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Provari V2.5 & Vaporshark r-DNA30 comparison

KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I wanted to share a quick Vaporshark r-DNA and Provari V2.5 comparison.
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This is not an in depth review for either device, just a brief FYI with my own personal observations, along with some photos for anyone on the fence about which one to get.

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Both devices complete retail for around the same price, but that’s pretty much where the similarity ends.
No question the Provari is a top shelf device, very clean build with no cosmetic imperfections. Top and bottom thread tolerance is excellent. Main body is aluminum. No gaps, seams, burrs, loose internals, parts, or crooked display.

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The internal board is proprietary, designed and manufactured by Provari, widely regarded as the benchmark for electronic cigarette circuit boards.
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The Vaporsharks outer case is constructed out of a casted Zinc alloy, so it’s quite heavy for its size, but it’s nowhere near as robust as stainless steel or aluminum. Hard impact would likely cause a crack in the case. My understanding is that the casing is outsourced and mass produced in China, and the QC and Evolv board assembly here in the States. That said, the internals are extremely clean, everything is properly fitted and no glue is used. The Evolv DNA30 board itself is also widely regarded as one of, if not the current best in the industry.

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The Provari has a very short 510 connection. The only atomizers I had on hand that could fit flush were clearomizers such as the iclear30 or Kanger Protanks. If your atomizer has a non-adjustable 510 pin, you will need a beauty ring if you wish to hide the gap.

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There are multiple size variations available by third party vendors for the Provari which you can get depending on the atomizer you are using. Finding the right one can be a bit of a trial and error process, so this could be a potential PITA.

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Also, if you are using a 23mm atomizer, please note many of these rings taper to 22mm. With a non-tapered ring, you will still have slight overhang since the outer diameter of the Provari is approximately 22.5mm.

The Vaporshark has a spring loaded 510 pin; so every topper I have tried will fit flush to the device. No need to source any aftermarket spacers or rings, just screw on the atomizer and you are good to go.
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Airflow channels are cut as shown, so you will not have any issue puling in the right amount of airflow. Any airflow adjustments would have to be by way of the atomizer only. Width of the Vaporshark is approximately 23.3mm, so any atomizer up to 23mm should fit without any overhang.
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KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
(pt 2 due to size limitation per posting)

Provari Menu options: Voltage up, Voltage down, power off/on, battery level check, resistance check, light on/off.

Simple and functional, although the one button system can be a bit tedious, especially if you are like me and have grown accustomed to the DNA30 menu system.
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For example, to check the atomizer resistance, the fire button must be clicked for a total of 13 times; pause for a second and the topper will self-fire before displaying the resistance. To check battery level, click 11 times, pause for a second, wait for the atomizer to fire and the battery life will be displayed. To lock the device, you have to turn the device off by clicking 9 times, wait a second until the display changes then scroll to select “Of.” To unlock, repeat the process and select “On” to turn the Provari back on.
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DNA menu options: Wattage up, Wattage Down, power lock/unlock, wattage lock/unlock, screen display L/R orientation, Stealth on/off.
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Current wattage and battery level is always displayed. Resistance and Voltage will display true once you have a topper screwed in and quickly press the fire button. From thereon, your resistance will remain displayed until you change the atomizer.
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Changing your wattage output is simple, just press + for more power, - for less. To lock wattage setting, press “+” and “_” together. Repeat to unlock. To lock/unlock the fire button, click 5 times.

I’m using an EhPro KFL+ which reads at @1.33ohms off a standard resistance meter and 1.3ohm on both the Vaporshark and the Provari.
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I do like the tubular design and overall build quality of the Provari, but definitely prefer the menu system and display of the Vaporshark. Both fire buttons are nice, the Vaporshark has a positive “click” response; the Provari has a more “gummy” feel to it. Although very different, I don’t like one more or less than the other.

Performance at 12w vs. 4V: As far as which output signal is more accurate, to me, it’s a completely moot point; I personally cannot tell the difference while vaping, both do the job just fine. Off an oscilloscope, there may be variations, or not, but regardless, as I’m vaping away I am not able to notice a difference.

Service is pretty much established as an industry benchmark with the Provari, but the Vaporshark currently continues to earn high marks as well. I can’t comment on the actual repair service and turnaround times for either since I haven’t had to do it, but would imagine Provape would be a little faster since everything is built in house as opposed to Vaporshark which I would assume needs to outsource the replacement parts.

