The sleek SMOK A-Priv is by no means a revolutionary mod. However, I do have to give SMOK their due credit here. The value you’re getting here is pretty darn good.
Yes, it may seem a little gimmicky with the lights, music feature and crazy colors it comes in, which we’ll get into soon, but if you put all that gimmicky stuff aside it’s a decent mod for the price they’re asking.
Let’s take a closer look at this SMOK A-Priv review and find out why you may want to consider getting this dual 18650 mod, which is good value even if it’s not perfect.
PRICE (US): ~ $30.00 (from Element Vape)
PRICE (UK): ~ £40.00 (from UK E-Cig Store)
DESIGN
The A-Priv is very ergonomic and comes with a lot of character. You have around 10 different color options to choose from ranging from black to pink, and the chassis has an eccentric look to it.
Now let’s talk about the lights on this thing…
While they don’t serve any particular function, they do add a bit of playfulness to the mod giving you the option to set the lighting up in various different color modes.
You can choose from a wide range of colors such as blue, red, cyan and magenta to match your outfit for the day or if you’re at a party or disco you could stick it on a setting that changes colors in sync with the music you’re listening too. Pretty cool, but definitely gimmicky!
The size at the top of the device will allow for a 26mm atomizer before you start to overhang.
The display is also at the top, and it’s something I’m not overly fond of on this device since an atomizer larger than 25mm will overlap on to it slightly. This probably won’t be a huge deal for most of you, especially if you don’t use big attys.
In true SMOK fashion, they have packed this thing with a large fire button running down the length of the device, which is super clicky.
The location of the USB port is on the side near the top of the device, which did look at little odd at first, but with time I got used to it.
One of my biggest concerns with this mod has to be the battery door hinge. While I’ve not had any issues with this on my device, it is a design that I’ve seen friends have problems with (not necessarily on this device) time and time again after a lot of use.
If you drop this thing, there’s a pretty good chance that the battery door will be the first thing to malfunction so try to be extra careful here.
Overall, I don’t mind the design. I’d prefer to have seen the screen in a better location – one that isn’t hindered by a large atomizer – but it’s a not something that puts me off using it since I have several tanks that fit this design comfortably.
BUILD QUALITY
When coupled with two 18650 batteries this mod does feel quite heavy in the hand. Some people will like this while others won’t.
I think it gives it a more premium feel to it, which is something I personally like.
The chassis is made out of zinc alloy and seems to have a pretty good paint job all things considered.
As mentioned above, the only part of the build quality that I’m not a huge fan of is the battery door. Other than this, it’s a pretty solid build in it’s price category.
FUNCTIONALITY
If you’ve used a SMOK device before then you’ll be very familiar with the menu items and navigation. For those of you that aren’t familiar, let me explain what functionality you’ll get with this mod.
To start with you’ll need to click the power button five times consecutively to activate the menu on the display. From here you’ll be able to check the atomizer, set the mode to match the type of atomizer you’re using (wattage, stainless steel, titanium, nickel or temperature control).
There is an option to set your vape strength to ‘normal’, ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ depending on your preference. You’ll also find a puff counter and the light configuration options.
Once you’ve set up the lighting you can then choose a ‘style’, which is basically an option where the lighting on the device can be set to fade, jump or even sync with the music playing around you.
You can turn both the screen and ‘vaping mode’ on and off in the menu. Having the option to turn vaping mode on and off is a good safety feature so you don’t accidentally activate the device unintentionally.
There is the option to set the screen to always on or off. I wouldn’t recommend setting it to ‘always on’ as it will drain more of your battery.
Talking of the battery, you can also set the brightness (they call it contrast). When the brightness of the display is set to high it does make the display easy to see outside in daylight.
Next you’ll find the option to adjust your ohms and update your firmware, which you can do via the USB connection on the side of the device.
On the display you’ll find a dual battery indicator as well as the watts, ohms and voltage based on your set-up. In wattage mode the minimum resistance is 0.1 and temperature control it’s 0.05.
The functionality of this device is pretty good giving you plenty of settings to mess around with. If you’re not familiar with the chip you should find it fairly easy to navigate and get used to.
HOW MUCH DOES IS THE SMOK A-Priv?
The price of the A-Priv is what makes it so attractive when you consider everything you’re getting here. In the US you can pick it up for under $40.00, and as of writing this review it’s available for under $30.00 from Element Vape, and if it’s in stock in the UK you should be able to pick it up for under £40.00 from the UK ECIG STORE.
DISLIKES
- Battery door compartment
- Display location
- 28mm atty’s overhang
- USB location on device
LIKES
- Ergonomic (comfortable firm grip)
- Large clicky fire button
- Solid build for price
- Easy for new users to get used to the menu
CONTENTS
- 1 x A-PRIV Box Mod
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x MicroUSB Cable
- 1 x Spare Parts
SPECS
- Dimensions – 87.5mm by 50.43mm by 32mm
- Dual High-Amp 18650 Battery – Not Included
- Wattage Output Range: 1-225W
- Voltage Output Range: 0.5-8.2V
- Resistance Range – VW Mode: 0.1 – 2.5ohm
- Resistance Range – TC Mode: 0.05 – 2.0ohm
- Temperature Range: 200° – 600°F / 100° – 315°C
- Zinc-Alloy Chassis Construction
- Intuitive Firing Button
- Two Adjustment Buttons
- LED Battery Life Indicator Light – Music Activated
- Bottom Hinged Battery Bay
- Short Circuit Protection
- Over Heat Protection
- 10s Cut Off Protection
- Low Resistance Protection
- Low Voltage Protection
- Spring-Loaded 510 Connector
- MicroUSB Port
CONCLUSION
The SMOK A-Priv is not your typical looking box mod and it’s certainly not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re looking for a little quirkiness and want something that gives you a variety of color choice options then this mod ticks all the boxes of a pretty good dual 18650 mod at a very reasonably price.