IQC vs IQ2 Review

IQC vs IQ2 review: DaVinci Manufacturing Quality

With the recent release of the DaVinci IQC to the DaVinci family of quality dry herb vaporizers, many are wondering how it compares to the DaVinci IQ2. Although the IQ2 is a great vaporizer on its own, it needed a few small tweaks to make it great, mainly in regards to its battery. Did DaVinci listen to the community’s feedback or did the IQC fall flat?  In short, the first thing to be noted is that the IQC is cheaper than the IQ2 without any notable loss in performance & In this IQC vs IQ2 review, we will be giving an in-depth comparison to answer all of the questions you may have.

IQ2 (left) vs IQC (Right + Matte Finish)

What’s in the DaVinci IQ2 VS IQC boxes?

DaVinci IQC Kit

• 1x DaVinci IQC Vaporizer
• 1x 18650 Battery
• 2x Stickers
• 1x Users Manual
• 1x 10mm Water Adapter
• 1x 10mm Water Adapter Ce
• 1x Extra Pick Tool
• 3x Alcohol Wipes
• 1x Brush Tool
• 1x 3ft Braided Nylon USB To Type-C Cable’

IQ2 Kit

• 1 x Davinci IQ2 Vaporizer
• 1 x 18650 battery
• 1 x 10 mm bubbler adapter
• 1 x 0.2-gram dosage pod
• 1 x Ceramic extract tab
• 1 x USB charging cable
• 1 x Pick tool
• 9 x Alcohol wipes
• 9 x Pieces organic cotton

IQC vs IQ2 Review Key Features

In terms of battery life, both dry herb vapes come equipped with the same standard 18650 battery that can expect about an hour of use from before needing a recharge. This translates to about six sessions on average per charge, but the IQC is slightly more optimized for lower temperature settings though, so you can get up to an hour and a half of use below 350F / 177C.

One of the key differences in the battery department is the charging times, though. The IQC takes only two hours, while the IQ2 may take up to five hours for a full recharge. While both feature pass-through charging and a swappable battery, the USB-C upgrade has made this a more compatible vape for everyday life or heavy users. The only thing to be noted is that the battery is slightly harder to swap out on the IQC. As well, the USB-C charging function allows the IQC to be used for reverse charging in case you need a little juice in another device, like your phone for example.

What are the IQC and IQ2 Design Differences?

Although both DaVinci vapes have the same exterior aluminum shell, the IQC features a slightly rougher sandblasted matte-finish style. As well, the aluminum mouthpiece of the IQ2 was replaced with a heat-resistant, antimicrobial lid that makes hits cooler on the IQC. Similarly, the zirconia chamber adjuster on the IQ2 was replaced with a silicone one.

There are some other smaller changes to angles and corners to be slightly smoother, but these are very minuscule and have little effect in comparison to one another. The IQ2’s older metallic lid did tend to not stay entirely sealed due to the zirconia ball not perfectly fitting. The IQC’s silicone seems to do a better job at staying sealed, as we found that there’s no longer any leaking vapor as there was on the rare IQ2 session. This may in part be due to the better sealing magnets when the chamber is closed. The mouthpiece itself is intended to also be anti-microbial so cleaning or sharing is less of a worry.  There is also a lack of adjustable airflow on the IQC.

In terms of specifications, both are 1.75 inches wide, 3.6 inches tall, and .97 in length, and only weigh 1/3 of a pound.

Are the IQC and IQ2 vapes similar?

Both DaVinci vapes have the same white ceramic oven chamber. On each dry herb vaporizer, you’ll be able to remove the vapor chamber, 18650 batteries, and mouthpiece. The removable pick for cleaning and packing is still there, and can also be easily taken out when needed.

There is still the same adjustable pear, four pre-set smart path temps., and both kits have the same water pipe adapter for vaporizer bubblers.

IQC vs IQ2 Warranty Review

The IQ2’s warranty can be registered for a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. The IQC 5-year warranty is still longer than most other vaporizers in the market but could be evidence of the IQC’s changes in terms of lower quality components.

Heating IQC and IQ2 Comparison

In terms of heating, both vapes share the same smart heat profiles which go as follows:

1. Starting 350°F / 177°C & increasing to 370°F / 188°C
2. Starting 370° / 188°C & increasing to 390°F / 199°C
3. Starting at 390°F / 199°C & increasing to 410°F / 210°C
4. Starting at 410°F / 210°C & increasing to 430°F / 221°C

The IQC has made a small improvement to its heat-up time, and we think that this is in part due to some small internal changes. On the IQ2, there is a unique feature that allowed for readings of dosage analysis. In this function, you can view the strength and vapor concentrations, but this came as extra hardware required on the vape. IQC instead focuses on improving the fundamentals in terms of faster charging and heat-up times. Both vapes have a maximum heat of 430°F / 221°C and rely on a conduction-based oven which can also be operated with the up and down arrows.

