The Lost Vape Orion DNA and Q Review: Which is Which

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by Thanush Poulsen

Updated: November 25, 2020

Lost Vape Orion Review

Review Score: 81/100

Price range:
$21.99-63.99
Dimensions:
105x43.2x12.65mm
Colors:
black, silver, gunmetal
Material:
Stainless Steel
Battery Capacity:
950mAh
Works with:
  • Eliquids icon

Pros

  • Easy-to-use
  • Excellent build quality
  • Smart-looking exterior

Cons

  • No DNA chip
  • No adjustable features

Starting Price: $ 47.95

The Lost Vape Orion DNA GO is an ultra-advanced pod mod device that uses refillable 3ml cartridges, with two different ohm ratings. The Lost Vape can vape e-liquids (freebase and nicotine salt), as well as CBD products, and even e-liquids infused with CBD oil.

This Lost Vape, like many of their other mods, carries the high-tech DNA Evolv GO chipset in its small stainless steel frame. The Lost Vape Q is an identical product, with a few minor differences. It has a 2ml refillable juice pod, but with a 1.0ohm coil inside.

It has the same 950mAh battery as the Orion DNA GO, but its maximum power output is 17W compared to the 40W power output of the Orion DNA GO. The significant difference between the two Lost Vape products is the absence of the DNA board on the Q. Other than that – the Orion DNA GO also costs more – the two vape devices are remarkably similar in their vapor production.

The Lost Vape Orion DNA GO Kit

The Lost Vape Orion DNA GO can come in many different colors and with many different features, but the same capacity batteries. Users can either select between the product-only option that does not come with any tanks or the “full kit” option, which features three pods with coils at a resistance of either 0.25ohm (2 pods) or 0.5ohm (1 pod), both of which are perfect for nicotine salt e-liquids.

The two options, for the Lost Vape DNA GO, also divide between color and panel material options. The full kits color options for the device range from black, blue, stainless steel, and gold, with either carbon fiber, abalone or scallop side panels. The same options are available, except for the rainbow option, for the device-only option.

The general breakdown of the kit contents of the Orion DNA GO:

  • One Lost Vape Orion DNA Go
  • One Lost Vape Orion Lanyard
  • Two 0.25ohm pods (full kit only)
  • One 0.5ohm pod (full kit only)
  • One MicroUSB Cable
  • One Instructional Manual

Lost Vape Orion Q Review: What’s Inside the Kit

The Lost Vape Orion Q (or Quest) has similar kits variations. The Q can come without any tanks, or it can come in a “full kit” option that comes only with a single, non-sub-ohm, 1.0ohm pod for regular nicotine e-juice or nicotine salt e-liquid. The outer frame of the Q also has different color options, but the panels are all black weave, faux-carbon fiber.

VD Lost Vape Orion GO Starter Kit

The basic outline of what comes in the Orion Q kit:

  • One Lost Vape Orion Q
  • One 1.0ohm pod (full kit only)
  • One MicroUSB Cable
  • One Instructional Manual

An In-Depth Look at the Lost Vape Orion Devices

As most reviews will point out, there are few physical differences between the two Lost Vape pod mods. They both have the same measurements. Each device stands at 93 mm (3.6 inches), they are each 37 mm wide (1.4 inches) and 13.5 mm across (0.5 inches).

The build material of both Lost Vape is a stainless steel alloy, which is surprisingly lightweight. Each device weighs just under 87g. A Delrin drip tip, with adjustable airflow slots just underneath, is another feature the two pod mods have in common, as it is included in both kits.

VD Lost Vape Orion GO Silver

The mouthpieces are not interchangeable though, and they cannot be removed. The drip tip, airflow adjustment, and coil material have more to do with the liquid tanks themselves, not the batteries sections of the mods. A more detailed description of the pods will come later.

The differences start to appear, moving down the device. For example, the Orion DNA GO has a two-button operating panel (firing and selector button), whereas the Orion Q only has the firing button as its primary operating control.

The inclusion of an independent selector button on the Lost Vape GO is because it has the DNA chipset inside, so its functionality is more advanced than the Lost Vape Q, but more about that later. Sticking with the exterior components, the DNA GO, and the Q both features USB ports, only the port on the DNA GO is hidden.

It is there, right on the corner of the base of the product. Users have to remove a tiny little grommet that covers up the port when it is not in use. The Lost Vape Q has an exposed USB port that users can clearly see.

