Mod Reviews

YiHi SX Mini Q Class

Most people are familiar with the SX Mini Series of mods and the Q Class is the latest offering from YiHi. Every time the company create a new chip they release a new mod onto the market to introduce it. The SX Mini Q Class features the latest SX450J Chip along with a dual battery design and offers a maximum output of 200 Watts.

by VapeMaster
Jan 31, 2017

Share on:

YiHi SX Mini Q Class

Is this device a worthy successor to the previous models? We shall see.

YiHi SX Mini Q Class features

Uses the new YiHi SX450J Chip
Dual 18650 Battery Device
Maximum Output Varible Wattage: 200W
Maximum Output Joule Mode: 120J
16-bit ADC for Resistance Sampling
Buck-Boost & Boost
Output Voltage: 1.0 volt – 9.5 volts
Temperature range: 212 °F – 572 °F / 100 °C – 300 °C
Resistance Range: Power Mode: 0.05ohm – 3.0ohm. Joule Mode: 0.05ohm – 1.0ohm
Supports all TC wire including Stainless Steel
Titanium and Ni200
Supports All Atomizers with SX Pure Technology
Modes of Operation: Powerful+, Powerful, Standard, Soft, Eco, SXi-Q S1-S5
Rotary Display
OLED Screen
On-Board Balanced Charging for 2 Batteries Simultaneously (At 2 amps)
Zinc Alloy, Stainless Steel and Aluminium Construction
Replaceable Side Panels
Spring-Loaded 510 Connector
Customizable Logo and Menu
Intelligent Taste Control System via SXi-Q Settings
Upgradable Firmware
Reverse Polarity Protection
Output Short Protection
Low Resistance Protection
Low Battery Voltage Protection
Overheat & battery overcharge Protection
Height: 105mm
Width: 51mm
Thickness: 26mm

What’s in the box?

SX Mini Q Class
Micro USB Cable
User Manual
Warranty Card
Presentation Box and Bag

YiHi SX Mini Q Class styling and build quality

When you take it out of the box the first thing that is very noticeable about the SX Mini Q Class is how very lightweight it is. Unlike the M and ML Class devices that were built like bricks being very heavy and robust the Q Class with its Stainless Steel, Zinc Alloy and Aluminium construction might initially come across as a little cheap but that would be an unfair assertion to make since the overall build quality is superb!

The logic behind this more lightweight SX Mini is due to the fact that it now takes two 18650 batteries instead of one and to simply give this device the same heavy build as their previous models would have made the Q Class extremely weighty and uncomfortable to use so the compromise is a sensible one. Once you have batteries fitted the weight is much better and it feels very well balanced despite being quite a tall mod similar in size to the Pioneer4You IPV5. However the Q Class is a slender device and the numerous curves that feature in its design make it highly stylish and extremely comfortable to hold. While it does have a very nice grip it does feel quite smooth in the hand which can be even a bit too slick if your hands are sweaty unlike the previous M and ML Class models which had a nice textured matte finish.

The older SX Mini M Class despite being an excellent device did have some serious issues with its paint flaking off after a short amount of time and it was a justifiable complaint many users had considering the device’s very expensive price tag but the Q Class is quite different in that regard and has an especially beautiful finish that actually feels durable. The various photos of the device do tend to make the finish look very glossy but in actual fact it is more subtle and a lot like slightly pearlescent car paint. In fact the paint even has small metallic flecks in it that catch the light and sparkle. Interestingly enough since the side panels are completely removable and the main body of the device is a dark grey in colour you can buy additional panels in either red, black, blue or brown.

The side panels which are made from aluminium are very solid and sit flush. They are nice and easy to remove allowing quick access to the battery compartment. The panels are secured by strong magnets but if I have one complaint about the SX Mini Q Class it is that due to this ease of access the panels do tend to shift ever so slightly when you adjust your grip on the device. You do get used to it and it is only a very minor issue but considering the high price of this device you shouldn’t expect those panels to move at all.

On the plus side of things at least they have finally done away with the need for a screw on battery cap which according to many people had very light threading on the SX Mini M Class which caused it to wear although it is far less of a problem with the later model ML Class which uses much coarser threading.

