while benefiting from the electronic protections of the mod.
The smallest parameter will be adjustable by you according to your wishes.
The protections offered by the mod are also numerous:
- Battery voltage too high. or too low.
- No atomizer.
- Surge monitoring.
- Short-circuit monitoring.
- Overheated.
- Overload in the event that the resistance proves to be too low for the chosen power.
- Monitoring and stopping when the vaping time is exceeded.
To regulate all these beautiful people, it is enough to understand that there are two different menus. The menu that we will qualify as normal and the one that bears the name of Extended Menu which is dedicated to expert vapers. This will allow you to fine-tune parameters that you cannot even imagine, such as checking the battery used to see if it is suitable for the charge or in good working condition or the possibility of adjusting the minimum voltage at which the system stops working!
It is not the purpose here to go all the way around the possibilities knowing that with this mod, nothing is impossible. I therefore invite you to familiarize yourself with the Pipeline ergonomics by reading the user manual of the Pro Side, very similar in its available operation HERE.
The ergonomics may seem complex and it is certainly more so than on a traditional box, but do not lose sight of the fact that you will not be doing these manipulations every day. It is above all a complete object, allowing you to vape in all conditions, requiring a little attention to optimize your vape and from then on, it will work perfectly without you needing to intervene!
Some users, for example, will never go to the extended menu, the one reserved for experts, and this will absolutely not prevent you from vaping. And quite well as we will see!
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? Yes
- Presence of a user manual? Yes
- Is the manual understandable for a non-English speaker? Yes
- Does the manual explain ALL features? No
Vapelier's note on packaging: 4 / 5 
Reviewer's comments on conditioning
The packaging is what you would expect from a high-end mod.
We therefore find the famous aluminum box quite typical of the brand which contains the Pro Side Mini QI, well wrapped in a thermoformed foam, the induction charger right next to it and a USB / USB-C cable to connect it.
We have a small notice in French which is rather an anthology of warnings knowing that you can always download the complete user manual HERE,
In short, the box and its contents are a credit to the user experience for a mod of this price.
Appreciations in use
- Transport facilities with the test atomizer: Ok for an inside jacket pocket
- Disassembly and cleaning facilities: Super simple, even blind in the dark!
- Easy to change batteries: Super simple, even blind in the dark!
- Did the mod heat up? No
- Has there been any erratic behavior after a day of use? No
Vapelier's rating in terms of ease of use: 5/5
Reviewer's comments on the use of the product
There is only one question left, a mystery to be elucidated: how does this little thing vape?
And it is here that the electronic and mechanical matching reaches its peak. One might think that a battery sends current and therefore all chipsets are equal when vaping. Well, it is not.
If the competition has progressed admirably in recent years, it must be recognized, Dicodes and therefore Pipeline are still one step ahead on the quality of the signal which greatly influences the rendering. The vape here is unctuous, delicate, surgical. Helped by a suitable atomizer, it brings the flavors to their peak. The tastes are sharpened, the steam is loaded with aromas, we remain simultaneously in sweetness and precision. Bluffing.
We will ignore the multitude of adjustment possibilities that we have already mentioned to avoid tiring your eyes, but each of them is justified and will type your vape and your way of vaping.
The comfort in hand is very real even if the 18350 and 18500 configurations will find their place better in medium-sized hands. Ergonomics is different from that which we may have become accustomed to with mods from the Middle Kingdom and it may be disturbing at first but, after a transition period, it quickly becomes automatic.
Nevertheless, it remains to speak of impasses. 60 W is more than enough to drive a DL atomizer with an 18650 but the limitation to 24 mm in diameter will prevent the use of the most coated steam engines.
I tested with a dripper, the only atomizer in my collection that can fit in size with the 18350 configuration, it works wonderfully with the appropriate resistance of 1.2 Ω. I tested with a Nautilus 3²² rigged with a 0.7 Ω mesh resistor, it's perfect so even a good entry-level atomizer will do. In 18650, I alternated between a Taïfun GT4 S and a Vapor Giant V6S 2020 both in 0.3 Ω, no complaints, it works crazy at 36/40 W.
Recommendations for use
- Type of batteries used during the tests: 18350, 18500 and 18650
- Number of batteries used during the tests: 3
- With what type of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? With conventional fiber, In sub-ohm assembly
- With which model of atomizer is it advisable to use this product? In 18350 MTL atomizer around 1Ω or more. In 18500, an MTL atomizer around 0.8 Ω. In 18650, ato MTL, RDL or DL from 0.3 to 1 Ω.
- Description of the test configuration used: 18350 + Dripper Psyclone Hadaly in 1.2 Ω. 18500 + Nautilus 3²² in 0.7 Ω. 18650 + Taifun GT4 S in 0.3 Ω.
- Description of the ideal configuration with this product: All within the limitation of 24 mm for the diameter of the atomizer
Was the product liked by the reviewer: Yes
Overall average of the Vapelier for this product: 5 / 5 
The mood ticket of the reviewer
There are two categories of users: those who like Pipeline and those who don't. For the latter, the price can be frightening, it is understandable. But those who know will tell you that this high price is still completely justified. Your Mini IQ will last for years, maybe even decades. The mind is then at peace and peace, it pays! 🙄
A dazzling mod, as impressive by its format and its finish as by its adjustment capabilities, its smooth operation and the quality of its signal.
Top Vapelier for a 5/5, which is extremely rare. But perfection, if it has a price, also has the note that goes with it!
(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.
