VAPORESSO XROS 5 & XROS 5 MINI Review: Worthy Upgrades

Design & Build Quality

The XROS 5 and 5 Mini both conform to the tall and slim form factor favored by the vast majority of modern pod vapes. There have been a few design tweaks from the previous versions in the XROS range, such as a change in the screen size and the button placement on the bigger model, and a change of position for the airflow slider on the Mini. But overall, both are very clearly VAPORESSO XROS devices.

In terms of size, both devices also fall well within the norms for this type of vape. The larger of the two comes in at just over 120mm tall, about 25mm wide, and nearly 15mm deep. The Mini, as is expected, is slightly shorter at 110mm, but otherwise almost the same size. The “Mini” tag is likely there to show that it has fewer features than the XROS 5, as much as it is to tell users that it’s smaller.

The XROS 5 series vapes feel well-built and solid, combining a metal body (likely zinc or aluminum alloy) with plastic front and back panels. Both devices benefit from those plastic panels when it comes to weight. Despite featuring an impressively large battery, they only weigh in at 73g and 65g, barely enough to feel either one in your hand, your pocket, or your bag.

Both devices are available in a pretty decent range of colors, ranging from the standard blacks, blues, and reds, to slightly more individual shades of pink and purple. There are several that have pearlescent tints and color gradients, and nearly all feature a patterned background. Suffice it to say, there is going to be a color or design that suits almost anyone (if the color and pattern on your vape is something that informs your buying choices).

Pods

The pods for the XROS series combine almost every element of what constitutes good pod design for me. They sit almost entirely above the body of the vape when in the magnetic socket, making them easy to remove and leaving most of the e-liquid reservoir visible.

To help with that visibility, they are clear and untinted. I have long been slightly puzzled why some pods are tinted so dark that you can’t see inside them, like we need to hide our vape liquid or something. The pods are also top-fill, which is another thing I wish more vape brands would introduce in their devices.

As mentioned, the XROS pods are top fill, hiding the fill port under a snap-on/off mouthpiece. This makes them, as they have been almost since the very first XROS device, almost completely leak-proof. The only time I experienced any leaking was from the airflow channels at the bottom of the pod, when it started to fail after more than two weeks of heavy review-writing use. And even then, the amount of e-liquid was minimal.

You get two pods with the XROS 5, a 0.6Ω and a 0.8Ω version, and a single 0.6Ω pod with the 5 Mini. If you prefer a higher or lower-resistance coil in your vape, compatible pods ranging from 0.4Ω to 1.2Ω are available separately.

The pods that come in the kit with both of the XROS 5 devices use the new, upgraded COREX 3.0 technology. COREX 3.0 uses coils with a new Hive Mesh structure, improved Chimney design, a Nano-Microfiber wick, and Aerospace-Grade high temperature resistant materials.

This, VAPORESSO says, allows each coil to deliver richer aroma reproduction, better flavor delicacy, and an overall smoother vaping experience. VAPORESSO’s COREX coils have been much lauded over the last few years, and this latest version of the coil tech looks set to continue that trend. COREX 3.0 is due to be rolled out across the whole XROS pods range, but at the time of writing this review, it is only available in the 0.6Ω and 0.8Ω pods.

Features

If you are at all familiar with VAPORESSO’s XROS devices, you’ll know that they are not complex or difficult-to-use vapes. They are designed to be easy to operate, and they are aimed at users who are looking for exactly that from their vape. They have stuck to this strategy to great effect for years, and XROS has subsequently become one of the most popular pod vape ranges in the world. But that isn’t to say that these vapes don’t have any features.

Let’s start with the practical ones. The XROS 5 offers adjustable airflow, a bright and sharp 0.88-inch color display, and adjustable wattage. Even the wattage adjustments are simple, with only the choice of Eco, Normal, or Power modes available. Unless, that is, you are using the 0.4Ω pods, in which case the wattage control switches to incremental. This allows RDL vapers to much more finely tweak the power to achieve their preferred vaping experience.

The display is very good, providing you with all of the key information you need at a glance. This includes current power mode/level, battery level, puff count, and button lock status. If you so desire, there are also six themes to choose from, allowing you to personalize the device to suit your style. The themes range from “Black” to “Pink”, to “Watch”, and “Rainbow”, and can be changed by tapping the button twice, scrolling through the list of themes, then long-pressing the button to select it.

The adjustable airflow is also very good. The slider moves smoothly and has enough resistance to prevent it from getting knocked out of place all the time. The slider lets you choose between three airflow levels: full open, half open, and closed, which should be more than enough for most users.

When closed, the draw is pretty tight, which is great for MTL vapers. When fully open, and with a low-resistance coil in place, it allows just enough airflow for a half-decent RDL vape.

The XROS 5 Mini is a different story in terms of features. It is far more “basic”, offering an airflow slider, a simple LED battery-level indicator, and not much else. The wattage level does adjust, but it is controlled entirely automatically based on the resistance of the pod you’re using. But hey, for the users the 5 Mini model is likely aimed at (e.g. people who want a simple, reliable, plug-n-play pod vape), fewer features and the resulting lower price tag are probably good things.

