SMOK Novo X Review: Good Enough To Upgrade For?

The Novo X is the latest and greatest in Smok’s long line of Novo pod vapes. The Novo X is a little different from previous Novo devices because it features a screen and wattage adjustment up to 25W — a first for a Novo device.

It still looks more or less the same but it’s a little bigger than previous devices and uses new 0.8Ω MTL pods. These pods are not compatible with the Novo 2 or Novo 3 and the Novo X is not compatible with Novo 2 or Novo 3 pods.

I recently reviewed the Novo 3 so its performance is still fresh in my mind. I’m curious to find out if the Novo X delivers better flavor than its older siblings or if it’s just a new Novo that you can change the wattage on. I’m hoping for the former.

This device was sent to me by Vapor4Life for this review.

Box Contents

• 1 x SMOK Novo X Device
• 2 x Novo X DC 0.8Ω MTL Pods
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x User Manual

Specifications

• 92mm x 26.5mm x 16.5mm
• Weighs 50.2g
• 2ml Eliquid Capacity
• 1-25W Adjustable Output
• 800mAh Battery
• Draw Activated
• Uses New 0.8Ω Novo X Pods (Not Backwards Compatible)

Design & Build Quality

The Novo X looks much like previous Novo devices. The design is more or less the same with the front and back panels and thin metal bezel that goes around the bottom, sides, and top of the panels. Compared with the Novo 2 and Novo 3, the Novo X doesn’t feel as sturdy. The panels on my review unit creak and move slightly which is disappointing to say the least.

The big difference with the Novo X is the tiny screen and small power button on the front panel. The screen is extremely small but it’s bright and clear. The button is slightly recessed into the panel but still easy to interact with.

The Novo X is larger than other Novo devices. It’s 92mm tall, 26.5mm wide, and 16.5mm thick. It’s also slightly heavier at 50.2g. It’s still very small and light but the increased size means that older Novo 2 and Novo 3 pods are too small to be compatible with the Novo X. Novo X pods are also not compatible with previous Novo devices.

You can get the Novo X in one of 8 colors: five ‘Cobra’ designs, two ‘Stabilizing Wood’ designs, and 1 resin design. I don’t have one of the stabilizing wood devices on hand but if it’s anything like the Nord 3 then they aren’t real stabilizing wood, just imitation panels. Still, I think that the stabilizing wood options look the most attractive regardless of their authenticity.

Like previous Novo devices the Novo X has a small ejuice viewing slot. When the pod is inserted there’s a clear strip of the pod that remains visible just above the body of the battery. This won’t let you see when your ejuice is low (you’ll still have to remove the pod to check that), but it can be helpful if you tip the Novo X on the side. I find it easier to just remove the pod and check my ejuice level the old school way.

Although there is a power button on the front, the Novo X is a strictly draw-activated pod vape. You can turn it on or off by pressing the fire button five times, or change the wattage by pressing the power button twice and then pressing the fire button to increase the wattage in 0.5W increments.

Overall I like the addition of the screen and power button but the build quality seems to have gone down. The creaking panels make the Novo X feel cheaper than its predecessors even though it looks newer thanks to the screen. The creaking panels aren’t a deal breaker for me but it’s disappointing.

SMOK Novo X Features

The Novo X has variable wattage which can be adjusted from 1-25W. To change the wattage just press the power button twice and then click or hold the button to adjust the wattage. Your wattage is displayed on the small screen along with a battery life indicator (with percentage), your coil resistance, and voltage. When you draw the screen displays a puff timer that takes up the entire screen.

That’s it for the features. There are no modes to change or any other settings.  

Pods

As I mentioned previously, the pods for the Novo X are different than the ones for previous Novo devices. They’re larger with a more substantial mouthpiece but they still hold only 2ml of ejuice. SMOK’s website states that the Novo X comes with two different pods but my unit came with 2 identical 0.8Ω MTL pods. The box states that it comes with two 0.8Ω mesh pods which are the other pods for the Novo X. It’s all very confusing and clearly there were mistakes made but I think that if you purchase the Novo X you’ll be receiving the same pods that I got in the box.

The pod has a black plastic mouthpiece and the larger size is still comfortable to vape on. The rest of the pod is clear which allows you to easily see your ejuice level. The pod is side filled through a small port that is plugged by a rubber stopper. This rubber stopped is quite deep and plugs off the fill port securely.

These 0.8Ω MTL pods are perfectly fine for use with regular nicotine ejuices but they’re really just perfect for mid-strength nicotine salts. I’ve been using 35mg salts with the Novo X and they vape perfectly. The draw is a tight MTL draw with warm vapor at 22.5W. There is no recommended wattage range for this pod so I just tested different wattages until I found a wattage that vaped comfortably. The throat hit is great and very satisfying. The flavor is similar to the Novo 3 pods and good for a low powered pod vape. 

The draw activation doesn’t take a lot of effort to activate and has worked perfectly so far. The ejuices I’ve been using have all been 50VG and I have had some minor leaking. Small amounts of ejuice have collected in the battery and under the pod but I haven’t had any spitback or popping at 22.5W. 

Battery

The Novo X retains the same 800mAh battery size as the Novo 2 and Novo 3. Battery life is pretty good though and I get about 2 days of solid vaping out of a full charge. Considering that this device is still small and compact, two days is respectable. This was at 22.5W too so if you use it at lower wattages you’re likely to get a little bit more battery out of it.

I’m once again disappointed to see that the Novo X still uses micro USB charging. When you plug it in the screen displays a charge timer that tells you approximately how many minutes it will take to finish charging. From completely dead it takes around an hour and twenty minutes to reach a full charge; lengthy for the size of the battery.

Verdict

In my opinion the Novo X is better than the Novo 3, but only because it lets you adjust your wattage. The performance isn’t drastically better and is actually more or less the same. My verdict is this: if you have the Novo 2, pick yourself up a pack of Novo 3 pods and you have a vaping experience that is the best that you can get from the Novo line. If you don’t have a Novo 2 and like the portability of the Novo line, the Novo X is a good purchase. 

The addition of variable wattage just isn’t enough to recommend picking this device up if you already have a Novo 2 or Novo 3. If the flavor was better it would be an obvious choice but that isn’t the case here. The Novo X is a solid device but it isn’t necessarily better than its older siblings.

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