Geekvape mod, the steps before your first puff, model by model
A box mod does not come out of its packaging the way a pod does. Between opening the box and the first puff, you may need to buy a cell, screw on a tank, wait for a charge, learn a lock and pick a power level. With a Geekvape mod from the Aegis range, the number of those steps depends on the model, which makes it a handy way to choose a first mod without getting lost in watts.
Geekvape mod, the model with the fewest steps
For a first Geekvape mod, the Aegis Mini 5 puts the least distance between buying and vaping. Its battery is built in, so all it needs is a charge and a tank. The Aegis Solo 5 adds one step, buying and charging a removable cell. The Aegis Legend 5 adds more, two cells to pair and five operating modes, which takes it beyond first steps.
The table below sets out those steps one by one, based on Geekvape’s own listing and those of two retailers. The sections that follow take them in the order you meet them.
| Step | Aegis Mini 5 | Aegis Solo 5 | Aegis Legend 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power | Built-in battery | One 21700 cell, or an 18650 with the supplied adaptor, bought separately | Two 18650 cells, bought separately |
| Fit | 510 tank | 510 tank | 510 tank |
| Charge | By USB cable, 5 V and 3 A | External charger advised | External charger advised |
| Set | Smart or variable wattage, up to 100 W | Smart or Power, 5 to 100 W | Smart, Normal, Eco, Custom and temperature control, 5 to 200 W |
| Stated protection | IP67 | IP68 | IP68 |
Step 1, fitting out the Geekvape mod
The mod alone is not enough to vape. First it needs a power source, if it has none of its own, and a tank.
What comes in the box
Sold on its own, the Aegis Mini 5 comes with a manual and a charging cable, according to one retailer’s listing, and no tank. The Solo 5 and the Legend 5 ship without cells, and the Solo 5 includes the adaptor that lets an 18650 sit where a 21700 would go.
Cells, for the Solo 5 and the Legend 5
A cell should be bought new, from a specialist seller, in the exact size the mod calls for. Its wrap must be intact, because a split or torn wrap is enough to retire it. For the Legend 5, the two cells are bought together, as the same model, and stay together afterwards.
Between uses, a cell belongs in a case, never loose next to keys or coins, which can bridge its two ends and cause a short circuit.
The tank to screw on
All three mods use a 510 connection, which Geekvape describes as universal. For a beginner, a tank with ready-made coils avoids any building, and our article on Zeus by Geekvape and the model to start on reviews the brand’s Z family. In the UK, a refillable tank used with nicotine e-liquid is limited to 2 ml, and nicotine e-liquid to 20 mg/ml in bottles of 10 ml at most, so the 2 ml version of a tank is the one to pick.
Step 2, charging before first use
Charging is the step that most clearly separates the three models, since what you charge changes from one mod to the next.
On the Aegis Mini 5, the battery charges inside the mod, by cable. Geekvape states fast charging at 5 V and 3 A, reaching 80 per cent in 40 minutes. Because the battery is soldered in, it cannot be replaced and sets the lifespan of the device.
On the Solo 5 and the Legend 5, it is the cells that get charged. One retailer advises using an external charger and keeping the mod’s USB-C port for emergencies. A two-bay charger tops up the Legend 5’s pair at the same time.
Step 3, locking and setting the Geekvape mod
Once the device has power and a tank, two settings come back every time you use it, the lock and the power.
The A-Lock
All three mods share the A-Lock, which Geekvape’s Mini 5 listing presents as a dual lock against accidental presses. It is the first habit to pick up before slipping the mod into a pocket or bag, so that it does not fire the coil by mistake.
Smart mode for a first power level
All three also offer a Smart mode, which reads the coil fitted and suggests a starting power. For a beginner, that is a real help in front of a range running from 5 to 100 W, or 200 W on the Legend 5. The Mini 5 and Solo 5 then keep to one manual mode, while the Legend 5 lines up five modes, Smart, Normal, Eco, Custom and temperature control, which is a lot for a first mod. Smart mode does not replace reading the range printed on the coil, though. It gives a starting point, to be adjusted in small steps without leaving that range, and redone every time the coil changes. Our guide to vape settings in three steps explains the method to follow in manual mode.
Step 4, understanding what the mod tells you
A regulated mod measures the coil before each firing and refuses to heat when something is wrong. An error message the first time you screw on a tank is therefore not a fault but a piece of information, which our article on the short circuit warning and how to read it helps you decode.
The stated protection ratings complete the picture. The Mini 5 is rated IP67, the Solo 5 and the Legend 5 IP68. The first digit covers dust and the second water, and those figures describe a laboratory test, not a use to aim for.
FAQ
These questions come up when moving from a pod to a first Aegis mod.
Can a pod cartridge go on a Geekvape mod?
Usually not. A pod cartridge is designed for its own device and has no 510 thread. A mod needs a tank with that connection.
Does a 200 W mod always make more vapour?
No. Geekvape points out on the Mini 5 listing that actual output depends on the coil fitted. The range printed on the coil sets the useful power, not the mod’s maximum.
Can an 18650 cell go in the Aegis Solo 5?
Yes. The mod is built for a 21700, but the supplied adaptor lets it hold an 18650. Whichever size you settle on should then match your charger and your spare cells.
What do the names 18650 and 21700 mean?
They describe the size of the cell. An 18650 measures 18 mm across and 65 mm long, a 21700 measures 21 mm and 70 mm. The larger one usually holds more energy.
Can you move from the Mini 5 to a mod with removable cells later?
Yes. A 510 tank carries over from one mod to the next, and Smart mode is there on the Solo 5 as on the Legend 5. Only the cell and its charger are added, with the basic rules set out above.
Geekvape mod, choosing by the number of steps
Choosing a first Aegis reads better in the order of setting it up than on the spec sheet. Fit out, charge, lock, set, the Mini 5 keeps each step to a minimum, the Solo 5 adds looking after a cell, and the Legend 5 adds a pair of cells and five modes.
Starting with the Geekvape mod that asks for the fewest moves, then stepping up once those moves are second nature, is the surest way to build up your vaping kit one step at a time.
Editorial content for adult readers only. Vaping products can contain nicotine, a substance that causes addiction. Vaping products are not for sale to anyone under 18 in the UK. This article is not a buying recommendation.