Battery change with the Provari is simply unscrewing the base and swapping out the batteries. The Vaporshark requires the back panel to be unscrewed with a Philips head screwdriver, but a very nice feature is that the device can be charged via USB and can be used simultaneously as well.
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Between the Provari and Vaporshark, the Vaporshark suites me better based on the following points:
  1. Easier to view, select and use menu system.
  2. Spring loaded 510 pin which allows easy flush mounting of any atomizer without needing a ring or adaptor.
  3. USB charging capability with ability for simultaneous use, meaning almost no downtime ever.
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  4. Wider range of use; will fire anything from a high resistance cartomizer to a low resistance RDA down to .5ohms. The Provari will display an error message (E-1) instead of firing if your settings go above the amperage limitation of the device.
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As for the Provari, I originally purchased this for my wife who eventually decided to stick with ego batteries, so I gave this a try myself. Had I owned one when I started vaping, I definitely would have enjoyed this much more. But now, after having used many variations of atomizers, resistances and other devices, it’s a little antiquated for me to really appreciate. The fact that I cannot use my RDA’s and lower resistance tanks is the primary deal breaker for me.

There is a newer Provari version (P3) which features a wider range of use (down to .7ohms) along with all the previous merits of the build quality carried over, but it still retains the one button system, 22.5mm diameter and still falls short in the overall range of resistance capability.

In summary though, both the V2.5 Provari and Vaporshark rDNA30 will do exactly as advertised. Which one is more suitable for you ultimately depends upon your personal preference of vaping ;)
 
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KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Quick disclaimer if there is thought that I wrote this opinion with a bias towards one device or the other:

With all said between the two subject devices, I actually still prefer using mechanical mods. As a matter of fact, I recently posted both of these devices for trade on Calivapers about a week ago. Was successful getting a nice trade with the Shark, but no luck yet with the Provari.

Again, my opinions in this "Review" was just that, just my own thoughts based on my own personal preferences. Vape happy and thanks for reading!
 

UncleRJ

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Nicely done!
 

vapedick

Member For 4 Years
Get ready for the provari guys......
"But but but..... One button is easier. I don't need USB charging. It's all made in the USA. Tube is better than box"


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.
 

kelli

Vapid Vapetress
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ken, that presentation was very impressive. it's almost like you do that professionally. :)
 

KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Thanks, but no, far from professional, just thought it would be fun to do and to take my mind off being holed up at home with the flu :(

I don't think there will be any angry Provari people here though, the touchy ones fortunately stay put at ECF :)
 

Diesel Weasel

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Thanks for this! I've been between a ProVari and VaporShark, leaning towards a VaporShark. I had no idea the ProVari had such an annoying menu system, nor that it only goes to 1.2 or .7 depending on the version. This has made me even more certain that the VaporShark is the right match for me! Thank you so much for this amazingly written review!
 

KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I may have been a bit vague on the power limitation, just to clarify with an example: If I you have a 1.2ohm coil and try to fire it up at 4v, it will work. However, once you exceed the 15w limitation, such as going up to 4.3v, you will get an error code.

So basically, think of it as how much wattage you really plan to run. If 15 of under will do you fine, as it will be with pretty much all off the shelf replaceable coil atomizers, then the decision narrows down to other factors such as form, menu, ect.. If you plan on running .5ohm builds or less, you will get more power out of a mechanical mod, so you might want to consider the 50+wattage devices if regulation is important to you.

As for the Vaporshark, if you are still on the fence about 30W device, there are cheaper versions available such as the Chana-mods, SX330 series or even with the IPV50 wattage mods, but most of the ones I've seen have sloppy assemblies (hot glue)

Not saying they will definitely fail though, I personally don't know anyone firsthand who has experienced any issues, but if you are playing the odds, then Vaporshark is a pretty safe bet.
 

Adam the Aussie

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Very good review Ken, thanks :) I may have to look at picking up a Vaporshark.
 

KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Nice review thanks. I would like to see one vs the vaporsharks. I can't find the weight of the original to save my life.

I assume you are referring to the one w/ built in lipo pack. I used to own one of those too, but that was when I was really into low ohm builds on my RDA, so battery consumption was not very good at all.

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Sort of limited by atomizer size too if you are OCD about a flush look. Kayfun base (or any 22mm atomizer) would go beyond the dimensions of the VS, and would make the mod easy to tip over.

