The Cuboid by Joyetech merges the bases of the eVic VT and VTC Mini, offers an excellent temp control and a beautiful large display
In June 2015, I had in test the brand new eVic VT and gave it a 4.5/5. A few months later, in September, I gave a 5/5 to the eVic VTC Mini. Here again, Joyetech declined its Cuboid from the same chipset and added a large display, a first in this domain.
The Cuboid by Joyetech combines the fundamental features of its siblings eVic VT and VTC Mini, namely an excellent temp control and a beautiful large screen that optimizes its readability.
You can vape without worrying about anything else but to choose the right temperature and select the corresponding coil. This latter can be made of Nickel, Titanium, stainless steel or any other type of resistive wire. A must when combined to the atomizer Cubis from the same brand, around which I discussed somewhere else.
It is by chance that I received in test two different boxes with a dual-battery system in 18,650. Believe me or not but my preference goes to the Joyetech without any doubt.
Dual battery boxes are advantageous because their battery life is much larger but, in turn, they are heavier and don’t offer a very good usability. Between usability and autonomy, you will have to choose because with its 300-320 g, you won’t forget the Cuboid when it is in your pocket. Did it loose its nomad blood?
Joyetech comes back in force on the market and always demonstrates of innovation and technical advance. And this setup is in line with Joyetech’s DNA, showing high standards of manufacturing quality and finish.
On paper, the Cuboid is the must and offers all what can be expected from a new model in 2016. At first sight, it rather looks like a cobblestone than a cube but its finish with its rounded angles makes it look less massive than expected from its numbers. A non-classical shape but nonetheless elegant, with its vertical display that makes it a strong value.
The design should not be the only criterion of your choice of this box even if it reminds a little bit of the iStick TC60 that deserves to be more popular.
The packaging is always more than correct, with Joyetech. Discovering this box is surprising, positively, because despite of its two batteries, it can easily disappear in the palm of your hand.
The setup inspires a good manufacturing quality that I feel obliged to scratch on two points, the first of which looked fundamental to me and testifies of a conception default. Something pretty uncommon for Joyetech, I have to say.
My first point, the lightest, is that the Fire is not smooth at use and jingles noisily. It is regrettable.
My second point, the most important probably, appears at the opening of lid. You will notice very quickly that the contact pins on springs at the bottom of the battery compartment are very short, too short.
You will need batteries with the exact size. For example, my Effest or Panasonic batteries were too short and did not make contact with the pins because of the shortness of the springs.
In fact, when using them in some other boxes, the battery tips got shortened and the small difference in length was enough to cause bad contact. It resulted in the de-activation of the box, from time to time.
A few words to remind you that the batteries are not included in the kit. You will have to purchase them for 20-25 €. I recommend ordering brand new Sony or the Samsung that fit perfectly.
Its weight of 313 g, without the atomizer, indicates that it is not the lightest ever. It is what anyone can notice when you manipulate the Cuboid. The choice of this setup is not for its light weight, is it?
As for the eVic VT and the VTC Mini, you will get the same large vertical screen and, for the first time, the information appears clearly, is readable and horizontal. The display shows what is essential. It is still not adjustable for the light. Inside, it is perfect but outside it may be more painful to read, to become completely unreadable in the sun.
You will notice to battery logos at the bottom of the screen. They indicate the charging status of the two batteries, separately, which is a very good idea. The Cuboid will also check that the balance between the two batteries does not exceed 0.3 V.
The commands are activated with the long button located under the screen. You will also easily find the Fire on one side. It may seem repetitive but its functioning is noisy.
Except the upgrade for the stainless steel coils SS316 and TCR, the settings have not been touched. The functioning is disturbing at the beginning because of the time lag before the information arrives after pressing three times on the Fire. This may let you think that you did not enter the menu correctly, sometimes.
With this Cuboid, Joyetech reruns with success the sound values of its predecessors by upgrading and offering you 2 interchangeable batteries in an innovative design.
Technical review
The main features of the Cuboid by Joyetech are:
- 1 Oval Fire on the side (5-press ON/OFF)
- Adjustable temperature between 100°C and 315°C
- Adjustable power between 1 W and 150 W by increment of 0.5 W
- Coil: 0.05/1.5 Ohm in VT mode and 0.1/3.5 Ohms in W mode
- Compatibility: 510
- Weight: 215 g (313 g with batteries)
- Height: 91 mm
- Length: 42 mm
- Thickness: 28 mm, 23 mm in the axis of the thread
- Battery: interchangeable but not included
- Safety: 10 s, shortcut, temperature higher than 70°C and calibration lock
- USB charge at the top of the box
- 1 large OLED screen
- Display of Temp/Watts, Power/V, Ohms and battery/puffs/time
- Steel/Stainless steel
- 4 Modes: Temp Ti, Temp Ni, Wattage, TCR
- TCR mode has 3 sub-settings
- User manual in English
- Available in 3 colours
- The software is perfect with its expended, optimized and simplified settings of temperature (idem eVic VT and VTC Mini)
It is important to calibrate the coil before using the temperature control mode
After 5 quick presses on the Fire, the OLED display lights up. It is perfectly readable and very pleasant to consult. Since the information is vertically written, you just have to turn your box to the side to read it. Clever.
