If you’re looking for a vaporizer with a great mix of both functionality and value, DaVinci’s line is a great place to start. The original IQ arguably set the standard for high-tech vaporizers, and the company is back with the second generation of the device, the IQ2.

 

We were very excited to see what DaVinci did with the IQ2, given my positive experience with the original IQ. The IQ’s app was simply best-in-class and only added to the overall experience, allowing users to fine-tune their cannabis experience.

 

So how could DaVinci possibly raise the bar with its latest vaporizer? They have, and in a package that’s not much more expensive than the original IQ.

 

Design, Portability & Ease of Use

 

The IQ2 is the same size as the original device at about 3.5 inches in height and just under 2 inches in width. Whereas the IQ had a matte finish, the IQ2 is more of a glossy finish, available in black, grey, purple, and light blue. Inside you’ll find a convection oven, with a built-in mouthpiece at the top which you place your mouth against, and an optional extended mouthpiece if that doesn’t work well for you.

 

Like the first IQ, you control it via three buttons on the side, and a micro USB charging on the other side to charge up the device. If you have an Android device, you can control the IQ2 via the DaVinci app, but due to Apple app store policy changes, DaVinci’s app is no longer available for iPhone devices.

 

iPhone owners shouldn't fret, though: DaVinci has worked hard to make the IQ2 completely functional without it – including a new dosage feature that we'll discuss later. Firing up the device is extremely easy. Just tap the power button five times, then use the up and down buttons to set temperature level.

 

You have the option of either setting an exact temperature between 280 and 430 degrees Farenheit or use any one of the IQ2’s four presets, named for the expected effects:

 

• Level 1, “flavor:” starts at 350F, ends at 370F
• Level 2, “mind:” starts at 370F, ends at 390F
• Level 3, “body:” starts at 390F, ends at 410F
• Level 4, “rest:” starts at 410F, ends at 430F

 

While DaVinci's setting names are a useful guide for the expectations of effects, we highly recommend you research the terpene profiles of your cannabis. Choose the power level based on that instead: you may want to use a higher or lower setting for the right effects as a result.

 

The IQ2 has everything you need

 

The IQ2 sports a .2g larger oven than it’s predecessor, able to hold up to .5g grams of material. Another nice feature is the included .2g dosage pod, which we've found works great with the IQ2’s dosage calculator functionality.

 

There’s also a ceramic extract tab, meaning you could use this for concentrates, but we didn’t have a chance to test it out. We have heard it works reasonably well, but do remember it’s a dry herb vape first and will perform better using dry herb as a result.

 

The IQ2 uses a removable 18650 battery, which is a commonly used size for both cannabis and nicotine vapes. More importantly, the battery is not proprietary, meaning you can purchase these batteries from just about anywhere, or use the 18650 batteries you may already have if you use a “box mod” vape. Like the IQ, the battery is good for about 60-90 minutes of usage time.

 

Also included in the package is a USB charging cable and a pick tool to help clean out the device after each use, stored underneath the mouthpiece.

 

The IQ2’s killer app: in-device dosage calculator

 

Before the vape crisis, DaVinci had planned to use its app to control its innovative dosage calculator. Apple’s decision to ban vape apps following the vape illness crisis changed that.

 

DaVinci returned to the drawing board to redesign the functionality of the IQ2 to allow control of this functionality on-device. Just two clicks of the power button gets you into these settings. Enter in the THC and the CBD percentages, and the amount of cannabis you’ve placed inside the oven.

 

The IQ2 does the rest, providing you the milligrams of either compound inhaled. It’s pretty cool and gives you greater control over your dosing, useful for those using cannabis for medical purposes.

 

Cooler still is the fact the dosing calculation can account works across sessions, and if you have the app, you can even set maximum dosage levels. While manufacturers like to exaggerate the usefulness of features, there is nothing like this on the market, and it appears to work well.

 

Vapor quality and price point

 

The IQ2 is just as good as the IQ in terms of vapor quality. You’ll consistently get impressive clouds, although we’ll admit there is a bit of a learning curve to draw correctly. Regardless, this is what we’d expect from a vape at this price point, and the Davinci IQ2 certainly does not disappoint.

 

Inspection of vaped material showed even heating and a light brown color, what you want to see out of a high-quality vape. While it’s expensive, the IQ2 seems to be worth the money to us.

 

The bottom line

 

There truly is not much that we didn’t like about the IQ2. It reminds us of the original IQ, yet better in many ways, from the larger oven to the innovative dosage calculator. If you can swing the nearly $300 for this vape, you won’t be disappointed. We score this device a perfect 10 out of 10 because it seems like the gold standard for portable cannabis vapes right now. While other vapes like the PAX may have been the first to offer app control, the dosage calculator is like nothing else on the market, making it an outstanding value.