NOVO 2 Pod Vape Review – SMOK’S Best Pod Mod?

There’s no telling which pod vape system is going to be the one that’s ‘just right’ for you. I suppose that’s one reason there are so many different devices on the market right now, with always more on the way. That being the case, is anyone really surprised that SMOK followed up on their NOVO Pod System (review) with the new, best of class,  NOVO 2 so soon?

Outputting 25W, and sporting an 800mAh integrated battery, is it any wonder our reviewer of the MOTI Vape Pod System was so lukewarm in his/her review? Even the retail price, $19.99, is almost $10 less than our previously reviewed MOTI.

Details of the Smok Novo 2 Pod Vape System

Vastly upgraded, the SMOK NOVO 2 Pod System outshines the original NOVO. Sure, on the outside not much has changed in the way of the shape. The faux-resin finishes on the NOVO 2 replace the “prism’ (SMOK’s description) pattern, otherwise they look pretty much the same. We’ll get to those faux-resin finishes later on…

The NOVO 2 is draw-activated. Offering a 2mL capacity pod. Designed to work best with today’s nicotine salt e-juices, I found freebase nicotine 50:50 PG/VG blends, at 6mg nicotine to satisfy my vape needs best.

 NOVO V1 Pod System

 450mAh battery

Wattage Range 10-16W

1.2-ohm and 1.5-ohm cotton coil pods

NOVO 2 Pod System

800mAh battery

Wattage Output – 6-25W

1.0-ohm 1.4-ohm MESH coil pods

 Most all pod mods, the NOVO 2 uses a draw-activated firing method to vaporize the juice in the Mesh coil, 2mL pod. Designed to work best with today’s nicotine salt e-juices, I found freebase nicotine 50:50 PG/VG blends, at 6mg nicotine to satisfy my vape needs best.

NICOTINE LEVELS – NIC-SALT AND FREEBASE

Like others here at Spinfuel VAPE, nicotine salts have way too much nicotine for me, and the power of the NOVO 2 with a 30mg or 50mg nic-salt hits way too hard. Most juice makers have moved to 70% VG in their freebase nicotine line (which I use 99% of the time) or have created a nic-salt version of their best-selling flavors.

If you don’t need the extremely high nicotine levels of nic-salts, The Plume Room still makes their own e-liquids, most with 50:50 or 60:40 blends. These juices work like magic in the NOVO 2 vape pod system.

Using the original chassis and applying a multicolored faux-resin ‘look’, the NOVO 2 certainly becomes a more eye catching vape mod. The original NOVO Cobra Prism pattern over several basic colors might still be preferred by some, but the multiple improvements of V2 are overwhelming.

The faux-resin finishes are:

Green & Red

Yellow & Purple

Red & Yellow

Black & White

Blue & Brown

7-Color (Rainbow)

Blue & Black

My review unit was the Black and White faux-resin as it was the most subtle color combination of the bunch.

Now, about that 800mAh battery life… If you vape this pod mod as you would a normal cigarette, meaning the equivalent of 15-20 cigarettes a day with an MTL (mouth-to-lung) style then you just might get up to 10 hours of vaping on a full charge.

REAL LIFE BATTERY LIFE

To achieve this 10-hour battery life you’ll need to use nicotine-salt e-juice if you are looking to curb your craving for nicotine. If, on the other hand, you don’t have a nicotine addiction (and most vapers that have been vaping for a year or more do not), then a low nicotine 50:50 e-juice blend will provide the best flavor and the shortest battery life (because you’ll vape more often for the pleasing flavor).

Pod Coils for the NOVO 2

The NOVO 2 Pod System uses a new 1.0-ohm MESH Pod that can be used as a Direct Lung device, and a 1.4ohm MTL Pod. Both “can” operate with regular (freebase nicotine) eJuice or nicotine salts. The 1-ohm MESH coil is far better with freebase 50:50 e-juice than the 1.4-ohm MTL coil pod. Both pods have a 2mL capacity for juice.

By far, the DL 1-ohm MESH Coil offers a denser flavor and a more voluminous vapor output. Before the NOVO 2 I did not use a pod mod except for reviewing nic-salts, but now I do carry a NOVO 2 with the 1-ohm coil pod and any number of 50:50 PG/VG e-liquids from The Plume Room.

Conclusion & Pros/Cons

When reviewing vape gear reviewers never take the time truly needed to offer their assessment of the device they are reviewing. To tell you that the NOVO 2, or any other mod or atomizer will last a long time, never break down, and so on, it would take months to evaluate properly. By then a newer, upgraded model would be released.

So, we work with that we can. Here at Spinfuel VAPE we take longer to get our reviews published than just about anyone, especially YouTube reviewers who must deliver their glowing reviews within a couple of days of receiving it, lest someone beat them to the punch. We just don’t work that way.

3 WEEKS OF USE IS MINIMUM

With regards to the NOVO 2, I’ve had mine for 3 weeks, and was 90% ready to write my review in 2 weeks. However, because there were so many improvements from the NOVO 1, I needed an extra week and a few more refillable 1-ohm MESH pods to make up my mind on whether the NOVO 2 deserved a grade of “B” or a solid “A”.

In the end, that extra week with the NOVE 2 allowed me to be somewhat sure that SMOK had every intent on putting out a pod system that would satisfy pod users. However, SMOK also wanted to attract users like myself, a 200+ Watt Mod, 0.25-ohm Sub-Ohm Flavor and Cloud Chaser, that needed a stealth vape that could do the job when required.

WHAT DO WE DO?

I’m certainly not going to ditch all my hobbyist vape gear and Hi-VG e-liquids in favor of ANY pod mod device. But, in all honesty, my NOVO 2 gets plenty of use, at night, watching TV in bed, without complaints from my wife. That right there, was worth that $19.99.

SMOK Novo 2 Pod Replacements

E-Juice Capacity: 2.0 ml

Pod Type: Refillable

Atomizer Coil Material: Kanthal

Resistances: 1.0 Ohm (MESH) , 1.4 Ohm (MTL)

Wicking Material: Organic Cotton

For Use With: Smok Novo 2 Pod Starter Kit

1 x Smok Novo 2 Replacement Pods (3 Pack)

SMOK Novo 2 Pod Replacements

Optimized for the groundbreaking Novo 2 Pod

Upgraded construction to accommodate Novo 2 Pod’s power bump

New variants, including a 1.0-ohm Mesh Pod and 1.4-ohm MTL Pod

Ample-sized 2.0ml e-liquid capacity

Priced to fit any enthusiast’s budget

100% authentic Smok