As the title suggests, we are reviewing yet another of Voopoo’s Argus kits, their Argus Z Pod Kit. A 900mAh auto draw refillable pod with great performance.
This one follows on from their Argus Pod kit which we will be reviewing soon and their Argus P1 Pod kit which we reviewed at the end of last year.
Even though the 3 Argus bodies (Argus, Argus P1 and Argus Z) are different, they all accept the same pod so are cross compatible between the 3 devices.
If you’re familiar with either the Argus Pod or Argus P1, you’ll know they were designed to be simplistic with minimal functionality and control, to provide a no fuss but straightforward, hassle free vaping experience.
Well the Argus Z Pod kit has taken this principle one step further with a very simple auto draw device with no variable airflow or wattage control but still utilizes the well renowned 0.7 ohm/1.2 ohm pods. What’s more it has a very low price tag making this a very cost effective solution.
Only 1 pod is included in the Argus Z kit, this being the 0.7 ohm pod, but to be fair to Voopoo because of the low cost of the kit it’s not surprising. Because the pods have non replaceable coils, you will have to purchase replaceable pods anyway so you can always try the 1.2 ohm pod if you desire.
I will do a little spoiler alert which I will also add in our Argus P1 Pod kit review. Even though the kit(s) include the non-replaceable coil pods, Voopoo have also released replaceable empty pods with no coil in them that accept their replaceable coils, making the Argus pods even more versatile.
Overview
The Voopoo Argus Z Pod kit really is very simple and easy to use. They’ve made it fool proof in that it has no power adjustments, no airflow control, no buttons or menus, you just fill the pod and away you go. Despite its simplicity, the performance far outweighs its functionality.
It’s a Mouth-To-Lung (MTL) draw activated pod device and powered by an internal rechargeable 900mAh capacity battery. Charging the Argus Z is carried out using the Type-C USB charging port (5V/0.7A) located on the reverse side of the device body.
Resembling a flattened tube shape, similar to Voopoo’s Argus Pod, Vinci Q, Vinci Pod and Vinci Pod Royal Edition, it’s manufactured out of aluminium alloy making it extremely lightweight and robust.
The wattage is fixed (<17w) on the Argus Z and is auto selected depending on the type and resistance of the pod that’s fitted. Two different resistance pods are available; a 0.7 ohm and a 1.2 ohm pod but only the 0.7 ohm pod is supplied with the kit.
These pods have a 2ml capacity and are refillable but have fixed integrated coils so are NOT replaceable. The pod is semi-opaque with a very slight smoked tint so the e-liquid level is clearly visible.
They are a side-fill design with the fill port concealed behind a standard silicone rubber bung that’s accessible once the pod is removed. The mouthpiece is a duckbill style and the pod is magnetically secured to the top of the Argus Z body.
The only visible display on the Argus Z are 3 diagonal slots on the front casing with a dual colored LED beneath that illuminates when you draw on the pod, charge the device or it displays the different levels of protection.
There are 7 colors available in the Argus Z range and the color we received to review was “Mint Silver”. The casing is a two-tone semi-matte finish with the bottom half of the body being smooth, whereas the top half of the casing has multi-diagonal lines providing a textured finger grip surface.
That’s basically it! Very simple, compact, lightweight, no variable controls BUT overall, it’s a cracking little kit and performs pretty damn good. We tested the 0.7 ohm pod when we reviewed the Argus P1 and were very impressed with its performance.
I’ve used the same 0.7 ohm pod now in the Argus P1 for nearly 3 months, admittedly not constantly but it’s still vaping faultlessly. That’s a great testament for the longevity of the pods.
I would like to thank Nical at Voopoo for sending us the Argus Z pod kit to review. We will always give a completely unbiased and honest view of our findings while using and reviewing the supplied kit. If you click on any of the buy buttons, we may receive a small affiliate commission but at no extra cost to you.
Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Review
Contents
- Overview
- Features and Specifications
- What’s in the Box?
- Voopoo Argus Z Design and Appearance
- – Argus Z Battery/Body
- – Argus Z Pod
- Argus Z Functionality
- Argus Z Performance
- Argus Z Battery Performance
- How do I Fill the Argus Z Pod?
- When and How do I Change the Argus Z Pod?
- How do I Charge the Argus Z?
- Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Price
- Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Verdict
- Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Summary
Features and Specifications
- Construction: Aluminium Alloy and PCTG
- Dimensions: 91.45mm (H) x 27.5mm (W) x 14.8 mm (D) Including Pod
- Weight: 37.5 grams (Including Pod)
- Charging: Type-C USB 5V/0.7A
- Resistance Range: 0.5 ohms – 3.0 ohms
- Output Wattage: Pod Dependant (<17W)
- Output Voltage: 3.2V – 3.5V
- Battery Specification: Internal 900mAh Capacity
- Display: Dual Color LED
- E-Liquid Capacity: 2ml
- Filling Method: Side Fill
- Firing Method: Auto Draw Activation
- Coils: Non-replaceable
- Coil Material: Kanthal
- Drip Tip: Duckbill Style Mouthpiece
- Airflow: Non Adjustable
- Pod Connection: Magnetic
- Pod Type: 0.7ohm (1.2ohm Sold Separately)
- Vape Style: MTL
- 4 Levels Of Protection
- ITO Technology / Anti-Leak
What’s in the box?
- Voopoo Argus Z Battery/Body
- Argus Pod (0.7 ohm)
- Type-C USB Charging Cable
- User Manual
The packaging is a top opening cardboard box with a slide out white plastic insert housing the Argus Z device in the top tray with the Argus pod, Type-C charging cable and user manual underneath. The overall dimensions of the cardboard box measures 120mm x 53mm x 33mm.
On the front of the box is a clear window so you can see the color of the Argus Z inside and the name of the product. The reverse side of the box includes the package contents, an authentication sticker, the manufacturer’s details and the relevant safety and nicotine warnings.
Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Design and Appearance
Argus Z Battery/Body
The Voopoo Argus Z is a very lightweight and compact sized MTL style draw device, is auto draw only (no fire button) and capable of providing up to 17W of power. The wattage is not adjustable (no +/- buttons) but derived from the attached pod. It will auto detect the resistance of the coil fitted in the pod being used and select the appropriate wattage.
It’s powered by a 900mAh capacity rechargeable internal battery with a Type-C USB charging port on the reverse side of the Argus Z casing about half way up the body. Nice that Voopoo didn’t place the charging port on the bottom so it remains upright while on charge.
The Argus Z is constructed out of Aluminium alloy giving it a robust quality feel, while maintaining its light weight and measures 70mm tall (excluding the pod), 27.5mm wide by 14.8mm deep and weighs in at a mere 30.2 grams. When the pod is attached, the overall height is 91.45mm and the combined weight is 37.5 grams.
There are 7 different color designs in the Argus Z range, these being:
- Black
- Golden
- Mint Silver
- Navy Blue
- Rose Pink
- Ruby Red
- White
You can see from the photos that the Argus Z battery/casing is a two tone and two textured finish. The bottom half of the body is a smooth semi-matte finish in one color tone and the upper part of the body is a different color tone with multiple diagonal groves providing a textured finish which also provides a good anti-slip surface.
The only visible display is in the form of 3 diagonal slots than run within the groves of the upper part of the casing. Beneath these slots is a dual color LED (blue and green) that provide the UI indications and illuminate when you insert the pod, illuminate while drawing on the pod, when it’s being charged or it’s displaying the different levels of protection.
I am unclear if there is one LED beneath these slots or there are 3 individual LED’s. I believe the former because at no time do one or two of the LED’s illuminate on their own, it’s all 3 on or off.
One minor point for me is the lack of battery status indication. The LED(s) don’t change color in relation to the remaining battery level. They always indicate green when you draw on the pod up to when the battery has run out of charge at which point it flashes green 10 times.
It would have been nice if the LED(s) changed color at 20% remaining battery power. Again considering its simplicity and price tag you can’t expect too much but it would have been a nice addition. It does have pass-through so you can charge and vape at the same time.
The Argus Z is charged using the supplied Type-C charging cable plugged into the Type-C USB port on the reverse side of the body. This port is 5V/0.7A and charges the Argus Z in around 85 minutes. I will cover more about charging in the How do I Charge the Argus Z section of this review.
As I just mentioned, when using the Argus Z, the current discharge status of the battery is not displayed other than when it’s run out of charge. When the Argus Z is placed on charge, the LED(s) will illuminate blue and remain lit throughout the charge cycle until full charge is reached when they will turn static green.
The green LED(s) will remain illuminated until the charging cable is removed.
There is NO firing button or On/Off button as the Argus Z is draw activated only and controlled by the chip set, which also ensures the following safety features are maintained:
- Overtime protection (5 seconds)
- Low battery protection
- Short circuit protection
- Overcharge protection
Airflow is fixed, there is no variable control. Voopoo have got it just about right in my opinion, a really nice smooth semi restricted MTL draw. If you did want to restrict the airflow there are two very small cut-outs in the top sides of the Argus Z where the pod is fitted.
