Smok Novo 2X Review – Another Ace Starter Kit From Smok!

I have in my mitts the Smok Novo 2X pod kit to review!

The Novo range have brought us the original Novo, Novo 2, Novo X, Novo 4, Novo 2S and Novo 4 Mini.

I have previously reviewed the Novo 2 and found it to be a great little kit!

This range were created as the simplified version of the Nord so let’s see if this is still the case!

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What To Expect From The Smok Novo 2X?

This, as with its ancestors is still a simple to use pod kit.

Luckily this is compatible with the pods from the Novo and Novo 2 devices – so it would be an easy update if you already own these.

You get 2 of the Novo 2X 0.9ohm MTL pods included in the kit but you can also use with plenty of others which are compatible.

The pods will hold 2ml of your own e-liquid and have a top fill port which should help to prevent leaking.

Inside the mod is a 800mAh battery which is charged using the USB Type C port at 0.7A charge rate.

A coloured LED indicator tells you of the status of the mod including the battery power remaining.

The device will automatically adjust the output to suit the coil installed from 12-20W (with a pod lower than 0.7ohm) or 4-14W (with a pod higher than 0.7ohm).

This is super simple to use with no operating buttons so just inhale on the mouthpiece and the device will automatically fire.

A great addition is the airflow adjustment slider to tailor the vape to your preference.

There are 10 colour options to choose from in 2 ranges:

Prismatic IML: Silver Black Cobra, Silver Red Cobra, Green Blue Cobra, Rasta Green Cobra and 7-Colour Cobra.

Regular IML: White Cobra, Black Cobra, Red Stabilizing Wood, Fluid Black Grey and Fluid 7-Colour.

Kit Includes

• Smok Novo 2X device
• 2 x Novo 2X 0.9ohm Meshed pod
• USB Type C cable
• User manual

Smok Novo 2X Specs

• Size: 97×24.5×14.5mm
• Output: 12-20W (lower than 0.7ohm coil) / 4-14W (higher than 0.7ohm coil)
• Battery: 800mAh (internal)
• Display: LED indicator
• Resistance range: 0.6-2.5ohm
• USB Type C port – 0.7A charge rate
• Pods: Refillable, fixed coils – compatible with Novo and Novo 2 pods
• Capacity: 2ml
• Top fill
• Airflow adjustment

Smok Novo 2X Design and Build Quality

I received this in the 7-colour Cobra Prism version which to me is the prettiest colour in the whole range! If any of you wonder who on earth still buys Rainbow colour devices in 2023 – yes it’s me – I confess!

The packaging is great and there are even protective covers over the device which you peel off. The front cover has a QR code for verification. I would keep hold of this as apparently it is also to do with warranty.

The little 13 page instruction manual is all in one language so as you can tell this pretty much covers everything you need to know. I do find the text quite small and there is no download available of this on the Smok website which is a shame for those who need larger writing.

These are the best instructions I have seen in a while, so comprehensive they cover safety and even cleaning and maintenance!

Smok Novo 2X Mod

This really is super pretty!

It has the well known Cobra pattern in colour fading Purple and Blue. This is almost Holographic!

The pattern does look a bit wonky and asymmetrical in places which I thought was a fault, but looking at the manufacturer images it is supposed to be like that. I suppose a Cobra has a few wonky scales in real life!

This has like a plastic shell over the pattern layer, which to me makes it look amazing!

The front and rear have the Cobra pattern and the sides have a Rainbow metal spline. The panels fit so well you can hardly feel the joints.

On the front is the hidden LED indicator – you will only see this when it lights up! I do think it is a bit small but it does the trick.

At the base of the front is the “SMOK” logo in reflective silver and the base of the rear has a bunch of quite ugly text. Sadly there is no real base to this as it just curves so this is really the only place the legal logos etc could go.

The rear also houses the slide airflow control lever which only protrudes 2mm maximum but is still easy to adjust.

The bottom houses the USB Type C port and due to the curvy design this will not stand up on its base.

Inside the pod compartment are 2 spring loaded contacts. I am not sure how the pod is held in, there doesn’t appear to be any magnets on the base of the pod. It is quite hard to pull the pod out of the mod – so there might be a catch or grip of some description. Anyway the pod is not going anywhere without a big tug!

