IPV5 Review: Power Packed, Comfortable and Easy to Use

Top of the morning to all my beloved vape enthusiasts, cloud chasers and fledgelings alike…I’m so pleased you could make it through the flavored fog to join me once again. I’m double pumped today to be introducing and reviewing the newest member of the IPV family and I just can’t wait to get this show on the road.

If you’re in the market for an ultra-affordable, high wattage TC mod, then it’s best you keep on reading because the all new IPV5 just might be the right box for you.

So the the IPV5 is the latest release from China based Tech company, Pioneer4U, a brand that’s slowly been gaining traction with the IPV range. Although I can’t say I was really a fan of any of their mods up until the IPV4, I think that the brand is starting to rise to the top of their game and beginning to produce some great gear, at a really nice price too.

So during this IPV5 Review, I’ll be taking a good look at the what the IPV5 has to offer over the IPV4S and determining whether it’s a viable upgrade and a wise choice to make if you’re currently shopping for a high wattage mod.

As for features, it’s all about ease of use and of course TC features and functions, however the real difference here is likely going to be the seriously increased wattage.

I’m expecting a high performance piece with improved performance but not too many added features over the IPV4S because that’s not really necessary and would likely only serve to detract from ease of use.

I know that Pioneer4U heeded consumers and improved that dodgy mirror OLED screen finish with the S version of the IPV4, so I’m trusting them to be on the up and up…I’m expecting a good vape!

​Our Rating

IPV5 Review

In the box

Ipv5: out of the box

Pioneer4You has come up with a nice professional looking package for the IPV5. It’s a traditional cardboard box with foam insert that protects the mod during shipping.

The first thing you see when you open it is the IPV5 mod, and below that is the multi language instruction booklet, warranty card, certificate of authenticity, and USB upgrade cable. Please note that this cable is purely for upgrades, since the IPV5 can’t be charged via the USB port.

    • Runs 2x 18650 batteries
    • Wattage 10W - 100W
    • Resistance 0.15 Ohm in VW Mode
    • Resistance 0.05 -1.5 Ohm in TC Mode
    • Voltage 1.0V - 7.0V
    • Temp Range 212 - 572 Degrees Fahrenheit
    • SX330-200 Chipset
    • Temp Control compatible with Nickel, Titanium and Stainless Steel
    • OLED screen display
    • Micro USB port for upgrades
    • Low Voltage and Low Resistance Protected
    • High Input Voltage Protection
    • Short Circuit Protection
    • Reverse Battery Protection
    • Overheat Protected

Yes indeed, I haven’t even listed every single one of the features here…so that’s a host of incredible functions and a whole lot of power packed into a comfortable and easy to use package, I’m already impressed.

Instructions

The instruction sheet is a multi-fold single page, double sided, glossy sheet. It is separated into 8 panels, with 4 on each side of the page. It looks very professionally done and the instructions are easy to read and follow. There are illustrations and text to make it easy to use the IPV5.

It is a better set of instructions than many (I might even argue most) of the multi-fold styled manuals I have seen. Pioneer4You has got the right idea by making sure their instructions are professional and easy to read. This helps to ensure that their customer can use the product.

Because if they can’t use the product due to poor instructions, then they may not remain a Pioneer4You customer very long.

Suggested Tanks: 

Given the high wattage on this piece you’d want to go with a reliable sub ohm tank such as the Smok TFV8 Baby Beast, which is what I hooked up for this Review of IPV5. Because of the extreme versatility of this particular box, I would recommend a rebuildable tank. You are going to want to play around with various builds if you plan on fully exploring that versatility.

Pros

First Impression, Look and Feel:

Ipv5 review

Right off the bat I’m taken by the slightly curvier, sort of alien-esque design. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still dead simple…a sleek (mine is black) box with some added curves and minor decorative and ergonomic details. It’s very simple, very modern, feels incredibly comfortable in hand and about 20% more solid than the IPV4S felt.

There are no rattles or wobbles here, unless you actually work on shifting the battery cover back and forward. The button is solid and quite satisfying to click and the connection point is devoid of air holes so it looks incredibly sleek and clean. I can also see a nice, solid, spring loaded 510 connection.

On the inside you have an equally solid design, with snug battery chambers that will prevent batteries popping out, should you remove the magnetized cover.

The stainless buttons are solid and provide good positive feedback when pushed, but are a little more clicky than I like. They do protrude quite a bit, but the front face design minimizes that so they don’t feel like they stick out too far. I haven’t had a problem with them accidentally changing settings like I’ve had with some of my other mods. They are a good size and are well placed on the face of the IPV5.

The display is fairly small, but with a battery indicator, coil resistance, temperature setting and voltage, it displays enough information to be useful. It does brighten when you are pushing any of the buttons, and dims when you release them. The design of the front face allows the display to be inset far enough to protect it from damage, and provides enough of an edge to have great visibility in strong light.

Below the display is the USB port. This may be a design concern as the port is set pretty deeply into the front face, making it difficult to use with a normal USB cable. That doesn’t matter too much, as the mod cannot be charged via USB anyway, the port is purely for updating the mod when new firmware is released.