These allow a slight airflow intake down the side of the pod. You can place your thumb or finger over one or both of these cut-outs and it will further restrict the airflow and tighten the draw.
On the top of the Voopoo Argus Z is the 24.5mm recessed oval opening for the pod to be located which can be fitted either way round. Within the pod recess are two gold plated spring loaded coil contact pins and two rectangular bar magnets that line up with the pod. There is also a smaller grey auto draw sensor next to the central positive coil contact pin.
The bottom of the Argus Z is flat on its edges with a slightly concave inner so there are no issues when standing upright. There are the usual “CE” markings and “Do Not Dispose” symbols etched into the base.
To one side of the base is a small pinhole which provides a gas escape if the battery starts to vent. It’s nice to see this included as we are seeing some devices that don’t have this.
Voopoo’s branding is limited to their name “Designed By Voopoo” screen printed in small lettering just below the Type-C USB port. On the reverse side of the casing towards the bottom of the device is a slightly larger “Argus Z”.
You will notice in our photos that the one we received for review has “Sample” printed on it. This is standard practice when some companies send out samples for test. We believe the product will remain the same when it enters full production but can’t guarantee this.
Overall, the Argus Z feels pretty solid, robust and well built. It’s very compact, very lightweight and feels very comfortable to hold. Yes it has very limited function but that was the intention of Voopoo to provide a simple no fuss vape system.
Despite its simplicity, performance wise it really shines.
Argus Z Pod
We’re very familiar with the Argus 0.7 ohm pod and its great performance when we reviewed it during our Argus P1 review. I’ve been using it on and off for about 3 months now and not only does it produce a really good vape, the longevity is incredible.
These pods are cross device compatible with the Argus Pod and the Argus P1 so it’s very good news on that front.
The Argus Z pod is a side refillable pod with a 2ml e-liquid capacity. Only the one pod is included in the kit; the 0.7 ohm pod with its integrated coil. The coil is NOT replaceable so once the coil degrades the whole pod will need replacing.
I did mention at the beginning of this review that Voopoo have replacement empty pods so you can purchase those too and use replaceable coils. This really does increase the versatility of the device and of course makes it even more cost effective.
The pod is manufactured out of clear opaque lightweight PCTG material making this really easy to see the level of e-liquid through the pod. The mouthpiece is a duckbill shape with a 9mm oval opening tapering to a 4mm circular cut out to cater for the MTL vape style.
Overall dimensions of the Argus pod are 32.5mm tall by 25.4mm wide and 13.4mm deep. The weight of the pod is 7.15 grams.
The Argus Z pods side fill port is concealed behind a flush fitting black silicone rubber plug. To gain access to the fill port, the pod has to be removed from the Argus Z body. This plug has an indented arrow on it which identifies which end is to be lifted away to gain access to the filling port.
Opening the rubber flap is quite easy so shouldn’t stress the rubber and does provide a good seal.
When the plug is opened, the other end of the silicone rubber flap will remain attached to the pod so it won’t get lost. It can be swivelled to the side to give easier access to the filling hole.
This e-liquid fill port is a reasonable size measuring 4.5mm so is just big enough to accept short stubby e-liquid tip bottles. Lay the pod on its side, fill port upwards when filling to get the maximum amount of e-liquid in it.
On the underside of the pod are 4 small air intake holes, two either side of the integrated coil. There are no visible magnets on the base of the pod as they are concealed beneath the PCTG material.
Branding on the pod, on the bottom section that’s fitted into the Argus Z pod recess has “Voopoo” indented on one side of the pod and the coil resistance “0.7 ohms” indented into the silicone rubber fill port bung.
Inserting the pod is straightforward enough, simply place the pod to the Argus Z body recessed pod opening and it will slide into the recess and be locked and held in place by the magnets. When inserted, the Argus Z green LED(s) will briefly illuminate once to identify that the pod has made electrical contact with the Argus Z body.
Removing the pod is carried out by grasping the pod mouthpiece and pulling away from the Argus Z body/battery. It’s a reasonably tight fit and does remain attached during normal use.
Voopoo Argus Z Functionality
The Voopoo Argus Z pod kit is as simple and straightforward to use as it gets. It doesn’t have any menu options to worry about, there are no adjustment controls or fire button, not even an on/off switch. Quite simply all that’s required is ensuring your Argus Z is charged and the pod contains e-liquid.
It’s an auto draw device so firing it is achieved by drawing on the pod only.
When using the Argus Z, it will automatically detect the coil resistance in the pod and set the power level (wattage) accordingly. Unfortunately we don’t have the power wattage figures for the 0.7ohm pod but is specified as operating equal to or lower than 17W.