Smok Novo 2X Pod

The pod is compatible with all previous Novo pods, some of which have a side fill port.

However the pods supplied with the kit are the top fill variety – which is not ideal.

You basically have to “snap off” the mouthpiece to access the top fill port. Which sounds easier than it is.

I was having to grip the mouthpiece with my teeth – hence the gnasher marks in my photos – that’s what happens when you photograph a kit that is in use!

This did get easier after a few refills but when you change pods you have to go through it all again.

I would prefer a proper fill port with a silicone cover – they are much easier.

With the mouthpiece out of the way you are faced with 2 ports on the top of the pod. The Red coloured port is refilling and the central Black coloured port is where the vapour comes out. Do not add e-liquid to the centre port.

On the opposite side to the Red fill port is a tiny vent hole which helps to prevent air locks and overflowing when you fill the pod.

The fill port has a kind of valve which you need to press down with the e-liquid bottle nozzle. I found this port to be very tight even with quite slim nozzles – you may find your bottle nozzles too thick and might have to decant your e-liquid into something smaller which is a pain.

The mouthpiece is the familiar flat duck bill style and is super comfortable to use.

The sides of the pod are clear but only 5mm of this clear area is visible when the pod is located in the mod.

On the sides of the pod there are some hard to see engravings, these are a “min” fill level, Legal Logos and the “SMOK” logo. I can’t see any mention of the coil resistance – which could be a pain if you have several pods in use.

At the base of the pod are two metal contacts and what appear to be airflow inlets.

Smok Novo 2X Quick Start Guide

As this is an Auto Draw device – do not attempt to vape until you have filled the pod and let it stand otherwise you will bugger up the pod and get an evil dry hit!

Thankfully to help prevent this, Smok have fitted an Isolation sticker to the pod contacts, so once you have filled the pod remove this sticker.

You will need to charge and fill this to get started – I will walk you through the steps below!

Basic Operation

• Power On/Off = This does not have an on/off switch.
• Vaping = Just inhale on the mouthpiece to trigger the auto fire system.
• Battery indicator = this changes colour according to the battery charge remaining whilst vaping – Green LED = over 70% charge, Yellow / Orange LED = 30-70% and Red LED = less than 30%.
• Battery indicator when charging = same as above and the light will go out when fully charged.
• Adjust airflow = move the airflow slider across to adjust the airflow to your preference.

Protections

• Low battery – White LED flashes 15 times – recharge the device.
• Short circuit – White LED flashes 5 times – clean contacts, replace pod – if this does not rectify the fault the device could be faulty.
• Too low resistance – White LED flashes 4 times, same advice as above.
• Over Time Protection – White LED flashes 5 times – if you vape for longer than 8 seconds the fire operation will cut out to prevent overheating.
• No atomiser (Pod) – White LED flashes 4 times. Follow the advice for short circuit to try and rectify.

How To Charge The Battery

The charging rate is specified as 0.7A.

• Using the included USB type C cable connect the small end into the USB port on the mod.
• Connect the large end of the cable into a suitable USB outlet.
• The LED will cycle through the colours and will go out completely when fully charged.

The charging time for me using a 2A mains charging plug/outlet was around 1.5 hours which is a bit crazy for such a small battery? Modern pod kits often offer 2A charging which takes well under an hour.

How To Fill the Pod

• I would leave the pod inside the mod for this.

  

• Snap off (easier said than done) the mouthpiece by pushing it across.
• With the mouthpiece removed push the filling bottle nozzle into the Red port of the pod and add e-liquid. Do not use the centre Black port.
• Before replacing the pod do a few priming inhales on the pod. This will help to pull the e-liquid through the wicking.
• Replace the pod in the device.
• For first time filling leave the device to stand for 10 mins before vaping to prevent a dry hit or damage to the coil.

How Does the Smok Novo 2X Perform?

I mainly used my own e-liquid mix which is 50/50 PG/VG made from IVG Bubblegum Concentrate at 20% ratio. This is quite high a flavour ratio as I prefer plenty of flavour, but sadly this means it can be a coil killer sometimes.