VD Lost Vape Orion GO G

The two mods have one other similarity – the pod release switch. Users install the pods by clicking them into place onto the contacts above the built-in battery. To release the pods, users need only pull down the switch to remove or replace the pods. A pinhole LED indicator light is also a feature of both devices. The LED is in the same place on both, near the base, on the control panel side.

Working the Orion DNA GO

When people think of pod mods, they think of them as the easiest, simplest devices to use. The Lost Vape Orion GO and Q are a little different in that respect. Most pod mods do not have chipsets on board to control their functioning and performance; most do not even have buttons and have draw-activated batteries!

VD Lost Vape Orion Q GO Silver

These Lost Vape mods are a little more advanced. The presence of the DNA chipset means that users have a lot of control over vapor production and input into the performance of the device. With the downloadable firmware, Escribe, the amount of personalization and customization for the vape has no other equal, at least for pod mod devices.

The standard features of the Orion DNA GO include:

  • Three separate power outputs for each pod
  • For the 0.25ohm pod: Low (white LED/11W/5 sec boost), Medium (blue LED/13W/4 sec boost), High (red LED/15W/3 sec boost)
  • For the 0.5ohm pod: Low (white LED/8W/6 sec boost), Medium (blue LED/9W/5 sec boost), High (red LED/10W/5 sec boost)
  • Replay functionality: Selecting “Replay” mode, the chip remembers the last setting and keeps those same settings until the user turns off “Replay” mode. Press and hold the adjustment button for three seconds to engage “Replay” mode. Repeat to disable it.

Apart from these basic functions, users can download the Escribe program on their computers, and make even further adjustments to the board’s capacities. Most other reviews mention that the board has a 40W capacity, but that is only if users install the Boost feature through the software. Without making those changes, the device can only output a maximum of 30W.

Adjustments to the functioning are also dependent on the pods a user chooses to vape with, and the type of e-juice, whether regular or nicotine salt e-liquids, as seen in the above list. The vapor settings can be changed, through the Escribe software, for both the direct-lung 0.25ohm pod and the mouth-to-lung 0.5ohm pod.

Escribe

For anyone familiar with Lost Vape, Escribe and the DNA family of chipsets, using the software is nothing new. For pod mod vapers who have never even heard of Escribe or DNA, it can be a challenge to use it.

Lost Vape created the Orion line, and the Q, used with escribe specifically for vapers who did not want to bother with the kinds of adjustments that the Orion DNA GO offers. For those users who are willing to experiment, the Escribe software allows you to make adjustments for each vape pod.

For example:

  • Each vapor pod (MTL and DL) has distinct settings
  • Users can change the wattage (within the 40W limit), and time duration of the boost for each of the three pre-installed settings: low, medium and high
  • Users can even add more profiles, beyond the three pre-installed settings, and set the wattage, and time duration of the boost for each

Any changes made to the device’s settings will, of course, be reflected in the device when you use it. Added profiles will also show in the LED lights. The standard white, blue and red lights will remain, but new profiles will be represented by new colors like green, or different shades of blue.

Working the Orion Q

The Lost Vape Orion Q has a much more straightforward operation than its cousin, the Orion DNA GO. The absence of the DNA board means the Q has no adjustable settings. The Q also only has one, 1.0ohm pod. It puts out a consistent 17W of power for the 1.0ohm Kanthal wire coil.

As mentioned, there is no other button on the side than the circular firing button. There is an LED above the USB charging port, which is to show battery life, as there are no other modes. The Q has the same capacity battery as the Orion, at 950mAh, so both mods take about the same time to charge, around an hour.

VD Lost Vape Orion Gold

For people interested in the usual, hands-off, plug-and-play, pod mod, the Q is the better choice. It only takes three clicks of the button to activate, and there is no firmware to upgrade the board or downloadable software to install new features onto it. Users need only fill the Q pod, install it onto the batteries section, turn it on, and start vaping.

The Pods for the Lost VapeOrion Q and DNA GO

Like with the device itself, on the outside, the pods for both versions of the Lost Vape Orion look similar. On the inside, however, they are not the same. First off, the coil materials are different, as well as the ohm rating. The two pods for the Lost Vape Orion DNA GO feature stainless steel coils, while the Orion Q has a Kanthal wire coil, rated at 1.0ohm.