The battery compartment itself is nicely done, has gold contacts and the correct battery orientation is clearly marked. There is a ribbon to assist with battery removal but for some reason it is fitted near the top of the battery sleds and not in the middle which is a little weird but quite honestly a non-issue. There are no noticeable vents on the device but considering the panels are removable there should be plenty of air circulating and at no point did I ever notice the device getting really hot.

The 510 connector is made from Stainless Steel for maximum durability and has excellent threading but there is one thing about it which may bother people, it is only about 23mm in diameter. This means your larger atomizers will overhang and might look a bit daft but for me personally it isn’t an issue since I only tend to use 22mm atomizers. The 510 pin itself is apparently made from either gold or brass depending on which site you read about this device’s specifications although I would say it looks more like brass to me. It is spring-loaded so all of your atomizers should sit flush on this device.

The SX Mini Q Class has three buttons all of which are made from Stainless Steel and they really do feel durable and excellent to use since they are highly responsive. The screen is recessed so you are unlikely to scratch it and is both bright and clear showing a plethora of information including all of the typical things you would expect such as Wattage, Voltage and Resistance. In addition various modes are displayed as well as pre-sets along with remaining battery life. One thing you do need to be aware of is that the SX Mini Q Class constantly checks the battery Voltage so it will change as you continue to vape and drain the batteries.

A really nice feature that SX Mini owners will be familiar with is the fact that the screen can be set to auto-flip no matter which way you decide to pick up and hold the device. It can also be switched off if you don’t happen to like it. The Q Class also has a sensor feature which allows you to adjust things by tilting the mod but it is not something that I care for and I keep it switched off.

Plenty of wire type pre-sets are set up on the device but strangely enough 316 Stainless Steel is absent which isn’t that big a deal since you can manually set the TCR of any wire type you like as long as you know what the value is. In the case of SS316 the value is 0.00089 and when setting the Temperature on the Q Class you can do all sorts of cool things like setting the initial ramp up Wattage as well as compensate for room temperature. In addition you can also use the device in various modes such as Powerful, Powerful+, Standard and Eco. These modes can actually be very useful and to give you examples Powerful+ comes in handy if you are using thicker wire that tends to take longer to ramp up since it provides a stronger initial boost to heat up the coil before toning itself down to the typical level. Eco mode can also come in useful when you want to preserve battery life.

It might seem a little overwhelming to a newcomer but it is in many ways it may be far more approachable than a DNA 200 device since a lot of people have used a device that featured a YiHi chip at one time or another and the menu layout uses their typical format. One advantage of the SX Mini Q Class is that almost everything can be done on the device itself and you don’t need to use a computer apart from when setting the S1-S5 pre-sets.

Should you have access to a PC then rest assured that while the SXi-Q software (downloadable from YiHi) is very straightforward the manual is very basic on how you get actually get started with it, but there are plenty of YouTube videos out there that cover this. The software allows you to do a lot but not as much as Evolv’s EScribe but if I’m being honest here I used less than half the functions in that program before my DNA 200 decided to randomly die on me one day.

One cool feature the YiHi software includes is the ability to tweak Wattage and Temperature Curves and that will probably appeal heavily to the tech minded people out there and you can save up to five different power curves on the device in the S1-S5 slots. These curves allow you to tailor your vape and control it to suit your own particular taste but it does have a couple of noticeable drawbacks in that you cannot adjust the Wattage when using these curves and you do require a connection to a computer. The software also allows you to create your own logo to display on the device very much like one EScribe features.

Another option that the device offers is Bypass Mode which works like a Mechanical Mod and means the device just provides Voltage that matches that of the battery.

Ease of use

Since this device features a YiHi chip it is very straightforward to use.

Five clicks of the fire button switches the device on. When the device is switched on five clicks of the fire button will display the menu. The menu can be navigated by clicking the fire button. To confirm options use the plus or minus adjustment buttons.
To switch the device off go into the menu and select the “System Off” function and confirm with either the plus or minus adjustment button.
Three clicks of the fire button locks and unlocks the device.
You can set up and save five different configurations (C1-C5) and for each one you can choose Power or Joule, Temperature, Temperature Compensations TCR and whether Bypass is on or off. It is a very useful feature and will come in handy if you frequently swap between different atomizers.