The only user interface (UI) display on the Argus Z are 3 small rectangular slots diagonally cut into the casing body. Beneath these slots is a dual color changing LED that illuminates when the pod is inserted, light up when you draw on the device, Illuminate when the device is on charge and indicate the different levels of protection.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s not clear if there is one or three LEDs beneath these slots. The 3 slots only ever illuminate together so I’m assuming it’s just one LED.
Even though the LED(s) change color, there is no color change relating to the current status of the battery charge. The LED(s) will illuminate green when the pod is inserted and when you draw on the device. It remains green in color from full charge until they start to flash green 10 times indicating that the battery has run out of charge.
The visual display on the LED(s) and the included safety features for each function is detailed below as follows:
- Drawing on the pod: – LED(s) will illuminate green
- Charging: – LED(s) illuminate blue and remain illuminated
- Full charge: – LED(s) will turn green and remain illuminated
- Low battery: – LED(s) flash green 10 times
- Pod inserted: – LED(s) will illuminate green once
- Short circuit: – LED(s) will flash green once
- Overtime protection (5 seconds): – LED(s) will flash green 2 times
Airflow
The Voopoo Argus Z doesn’t have variable airflow control but does have two small airflow intake cut-outs on the top side edges of the casing. A semi-restrictive MTL draw is achieved but if you want to restrict the airflow and tighten the draw, you can place a thumb/finger over one or both of the intake cut-outs.
Voopoo Argus Z Performance
Included in the Argus Z kit is a 0.7 ohm pod. As we’ve already mentioned, these pods don’t have replaceable coils therefore once the coil becomes degraded, the pod will have to be disposed of and a new one fitted.
As with most MTL vape pods, freebase nicotine or nic salts with a PG/VG ratio of 50/50 is recommended because of the smaller wicking ports in the coil and the lower power (wattage) used.
When first using a new pod, I would recommend filling the pod with your e-liquid and leave it to stand for 10-15 minutes to allow the e-liquid to saturate into the wick before vaping.
0.7 ohm Pod
I’ve been using the 0.7 ohm pod over the last 3 months in my Argus P1 kit so I know only too well what to expect. The flavor and vapor and the incredible longevity really are very very good.
After filling with 50/50 Mango e-liquid at 6mg nic strength and leaving to stand for 15 minutes, my very first draw produced lovely results; clean, fresh and crisp flavor with a good throat hit.
For a reasonably low powered pod, it does produce quite dense vapor for a MTL draw.
I compared the performance of this new pod against the 3 month old pod in my Argus P1 kit and I can honestly say the difference in the flavor and vapor between the two was marginal.
Any Leaks?
Throughout my time using the pod supplied with the Argus Z kit, there was no evidence of any leaks. When refilling the pod each time, there were still no signs of condensation around the bottom of the coil or in the pod recess.
I have been using the 0.7 ohm pod in the Argus P1 for months now and I’ve only had very slight seepage at the base of the pod and in the pod recess. This was mainly because I left the pod inserted in the device for a couple of days without using it.
This is normal on the majority of pods so can only recommend if you’re not using it daily, remove the pod from the device body so e-liquid seepage doesn’t cause any malfunction on the mod.
Airflow
The fixed airflow on the Argus Z gave a semi-restricted MTL draw. I would say it was pretty near perfect for me. Occasionally if I wanted to restrict the draw slightly, blocking off one of the airflow cut-outs worked very well.
Auto Draw
Auto draw worked faultlessly, even the slightest of draws activated the auto draw sensor. The draw is very smooth and also very quiet.
Voopoo Argus Z Battery Performance
The Voopoo Argus Z’s 900mAh internal battery is a good decent sized capacity for a pod device of this size and on average was giving me around a day’s vaping time on a single charge.
Sadly there is no battery status indication on the LED(s) so you have no way of telling when the battery is reaching its low power cut-off. The only indication is when the battery has discharged and the LED(s) flash green 10 times.
Once this happens you will need to charge the device. Fortunately the Argus Z does have pass-through so you are able to vape while it’s being charged.
How do I Fill the Argus Z Pod?
The Voopoo Argus pod is a side fill design. You’ll have to remove the pod from the Argus Z battery/body in order to fill with e-liquid.
The fill port is located on one side of the pod casing and is concealed behind a black silicon rubber flap. This flap sits flush with the side of the pod. A small arrow highlights which part of the rubber flap lifts away.
This silicone rubber flap is attached to the pod by a small rubber pin so there’s no chance of it getting lost. It can be twisted sideways when you’re filling to give a little more free room. Because the fill port opening is pretty wide (4.5mm), it’ll accept those larger e-liquid/shortfill bottle tips.