DaVinci IQ2 vs IQC Cleaning Comparison

Cleaning both vapes is almost identical – As resin begins to buildup after a few sessions, it’s a good idea to use a vape cleaning stick to get what buildup you can see off of the vape. Cleaning wipes are also a great choice for the rest of the aluminum shell. If you take care of mouthpiece and chamber every few sessions, each vape will be working well for years to come.

For a full-fledged clean, you’ll have to take everything apart:

1. Take the mouthpiece off (on the IQ2, remove it from the silicon base)
2. Remove the vapor path/pack tool
3. While these parts are off, you’ll be able to clean the interior with cleaning sticks
4. Wait for everything to dry and put back together

How to use the DaVinci IQC vs IQ2?

The IQC works very similarly to the IQ2. To turn the vapes on, tap the power button five times within two seconds. Click the up or down buttons to select the smart path temperature setting that you’d like or click the power button once to go into precision mode and set the temperature manually. The boost mode can also be activated by holding the power button which will raise the temperature maximum until let go. While in smart path mode, you can check the heat by pressing the power once. Toggled Fahrenheit and Celsius can also be achieved by pressing all three buttons at once. After eight minutes, the auto-off timer will power the vape down. Seeing as the mouthpieces are the same, we can suggest either a 10mm Bubbler or a 10mm Curved Cooler to make hits exceptionally smooth by placing it over the raised mouthpiece! For longer sessions on the go, make sure that you pick up a DaVinci dosage pod refill kit to make reloading quick reloads a breeze in combination with a 420 storage keychain. For beginners, you may like DaVinci IQ Glass Spacers to reduce the bowl size without any vapor quality loss. Lastly, a Davinci protective glove case or the DaVinci IQ2 carrying travel case will make travelling with your vape hassle-free.

Can you use the IQC with concentrates?

In terms of concentrates, the IQ2 comes with a better kit for usage with concentrates.  There is an included ceramic dosage disc for concentrates, as well as some cotton swabs you can use as well. For best concentrate use on the IQ2, just place your dabs between two small pieces of cotton to prevent leakage, and then adjust the pearl so that the dosage disc is fitting snuggly. After your hit, clean out any residue. Boom – easy!

With the IQC, there was less included in the kit for concentrate abilities (no ceramic dosage disc or cotton), but, there is also the sandwich method which has grown in popularity among the dry herb vape community recently. To do this, you will still need a DaVinci dosing capsule for best results. Add some finely ground herb and pack it into the bottom. Add your wax, and then pack some more dry herbs on top. Place the cap downwards into the chamber and adjust the pearl to fit it snugly. After an additional heat-up time of thirty seconds after the haptic feedback, take your hit. This method works best with the water piece adapter for more cooled vapor.

DaVinci IQ2 vs IQC Vapor Quality

In terms of vapor quality, the IQC and IQ2 are very similar. As many of the internal parts have remained the same, really only the airflow adjustable dial has changed.  Based on our tests, the polymer mouthpiece is more prone to buildups and is harder to clean as it can’t be soaked in alcohol. The silicone / polymer changes do have their benefits to reducing the overall heat of the vaporizer on long and high heat sessions, but these are traits that users will have to weigh the pros and cons of. For this reason, you may want to pickup a metal mouthpiece insert for your IQC.

DaVinci IQC Vs IQ2 review / Which vape is best?

The DaVinci IQ2 remains one of the best dry herb vaporizers on the market in terms of flavor and quality of vapor, but its battery issues slightly hold it back. Addressing some of these flaws, the new and improved IQC vaporizer has some solid ground of its own to stand on including a shorter charging time, better battery life, and a slightly improved heat-up time.

For those looking for a reliable and portable device that is consistent and more everyday compatible, the IQC takes a slight edge. Despite both vapes being very easy to use, the USB-C upgrade and silicone chamber sealing, make it the better and more modern choice. Although there were some manufacturing quality sacrifices to market the IQC at a lower cost, the vapor quality remains the same and is now better functioning. In general, both DaVinci vaporizers remain ultra-sleek with 18650 swappable batteries, but veterans may appreciate the metal mouthpiece and trackable stats on the IQ2. It comes down to your unique taste!

Which vape do you prefer? Let us know in the comments.

Also be sure to read each individual review:

• DaVinci IQC Review 
• DaVinci IQ2 Review