New Generation Showdown: Darwin vs ProVari

[alldayvape]

The Button
A lot of importance is placed on how well the button operates, and rightfully so. After all, you're going to be pushing it a lot. The Provari wins this category for sure. The button is a squishy membrane type (think button on an xbox controller). It provides good tactile feedback and it lights up when pressed. There have been a few instances where the button would hang up if pressed at an angle, but it is rare and easily avoidable.

The Darwin's button is actually a little brass plate that presses a microswitch. It only moves a fraction of a millimeter, won't work at all unless you press the top edge, and unless you press fairly hard, it can lose contact before you release it. This is probably the Darwin's weakest point.

100% Disagree. The ProVari button seemed very soft to me. After only using it for 2 weeks the button changed its angle and started to point upwards. Just a matter of time until it gets stuck. It's rated for 400,000 clicks.

The Darwin button is made out of solid metal (brass). I can press mine anywhere I want and it always fires. Never had any issue with the button.

You admit yourself "There have been a few instances where the button (ProVari) would hang up if pressed at an angle, but it is rare and easily avoidable." So I am not quite sure why you would conclude the ProVari button 'wins' in this category.

IMO this is not about winning or losing anyway. Both are great PV's, however from a technical standpoint the Darwin is more 'evolved'.

Regardless, nice review.

 

[PlanetScribbles]

Spoken like a true fan boy
I've had no 'hang ups' on my Provari button, it is as smooth as silk. My GGTB has more button hang ups than the Provari. JMO

 

[candre23]

The Darwin button is made out of solid metal (brass). I can press mine anywhere I want and it always fires. Never had any issue with the button.

The actual button is a very tiny microswitch. The brass part you press is just a stamped metal plate that sits on top of it. You must have gotten very lucky, because my button requires significant pressure to activate, and unless significant pressure is constantly applied, it will stop firing mid-vape. I can not get it to fire at all if I press the lower half of the button. This is an inherent part of the design, as the button is really more of a lever. The pivot point is at the bottom, and the switch is actually just above the top of the brass plate. Just as with any lever, you will have to exert a lot more effort near the fulcrum than you do at the end.

 

[alldayvape]

Spoken like a true fan boy
I've had no 'hang ups' on my Provari button, it is as smooth as silk. My GGTB has more button hang ups than the Provari. JMO

LMAO... there's a difference between being a fanboy and stating the facts. OP himself said and I quote :"There have been a few instances where the button (ProVari) would hang up if pressed at an angle, but it is rare and easily avoidable." I didn't put those words in anyone's mouth.

Candre, I don't think I got lucky. I know many Darwin users and the button (as an issue) was never mentioned. You're the first one to say it is an issue. I've been using the Darwin daily and never would it stop firing mid-vape.

If I were you I would take advantage of the warranty, contact evolv, they will send you a new one. Once you get the new one you just sent the old one back.

Again, I'm not a Fanboy of any kind. I simply addressed the button reviews. And of course I had to add that the Darwin's Variable Power is a step up from Variable Voltage in a technical sense. This is a fact.

If I would say the Darwin's design is sooooo much better than the ProVari, then that's a fanboy statement. Because that would be solely subjective. But stating facts IMHO should not categorize me as being a fanboy.

 

[Credo]

LMAO... there's a difference between being a fanboy and stating the facts. OP himself said and I quote :"There have been a few instances where the button (ProVari) would hang up if pressed at an angle, but it is rare and easily avoidable." I didn't put those words in anyone's mouth.

Candre, I don't think I got lucky. I know many Darwin users and the button (as an issue) was never mentioned. You're the first one to say it is an issue. I've been using the Darwin daily and never would it stop firing mid-vape.

If I were you I would take advantage of the warranty, contact evolv, they will send you a new one. Once you get the new one you just sent the old one back.

Again, I'm not a Fanboy of any kind. I simply addressed the button reviews. And of course I had to add that the Darwin's Variable Power is a step up from Variable Voltage in a technical sense. This is a fact.

If I would say the Darwin's design is sooooo much better than the ProVari, then that's a fanboy statement. Because that would be solely subjective. But stating facts IMHO should not categorize me as being a fanboy.

