Every time I use the all-new Sigelei Snowwolf Xfeng, I can’t stop myself from playing Motley Crue in my head. Because the Xfeng mod genuinely has looks that kill. The problem is that these looks are also killing my hand.

This dual-18650 workhorse isn’t sleek. It isn’t palm-friendly. And it’s nowhere near what anyone would call “subtle.” But what it does, it does well. Namely, pure power. But modern vape mods don’t usually survive as one-trick ponies, so let’s see if the Snowwolf Xfeng offers more than just muscle.

Right off the bat, I’ll say it – you’re either going to love or despise the Xfeng. I don’t anticipate there’s going to be much of a “gray area” when it comes to opinions of this Mod. Even though it’s slightly smoother and more ergonomic than its grip-killing predecessor, the Vfeng, this Mod is still all about bold design decisions.

For starters, the entire Mod is replete with jutting edges, sharp corners and a ton of angles. Plus the extra thick glass section that surrounds the screen is also raised, with equally sharp edges – all of which seemed to find the soft, fleshy parts of my fingers.

That said, the Snowwolf Xfeng DOES seem a touch more reserved than its older sibling, with a slightly more unified appearance, a little more maturity with the color schemes, and the welcome DELETION of the obnoxious LED light show. While 2018 seems an awful lot like 2017 in politics and global affairs, let’s hope it represents the end of this unnecessary trend in Mod design.

The biggest improvement on the Xfeng – both visually and functionally – is the side-mounted fire bar, versus the Vfeng’s awkwardly placed button. Though it’s not the best fire bar we’ve seen, it makes operations a hell of a lot easier.

There is an odd zodiac/constellation theme throughout the Mod design, that I neither loved or hated. With so many contrasts and bold adornments, it was easy for these little touches to get lost in the shuffle.

The center-positioned 510 connection is press fit, and seems pretty solid. Most of my test atomizers sat flush. A handful of my RDAs had a slight gap, due to the uber-stiff 510 pin. In time, I’m sure the pin will loosen up, and there weren’t any performance issues from these gaps, but it’s worth mentioning all the same.

Finally, as I mentioned in the Xfeng preview, Sigelei came through big time with the included mobile phone-like screen protectors. With so much exposed glass on the Mod, this was a welcome addition, and sets the bar a little higher for other companies to follow.

Sigelei’s Vfeng menu and operating system returns on the Xfeng, and remains largely functional, if not a little underwhelming. This is still a two-button control scheme, which means the antiquated “long press/hold” mechanics are still in place. It was to be expected since this is effectively a souped-up version of the Vfeng. But I would have appreciated a little more ingenuity here.

Both of the two stock GUI layouts are extremely intuitive, and most experienced vapers should have no problem navigating the click-driven menu system.

One key positive is the 1.3-inch TFT display, which is a bright, easily navigated screen worthy of your attention. When combined with a simple, no-nonsense menu system, I found the screen to be a highlight of the Xfeng, even if it isn’t quite as nice as others in its category.

But, despite the slightly streamlined form factor, the fact remains that the Xfeng just isn’t that comfortable to hold. Maybe I’m just sensitive, but I couldn’t comfortably hold the Mod for extended periods before I had to put it down. Preferences vary, for sure. But I think Sigelei was so hell-bent on getting these bold looks to market, that they forgot this was a functional piece of technology.

Let’s get right down to what fans need to know:

1. The Xfeng can hit its stated 230 watts
2. The Xfeng has much better temperature control than the Vfeng

Indeed, the power-focused format of this series is alive and well with the Xfeng. While its predecessor never quite hit its mark, the chipset seems to have been improved considerably. I managed to get the Xfeng to its limits for quite some time before the warnings began to pop up. They weren’t frequent, but clearly I was pushing it beyond the capabilities of two 18650s.

Speaking of which, if you enjoy battery life, best to lower that wattage. You can practically watch the Xfeng’s battery meter drop in real time when vaping at those levels.

But otherwise, the Xfeng is pretty good on battery life, overall. I kept it at a steady 75-90 watts for most of my testing, and enjoyed a decent 4-4.5 hours on freshly charged 18650s. Nothing earth-shattering, but hardly the worst we’ve experienced.

In temperature control, I had a fairly easy time navigating to the various options – which include specific settings for three different types of stainless steel coils – and getting them to work. I used a wide range of RDAs and RTAs to test the different coil types, and I enjoyed smooth ramping, accurate temperature and resistance readings, and warning-free performance.

The only hiccup I had came from setting TCR values. Once they were locked in, they were great. But for some odd reason, the menu system kept booting me back a menu tier, forcing me to start over. Maybe my fat fingers got in the way of precise settings, but in the TCR menu, the Xfeng started kicking me back a menu tier. I imagine a firmware update will handle this in due time.

Sigelei is positioning the Snowwolf Xfeng Mod for a specific type of vaper – the vaper who wants his/her Mod to stand out on a bar or table. The vaper who sees a Mod as an extension of radical personal style. The vaper who screams for power, without much need for delicacy.

If you fit this bill, the Sigelei Snowwolf Xfeng is a solid, well-functioning vape Mod that will certainly check those Boxes.

It’s not very comfortable. It’s not the most accurate. And it’s certainly not the highest performing device in this category. But it’s certainly different, and for a good percentage of vapers, that’s more than enough endorsement to justify a purchase.

Score: B-

Pick up the Snowwolf Xfeng at Element Vape

Sigelei Snowwolf XFeng Mod Contents:

• 1x Sigelei Snowwolf Xfeng 230W Box Mod
• 1x USB Cable
• 1x User Manual

Sigelei Snowwolf XFeng Mod Specs:

• Size: 49 x 30 x 89 mm
• Material: zinc alloy
• Screen: 1.0-inch TFT color screen
• Wattage range: 10 – 230 W
• Temperature range: 100℃-300℃/ 200℉–570℉
• Voltage input: 6.4 V – 8.4 V
• Voltage output: 1.0 V – 7.5 V
• Working Modes : POWER / SS316 / SS317 / Ni200 / TCR / Ti1
• Resistance range: 0.05 ohm – 3.00 ohm
• Coils supporting: NiCr / SS (316 / 317 / 304) / Ti / Ni200 / TCR
• USB charging: DC 5 V / 2.5 A