Smok Novo 2x Kit
Smok have another MTL focused pod kit in the shape of the Smok NOVO 2X Pod, but can it stand out in the crowd? Read on to find out
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Vape Sourcing for review
https://vapesourcing.uk/smok-novo-2x-kit.html
Current offer price = £16.99
There seems to be a trend of manufacturers releasing special versions of older designs, and the NOVO 2 now has an X addition with a newly designed pod to meet current e-liquids based on disposable flavours which are a bit sweeter and some older pods struggle to wick fast enough. The 2X appears to be Smok’s answer to this issue.
Features
- Compatible With Novo/Novo 2/Novo 2S/Novo 2X pods
- Ultra Lightweight
- 800mAh Internal Battery
- Max 20W Output
- Novo 2X Meshed 0.9oHm MTL Pods
- Best For VG: PG 50:50 E-liquids or Nicotine Salts
- Draw-activated
- 2ml Vape Juice
- Top Filling System
- Adjustable Airflow
- Charging Current: Max 0.7A
Unboxing
The NOVO 2X kit comes in the now traditional box and outer sleeve which wastes less cardboard, and the thinner single language instruction manual is also less wasteful, keep it up Smok!
The kit includes the Novo 2X device, 2 x 0.9oHm pods, a charging cable, and the instruction manual should you need it.
There’s not much to comment on here but everything is adequate and should survive any courier/customs tantrums.
First Impressions and Overview
I was sent the most boring colour of the range so it was hard to get too excited with the device and I just felt like it was an outdated design as little has changed since the original came out. The Cobra mesh pattern is starting to get old now too as Smok have rinsed this style for over four years and it first appeared on the Smok Nord pod kit (it did appear earlier in their 810 drip tips).
The whole thing looked a bit old and a little too basic compared to something like the newer NOVO 4 pod kit but then the penny dropped; the NOVO 2X is supposed to be a basic and simple device aimed at beginners and a more viable option to help crush the disposables market. With that in mind, it started to make a bit more sense, so I put my expectations aside and looked at it from a newcomer to Smok pods.
The Cobra design is quite attractive if you’ve not seen it before and adds a good degree of style to a basic rounded off rectangular shape. The main body is metal and the cobra panels are there to conceal the inners and make it feel more comfortable.
The pod is a press fit without the use of magnets, this works quite well and is a very secure method with no wobble or air gaps which makes the adjustable airflow more effective.
One of the big improvements to the pods is the top fill which is accessed by flipping the mouthpiece off the pod which reveals a red marked fill port (DO NOT pour e-liquid into the centre bore as that’s the actual coil).
The actual fill port is quite tight for standard 10ml bottle nibs and requires a bit of brute force to push the tip in, it gets easier after the first fill. Once inserted, you simply squeeze your e-liquid into the pod and it’s very easy to see the level. There’s a tiny hole on the opposite side to prevent airlocks but e-liquid can escape through here if you overfill it.
Smok provide two of the same 0.9oHm mesh pods in this kit which is an interesting choice, in fact I would call it a smart choice as 0.9oHm mesh is just about ideal for the latest over-sweetened e-liquid ranges based on disposable flavours. The general rule of thumb is around 0.8oHm pods handle these eliquids but 0.9oHm is close enough and uses a tad less power.
There’s a multi-colour LED that’s hidden until lit which is a battery status indicator and illuminates during firing, it’s quite bright and easy to see during vaping but equally it is easy to hide should you want to be more discreet.
The ‘duck bill’ mouthpiece is quite comfortable, the smaller size of it compared to the NOVO 4 makes it feel less squared off and easier to get a mouth seal as a result.
The thickness is quite slim and sits in your hand grip quite comfortably, the height is a little too tall to conceal it fully as the mouthpiece protrudes from your grip, it is also comfortable to pinch grip it between your fingers.
Adjustable Airflow
One of the better features on the NOVO 2X is the adjustable airflow. To adjust it there’s a little slider on one face, left is loose and right is tight. The airflow range is superb and you can get a tight MTL draw from it when closed off. Surprisingly you can also get a decent RDL draw when fully open which I wasn’t expecting. Although the airflow control is simpler than the NOVO 4, I would say it offers more of a range and one of Smok’s best so far.
Performance
Smok’s earlier attempts at MTL used to be quite poor but they have really improved in the last couple of years and pretty much have it nailed in flavour, airflow, and longevity so there were no surprises here, the NOVO 2S gives a superb vape quality and very good overall performance.
The 0.9oHm mesh coil in the pod appeared to be the perfect choice for this kit, it handled the sweet nic salts well and lasted at least 15ml before the flavour started to drop off. Better still, at no point did I experience a dry hit (burnt taste), it performed even better with ‘normal’ 50/50 nic salts and the second pod is still going strong after 20ml, and I expect it to last me close to 30ml.
Battery life was better than I was expecting too and could last up to 3.5-4ml of e-liquid before you get the dreaded flashing light once the battery is too low to vape. You get plenty of warning with the colour LED changing from Green (full charge), Blue (medium charge), and Red for low charge. You can carry on vaping in the Red but ideally you should charge it as soon as possible, eventually it will stop vaping and flash to indicate that it doesn’t have enough power left to vape.
Charging time from the lowest charge was around 50-60 minutes, but under 40 minutes if you charge from the first red warning.
NOVO 2X vs NOVO 4
There are several differences and they mostly fall into new user or experienced user preferences. For me, the NOVO 4 was just better all-round: adjustable wattage, OLED screen, On/Off switch, replaceable coils, and it just looked more stylish.
The NOVO 2X should be more appealing to beginner vapers for these reasons: smaller, lighter, simpler to operate with no buttons, top-fill pods, easier e-liquid visibility, and potentially less leaking issues with the newer pods.
Conclusion
Though the NOVO 2X won’t win any innovation awards, it still stands out as a great starter kit and an easy transition device from disposables. The device is very basic and might not meet more experienced users tastes, but it is still worth considering as a backup device for those users as you cannot fault the vape quality.
But for me, it just didn’t float my boat as I found it a dull looking and felt that Smok didn’t really try to push any style onto this design, sure the vape quality is superb and the new pods make it worth it, but Smok used to come up with exciting and fresh designs. These days it seems like they are going backwards, I mean in style rather than vape quality as on that front they have improved beyond recognition.
Pros
- Compact and ergonomic
- Perfect starter device
- Very effective airflow control (MTL to RDL)
- Easy top-fill
- Leak resistant
- Improved 0.9oHm mesh pods
- Vape quality
- Good battery life
- 45g is impressive and lanyard friendly
- Compatible with older NOVO pods
- Value for money
Cons
Weirdly, I don’t have any actual cons/faults despite me not actually liking this device, part of it is the bland styling but that can be avoided with a different colour choice (some look superb). The basic design is a strength if you view it from a beginners perspective, so I feel that the NOVO 2X should be marked on its merits rather than my personal expectations.
Final Thoughts
Smok used to excite me with their quirky and sometimes outlandish designs, but recent efforts have started to look a bit vanilla. We don’t always need bells and whistles, but a bit of effort should have gone into updating a tiring look. I’m a fussy bugger though and I suspect some folks will actually love the design, if so then they can be assured they will get a great vape from it.
As for me? I will soon forget this device.
Score: 8/10 – WAKE UP SMOK! (Or is there a designer strike?)
Si Davies
Reviewer at POTVMy background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!
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