I admit that the button on my Darwin takes a perceived bit of effort to push it compared to any other e-cig I've owned (Darwin has a tactile click); I wouldn't mind if it were a little easier to push, and if the brass cover didn't have a little play in it to rattle...it does work, perfectly, every single time. I can see why the parts they chose won out, and why it is designed as it is. I got used to it quickly.

Some of this might be more about perception than reality....it would be interesting to see how much force it really takes with a scale of some sort. The tactile 'hard click' gives it a unique feel.

Another crazy analogy. A live musician playing at 90db stands up and jumps around and uses big gestures and wider facial experssions while playing. Even tho' the music is still 90db, thousands of people will 'swear' it just got LOUDER. That's why I think it would be interesting to see what the real force required to push a Darwin button and activate it truly is. That little 'click' point gives it a 'feeling' that you're working harder.

 

[JTman]

Great comparison! This thread was a good read. I love my Provari. I wish I could also have a Darwin, but I just cannot afford another pricy mod right now. I chose my provari simply because I liked the way it looks more than the darwin. After evaluating the two of them it really came down to that as they are both feature rich and both devices have many passionate users who like them both very much. I wish the battery would last a little longer on the Vari, but I'm only using the smaller 18490 batts and I still get a good 6-8 hours off of a single charge. My button has been performing flawlessly.

 

[Credo]

Great comparison! This thread was a good read. I love my Provari. I wish I could also have a Darwin, but I just cannot afford another pricy mod right now. I chose my provari simply because I liked the way it looks more than the darwin. After evaluating the two of them it really came down to that as they are both feature rich and both devices have many passionate users who like them both very much. I wish the battery would last a little longer on the Vari, but I'm only using the smaller 18490 batts and I still get a good 6-8 hours off of a single charge. My button has been performing flawlessly.

I hear ya...both are fine...and the bottom line is the quality of the vapeing experience itself. Neither short change you in that aspect of 'performance'.

 

[ClayK]

Quick question who has both?

 

[Credo]

Candre, I don't think I got lucky. I know many Darwin users and the button (as an issue) was never mentioned. You're the first one to say it is an issue. I've been using the Darwin daily and never would it stop firing mid-vape.

I think it's safe to say the two buttons are different enough that personal preference will a major player.
The person I got my Darwin from didn't like it, and now uses other mods.
Now it's mine, and I actually like it

That's one of the cool things about either mod...
You don't have to own it long if you want to recoup your money

Both have some collector value as well, at least as long as they don't crank out too many before offering newer editions. Bravo that Vari eventually came out with a sig series and two new finishes.

What's gonna be sweet is when they start merging these devices into multi-purpose ones. Add a clock, phone, etc....
Heck...these days you can get 4 CPU cores and a GPU core, plus a ton of memory to fit on a chip the size of a quarter...for less than $50 each...so the sky is the limit on what can be tossed in to one of these things in the not so distant future. Even cheaper are fully programmable networking chips...totally redesign an electrical network with a quick flash from some computer software

 

[alldayvape]

Quick question who has both?

I owned both for some time, then decided to sell the ProVari

 

[tsbrewers]

The DarVaReo, I like it!

Or how about ReoVaDar?

I have pretty much only used the ego-t so far, it has done everything I have wanted it too. So I haven't felt the need to get anything else. But I have been lusting over the darwin for quite a while, but a couple things are holding me back. First is the button. For the price, they should be able to come up with a better looking one. I know, purely cosmetic, but it is ugly as sin. For $230 they could have gone with a flush, sealed, touch one IMHO. The other thing is the lack of room for a tank type setup with the arm in the off position. Personally, I would probably throw an ego tank on it which I believe fits, but no way am I adding a goose neck or something like that to use a map tank. There is a point where it gets rediculous, again, IMHO.

The provari has been no interest to me when I read some of the reviews and the need to click 12 times for this, and 8 times for that, and 5 clicks+7clicks+3 clicks to change a basic setting.

Still waiting for the eclipse? (I think that is what it is) to see how that one stacks up.

But without using any of them, the darwin has many more things that interest me.