You might get an acceptable RDL vape out of it if you use the 0.4Ω pods, but it’s probably better to think of the Mini as an MTL/Loose MTL device.

Battery Life & Charging

The battery in the XROS 5 series vapes is a big plus for anyone who spends their days away from possible charging points. At 1500mAh in both the XROS 5 and 5 Mini, the battery capacity is 50% larger than the XROS 4, and is even larger than the 1200mAh of the XROS Pro.

I would expect a 1500mAh battery to power a vape like this for around two days, and that is exactly what I experienced. That said, the power setting you are using will obviously have an impact on how long a full charge lasts.

I used the XROS 5 in Normal mode for the majority of the test period, and usually managed two full days before I needed to plug it in. In Eco mode, it can easily extend to another day if the vape is not used heavily. If you choose to vape in Power mode, expect the battery life to drop by at least half a day from the Normal average.

The XROS 5 Mini doesn’t offer manually adjustable wattage, but the power does adjust automatically depending on the pod resistance (this is also true of the XROS 5 power range). Using the 0.6Ω pod that comes with the kit, which I would assume sets power to around 16W-18W, the 5 Mini also lasted me two days on average. This average will no doubt adjust up or down slightly depending on whether you are using a 1.2Ω or a 0.4Ω pod.

To make sure users aren’t waiting too long for the battery to recharge, VAPORESSO has opted to use a USB Type-C port in the XROS 5 that is rated for fast 3A Super Charging. And it truly is fast! During my tests, a full charge from empty took a mere 34 minutes.

The USB port in the Mini is only rated for 2A, so charging is still quick at an average of 48 minutes, just not as fast as its bigger brother. Helpfully, and this is something I believe more vapes should have, the charge time remaining is displayed on the screen whenever the XROS 5 is plugged in. No more guessing based on how long a bar takes to fill.

Performance

If I were forced to put the new XROS 5 devices into a single vaping style category, I would undoubtedly choose MTL. But categorizing either of these devices, and certainly the XROS 5, as a pure MTL device would be wrong. The RDL experience isn’t as good as you might find with a device that has more airflow, higher power, and a bigger range of low-resistance pods, but it is an option for those who want it.

The setup that worked best for me with the XROS 5 was the 0.6Ω pod filled with low-strength freebase, wattage set to Power mode, and the airflow fully open. I would probably switch down to the 0.4Ω pods when it comes time to buy new ones, but even with the above setup, I could happily vape my preferred style (RDL) all day and feel complete satisfaction.

When it comes to the 5 Mini, again I preferred it with the 0.6Ω pod rather than the 0.8Ω, but both produce good amounts of vapor. The COREX 3.0 coils work equally as well, and I really didn’t miss being able to change wattage on the fly for the several days I was using it. As an RDL vape, it isn’t perfect, but the MTL vapers out there should enjoy it a lot.

The XROS pods and the coils inside them can handle either freebase or salts equally well. I tested both with a fairly high-strength freebase liquid in the pod, which can tend to be a bit harsh, and the COREX 3.0 coil smoothed it out far better than many of my other similar devices could.

The pods are reliable and last well, producing good flavor and vapor for weeks at a time. The first pod I used during my review period, also the one I hit pretty hard and tested at all power settings, lasted nearly two weeks before it started to fail and the flavor dropped off slightly. If you’re a light vaper using a high-resistance pod, this lifespan is likely to be considerably longer.

VAPORESSO XROS 5 vs XROS 5 Mini

The XROS 5 and XROS 5 Mini share some similarities, but there are also some significant differences between them. To make the differences more easily understandable and comparable, we’ve created this easy reference chart for you below:

Verdict

No matter if you are a new vaper, someone looking to make a change from another brand/series, or someone already using an earlier XROS device, the XROS 5 and 5 Mini should both be high on the list of possibilities for your next vape.

Both devices performed almost exactly as well as I expected for each of them: reliable, simple to use, and with admirable battery life. The capacity bump up to 1500mAh, coupled with the 3A charging on the XROS 5, is enough on its own to make upgrading from an earlier model in the series worthwhile.

The XROS 5’s simple wattage adjustment system is good enough to make it completely viable as either an MTL or RDL device, and the fact that this switches to an incremental control system upon inserting the 0.4Ω pod is a clever and welcome touch.

The COREX 3.0 coils are fantastic, really pushing up the flavor and smoothness levels of my favorite e-liquids, even beyond the already impressive COREX 2.0 coils. I tested both COREX versions side-by-side, and while 2.0 is very good, the latest version was noticeably better on my tastebuds.

Despite lacking adjustable features and settings beyond the airflow, the XROS 5 Mini is still able to provide an enjoyable and satisfying vape experience. It works with all of the same pods as the XROS 5, from 0.4Ω to 1.2Ω, and has the added benefit of being about as simple to set up, use, and maintain as any device currently on the market.

The XROS range has been a hit with pod vapers almost since day one, and these latest additions seem set to prolong that love story. Although they add nothing groundbreaking or particularly unique to the family dynamic, there are enough tweaks and improvements to make them worthy successors to their older siblings.