The SX Mini Q Class has several built-in Power Modes:

Powerful+: Increases the power by 15% for two seconds.
Powerful: Increases the power by 10% for two seconds.
Standard: Fires at the power you have set it to.
Soft: Decreases the power by 10% for two seconds.
Eco: Limits the functions of the device to save battery life.
The final feature is Bypass Mode which allows you to bypass the devices regulation and use it like a mechanical mod.

YiHi SX Mini Q Class performance

In Variable Wattage mode this device performs extremely well and I had absolutely no problems at all when using my Kayfun 5, Rose3, Raptor, Achilles II and GP Heron 1.5 and V2. The one thing I did notice when using Kanthal coils is that the vape was noticeably smoother, perhaps not by a huge amount and maybe it’s just the feel good factor when using this particular mod but it did seem to be a consistently better vape than a lot of my other devices. The various power modes work really well and can be useful in certain circumstances, as mentioned earlier Powerful+ is valuable when using very thick wire.

In Temperature Control Mode the SX Mini Q Class is awesome! I set up my Achilles II and also my Tilemahos V2 Plus with a 316 Stainless Steel Coil and both of them were a stellar vape. Both atomizers were fitted with 0.5ohm coils and having set the TCR value to 0.00089 I set the Temperature to 400°F with a 70°F compensation temperature and the power set to 22.0 Joules. The flavour when using Manabush Powwow in the tank and Manabush Coyote Coconut in the RDA was truly fantastic!

Compared to the vape I got with Stainless Steel when using my Asmodus Minikin V2 and also the Wismec RX2/3 I was sent for review the SX Mini Q Class is a significantly better vape. One thing that I did need to check up on was the rather strange light ticking sound that can occasionally be heard when using this device in Temperature Control Mode. It turns out that this is actually the device constantly checking and re-checking the Resistance reading and unless you really do listen out for it you don’t tend to notice it.

Temperature is kept at a constant and at no time is there unusual Resistance fluctuation or heat spiking which means you get a consistently excellent vape! Is it better than a DNA 200? Well I thought it was way better than vaping 316 Stainless Steel on my old Lavabox DNA 200 which gave up the ghost one day but to be fair I’d prefer not to get anyone started on the YiHi SX vs Evolv DNA 200 argument. At the end of the day if you really like your device and it gives you a good vape that’s all that matters and both chipsets have nice things to offer.

I think the better question is does Temperature Control Mode using the SX450J chip feel like a significant improvement on the SX350J V2 used in the ML Class? In all honesty in my opinion the answer is “no” because the ML Class is also a cracking vape with exactly the same setup.

Battery life was excellent and the Q Class really does seem highly efficient even when using Temperature Control for several hours on end but your mileage will vary depending on how high a Wattage you use.

Conclusion

The SX Mini Q Class as you would expect is a superb device that truly delivers in all departments but now has the added benefit of being able to fit two 18650 batteries. Unlike the M and ML Class models the Q Class is noticeably lighter due to its Zinc Alloy, Stainless Steel and Aluminium construction that still feels very durable but in some ways it may disappoint existing SX Mini owners who are used to a device that is built like a Main Battle Tank and being just as robust as one since the Q Class by comparison feels more like a high end sports car and yes Ferrari red is one of the colour options you can choose from!

At its heart it is still an SX Mini in most of the ways that matter and it is a worthy successor which performs just as well as its predecessors only this time with far more power on offer and greater battery life! I love the SX Mini Q Class but it is my stay at home device since I don’t trust myself enough to take it outside with me and I tend to use the far more robust SX Mini ML Class when out and about.

The SX Mini Q Class certainly isn’t cheap but there are far more expensive devices out there and even high end atomizers that have a similar price tag. The question really is how much use and value you will get from it and if you find it highly appealing and are in love with its looks like I am then rest assured that you will get a great deal of enjoyment out of it and its performance certainly won’t disappoint you!

I purchased the SX Mini Q Class from Crème de Vape and thankfully made use of my 10% off voucher due to a previous purchase. As always top marks to them for quality of service.