Sorry to disagree with you, but I think you've scored big time. You got what I consider the superior version (and I own both) at half price? What's not to like about that?
Newer is not always better. And customers are not always right, they just get to trump aces with their money. The much maligned restricted airflow wasn't an accident, it's no doubt the result of some careful testing and IMO suits the vape very well when the cloud chasers are elsewhere.
And the 'inferior' battery management system (separate 'charge only') and (nearly pure) PA mode originally used is more complex (read expensive to make) and again serves a very useful intended function. What an Engineer, not a Salesman, would design. It protects the battery when in PA mode, something the 'use while charging' version does not do. The battery is 'worked' in such cases, putting miles on it. From an Engineering standpoint this will mean shorter battery life (earlier replacement) without a doubt.
If you want longest battery life the drill becomes much more complex. You have to avoid 'use while charging' as a routine thing, instead discharging down to 'one or no lights' before charging again and watch it to pull it off before it completes they cycle (while the charge LED is still flashing) and never leave it plugged in so it's 'instantly ready to go'.
Otherwise it suffers the same fate cell phones and laptops batteries show when left plugged in (and therefore completely charged). Avoid completely charged if you want maximum life, the battery will die quietly in storage at 100% charge.....which is why they ship to you 'half charged'......the Engineers know better than to keep them fully charged. I'm sure you know a cell phone or laptop that now has abysmal battery life and 'must be plugged in' to work? I predict lots of that with new version Solos a year or so down the road. Battery replacement and more care are the only fix here.
IMO you scored. Given to otherwise identical Solo's I'd advise the older version right now. I intend to stash my new one away and go back to the old style when I've finished playing with it. Might make a good loaner......
Kind of subjective, I find the restriction better on the older version I think, but that's easily a preference thing. If you really want more airflow, the PVHES addresses this just fine IMO.
I'm not sure about other differences we don't know about of course, but strongly doubt there are any significant ones in there. We've beat it up a fair bit I think. Things like the beeps are now shorter????
I don't know how anyone can claim to know how they will play out, all we can do is make some educated guesses based on what we know. One thing that does seem to be happening is the newer versions seem to have more problems? I get it's anecdotal and all for the most part, and may be 'bad batteries', but many have noted it. While early problems seem to be pretty common these days, I think they were pretty rare with the older style?
I suggest the chances of getting to explore the warranty replacement process first hand is much better with the newer version?
It is what it is, I suggest the OP (and all other owners for that matter) enjoy the Solo they have and not obsess over the number on the bottom or what your neighbor has. The older version has an enviable and hard earned reputation for performance and value, IMO the new one will be doing very good if it can come close to matching it in the long run. Newer is not always better. How did 'New Coke' work out for you? Ignore the number on the bottom, enjoy the vape?
Regards,
OF
. Will the stock stems fit into my female for my bubbler? I am getting the wood stem with it but I love the all glass... and the pvhe gong is a literal "pipe dream" for me atm.... lol. Thanks guys.
