Upgrade – What Does It Mean in Vaping?

Definition

In vaping terminology, an Upgrade is the act of moving from your current vaping device, tank, coil, or e-liquid to a newer or more advanced version that delivers better performance, flavour, battery life, or user features. Upgrades can be as simple as swapping to a mesh coil for richer clouds, or as comprehensive as replacing an entry-level pen-style kit with a 200 W dual-battery Mod“>box mod. The purpose of any upgrade is to enhance vapour production, improve nicotine satisfaction, extend device longevity, or simply keep pace with evolving vaping technology and safety standards.

Technical Details

Most modern upgrades centre on four core components: chipset, battery format, coil platform, and charging interface. Advanced chipsets (DNA, GENE, AXON) offer wattage curves, temperature control, and puff diagnostics, raising efficiency from 80 % to >95 %. Battery upgrades typically migrate from integrated 600 mAh cells to removable 18650/21700 formats, boosting capacity from 2 Wh to 30 Wh+ and enabling 100 W+ output. Coil upgrades introduce mesh, triple-core, or tea-fibre wicking that drops resistance from 1.0 Ω to 0.15 Ω while increasing surface area by 300 %, translating to 50 % more vapour at equal wattage. USB-C ports (replacing micro-USB) support 2 A fast charging and balanced 2 A firmware upgrades, reducing downtime from 90 min to 35 min. Variations include stealth upgrades (smaller pods), power upgrades (higher-wattage mods), and aesthetic upgrades (resin panels, LED displays).

Usage & Tips

  • Match coil resistance to your mod’s output range; upgrading to a 0.15 Ω mesh coil on a 10 W pen battery will flood the coil and produce weak vapour.
  • When upgrading to high-drain 21700 cells, verify the wrap is intact and marry paired batteries to prevent imbalance.
  • After a firmware upgrade via USB-C, restore factory defaults then re-set your preferred wattage; some chips reset resistance readings.
  • If flavour drops after a tank upgrade, prime new coils with 5 min soak time and start 10 W below the recommended range to avoid dry hits.
  • Keep old parts for troubleshooting—if your new UFORCE tank leaks, test the previous glass and o-rings to isolate manufacturing defects.

History & Context

The upgrade culture took off circa 2014 when Evolv’s DNA 40 introduced temperature control, prompting vapers to retire tube mods. Each year since, manufacturers have iterated: Smok’s 2016 TFV8 cloud beast coils, Vaporesso’s 2018 Omni chip, and 2020’s USB-C fast-charge race. Australia’s import nicotine prescription scheme (2021) further fuelled upgrades toward efficient, low-waste devices that stretch liquid value and battery cycle life.

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