I add nic salt to approx 6mg strength.

If any of these terms are over your head – have a read of our handy guides below!

• MTL V DTL – A Guide To Vape Styles
• VG and PG in E-liquid – all you need to know
• Beginners guide to E-liquid
• Nic Salt E-liquid

Novo 2X Meshed 0.9ohm Coil

There were 2 of these pods included in the kit so I haven’t been able to test any other coil resistances.

The first few vapes after this was left standing overnight were a bit manky. A weird chemical taste was apparent.

Thankfully this did clear well before the first refill.

As for flavour this is pretty good, but not mind blowing. The heat and throat hit are spot on.

I have no complaints with how this vapes at all, I got all the flavour profiles I was expecting but it didn’t elevate the flavour higher like my Oxva Xlim devices do.

This feels slightly under-powered, just one or two more Watts could make the flavour sing. As this is not adjustable you can’t really change this.

So far I have refilled 10 times (approx 15ml) and the flavour is still the same – so the pod life is going well.

Airflow

This has an adjustable airflow slider which is always a bonus on a simple pod kit.

I would say it ranges from MTL to RDL.

In terms of 0 being fully closed and 10 being breathing fresh air I would rate this as around 1.5-6.

So the adjustment range is spanning two vaping styles effectively.

Mod Performance

The auto draw firing is super quick and adjusting the airflow causes no issues at all.

Some kits struggle to auto draw when the airflow is wide open, but no problems for the little Novo 2X!

Charging time was a bit slower than I would like, especially with a USB Type C, but the rate is less than 1A which in this age is very low. Most kits offer 2A quick charging.

The output regulation seems to work and I only got a couple of weak vapes just before the battery conks out.

I had no malfunctions at all but I would like the LED indicator to be slightly bigger as it is tiny!

Leaks

No leaks at all! Not even a mist of condensation on the pod base – nowt! Drier than 100 Cream Crackers.

Battery Life

This is always a variable depending on your vape habits.

I am quite a heavy vaper and timed my usage – I got between 4.5-5.5 hours vaping with each battery charge. This was approximately 4 pod refills per charge – each refill would be around 1.5ml (due to minimum fill line) so I could vape around 6ml per charge.

Pros

• Stunning finish with the plastic outer shell which feels durable
• Device had protective covers to keep it pristine
• Great instructions (although very small text)
• Compatible with previous Novo pods
• Apart from filling this is super simple to use
• Airflow adjustment is always a welcome addition
• Lovely hand feel super smooth
• Pod is held (too??) firmly in mod
• No leakage at all
• Auto draw fire super quick and not affected by airflow adjustment
• Covers MTL to RDL airflow restrictions

Cons

• I really dislike the snap off mouthpiece fill method it is hard for a lot of people to grip – to rectify buy Novo or Novo 2 pods with side fill ports.
• The pod is hard to grip to remove from the mod
• LED indicator is a bit small
• Device is unable to stand vertically
• No downloadable instruction manual for those who struggle with small text
• Slow 0.7A charging rate, which is very slow for USB Type C

Final Review Verdict

I am so glad to see the Novo range sticking to the simple to use principle. Some of the Novo range tried to get a bit more technical (Novo 4 and X) with screens and adjustments. I think personally that the Novo range should just stick to simplicity.

The Smok Novo 2X is beautifully simple – apart from the horrible top fill design! I find it really hard to grip the pod/mouthpiece and I am sure others will too. It may put people off using this kit. But there are usually people who have zero problems with this method!

This is easily rectified, you can buy some of the other pods (Novo, Novo 2) which have a much more friendly side fill port – so this is an easy hurdle to get over.

Other “cons” listed above are just niggles really as this kit is super well designed and for Smok feels very durable and unlikely to look crappy with wear with the plastic shell protecting the beautiful finish. I will mention that this is quite the fingerprint magnet so you will be constantly rubbing it on your clothes.

It really is great value for money as you get 2 pods and a USB cable included in the kit, which a lot of manufacturers skimp on to save costs.

I have been very spoilt with my OXVA Xlim’s which for me are perfect pod kits so the Novo 2X is not really something I would buy. But I can recommend it as a great starter kit if you replace the hard to open pods.

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