Hi Ecigssa members, In this review i take a look at the RIVA DNA250C BOX MOD from Dovpo. The RIVA DNA250C BOX MOD was supplied for the purpose of this review by Dovpo.
https://www.dovpoecig.com/products/riva-...8983101482
Introduction
Dovpo have impressed ever since entering the vaping market and really haven't made a false move, just recently they have been hitting it out of the ball park with some very successful collaborations that have seen impressive build quality and the introduction of DNA chipsets in many of their devices as well as marketing and manufacturing products for the new brand BP Mods.
The Riva is powered by the DNA 250C chipset which along with the DNA 75C chipset is one on the most acclaimed chipsets available, almost all proprietary chipsets use the DNA model as a benchmark and try and emulate (although unsuccessfully many are getting closer).
The objective of the Riva was to produced a luxurious compact dual 18650 device which is both small enough and comfortable enough in the hand to use when out and about rather than just being a desktop device. Coming in 9 different options including the choice of 3 colour frames, let's check out the Riva!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1 * RIVA DNA250C Mod
1 * Micro USB Cable
1 * User Manual
1 * Battery Usage Warning Card
1 * Social Media Card
1 * QC Card
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics and Ergonomics
The Riva comes in a quite nice box and on opening sits proudly in full view. The form factor has been seen many times before with a 510 brought forward to allow the device to be shortened, it's basically shaped to give as small as possible dimensions for a dual 18650 device so is as portable and ergonomic as possible to use when out and about. I suppose the lack of creativity could be criticised but then i don't recall a DNA 250C device with this space saving form factor and as somebody who never takes their DNA 250C devices out of the home finding them too big this one was a joy to carry around!
I received the Gunmetal-Vintage Dark Brown option but there are 9 options in total including 3 different frame colours, the options are Silver-Vintage Brown, Silver-Plain Cognac, Silver-Rough Dark Brown, Gunmetal-Pure Gunmetal, Gunmetal-Vintage Brown, Gunmetal-Raw Sand, Black-Birdy Black, Black-Vintage Brown, and Black-Pure Black.
The Spines are heavily padded and real leather and we have a Zinc Alloy frame, once a pair of batteries are added i found it a nice weight, not exactly lightweight but not over heavy! We do have rattle from the fire button when shook as it's that round protruding fire button we have seen on the Odin's and Top Gear but it's just wobbly which kind of gives it character which is a weird thing to say but let's put it this way it's wobbly but is meant to be like that and as the Odin Mini is my favourite single 21700 device i have grown fond of it! We then have the Colour display followed by the customary 3 operational buttons and finally at the bottom an On The Go enabled micro USB port.
Moving to the base we have branding and safety marks and then up top a slightly raised 24mm 510 plate which is raised just enough to protect the surface while giving no visible gaping. Overall the build quality is very good as has become expected from Dovpo!
___________________________________________________________________
Riva Specs and Features:
Size：39.5mm*43mm*80mm
Material：Zinc Alloy + Leather
Weight：151g
Chipset: Evolv DNA250C
Battery: 2 x 18650 Batteries
Output Voltage Range: 0.2v – 8.0v
Working Mode: Variable Wattage, Temperature Control, Replay
Wattage Range: 1.0W – 200.0W
Display: 0.96” Full Colour TFT Screen
Charging: Micro USB 5V/2A
USB On-The-Go power bank
Colours: Silver-Vintage Brown, Silver-Plain Cognac, Silver-Rough Dark Brown, Gunmetal-Pure Gunmetal, Gunmetal-Vintage Brown, Gunmetal-Raw Sand, Black-Birdy Black, Black-Vintage Brown, Black-Pure Black
___________________________________________________________________
Fitting The Batteries
The Riva has a bottom hatch door with both a sturdy catch and tab and even when opened is stiff unlike many of this design that is loose in the open position. The battery door done this way divides opinion i think depending on users own experience and can even be down to the variant of size of the brand of battery used as the more pressure from the battery pressing against the door the more secure and unlikely to open. I am in the liking this type of door camp and have had no issues with the door on the Riva at all! Also it's good to see that orientation is clearly marked in White so very happy!