Apart from that, the 0.5ohm pod has a single coil build, and the 0.25ohm tank has a double parallel build, which explains the larger cloud size that comes from its mouthpiece. The pods are made from a food-grade plastic and feature gold-plated contacts underneath.

VD Lost Vape Orion mods GO

The 510-drip tip and the stainless steel lid for the liquid tank are built-into the exterior. On both pods, the airflow control ring sits directly under the mouthpiece. To fill the juice container, users need to unscrew the lid and access the wide-mouth fill port. The pods have a semi-transparent viewing window so you can see how much e-juice is left inside.

When you first receive the Lost Vape Orion DNA GO or Q kit, the bottom side of the pod has a factory sticker warning you to let the e-juice soak for at least five minutes. Even after letting the wicks soak with liquid, it’s a good idea to do a few dry pulls (inhale from the mouthpiece when the pod mod is off) to increase the wick saturation and draw resistance.

Also on the base of the pods – the ohms rating of each. The 0.25ohm and 0.5ohm, and 1.0ohm pod have a stamp on the bottom to identify them, so users know which one they are using. Lost Vapes also improved the overall user experience by making the pods easy to mount and remove.

VD Lost Vape Orion DNA GO mod

There are tracks on the rear of each pod that line up with tracks on the device. To ensure proper installation, users need only line the tracks up and push down until the device snaps into place. Removing the pods is also straightforward thanks to the release button on the side of the mod. Users need only move the switch up, and the pod comes out.

Pod Life and Duration

The pods have a total life span of up to fifteen days, according to the user manual, until the wick and coil start to lose their potency in making vapor. This period holds, after using the 0.5ohm coil for about two weeks. Both batteries, for the Orion DNA GO and the Q, offer up 450 puffs per charge.

The full kit only has one MTL pod, and two DL pods, so if the 0.5ohm cartridge expires, you’ll have to order a new one. MTL vapers can use the handy airflow adjuster to close off the vents, and vape that for something similar to a mouth-to-lung experience.

Lost Vape Orion Q Silver

With that said, it is still strange that Lost Vape even offers the Orion without the pods. Buying the product along, and then buying a two-pack of the coils comes out to roughly the same price, so it’s odd that a device-only option is even an option.

The Lost Vape Orion DNA GO and Q Review: The Vape

For a small, portable device, with no screen or OLED to control its functions, the Orion DNA GO (more than the Q at least) is incredibly versatile. Like with a lot of DNA devices, the control a person can exert of every aspect of the vape is astounding.

VD Lost Vape Orion Q

Vaping the DNA GO right out of the box is satisfying, and for those who want to tinker with their settings through the Escribe program, it becomes even more rewarding. The same goes for the Q, even though it has no settings to adjust the consistency of the battery ensures a great vape, no matter the juice inside.

Where to begin to describe vaping the Orion GO? The “Replay” mode is a great function. Like having a song on repeat, the Replay function captures the best things about a vape and, well, replays them, very consistently.

The three pre-installed settings, work perfectly with the Replay mode. Plus, the various power settings have small tweaks in themselves (like the Boost) function that fine-tune the quality of the vape down to the second.

This precision is what you get with the DNA chip, and with Lost Vape devices in general. You would think that such high-tech functioning could only be possible on a box mod, but the fact that a pod mod can do so much is still hard to believe.

A full pod of nicotine salt or regular nicotine e-juice can last for around 400 puffs, which also holds true based on real-world usage, more or less. Even as the juice level approaches the end, the quality of the vape stays the same. The battery ramps down the power level when the juice gets lower, at least in Replay mode, so you don’t get a dry hit.

This anti-dry hit feature is another thing that sets the Orion GO apart. The Orion Q does not lag behind though, in features, as it also has temperature and low/high resistance protections. The Q is much easier to use, of course, and could be much more appealing to people who want a more user-friendly experience.

The Competition: the Orion DNA GO/Q vs. the Mi-Pod vs. the Aspire Breeze 2

The Mi-Pod

VD Mi Pod

The Mi-Pod from Smoking Vapor is a mini pod device with refillable 2ml pods. The Mi-Pod has a built-in 950mAh battery and has a consistent power output of 15W. The pods use a unique OAS (oil-air-separated) design to vape nicotine salt e-liquids. The coil in the pod is rated for 1.0ohm. There is a single airflow slot on the pod that users can leave open or plug for a tighter draw. There is a power button on the device, but it is mostly draw-activated.

