SMOK Nord Pro Review: Going Back to The Basics

The SMOK Nord Pro is the latest ‘Nord’ series pod vape from SMOK. Previous Nord devices have steadily become more complicated with the additions of displays, wattage adjustment, and airflow adjustment, but the Nord Pro goes back to the basics with its features; or lack thereof.

There is no display, no wattage adjustment, and no airflow control on the SMOK Nord Pro. It’s as if SMOK went back to the original Nord and refined the design to bring it into 2022. It has an 1100mAh battery that charges through a Type-C port and it features both button and draw activated firing. The airflow can also be set in two ways, depending on how you insert the pod.

SMOK slogan for the Nord Pro is “Simplicity Evolved”, and that certainly seems like the selling point for this device; it’s simpler to use than other Nord devices and this should appeal to beginner vapers. However, I’m curious to find out if it also lives up to the expectations of an experienced vaper like myself.

Box Contents

• 1 x SMOK Nord Pro Device
• 1 x Nord PRO Empty Pod (3.3ml)
• 1 x Nord PRO Meshed 0.6Ω DL Coil
• 1 x Nord PRO Meshed 0.9Ω MTL Coil
• 1 x Type-C Cable
• 1 x User Manual

Specifications

• Size: 96mm x 18.9mm x 29mm
• Weight: 71g
• 1100mAh Battery
• 25W Maximum Wattage Output
• Type-C Charging
• Two airflow modes: DL & MTL

Design & Build Quality

The SMOK Nord Pro is easily identifiable as a Nord device from just a quick glance. The design is modern and nearly identical to its predecessor, the Nord 50. It’s an attractive device and it’s available in many of the same colors as the Nord 50 too. 

When it comes to the size, the Nord Pro is most similar to the original SMOK Nord. It’s 96mm tall, 18.9mm thick, and 29mm wide; nearly identical to the original. It’s also the lightest Nord series device yet and only weighs 80g. 

This is a great size and weight for a pod device. It’s small enough that it’s portable, but not so small that it will get easily lost. It also has enough weight to it that it doesn’t feel cheap but it’s still light enough to take on the go.

As I mentioned in the introduction, the Nord Pro doesn’t have a lot of features. There’s no display and no wattage adjustment, which makes this the most simple Nord device since the original. There’s a fire button with an LED indicator but that’s about it.

With no wattage adjustment, the Nord Pro functions a lot like the original Nord. The device will automatically set the wattage according to the coil that you use and this output wattage will decrease as the battery dies.

You can vape with the Nord Pro by either drawing on the mouthpiece or by pressing the fire button to vape. You can also toggle the button activated firing on or off by pressing the fire button 3 times. This is useful for when you throw it in your pocket or bag so that it doesn’t accidentally activate while it’s in there.

While there’s no airflow adjustment dial on the Nord Pro, there are actually two airflow modes. Depending on which way you insert the pod the Nord Pro can be set to provide either DL or MTL airflow. The draw will also depend on the coil that you use but the orientation of the pod does make a big difference. 

On the right side of the Nord Pro, just under where the pod connects, you’ll find an arrow. On the sides of the pod itself you’ll find MTL on one side and DL on the other. All you have to do is insert the pod with the arrow pointing to your desired airflow mode and that’s it. It’s an extremely simple and straightforward way to change the airflow. Confused? Learn more about the difference between MTL and DL vaping.

Pod & Coils

The Nord Pro comes with one 3.3ml pod and two coils. The pod is similar in design to the pod for the Nord 4 and Nord 50, but the Nord Pro is only compatible with Nord Pro pods. Pods from previous Nord devices will not fit. The pod attached magnetically to the battery by way of 4 magnets (one on each corner of the pod).

The mouthpiece is a duckbill shape that is comfortable to vape on. Like other Nord pods, this pod has a dark tint which makes it difficult to see your ejuice level unless you hold it up to a light source. 

The Nord Pro uses new Nord Pro-Meshed coils that are specific to this device. These coils have a smaller diameter than previous Nord coils, and this means that the Nord Pro is not compatible with previous Nord coils for other Nord devices.

The Nord Pro is compatible with coils for the original SMOK Nord and with Nord DC coils. The list of compatible coils includes:

• Nord PRO-Meshed 0.6Ω
• Nord PRO-Meshed 0.9Ω
• Nord Regular DC 0.6Ω
• Nord DC 0.8Ω
• Nord Mesh-MTL 0.8Ω
• Nord 0.6Ω
• Nord 1.4Ω regular coil

Two Nord Pro-Meshed coils come included in the box: one 0.9Ω coil for MTL vaping and one 0.6Ω coil for DL vaping. The 0.9Ω coil is best used with nicotine salt eliquids and will fire at 15W. The 0.6Ω coil will provide a restricted direct lung draw and is best used with regular, freebase nicotine ejuices. This coil will fire at 20W.

Coils are push-fit into the bottom of the pod. There’s also a lock that ensures the coil stays securely in the pod. This lock is a hinged lock that swings out to remove and clicks into place when locked. I’ve never had issues with a coil backing its way out of a pod before but SMOK says that it’s for childproofing. I guess it would work in that regard, but I still think that it’s an unnecessary feature.