I was using a Cyclone atty at that time which was a perfect fit:

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I later switched to a Taifun GS:

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Was a little long though, but much more stable than a regular sized Kayfun. Wasn't very pocket friendly like this though, so I would carry them separately.

BTW, per website, it says the original vaporshark is 4.5 ounces.
 

KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Got a PM asking me to do a durability test, as in dropping both devices in water and from heights to see which one will last longer.

I already mentioned that the r-DNA casing would likely crack from a hard impact, so perhaps I should have included a note that some Provari users have reported that their devices have withstood being run over by a Mack truck or repeatedly dropped in a toilet. I don't know firsthand as I haven't done it with the Provari, or with any other mod I've owned before for that matter ;)

If being waterproof is important, and/or you think you will be dropping your device repeatedly, I would personally recommend that you get an e-LVT.
 

vapedick

Member For 4 Years
I assume you are referring to the one w/ built in lipo pack. I used to own one of those too, but that was when I was really into low ohm builds on my RDA, so battery consumption was not very good at all.


Sort of limited by atomizer size too if you are OCD about a flush look. Kayfun base (or any 22mm atomizer) would go beyond the dimensions of the VS, and would make the mod easy to tip over.

With the sharkskin it makes it 22mm wide and fits such attys perfectly.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk.
 

Thunderball

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Love the review. I bought that Provari from Kken and it was a terrific deal. Thank you Kken.

This makes my 5th Provari ( for the family ) and I also own both Vapor Sharks.

I use and like them both for different applications. I enjoy the size of the little vapor shark 30. (The one with the built in battery)

With the rubber cover on it, the Kayfun fits well, without the cover, it does stick out a bit. Of course, a full size Kayfun 3.1 is rediculous tall on it, but I really don't mind.

I haven't dropped the vapor sharks yet, but the Provari's have scooted across parking lots And so forth. I vape Provari's with my usual 1 ohm coil, but you better go to a 1.1 because coils sometimes fluctuate a tad.





The Provari's have been dunked in the toilet a couple times and even an ice tea glass.., lol...., but the reason I think they have always been ok is because I pulled them out of the water immediately, battery out and left to dry. ( even did a hair dryer dry one time ..... And then threw it in a Tupperware bowl with dry rice to help absorb.

Anyway, I'm a Provari fanboy that loves the vapor sharks if tells you anything. ( my other mods are Semovar's)

So , from an uppity vapor guy, I give the vapor sharks two thumbs up.

I don't give a shit about the new Provari's ........ Too little, too late to me.

( I'm not really that uppity, I've ordered a couple I leafs as well...... I just like vape stuff)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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vapedick

Member For 4 Years
Love the review. I bought that Provari from Kken and it was a terrific deal. Thank you Kken.

This makes my 5th Provari ( for the family ) and I also own both Vapor Sharks.

I use and like them both for different applications. I enjoy the size of the little vapor shark 30. (The one with the built in battery)

With the rubber cover on it, the Kayfun fits well, without the cover, it does stick out a bit. Of course, a full size Kayfun 3.1 is rediculous tall on it, but I really don't mind.

I haven't dropped the vapor sharks yet, but the Provari's have scooted across parking lots And so forth.

The Provari's have been dunked in the toilet a couple times

Anyway, I'm a Provari fanboy that loves the vapor sharks if tells you anything. ( my other mods are Semovar's)

So , from an uppity vapor guy, I give the vapor sharks two thumbs up.
"Uppity vapor guy". hahaa.
I think it's very telling that you haven't dropped the vaporshark yet, nor are there any stories of this happening. It's much harder to drop/easier to hold than a tube mod/provari. But I'm sure it would be much more likely to crack than the Provari. Don't really want to find out.


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Thunderball

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Agree. Also don't get cheap when ordering. The rubber cover for the sharks fit like a glove and really help im that regard. You can lay them on your pick up truck arm rest and they will stay put in hard braking situations

The cover is also great for wet or sweaty hands

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vapedick

Member For 4 Years
Yep. I have 4 different colors for my 2 vaporshark minis. They may just bounce. I'm hoping.


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KKen

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Love the review. I bought that Provari from Kken and it was a terrific deal. Thank you Kken.

This makes my 5th Provari ( for the family ) and I also own both Vapor Sharks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, not to worry, the Provari wasn't dunked in water or dropped from various heights just to see which one would be stronger before I sold it LOL
Again, both devices will do exactly as described, so if either one fits the description for you, I can tell you with certainty that you will not be disappointed. ;)
 

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