Intro

The Vandy Vape Pulse AIO is another excellent collaboration with Tony B.

The Pulse AIO is a Boro-compatible device inspired by the ever-popular Billet Boxes.

It can accommodate 21700, 20700, and 18650 batteries and has a 5-80W power range (with several operating modes).

It comes with two tanks in the kit. One uses Vandy Vapes VCC mesh coils, and the other is the Vessel RBA tank.

The Pulse AIO features a small 0.49inch OLED and USB Type-C charging.

The Vandy Vape Pulse AIO is available in 6 colors: Black, Frosted Black, Frosted White, Frosted Green, Frosted Red, and Frosted Blue.

Specs & Features

Design & Style

The Pulse AIO kit by Vandy Vape and Tony B is quite an obvious next step in their collaborations.

They had massive success with the Pulse squonk mods, which were some of the first to bring affordable squonking to the masses. Tony B is also a big fan of Billet Boxes and DotAIOs, so it made complete sense to make an AIO Boro-style device that can appeal to a broader audience.

That is exactly what they have done. The Pulse AIO, at first glance, is almost a plastic replica of the Billet Box (especially in Black). However, some clever subtle differences make the Pulse a more modern and attractive device – including the price!

The Pulse AIO device measures 97.5mm x 55.6mm x 28.2mm. It’s substantially larger than a DotAIO but practically the same height and width as a Billet Box, but slightly thicker.

This is quite impressive when considering that the Pulse AIO is a 21700 device. In contrast, the others (along with the Cthulhu AIO box) are 18650 devices.

The Pulse AIO is made from ABS injection mold plastic as previous Pulse devices, which makes it incredibly lightweight. This is great because as soon as you fill up the tank and slap in a 21700 battery, that does add to the weight.

It’s also worth mentioning that I feel the plastic finish on the Pulse AIO is slightly better quality than the Pulse squonk mods I’ve used before.

The downside of accommodating a 21700 battery and the extra thickness of the Pulse AIO does mean it’s quite a large AIO kit. It can be pretty cumbersome in the hand, especially if you typically use a DotAIO V2 like myself. However, the Pulse will give you more battery life and a larger tank.

The Pulse AIO has two removable side panels. On one side, you have the opening for both the battery and the Boro tank, of which there are two included in the kit (more on this later).

The other side of the device has the fire button, a small 0.49inch OLED screen, the adjustment buttons (+/-), and a USB-C port for charging.

A nice little touch with the design is that there are also openings for both the battery and tank on this side. This helps if you need to push the battery out from behind (it also doesn’t require a battery ribbon) and means you can see your juice level from this side. This is especially helpful with the Black version, as you have no way of seeing juice levels without removing a panel.

The Frosted (or translucent) versions of the device allow you to see most of the internals, including the tank and screen. I prefer the all-Black version, as it’s a more classic look and the Frosted White we also have in for review is a little too much for me. Maybe the Frosted Black would be a nice compromise.

One thing Vandy Vape and Tony B have really put a lot of focus on is customization.

At the time of release, you can buy any color of the panels separately for a bit of mix and matching. You can also easily change the fire button, thanks to its easily-removable design. I’m sure there will also be lots of third-party accessories available soon.

Included in the kit is a small tool with two small prongs on one side that slot into the outer ring of the fire button, so you can turn to unscrew it. The same side can also remove stock coils from Vessel pre-built tank. On the other side, this tool removes the 510 drip tip thread that helps lock the tank in place.

This is the same design method as a Billet Box. It works and is well implemented, but it does mean you can only remove the tank when you are out and about if you’ve got a small coin that can fit the grooves on the thread. I’ve also noticed that it does protrude slightly from the device.

This is somewhat negated by the included drip tip with a groove on the inside to cover the whole thread. However, I’m really not a fan of the drip tip. It’s too short and thick and is white on all of the devices – which just stands out too much. It was also quite tight to fit straight out of the box and needed a bit of lubricating to fit properly.

The airflow holes on the Pulse AIO are in exactly the same place as a Billet Box on the device’s front side. They are pretty large airflow holes that will allow a very open draw, but this will also depend on the tank you use inside.

The final nice little design choice of the Pulse AIO is the 510 pin. They decided to have it adjustable with a flat head screwdriver. So if you have a tight or loose-fitting Boro tank, you can easily adjust it.

Saying the design of the Pulse AIO takes inspiration from the Billet Box is an understatement. However, overall the slight design improvements are well implemented. It can utilize 21700 batteries, and even though it’s a plastic device, it doesn’t feel cheap.

Features

The Pulse AIO is a single 21700, 20700, or 18650 battery (with included adapter) device.

It has a power range of 5-80W and comes with several operating modes. These are Wattage, Voltage, Bypass, Temp Control (SS TC, TI, NI), and Smart Mode (when using VVC Coils).

The Pulse AIO has a small 0.49inch OLED screen that shows power, resistance, puff counter/puff time, and current battery level (when in default wattage mode). 

It has all the standard safety features, including Overtime protection, Overload protection, and short circuit protection.

It has a USB Type-C port for charging with a 1A charge rate. As always, we recommend charging batteries with an external charger.