___________________________________________________________________
Using The Riva
Once a battery is fitted any press of a button wakes the device up and the lock screen is displayed that shows the time, date and battery percentage. 5 clicks of the fire button unlocks the device and takes you to the main screen, 5 clicks again locks the device, as with everything else on the device this can be changed using Escribe to 2,3 or however many clicks you want to lock and unlock the device, you can even choose a different combination of buttons if you wish to stop people unlocking the device and having a vape without your permission.
The screen is very bright and vibrant but with not that much use of colour with the default theme, of course the theme can be changed or you can design your own using Escribe. The device has a select button as well as the 2 navigational buttons so using the device is a breeze. Using the navigational buttons moves you to different fields on the screen which is shown by the field you are on having a background colour surround. When you are on the field you want pressing the select button highlights the field, now you use the navigational buttons to alter the field to what you want, pressing the select button again sets your changes. On the main screen as well as having fields you can alter you have fields like info, preheat and settings which when selected takes you to another screen.
All screens are navigated and altered the same way as the main screen, it is a very user friendly interface in my opinion and the Riva with it's DNA 250C chipset has all the features you would expect from a modern device as well as the Replay feature and Boost which i will cover in the next section.
___________________________________________________________________
Replay and Boost
The Replay feature i love, i would say when i am using any of my 250C or 75C devices i have it on Replay about 80% of the time. To use Replay you need your coil to be using a temp control wire or include a temp control wire in it's make up but temp control as we are accustomed to it's definitely not and temperature is only part of what's going on.
As well as using Replay and watching videos about it i am still trying to get my head around how it actually works, but from my experience and from what i have seen, work it certainly does. The idea is when you find your flavour sweet spot while vaping you can record that vape and then vape in Replay mode and you should get that same flavour with every vape with that juice and coil combination regardless of things like how saturated the cotton is etc. I am still not convinced about the explanation it just seems too clever yet my experience of using it convinces me it actually works and is my favourite way of vaping, with replay you also get dry burn protection.
The DNA 250C and 75C chipsets also brought us a boost feature which can be set within escribe and allows the initial power to be boosted to i know some people don't like the terminology but it gives an harder hitting vape.
___________________________________________________________________
Changing Things With Escribe
Using the Riva with the Escribe software allows you to alter so many things, as already mentioned you can change how the device can be locked and unlocked but so much more can be done. You can set up profiles, alter boosts, set up temp control wires and even change the colour of the LED on the fire button. I am only just touching the surface and many reading this that are use to owning DNA devices will be far more advanced in using the software than me, there is even a mod section which is an area a novice like me should stay clear of as if the manufacturer has set the device up properly you can only possibly do more harm than good in this section unless you know exactly what your doing.
The one part of Escribe which really appeals to me and will many is the theme designer that allows you to change the backgrounds, where things are positioned on the screen, add extra screens and tabs etc. The photos throughout this review is the default theme but below is a photo of one of my themes now installed!
___________________________________________________________________
Protections:
Atomizer Protection
Short Circuit Protection
Weak Battery Protection
Temperature Protection
Low/High Resistance Protection
Reverse Polarity Protection
___________________________________________________________________
Charging
As well as using the micro USB cable with the Escribe software it also supports 2A balanced charging although as always i personally never recommend charging the batteries in the device unless it's your only option.
The USB supports an On The GO adaptor which unfortunately isn't included allowing the device to be used as a Power Bank!
___________________________________________________________________
Performance And Final Thoughts!