Filling the pod is as easy as one would expect. There’s a rubber plug on the side of the pod that can be removed, which can then be filled with your ejuice bottle. The hole is barely big enough to allow 60ml needle point nozzles in, so you can expect to have some difficulty filling it with larger tip 100ml bottles.

How to Use the SMOK Nord Pro

The Nord Pro is the most beginner-friendly Nord device since the original so beginners won’t have an issue getting set up to vape with it. There are only a few simple steps to follow:

1. Choose the coil that you’re going to use. If you’re planning on using nicotine salt ejuices, you’ll want to use the 0.9Ω coil. If you are going to use regular freebase nicotine ejuices, use the 0.6Ω coil.
2. Remove the pod from the battery and open the red lock on the underside of the pod. Push your desired coil into the bottom of the pod. Now close the red lock.
3. Open the rubber fill port and fill the pod with your desired ejuice. Remember not to use nicotine salt ejuice with the 0.6Ω coil unless they are very low strength (less than 20mg strength). When you’re done filling, reinsert the rubber stopper and ensure that it’s closed properly.
4. Insert the pod into the battery and wait 5-10 minutes for the coil to saturate. 
5. Once you’ve waited the 5-10 minutes you can press the power button 5 times to turn on the Nord Pro. 
6. Now you can either draw on the mouthpiece to vape or press the fire button. If pressing the fire button does not activate the device, press the fire button 3 times quickly to toggle the fire button on. It should now allow you to press the fire button to vape. You can also do this if you want to toggle off the button activated vaping.
7. Take note of the arrow on the side of the Nord Pro and look at what it’s pointing to on the pod. Is the arrow pointing at MTL or DL? This is the airflow. MTL will be a tighter draw, while DL will provide a looser draw. Confused? Learn more about the difference between MTL and DL vaping.

Battery

The Nord Pro has an 1100mAh battery — the smallest of any recent Nord device, and the same size as the original Nord. However, because the Nord Pro only fires at up to 25W (the Nord 4 fires up to 80W and the Nord 50 at up to 50W), battery life is still decent. 

I vaped for two days per charge when using the 0.9Ω coil, and for a day to a day and a half when using the 0.6Ω coil. Battery life isn’t as good as some other pod vapes on the market but it’s also not going to hold the average vaper up from enjoying this device.

The Nord Pro uses Type-C charging so it charges fast. It also features pass-thru charging so it can be vaped on while it charges. I timed a charge at approximately 40 minutes. This is quick and means that there isn’t much downtime at all.

The LED on the fire button will tell you your battery charge level but only if you press the fire button twice. It will then light up in one of three colors:

• Green: 70%+
• Orange: 30-70%
• Red: Less than 30%

Performance

The Nord Pro comes with a MTL coil and a DTL coil. It also has a MTL mode and a DL mode. Not many vapes can actually do both well, regardless of how they’re advertised. In my experience though, the Nord Pro does a decent job of doing both.

The 0.9Ω MTL coil is a good coil and it does MTL vaping well when set to the MTL airflow mode. It’s a loose MTL draw but I liked the experience of vaping nicotine salt ejuices with it. I used 30mg strength salts but this coil can be used with higher strength salts too. With the airflow set to DL, this coil delivers a slightly restricted DL draw. It’s not my preferred way to use this coil but it’s not a bad draw.

The 0.6Ω coil is the one meant for regular nicotine ejuices and true DL vaping. When set to the MTL airflow setting it’s a restricted DL draw that works well for low strength nicotine salts. I wouldn’t try vaping anything above 20mg here though. When set to the DL airflow setting that’s exactly what you get; a direct lung draw. Regular nicotine ejuices vape well and provide a vaping experience that is good, but I wouldn’t place it up there with subohm tanks or anything. It’s a good backup DL device but I would not use it as my main device if I was only into DL vaping.

The Nord Pro generally delivers good performance but it does have its flaws. The most major performance issue is the leaking. Using 60VG ejuices I would always have ejuice collected around the sides of the pod when I removed it. I did not have ejuice pooling in the battery portion, which is good, but there is still a slight leaking issue with both coils.

The draw activation works really well and does not take a lot of effort to activate. Even when using the DL coil on the DL airflow setting it’s still easy to draw-activate without pulling too hard.

Verdict

The Nord Pro is the easiest-to-use Nord device since the original but the performance remains on par with other recent Nord series pod vapes. This is a device that can be used for either MTL or DL vaping and it does both well enough that I wouldn’t mind using it for either purpose. However, MTL vaping is where the Nord Pro excels and this is where vapers will get the best use out of this device. 

Being able to quickly and easily change the airflow just by flipping around the pod is convenient and gives a little more variety over a set airflow device. Most MTL vapers will find the 0.9Ω coil and MTL airflow setting to be just right for medium-high strength nicotine salts.

The Nord Pro does have its flaws though. Minor leaking and ejuice around the pod isn’t a deal breaker (I never had ejuice pool in the bottom of the battery), but if you’re after a completely leak-free device then this isn’t the one.

Overall the Nord Pro is a great device for MTL vapers and nicotine salts and new vapers will appreciate the good flavor and simplicity.

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