Operating the Pulse AIO is easy. Here are the main functions:

• On/Off = Press the Fire button 5 times.
• Switch Modes = Press the Fire button 3 times, use +/- to select mode.
• Lock Device = Press the Fire button and + simultaneously.
• Flip Screen = Press the Fire button and – simultaneously.
• Stealth (Screen Off) = Press the Fire button and +/- simultaneously.
• Functions Menu (reset puff counter, change mode, show version) = Press +/- simultaneously to enter the menu and navigate – long press the fire button to exit.
• Re-read Resistance (New/old coil) = Press +/- simultaneously twice.

Vessel Pre-Built Tank

The Pulse AIO comes with two tanks.

The first is the Vessel Pre-Built tank, which, as the name suggests, uses Vandy Vapes pre-built VVC mesh coils. There are two in the kit: a 0.3Ω (pre-installed) and a 0.6Ω.

Vandy Vape has more coils in the VVC range which can be bought separately; 0.15Ω, 0.9Ω, and 1.2Ω. So there are options for MTL vaping also.

The Vessel Pre-Built tank has a 5ml juice capacity and adjustable airflow control.

The VVC coils are push-fit into the base of the airflow control ring. They are a little tight to remove with your fingers (it can be done), but you can also use the included tool/wrench mentioned above.

The tank is clear plastic and resembles most Boro-style tanks. It has a stainless steel chimney and rubber plug on the front side covering the fill port.

Vessel RBA Tank

The second tank included with the Pulse AIO is the Vessel RBA Tank.

It has a 3.7ml juice capacity and is a single-coil RBA deck, and is incredibly simple to use.

It has a half-pipe honeycomb airflow in the center of the deck, then 4 postless holes on either side for you to trap your coil legs. There are small flathead screws on either side to secure the coil. There is also a coil leg guide tool in the box to help you cut the legs to the perfect size.

While the build deck is too small to fit two coils in, it has plenty of room to work with. The juice wells are on either side of the build deck, so once you place your coil, you just tuck the cotton into them.

The base of the removable build deck is a 510 pin with a plastic airflow control ring screwed onto it. The airflow ring is pretty simple and has two slots on either side that you can cut down by turning. Alternatively, you can remove the airflow ring altogether and leave it wide open.

This might actually be a better move because, to access the 510 pin and screw the deck onto another device, you’ll need to remove it.

Again the Vessel RBA Tank is made of clear plastic and has the same style rubber plug on the front side covering the fill port.

Performance

Starting with the Vandy Vape Pulse AIO mod itself, it has performed flawlessly.

It’s effortless to use, and although I primarily run it in Wattage mode, I took it for a spin in Temp Control (with an SS coil), and it performed well.

The Vandy Vape chipset inside the Pulse AIO is simple to use but has all the features most would require with an AIO like this. It also seemed to be efficient on the battery, but with a 21700 inside, you get plenty of battery life anyway.

The Vessel Pre-Built tank performed well. Both the 0.3Ω and 0.6Ω mesh coils deliver good flavor and decent vapor.

The airflow control works well, and the airflow using both coils was smooth, with the 0.3Ω giving more of an open draw.

I wouldn’t say the performance from these VVC coils was up there with mesh coils from sub-ohm tanks, but they do an excellent job for something included in the kit.

I think most people who purchase this device will be more interested in the RBA tank or using another Boro bridge/tank, and that’s where it really shines.

The Vessel RBA tank is straightforward to build on, and I really like the deck’s design with the honeycomb airflow. I had no issues with the wicking throughout my time of using it, and it managed to keep up even at higher wattages. Although I found around 45W to be the real sweet spot.

The Vessel RBA delivers excellent flavor and is comparable to some of the high-end bridges and Boro tanks on the market. The airflow is also incredibly smooth, thanks to that half-pipe design.

I was a little surprised that the airflow (even when wide-open) was more on the restricted DTL side. There are other Boro tanks or bridges that can deliver a more open DL draw.

It also can’t be used for MTL, as there’s no way to restrict the airflow beneath the coil. So that is limiting its market somewhat.

That being said, the Vessel RBA Tank performs excellently as a restricted DL tank, and the major draw of the Pulse AIO device is its compatibility with all Boro tanks.

It’s also great that they have included two tanks and a bundle of accessories in the kit; you definitely feel like you get your money’s worth.

If you are looking for an affordable MTL Boro tank to pair with the Pulse AIO, the QBix by Aspire & Atmizoo is excellent and pairs perfectly with it.

Verdict

I think Vandy Vape and Tony B have done it again. They have managed to take a high-end style device and make it affordable without any compromises – in fact, you could say with improvements.

The Pulse AIO may look like a plastic version of a Billet Box, but it’s a lot more than that deep down. It’s affordable, has excellent build quality, can use 21700 batteries, and comes with two very good performing tanks.

While it might be on the large side (and not as pocket-friendly as my DotAIO V2), the Vandy Pulse AIO has definitely found its way into my rotation.

For anybody that couldn’t afford a Billet Box, go get the Pulse AIO – it’s a great Boro device.