When it comes to performance the DNA 250C chipset speaks for itself so enough said. The only cons i have for this is although i am accustomed to it the fire button is wobbly and the other a con specifically with my sample. As expected you have a cut-out for the USB port and if you look carefully at my photos the port isn't lined up centrally with the cut-out but thankfully it's just within the limits where my cable will still plug in!
Some might not like having a bottom hatch door but i just have never had issues with this design and this seems very sturdy and i have tried to mimic situations to see how easily it might open but it doesn't budge! I know we have seen this short space saving form factor before but not so sure with a DNA 250C device and i find this has a classy look and love both the look and feel of the heavily padded Leather spines. Having so many frame and Leather spine options is a big pro also!
Being a DNA 250C device i find messing about with the device using Escribe really enjoyable especially the theme designer and the Replay feature i find the most innovative performance feature vaping has seen in the last few years! The DNA 250C board doesn't give a Type C option so nothing can be done about that but we do have 2A charging and On The Go support but sadly no adaptor included. The device will comfortably accommodate up to a 26mm atomizer up top but if you don't mind if the front bevelled section has overhanging you can even go another couple of mm's and it won't look too bad!
I must say the overall build quality is very good and this is the first 250C device that i find small enough to take out with me instead of having to swap to a single battery device!
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Very good build quality
Plenty of different spine and frame options
Space saving ergonomic form factor
Good size and weight for out and about
Very comfortable to hold and fire
Colour Screen
Great Performance
Dual battery
200W high powered device
DNA 250C Chipset
Replay Feature
Boost Feature
Easy to use interface
Upload themes or design your own
Tailor device using Escribe software
Fit up to 26mm atomizers without overhang
Use device as power bank (adaptor not included)
2A charge rate
Cons
Wobbly fire button (common to most recent Dovpo devices)
My USB port not lined up perfectly (could be isolated to my device)
No On The Go Adaptor included despite being supported
I would once again like to thank Dovpo for supplying the RIVA DNA250C BOX MOD for the purpose of this review, thanks for reading and stay safe!
https://www.dovpoecig.com/products/riva-...8983101482
___________________________________________________________________
https://www.dovpoecig.com/products/riva-...8983101482
Introduction
Dovpo have impressed ever since entering the vaping market and really haven't made a false move, just recently they have been hitting it out of the ball park with some very successful collaborations that have seen impressive build quality and the introduction of DNA chipsets in many of their devices as well as marketing and manufacturing products for the new brand BP Mods.
The Riva is powered by the DNA 250C chipset which along with the DNA 75C chipset is one on the most acclaimed chipsets available, almost all proprietary chipsets use the DNA model as a benchmark and try and emulate (although unsuccessfully many are getting closer).
The objective of the Riva was to produced a luxurious compact dual 18650 device which is both small enough and comfortable enough in the hand to use when out and about rather than just being a desktop device. Coming in 9 different options including the choice of 3 colour frames, let's check out the Riva!
___________________________________________________________________
In The Box
Contents:
1 * RIVA DNA250C Mod
1 * Micro USB Cable
1 * User Manual
1 * Battery Usage Warning Card
1 * Social Media Card
1 * QC Card
___________________________________________________________________
Aesthetics and Ergonomics
The Riva comes in a quite nice box and on opening sits proudly in full view. The form factor has been seen many times before with a 510 brought forward to allow the device to be shortened, it's basically shaped to give as small as possible dimensions for a dual 18650 device so is as portable and ergonomic as possible to use when out and about. I suppose the lack of creativity could be criticised but then i don't recall a DNA 250C device with this space saving form factor and as somebody who never takes their DNA 250C devices out of the home finding them too big this one was a joy to carry around!
I received the Gunmetal-Vintage Dark Brown option but there are 9 options in total including 3 different frame colours, the options are Silver-Vintage Brown, Silver-Plain Cognac, Silver-Rough Dark Brown, Gunmetal-Pure Gunmetal, Gunmetal-Vintage Brown, Gunmetal-Raw Sand, Black-Birdy Black, Black-Vintage Brown, and Black-Pure Black.