Before having access to the temperature control mode, you first have to read the user manual otherwise you will have to remain in the basic power control mode.
As a remainder, the temperature control mode is dependent on the choice of the coil, especially the metal that it is made of.
In order to properly activate this function, you MUST CALIBRATE THE COIL at room temperature, i.e. before using it.
As soon as the Ni, Ti or NiFe coil is in place, you have to access the Menu by pressing 3 times the Fire and to choose the right Menu by pressing the left button that will show the 4 modes.
Wait until the Menu blinks before choosing it. Once in the right mode, press two times on the right button and you will see the Ohm Menu blinking. It is at that moment that you can set up the characteristics of your coil by pressing the right button again. A little locker will appear next to Atomizer. The coil is calibrated and ready to use.
Next step, you can choose the maximal power that will be sent to your coil to reach the targeted temperature. The original value is set to 150 W but it is not always optimal. In a similar way press 3 times on the Fire, wait for it to blink, then press the left button. The Watts start blinking and you can downgrade value and validate the operation with the right button.
This setting allows you to change the mode and/or the atomizer without worrying. The settings are kept in memory and the temp control will work at anytime provided that the coil has not been changed. This operation is, however, to be made each time you change the coil.
You will choose the temperature that best fits to you. For me, it is always aroud 275°C in Ni. I could try the Stainless steel with the excellent Cubis from the same brand but I couldn’t decide which one I prefer.
But for the functioning, my preferences range from the Stainless steel to the Nickel and the Titanium. With regard to the best choice for health, I couldn’t find any information so far.
Are also present a classic Power mode for the settings in Watts and a TCR mode dedicated to an expert use.
As for the eVic VT and the eVic VTC, you can also use your Cuboid in a very basic way, like with any other box, by selecting the Power mode, ranging from 1 W to 150 W.
The settings are extremely intuitive and simple with the button located at the bottom of the screen, to increase or decrease your settings. You can also choose to display the Amperage, the number of puffs or the time you spent vaping.
Three uses: Simple with Watts, Geek with Temperature and Expert with TCR
A new function appeared with this TCR mode that reads for “Temperature Coefficient of Resistance”. You can then have access to any kind of parameterization as a function of the alloy or metal you select for your coil. You will be able to enter 3 different values in 3 memory slots M1, M2 and M3. Joyetech even provides intervals for different metals, some of them being approximations, especially for some types of stainless steel.
The settings of the three menus must be made with the box Off by selecting the right values. These functions were already met with Dicode, for example, but are a real novelty for Joyetech. The brand used to offer pre-settings for SS316 stainless steel, Titanium and Nickel. This TCR mode will remain for most of us a technological appendix that may be of use when new metal are introduced in this domain.
But it really sticks to the technological image of Joyetech to provide such openings for a price that is not excessive. Gorgeous.
The presence of the two batteries is perfectly integrated in the shape of the object and each of them possesses its own level indicator. However…
I could have ranked it 5/5 again for this beautiful achievement, especially for the two batteries, but its connection issue with the batteries is highly problematic. Fixing this issue is easy and should be done by Joyetech in the newest versions of the box. Let’s hope that Joyetech will seize the opportunity to modify the Fire so that it runs smoother as well.
Beside this issue, this box with a dual-battery is well achieved and a good surprise. One gets easily used to the presence of the two batteries because of the good usability of the object, in spite of the increased weight.
In summary
The “+”:
- Design and usability to integrate the two batteries in 18,650
- Three different uses: Simple with control in Watts, Geek in Temperature and expert with the TCR mode.
- A really usable temperature control via the appropriate resistors
- A large and comfortable screen for vertical reading
- Overall good quality
- Excellent battery life witht wo batteries
- USB charging
- Compatibility 510
- Excellent value for the money
The “-“:
- Connection spring too short in the battery compartment
- Fire jingling noisily
- Heavy weight
- User manual too short on calibration procedures
- USB socket too close to the atomizer, in case of leakage
- Access to the setting menu too slow
- Doubt about the longevity of the +/- button
- Opening of the lid painful, sometimes
- Stainless steel finish that keeps fingerprints
My Cuboid always reads resistences off. Also when I put in freshly charged batteries it says they are already depleted. I think it is working like this because Ive had it for months and it has been dropped several times in that period. The black paint finish is wrecked and chips off easily but I usually keep it in a silicone sleeve. Other than those cons it is an excellent mod. I dont use temp control so I cannot comment on that. It fires well in wattage mode and it has a nice big screen.
After several months of use it is now a backup to my Smok H Priv which I now prefer to use.