Battery Life and Usage:

The battery life I experienced during this review was outstanding, given the wattage I was able to reach on this baby. batteries are super easy to remove and charge, or simply swap by pressing and sliding off the battery door. A ribbon loop makes removal even more easy and as for replacing batteries…snug battery slots and clear markings make it super simple, no matter how many beers you’ve had!

This mod feels comfortable, yet slightly slick (due to the sleek glossy finish), while holding and using it. It is not overly heavy, but solid enough to feel good when I’m holding it. If you have owned any other Yihi SX chipset powered product, you will be quite at home with using this one.

The IPV5 functions almost exactly like my IPV D2. Click the fire button five times to get into the menu mode, once there, single clicking the fire button cycles through the menu options, while the up and down buttons are used to make adjustments, except when on the exit and system options. On those two options, the up and down button auto activate the setting, exit leaves the menu, and system shuts the mod down.

Temperature Control:

Temperature control

The upgradable YiHi SX330-200 chipset is outstanding. You can switch to variable temp and the system is now compatible with stainless steel as well as nickel and titanium. Like I said in the recommended tank section, this is an exciting mod with remarkable versatility…in order to explore that fully, you should play around with your builds and materials.

Yihi does things a little different in their chipsets than most other mod manufacturers, so temperature control is not quite as straight forward as it is with the Evolv or Joyetech chipsets. That said, different or not, it is every bit as capable and consistent with every vape. Pioneer4You did well choosing to go with the SX 330-200 chipset in this mod.So lets talk a little bit about how this chipset differs from the others.

When in Power mode, the mod works as expected, you adjust the wattage up and down as necessary to get the vape you want. When you switch the mod into Temperature Control mode, you set the readout for Fahrenheit or Celsius, next you set the desired temperature, then you set the coil type, and finally, if you selected manual TCR as the coil type, then you set the TCR value.

The mod is capable of multiple coil types for temperature control, Nickel, Titanium, Stainless Steel 304, SX Pure, and Manual TCR. Once you exit the menu, you will see that the wattage setting has changed to Joules. Note the SX Pure listed, this is for a new and proprietary temperature control wicking material, scheduled for release in the IPV Pure X2 atomizer.

Joules, as it turns out, is a unit of measurement that expresses the output power of one watt expended over one second of time. This can make it a little confusing when your previous devices have all used the term watts.

For simplicity sake, at least in the terms we are used to in the vaping world, Joules is effectively the same as saying watts. With the IPV5, Joules are set the same way as the wattage is in Power mode, so I won’t bother describing it again here. What is of note is that there are 5 setting banks in this mode as well so that you can adjust, set and save 5 distinct profiles like you can in Power mode.

The different coil types supported should cover just about any type of atomizer coil out there, although I would have preferred if it were set for SS 316L instead of SS 304. As it is, since I use SS 316L, I ended up setting a manual TCR to get the proper vape out of my coil and it worked exactly as expected.

I was unable to test the SX Pure setting as I don’t own the IPV Pure X2 atomizer it’s meant for. Finally, mine has a buzzing issue in temperature control mode. Sporadic reports across the internet show that I’m not alone with this issue. While it doesn’t seem to affect performance of the mod, it is definitely annoying.

Performance:

Are you joking?! This thing is insane. This mod heats up those coils in almost no time and with incredible consistency throughout. I played around a bit between 150 and 200W during my IPV5 try out and experienced outstanding, consistent and intense vapor production with zero overheating.

Performance

The IPV5 performs admirably in either Power or Temperature Control modes, with one exception. Periodically, during my testing, the mod would display the message “Dry Coil, No Liquid”, even though the tank had plenty of juice in it. The fix, is to reset the coil resistance by pushing both the up and down adjustment buttons at the same time.

I’m not sure what causes this, but it has happened a half dozen or so times over about a 2 week span. Otherwise, once you get used to using the menu system and switching between setting banks for different setups, it works quite well. In both Power mode and Temperature Control modes, it performed exactly as expected.

The Pioneer4You IPV5 takes dual batteries to power the Yihi SX 330-200 chipset. Battery management seems to be great, it easily lasts as long as my dual battery Cuboid in daily usage. As with any dual battery mod, make sure you use married, identical battery pairs for best results.

Do not mix and match different battery types with a high powered mod like the IPV5, as it could be very dangerous and cause a battery to vent while using the mod.

Protections:

The range of protections on this device will ensure that you’re able to push it to it’s peak and play around without incident. Without a doubt the best IPV yet, a beast of note!

Ease of Use:

The controls and the menu layout are extremely simple to operate and battery changes are no trouble at all. Software updates through the USB port at the side mean that the mod can stand whilst updating. There’s a lot to explore with this device but it’s not rocket science and with a little getting used to, easy as cherry pie.

Cons

Zero!

​Pioneer4U is dedicated to improving their game and have been steadily improving with every release, they also offer far above average value for money… especially when it comes to advanced temperature control devices like this one.

Conclusion

I’m incredibly impressed with my IPV5, with it’s improved TC functions, 200W of cloud forming power and massive but remarkably easy to navigate range of settings…this box will keep you safely chasing clouds and occupying your adventurous whims for quite some time to come.

What’s the conclusion I draw from this IPV5 Box Mod Review? I’m a big fan of the device, I recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile, dual battery, high wattage device that won’t break the bank, 100% awesome!

For a quick and easy intro to coil rebuilding... check this video out:

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