The Spines are heavily padded and real leather and we have a Zinc Alloy frame, once a pair of batteries are added i found it a nice weight, not exactly lightweight but not over heavy! We do have rattle from the fire button when shook as it's that round protruding fire button we have seen on the Odin's and Top Gear but it's just wobbly which kind of gives it character which is a weird thing to say but let's put it this way it's wobbly but is meant to be like that and as the Odin Mini is my favourite single 21700 device i have grown fond of it! We then have the Colour display followed by the customary 3 operational buttons and finally at the bottom an On The Go enabled micro USB port.
Moving to the base we have branding and safety marks and then up top a slightly raised 24mm 510 plate which is raised just enough to protect the surface while giving no visible gaping. Overall the build quality is very good as has become expected from Dovpo!
___________________________________________________________________
Riva Specs and Features:
Size：39.5mm*43mm*80mm
Material：Zinc Alloy + Leather
Weight：151g
Chipset: Evolv DNA250C
Battery: 2 x 18650 Batteries
Output Voltage Range: 0.2v – 8.0v
Working Mode: Variable Wattage, Temperature Control, Replay
Wattage Range: 1.0W – 200.0W
Display: 0.96” Full Colour TFT Screen
Charging: Micro USB 5V/2A
USB On-The-Go power bank
Colours: Silver-Vintage Brown, Silver-Plain Cognac, Silver-Rough Dark Brown, Gunmetal-Pure Gunmetal, Gunmetal-Vintage Brown, Gunmetal-Raw Sand, Black-Birdy Black, Black-Vintage Brown, Black-Pure Black
___________________________________________________________________
Fitting The Batteries
The Riva has a bottom hatch door with both a sturdy catch and tab and even when opened is stiff unlike many of this design that is loose in the open position. The battery door done this way divides opinion i think depending on users own experience and can even be down to the variant of size of the brand of battery used as the more pressure from the battery pressing against the door the more secure and unlikely to open. I am in the liking this type of door camp and have had no issues with the door on the Riva at all! Also it's good to see that orientation is clearly marked in White so very happy!
___________________________________________________________________
Using The Riva
Once a battery is fitted any press of a button wakes the device up and the lock screen is displayed that shows the time, date and battery percentage. 5 clicks of the fire button unlocks the device and takes you to the main screen, 5 clicks again locks the device, as with everything else on the device this can be changed using Escribe to 2,3 or however many clicks you want to lock and unlock the device, you can even choose a different combination of buttons if you wish to stop people unlocking the device and having a vape without your permission.
The screen is very bright and vibrant but with not that much use of colour with the default theme, of course the theme can be changed or you can design your own using Escribe. The device has a select button as well as the 2 navigational buttons so using the device is a breeze. Using the navigational buttons moves you to different fields on the screen which is shown by the field you are on having a background colour surround. When you are on the field you want pressing the select button highlights the field, now you use the navigational buttons to alter the field to what you want, pressing the select button again sets your changes. On the main screen as well as having fields you can alter you have fields like info, preheat and settings which when selected takes you to another screen.
All screens are navigated and altered the same way as the main screen, it is a very user friendly interface in my opinion and the Riva with it's DNA 250C chipset has all the features you would expect from a modern device as well as the Replay feature and Boost which i will cover in the next section.
___________________________________________________________________
Replay and Boost
The Replay feature i love, i would say when i am using any of my 250C or 75C devices i have it on Replay about 80% of the time. To use Replay you need your coil to be using a temp control wire or include a temp control wire in it's make up but temp control as we are accustomed to it's definitely not and temperature is only part of what's going on.
