Minikin V2 – better late than never…
The Asmodus Minikin V2 dropped late last year. It’s a dual-18650 battery box mod that fires up to 180 watts, and offers a plethora of options thanks to its GX-180-HT chipset. The Minikin V2 supports both variable and curve wattage mode, as well as TC support for Ni200, Ti, SS316 and SS317 wire types. Surprisingly ergonomic for a dual-battery mod, the Minikin V2 comes in a variety of finishes, running the gamut from a rubberized matte black to chromes and weathered metallic.
But perhaps the most notable feature of the Minikin V2 is the capacitive touchscreen. A large, centrally-positioned chrome firing button does the essentials, and the menu interface is easily navigable through the touchscreen interface. The Minikin V2 can be picked up direct from Asmodus for around $90, with online retailers shaving a portion off that price. Let’s check out the Minikin V2 and see how that touchscreen holds up…
Asmodus Minikin V2 Gallery
Asmodus Minikin V2 Specs and Features
Notable Remarks
Unboxing
Packaging for the standard Minikin V2 is an unspectacular affair. The mod comes with a micro USB cable, which you can use for firmware updates and charging the 18650 batteries internally, as well as user manual, battery safety and warranty cards.
We bought our sample in a matte black rubberized finish. As dual-18650 battery mods go, it’s on the small side, and fits ergonomically in the palm of my hand. I like the rubberized finish, although I suspect it may attract fingerprints easily. The top of the mod will fit any atty up to 25 mm without overhang. Its rounded form factor reminds me somewhat of the Reuleaux RX200. I count a total of 15 vent holes on the underside of the device. The only gripe I have on first impressions is that the magnetized battery door doesn’t sit quite flush on the device, leaving a slight overhang on both sides.
Menu functionality
Clicking the fire button once prompts the touchscreen to light up. To unlock it, you need to slide from the top downwards. The touchscreen isn’t super responsive, and a half-hearted swipe doesn’t unlock it. I suppose this could be a plus, since you don’t want the mod firing or changing settings in your pocket.
Once unlocked, the menu interface is logical and easy to follow. The screen displays at a glance the resistance of the coil, battery life over two bars, a voltage meter, and then watts or temperature and watts depending on the chosen mode. Finally, at the bottom the puff counter, duration, and chosen mode are displayed.
Wattage can be altered in .1 increments up to 100 watts, and single-digit from there up to 180. In TC mode, both Fahrenheit and Celsius can be altered by single degrees.
Clicking on the chosen mode setting takes you into the menu. From there, you have three main options: Res, Mode, and Setup.
Res: under Res you can check and confirm the resistance of your coil, or manually change it. Note however that manual input will only function in TC modes.
Mode: choose from four different modes: Power (variable wattage and wattage control curve), Temp (select one of four wire types), TCR (manually enter the temperature coefficient resistance), and TFR (define a temperature curve manually). Note that TCR and TFR will only be relevant to you if you’re working with a metal type other than the standard supported ones.
Setup: adjust the brightness of the display, define a puff limit, and delete your puff count.
I have no major complaints with the user interface, except the lack of a “return” or “back” function. Exiting out of one menu usually takes you back to the home screen, which means another swipe to unlock it again.
How it performs
I used the Minikin V2 with a bunch of tanks and atomizers. Under a variety of circumstances, the Minikin V2 performed very well. I liked the extremely short ramp-up time. The chipset automatically detects the resistance of a new coil, but you have to adjust wattage or temperature accordingly. Battery life, for a dual-18650 mod, seemed long-lasting and dependable.
I tried out TC mode with some Uwell D1 SS 316 coils and I found the vape a bit on the cool side. That can perhaps be remedied in the more advanced TCR and TFR settings, but straight out of the box it wasn’t for me.
My only gripes here are the firing button, which occasionally misfires, and the less-than-perfect touchscreen. However, the overall form factor, size and advanced user functions outweigh the cons in my opinion.
Firmware upgrading
Asmodus has been consistent in releasing firmware updates for the Minikin V2 in response to customer demand. At present, they’re Windows-only.
Firmware update software is downloadable from the Asmodus website, and comes in a RAR package containing 2 files. To firmware update your Minikin V2, install the program and open it. Remove the batteries from your mod. Now, connect the mod to your computer via USB while holding down the fire button. After a few seconds, the screen should display “download mode”.
From there, you’ll need to click “Connect” in the open program window, and check to see the grey status indicator turn green. That means the mod is now connected. Clicking “File” allows you to select the Firmware update file (although the program should automatically find it for you in the source folder where you extracted the RAR file). Simply click “Upgrade”, watch the progress bar fill up, and your Minikin V2 is good to go.
Likes
Dislikes
Verdict
The Asmodus Minikin V2 is a mod with advanced, customizable settings and a discreet size. Its form is excellent, and I’ve gotten good mileage out of two 18650s with it. It may not be the cheapest investment you make, but Asmodus has shown their consumer loyalty through regular firmware updates for the device. The Minikin V2 is a great match with thirsty, high-wattage RDAs and tanks. I recommend it, especially if you don’t see the need to lug a triple-18650 device around with you.
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