The Aspire Breeze 2

VD Aspire Breeze 2 blue end red

The Aspire Breeze 2 is an AIO pod device that uses refillable 3ml pods. It has an internal 1000mAh battery. The Breeze 2 has about the same measurements as both Orions, standing at 96 mm (3.7 inches). The pods are removable, and the kit comes with two coils, an above-ohm, and a sub-ohm for MTL and DL vaping. The top cap on the coil has adjustable airflow vents. The device has a single power/firing button.

The Lost Vape Orion Q Specifications

Battery Capacity 950mAh
E-juice Capacity 2ml
Resistance Options 1ohm
Power Range 18W
Input Voltage 1A
Dimensions 93 x 13.5 x 37 mm
Colors Black Weave, Blue Weave, Gold Weave, and Silver Weave

Positives and Negatives

The Positives

  • Easy-to-use
  • Excellent build quality
  • Smart-looking exterior
  • Top-notch vapor production
  • For MTL or DL vaping
  • Long-lasting battery

The Negatives

  • No DNA chip
  • No adjustable features

The Lost Vape Orion DNA GO and the Lost Vape Q Review: Final Thoughts

Reviews of DNA devices usually have a very long list of pros, and almost no cons, with good reason. The Orion DNA GO has settings within settings, which goes to show how precise and detailed Evolv (makers of the DNA chip) can get. For Lost Vape and Evolv to collaborate on making a pod device that carries this much technology was risky, like putting a jet engine on a bicycle.

The result though is phenomenal vapor every time. Even high-powered, dual-18650 box mods with full-color display screens and multi-button control panels can’t produce as much as quality vapor as this tiny device does with one button and a single LED light. The Q is a pared-down version of the Orion DNA GO since it does not have that fabled board inside, which admittedly, makes it loses some appeal.

On the other hand, the unique shape, form factor, and configuration of the Q make it an attractive option to anyone who values simplicity and great vapor production over adjustable settings. Even without the DNA, the Q has adjustable airflow, and a removable drip tip so users can add some custom touches.

One thing about the Orion and the Q is that the pods are not interchangeable. Unless you want to use the 1.0ohm pod on the Orion, you would have to add that profile through the Escribe software first and then use the cartridge that way.

The Q is not compatible with the Orion DNA pods, unfortunately. And the fact that Lost Vape even offers both the Orion DNA GO and the Orion Q without the pods is a head-scratcher. Despite that misstep (Lost Vape should also make the device Bluetooth compatible and build an app), the Orion DNA GO and the Q are both huge steps forward for pod devices, and pod vapers.

Which of these two vapes would you prefer, the Orion DNA GO or the Lost Vape Q? Do you prefer the customization of the DNA GO or the plug-and-play functionality of the Lost Vape Q? Have you ever used a DNA mod? Did you like it or was it too technical for you? Let us know what your thoughts in the section underneath.

Published: April 4, 2019Updated: November 25, 2020
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Thanush Poulsen

Being a regular Sweden student, I discovered innovative ways of living healthier. And with my very first e-cigarette, I’ve got obsessed with all things digital. So vaping collided my interests in electronics, science, and health. I enjoy bringing people into the world of vaping through my reviews, guides, and best-of lists.


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4 comments on “The Lost Vape Orion DNA and Q Review: Which is Which

  • Debbie Bender

    July 16, 2019 at 5:28 am

    I bought the Orion Vape & pods from store in Las Vegas on June 19th this yr. We are from FL traveling in our RV. Alexa was so helpful but here it is not even a mth later & this vape will not charge. I have to literally hold the cable into the bottom of vape to even try & charge so I can hit it. This is a bad vape & I need to exchange for another one. Please tell me how I handle this. I have receipt for this purchase. Thank you so much for help in advance.

    • Thanush Poulsen

      July 16, 2019 at 6:47 am

      The best you can do is to contact their technical support at evolvevapor.com. Keep the receipt as they officially offer SIX-month warranty from the date of purchase. Sorry to know about your

  • Bronk

    June 27, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    This is the Bill Cosby of vapes. Just takes advantage of your lungs, but in a caring way.

    • Bruto

      January 7, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Huh? That doesn’t make any sense.