As well as using Replay and watching videos about it i am still trying to get my head around how it actually works, but from my experience and from what i have seen, work it certainly does. The idea is when you find your flavour sweet spot while vaping you can record that vape and then vape in Replay mode and you should get that same flavour with every vape with that juice and coil combination regardless of things like how saturated the cotton is etc. I am still not convinced about the explanation it just seems too clever yet my experience of using it convinces me it actually works and is my favourite way of vaping, with replay you also get dry burn protection.
The DNA 250C and 75C chipsets also brought us a boost feature which can be set within escribe and allows the initial power to be boosted to i know some people don't like the terminology but it gives an harder hitting vape.
___________________________________________________________________
Changing Things With Escribe
Using the Riva with the Escribe software allows you to alter so many things, as already mentioned you can change how the device can be locked and unlocked but so much more can be done. You can set up profiles, alter boosts, set up temp control wires and even change the colour of the LED on the fire button. I am only just touching the surface and many reading this that are use to owning DNA devices will be far more advanced in using the software than me, there is even a mod section which is an area a novice like me should stay clear of as if the manufacturer has set the device up properly you can only possibly do more harm than good in this section unless you know exactly what your doing.
The one part of Escribe which really appeals to me and will many is the theme designer that allows you to change the backgrounds, where things are positioned on the screen, add extra screens and tabs etc. The photos throughout this review is the default theme but below is a photo of one of my themes now installed!
___________________________________________________________________
Protections:
Atomizer Protection
Short Circuit Protection
Weak Battery Protection
Temperature Protection
Low/High Resistance Protection
Reverse Polarity Protection
___________________________________________________________________
Charging
As well as using the micro USB cable with the Escribe software it also supports 2A balanced charging although as always i personally never recommend charging the batteries in the device unless it's your only option.
The USB supports an On The GO adaptor which unfortunately isn't included allowing the device to be used as a Power Bank!
___________________________________________________________________
Performance And Final Thoughts!
When it comes to performance the DNA 250C chipset speaks for itself so enough said. The only cons i have for this is although i am accustomed to it the fire button is wobbly and the other a con specifically with my sample. As expected you have a cut-out for the USB port and if you look carefully at my photos the port isn't lined up centrally with the cut-out but thankfully it's just within the limits where my cable will still plug in!
Some might not like having a bottom hatch door but i just have never had issues with this design and this seems very sturdy and i have tried to mimic situations to see how easily it might open but it doesn't budge! I know we have seen this short space saving form factor before but not so sure with a DNA 250C device and i find this has a classy look and love both the look and feel of the heavily padded Leather spines. Having so many frame and Leather spine options is a big pro also!
Being a DNA 250C device i find messing about with the device using Escribe really enjoyable especially the theme designer and the Replay feature i find the most innovative performance feature vaping has seen in the last few years! The DNA 250C board doesn't give a Type C option so nothing can be done about that but we do have 2A charging and On The Go support but sadly no adaptor included. The device will comfortably accommodate up to a 26mm atomizer up top but if you don't mind if the front bevelled section has overhanging you can even go another couple of mm's and it won't look too bad!
I must say the overall build quality is very good and this is the first 250C device that i find small enough to take out with me instead of having to swap to a single battery device!
___________________________________________________________________
Likes
Very good build quality
Plenty of different spine and frame options
Space saving ergonomic form factor
Good size and weight for out and about
Very comfortable to hold and fire
Colour Screen
Great Performance
Dual battery
200W high powered device
DNA 250C Chipset
Replay Feature
Boost Feature
Easy to use interface
Upload themes or design your own
Tailor device using Escribe software
Fit up to 26mm atomizers without overhang
Use device as power bank (adaptor not included)
2A charge rate
Cons
Wobbly fire button (common to most recent Dovpo devices)
My USB port not lined up perfectly (could be isolated to my device)
No On The Go Adaptor included despite being supported
I would once again like to thank Dovpo for supplying the RIVA DNA250C BOX MOD for the purpose of this review, thanks for reading and stay safe!
https://www.dovpoecig.com/products/riva-...8983101482
___________________________________________________________________
