Oh man, was I looking forward to this one. Modefined’s Sirius (reviewed here) was one of my absolute favorite devices of 2017, so when I heard they were coming back with another rugged, burly mod, I may have cut the line to secure the review. And after the elbows stopped flying, and the dust settled, I was MOSTLY happy with my decision to fight for the Modefined Draco 200W mod. Mostly…

For those of you who live by “tl;dr” sections in articles, you can relax – Modefined (in partnership with Lost Vape) has made a damn good vape mod in the Draco. It’s potent, fast-ramping, high-performing and user-friendly. But is that enough to stand out in one of the most competitive mid-to-high wattage mod markets yet? That’s going to come down to user preference.

Opening the box and picking up the Draco, I instantly fell in love with the feel of the device. Though it’s a little tall for a dual-18650 mod, the Draco feels unbelievably solid (especially after reviewing a slew of lightweight plastic-framed devices this week).

Built with a die-cast zinc alloy frame and flanked by a pair of amazing G10 side grips, the Draco feels outstanding in the hand, regardless of how you fire the mod. The G10 material feels like it could survive several hundred drops to the pavement without blinking but is cut and grooved in a way that it sits nicely in the palm. (Maybe this is why companies use it when designing knives, and even weapons.)

The Draco’s buttons themselves are composed of the same high-quality zinc alloy and perform extremely well. Each button has a tight, clicky throw, and there’s zero rattle, no matter how hard you shake the mod.

My only slight concern was the press-fit 510 connection, which was a little wobbly, and also oddly offset, when a centered position would have made a lot more sense, visually. That said, all of my test atomizers fit without any gaps. And all tanks/RDAs narrower than 28mm will fit on the Draco without overhang.

There’s no doubt that the key selling point of the Modefined Draco is the tremendous, high-res 2-inch display, which houses a veritable “War and Peace” of vape information when the display is activated. Busy? Loud? A little garish? Yes to all three. But Modefined has added a number of theme and color options to ensure almost anyone will find a good match for their personal style.

I should note that the OLED display is “technically” high-res, but this isn’t the sharpest, most fluid display around, for that you’d have to see the new Vaporesso Polar and its 2-inch full color hi-res display. It looks great, but the sheer size of the screen makes the pixilation and fuzzy edges all the more noticeable.

The three-button control scheme is also a welcome addition, especially with the amount of menu trees and options to follow. But it’s all laid out intuitively, and before long even the greenest newcomers will figure out the best way to navigate the operation system without much trouble.

Operating the Draco is an absolute pleasure, thanks in large part to the G10 side grips, which allow for comfortable use, even with one hand. Though the operating buttons are located a little low on the face of the mod, the grips prevent the device from sliding while you’re navigating with your thumb. Naturally, it’s easier with two hands, but if you have a cold beer in a crowded area, know you’re still in control of your mod.

Beyond that, the Draco offers a full complement of features and modes. In 2018, there is little to report in the way of innovation, but in terms of a modern vape device, the Draco has everything we’ve come to expect from a box mod. Plus, the 200-watt limit is perfect for the mod, since it ramps all the way up to its max without ever once slipping or misfiring, but also never feels overpowered. It’s a smooth, balanced vape throughout.

Temperature control is above-average, as well, with only nickel coils giving me any type of finicky problems. And – as has become the standard in most of my mod reviews – a quick trip to the TCR settings menu allowed me to overcome these erratic readings. Stainless and titanium coils worked flawlessly, never jumping or randomly reading incorrectly.

There’s also the now-standard bypass mode, for all of you who want your regulated mod to not act like one. I’ve never seen much of a point in bypass, but Modefined and Lost Vape didn’t miss a beat when it comes to options.

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably anticipating a near-perfect score for the Modefined Draco. And that’s not far off from the result. However, I have a few hesitations.

On the surface, the Draco should seem like the complete package – a vape mod that performs as expected, offers a wide range of options and modes, with an attractive, intuitive interface. It’s also a rugged, good-looking device that stands out on the shelf, which also being tremendously durable. And it fits most any mainstream tank available today.

So, what’s the problem? Outside of the top-tier construction and fantastic hand-feel, there’s just nothing on the Draco  I haven’t seen before, in smaller, more pocket-friendly packages. There are better displays on other mods, which also have more power, more reliable TC, and better 510 connections.

And not for anything, but a mod this tall should probably accommodate larger batteries (even if I’m not sold on 2X700 in the slightest). I only mention this because the Draco’s large, vibrant screen sucks more power than it probably should – the mod only gave me four hours of performance on average before having to swap batteries. Nothing tragic, but not nearly as efficient as similarly priced mods in 2018.

Here’s the deal: The Modefined Draco is a great dual-18650 vape mod – it’s just not the best in its space. If you’re looking for a mod that pushes the envelope and shows genuine uniqueness from other mods in this category, you might be a little let down by the Draco. Maybe I was spoiled by how awesome the Modefined Sirius was, or maybe I overestimated the Lost Vape partnership, but that same sense of “wow” was missing here.

That said, make no mistake — if you decide the Draco best fits your needs, you’re getting a high-performing mod that will do everything you could possibly ask of it. I plan to still use mine long after this review posts, which is not something I say about many devices.

Score: B+