Pull open the flap and insert your e-liquid bottle tip into the opening. Tilt the pod on its side to aid filling and to get the maximum amount of e-liquid into the pod. Once filled, reinsert the silicon rubber flap making sure the fill port is securely reseated.
Reinsert the pod into the Argus Z body until it’s held in place by the magnetic catches. As the pod makes contact with the Argus Z body, the 3 diagonal slots will illuminate and flash once green in color.
Quick Tip: If you are filling the pod for the first time, once filled, leave to stand for approx. 10-15 minutes before you start to vape. This will help saturate the wick fully in e-liquid and help prolong the life of the coil/pod.
When and How do I Change the Argus Z Pod?
Because the included pod has a fixed non replaceable coil, when the coil starts to degrade after a couple of weeks use, the pod will need to be discarded and a new pod fitted.
An indication of the coil degrading will show by either a loss of flavor and/or a lack of vapor. Continuing beyond this loss of flavor/vapor will finally result in a nasty burnt taste. Equally the coil could break going open or short circuit. Either way, when this happens discard the pod and fit a new one.
Pull the pod away from the Argus Z battery/body. Unfortunately if you still have e-liquid in the pod, this will have to be discarded as well.
When fitting a new pod, follow the procedure for How do I Fill the Pod. As you insert the pod into the Argus Z body, the LED’s will briefly illuminate green to identify the pod has made contact with the Argus Z battery/body.
How do I Charge the Voopoo Argus Z?
The Argus Z has an internal 900mAh battery therefore charging is carried out using the USB to Type-C charging cable (supplied in the kit). Simply connect the cable into the Type-C port on the reverse side of the Argus Z body and the other end into a suitable USB power source.
This Type-C USB port is specified as 5V/0.7A so any power source above this figure will charge the Argus Z in around 85 minutes.
When the 3 diagonal slots on the front of the Argus Z body flash green 10 times, the battery requires charging. As you plug the Type-C cable into the charging port, the 3 diagonal slots will illuminate blue in color and remain illuminated during the charging cycle.
Once charging is completed, the 3 diagonal slots will change from static blue to static green. Interestingly the 3 diagonal slots will remain static green as long as the charging cable is plugged into the charging port.
The Argus Z does have pass-through so you can vape while it’s being charged.
Charging time from full discharge to fully charged will take approximately 85 minutes when using a 5V/1.0A power source.
While the Argus Z is on charge, it does remain cool to the touch but I would still recommend to ONLY charge the device on a non-flammable surface.
As with any vape device, NEVER leave it unattended whilst charging.
Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Price
The Voopoo Argus Z pod kit is retailing around the £15-£20 / $15-$20 price which makes this such a good, cost effective purchase.
It is a basic pod kit and the price does reflect this BUT the performance from the 0.7 ohm pod does far outweigh the price.
If you are interested in purchasing yourself an Argus Z Pod then be sure to check out the links below. Healthcabin are currently offering the Argus Z for just under $10; an absolute bargain in my eyes!
Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Verdict
Pros
- Very good build quality
- Great design and nice looking
- Robust
- Super lightweight
- Type-C USB charge port
- Pod is clear
- Side fill pod
- Very good overall performance
- Very good vapor and flavor
- Pod/coil life is very good
- Nice MTL draw
- Auto draw very responsive
- Pass-through vaping
Cons
- No remaining battery status indication
Voopoo Argus Z Pod Kit Summary
The Voopoo Argus Z pod kit I would class as an entry level pod kit because of its simplicity. Despite its very compact size and limited function, the performance from the device and pod are very good. The styling, quality and feel of the device really do exceed the price tag.
A battery capacity of 900mAh is decent and does give around a day’s vaping before needing a recharge plus it has pass-through so you won’t be without a vape.
Even though the coil is integrated and non replaceable, the pod is refillable and from my experience it performs really well and lasts a long time. Plus the big bonus for me is Voopoo now sell the empty pods so you can use their replaceable coils making it even more cost effective.
Power wise I found the fixed wattage for this 0.7 ohm pod was spot on. I have used a 1.2 ohm pod in it to try and that performed very well too. While I really enjoy using the 0.7 ohm pod, the 1.2 ohm pod is well worth purchasing as it gives a really good MTL draw.
Hope you enjoyed this review on the Voopoo Argus Z pod kit and found it useful. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave us a comment below.
If you do purchase one, please do drop us a comment and let us know how you’re getting on with it. Good and bad comments are always welcome!