For me to get excited about a three-battery Mod, it needs to be something pretty special. We’ve all seen these Mods – triangle-type shape, large footprint, etc. – and they all have similar looks and feels. But, other than the wonderful Modefined Prism from earlier this year, none have really advanced the experience. Think Vape has responded with a hearty, “Challenge accepted” and introduced a three-battery Mod with the world’s most advanced chipset available.  Meet the Think Vape Finder DNA250 Mod.

Is it a leaps and bounds improvement over similarly shaped devices? No. But if you like this form factor, and want the endless customization that DNA boards provide, you need to give the Finder DNA250 a serious look, since it might be the best three-battery Mod I’ve tested.

Like we mentioned, there’s only so much manufacturers can do with a triple-battery format. The space requirement necessitates the shape of the Mod, and – save for a giant cube – there isn’t much else that can be done to make this type of device powerful and comfortable. (the only exception I know for a differently shaped triple-cell Mod is the S-Body VapeDroid DNA250 we recently reviewed)

Of course, the Finder DNA250 is an expensive vape Mod, so Think Vape adorned it well. The leather grip on my test Model was striking, without being overbearing. And the heavily grooved, chiseled 510 plate jumps off the top of the Mod, with an almost mechanical, automotive vibe.

This Finder DNA250’s top plate is raised, but is wide enough to accommodate most atomizers, with only the 30mm tanks presenting any overhang. Keep in mind that smaller (<22mm) atomizers will be dwarfed by the sheer size of the Mod.

Another item of note, due to the deep grooves around the 510 plate, there tends to be a lot of condensation underneath/adjacent to tanks and RDAs. Have tissues handy if chain vaping at high wattages.

The entire device is understandably tall – 89mm without an atomizer, to be exact. But it’s solid throughout, with bulletproof zinc alloy construction wherever metal is needed. The large, hexagon-shaped fire key, and well-place up/down buttons do what they need to without rattle, and feel completely responsive no matter how you hold the Mod.

Like I mentioned in the preview, a Mod as advanced as the Finder DNA250 would have benefited from an enter/action key, but the DNA250 chipset – for all its advanced performance – remains an operational dinosaur, with a high barrier to entry for newcomers. Hence, no button.

By this point, we’ve reviewed the operation and appearance of DNA systems countless times, so we won’t go too far into detail here. But, suffice it to say, the presence of a DNA chipset – especially the updated and powerful DNA250 – will either be a selling point or an obstacle, depending on the user. Beginners and those who want simplified operations should probably look to something else.

More advanced users seeking top-flight customization – both on the device and through the Escribe PC/Mac platform – the Finder DNA250 is as good an option as any on the market today.

It’s not pretty, it’s not intuitive, and it’s not for those who want one-finger operations. But DNA boards just flat out work.

The standard 0.96-inch DNA display is bright and familiar, with the usual information displayed on screen – wattage, voltage, temperature, and battery power. You’ll also see which Mode you’re in, which includes wattage Mode, full TC suite, and a slew of custom profiles.

Navigating the menu system is standard DNA fare. By that, we mean it requires a series of button combinations and long presses to navigate through the dense menu trees. As I’ve said before, once the user becomes familiar with the system, it become second nature. But newcomers will want to Google “DNA 250 cheat sheet” to speed up the process.

As always, the Escribe platform remains the pinnacle of vape Mod customization, and the latest version continues this tradition. Much like the onboard controls, Escribe is dense, with a lot of customizations well above a new user’s understanding. But the GUI is intuitive enough that newcomers will soon learn how to make proper adjustments to wattage and temperature curves, and see the resulting changes in vape quality.

(Yes, users can also use Escribe to customize launch screens when powering up the Finder DNA250. These bitmaps never seem to fade in popularity.)

On a physical level, the Finder DNA250 feels outstanding in the hand, with all operational buttons easily accessed in any grip. Though it’s a larger Mod, the Finder is extremely ergonomic, and the textured leather cover feels excellent – preventing slipping and sliding, while adding a little luxury to the otherwise metallic device.

The battery door – a feature I rarely discuss – is a highlight. A SLEW of magnets hold the batteries in place like a vise grip, but the door never becomes difficult to operate. Plus, there’s no rattle to be found. The Finder DNA250 is a high-end Mod, and touches like this go a long way toward portraying it that way.

Power – smooth, effortless power. Unlike many DNA Mods, which throttle the chip’s potential in exchange for optimal battery efficiency, the Finder DNA250 lets the chip run free. That said, protections are in place to ensure the chip’s output never exceeds a coil’s limitations. Instead, the Finder will determine the coil’s resistance and automatically limit the temperature to ensure things never get too hot.

Using a series of Kanthal coils – both prebuilt and my own on RTAs – the Finder DNA250 had precisely zero problems reading and adjusting on the fly. I took it (briefly) to 250 watts, and was shocked at how well the device stepped up its game without ever getting wonky or erratic. I doubt many vapers are going to use the device at these levels for too long, but if any high-powered chipset has the ability, I’d bet on the DNA250.

Temperature control on the Finder DNA250 is predictably awesome. Naturally, Escribe makes customization as precise as the user wants, but the Mod itself has plenty of custom save slots so vapers can quickly store profiles, rather than making the same adjustments every time they swap atomizers.

In fact, even as a more advanced user, I found myself relying on these slots much more than Escribe. Convenience is paramount, and the vape quality at these settings was more than good enough.

One unfortunate note was the performance of the onboard 2-amp charging on my test Model. In my preview, I was concerned about how a three-battery Mod would handle drawing such power through a USB cable, and sure enough, the Finder got hot. Real hot.

In fact, I found the heat so unbearable when charging, I removed it from the cable and let it cool near a window. To its credit, there were no warnings, nor did performance suffer, even when firing a few seconds after disconnecting. But this is not a recommended feature – use good sense and charge your 18650s externally. Spinfuel VAPE recommends the Nitecore brand for external chargers.

But once they are charged, you’ll be good for a while. Using three freshly charged 18650s, my test Model gave me nearly 7 hours of uninterrupted power before it even flickered. And this was putting the Finder through a wide range of scenarios. I imagine under normal use, at reasonable wattages, the Finder DNA250 will give users even more.

The Think Vape Finder is not for everyone. The dramatic, bold design choices and monstrous size already make that clear. But the demanding chipset and operations might also raise additional concerns from those unfamiliar with DNA chipsets. But those who can handle it will find a lot to love in the Think Vape Finder DNA250 Mod.

Whether you want pure, undiluted power, or laser-precise temperature control, there are simply no better chipsets available. And there are few better uses of the chipset than the commanding Think Vape Finder DNA250. If you have the means, and desire the power, give this one a very close look.

Score: A-

Think Vape Finder DNA250 specs:

• Size: 40 x 89 x 49mm
• Chip: Evolv DNA 250 chip
• Power range: 5W to 250W
• Temperature range: 100°C to 300°C or 200°F to 600°F
• Battery: Three 18650 batteries (not included)
• Charging: 2A Micro USB charging
• Material: Zinc Alloy, Carbon Fiber, Genuine Leather, SS connector & abalone shell, toughened glass

Think Vape Finder DNA250 contents:

• 1x Think Vape Finder 250W Mod
• 1x USB Cable
• 1x English Manual