Brew

 

[ukeman]

Au contraire;
The Darwin button is exactly like Candre says; they do stop mid vape if you aren't pressing it; and it's hard to press... even the tiny mm of distance (it's set very close to the frame).
I've had 2 Darwins - Brandon sent me a replacement before I could even send off the first one, for another issue.
The button is hard to press (they both were, and this has been noted by a few on the Darwin thread - in fact Drew said it prevents incidental firing, like in your pocket)
Unless they changed the button design, it's either a built in glitch (from my perspective) or a design feature...
That was one big reason I prefer the Vari. I've never had my Vari button get stuck btw.

Candre, I don't think I got lucky. I know many Darwin users and the button (as an issue) was never mentioned. You're the first one to say it is an issue. I've been using the Darwin daily and never would it stop firing mid-vape.

 

[alldayvape]

Au contraire;
The Darwin button is exactly like Candre says; they do stop mid vape if you aren't pressing it; and it's hard to press... even the tiny mm of distance (it's set very close to the frame).
I've had 2 Darwins - Brandon sent me a replacement before I could even send off the first one, for another issue.
The button is hard to press (they both were, and this has been noted by a few on the Darwin thread - in fact Drew said it prevents incidental firing, like in your pocket)
Unless they changed the button design, it's either a built in glitch (from my perspective) or a design feature...
That was one big reason I prefer the Vari. I've never had my Vari button get stuck btw.

I just dont understand how you can say the button is hard to press.. If you say the Darwin button is hard to press than the button on the Silver Bullet must be like zOMG impossible to press. I've been actually paying attention to the button tonight on my Darwin and just can't replicate any issues with it. It's soooo easy to press. Clicks with military precision each time.

Anyways, it is what it is, and opinions are like *******, everyone's got one.

 

[candre23]

The actual switch chosen (surface mount microswitch) and the method of actuating it (stamped brass lever/plate) lead to a situation where even tiny variations in manufacturing can drastically affect performance. The microswitch's travel is less than 1mm, and the button/plate is designed to sit nearly flush with the case. If you vary anything about that plate or where it sits by .25mm in any direction, you can go from an "excellent" button to a "mediocre-to-poor" one. If I wanted to take the darwin apart again, I could probably make some modifications that would improve the button action, but I'd really rather not.

If I were you I would take advantage of the warranty, contact evolv, they will send you a new one. Once you get the new one you just sent the old one back.

I'm sure I've voided any warranty by disassembling the darwin, which wouldn't be hard to prove with all the pictures I posted

Besides, I don't like to be a pest. It's not like the button is terrible or anything, just not as nice as the provari or several other mods I've used.

 

[speedemon]

Both of my provaris are great never had a button stick don't see how it woud.When the world ends tonight they come with me.I'm sure they will withstand the massive earthquake!!!

 

[saintj]

Can someone run down the.specifications of the Darwin battery for me? I'm sure they must be around here someplace but I can't find them. Thanks!

 

[ClayK]

Can someone run down the.specifications of the Darwin battery for me? I'm sure they must be around here someplace but I can't find them. Thanks!

If I recall correctly, it's an 1800mah LiPo pack.

 

[saintj]

If I recall correctly, it's an 1800mah LiPo pack.

Thank you.

 

[buGG]

it looks like this is the battery. candre, do you know if there are two of them in there being run in parallel?...hard to tell, but based on the dimensions of this tenergy cell i'd think only one of these could fit.

 

[ClayK]

it looks like this is the battery. candre, do you know if there are two of them in there being run in parallel?...hard to tell, but based on the dimensions of this tenergy cell i'd think only one of these could fit.

I'm reluctant to take mine apart... However, with no atty attached, the output shows as 12.7v. Typically, that's a 3S (3 cells in series) output fully charged (11.1v nominal). So, the only thing I can conclude (short of opening it up and finger fiddling), it's either a 1S pack with a power multiplying circuit (3x) or it's a 3S pack. Not sure how a 2S or 2P pack would fit into the multiplying circuit portion, it would have to be upped by 1.5x. Not saying it couldn't be done.....

But yeah, it's something like that pack.