I would love to be a fly on the wall at a REV-Tech creative meeting. I can just imagine the discussion would start by them looking at every other mod on the market, then throwing all those ideas into a large trash bin. That’s because the fledgling company’s latest – the REV-Tech Nitro 200W Box Mod – is another dramatically different and altogether unique vape device, worthy of your attention.

Part gear shift, part speedometer, part hand grenade – the REV-Tech Nitro 200W box mod is NOT looking to emulate the world’s most-popular vape devices. Instead, this burly, hefty mod is trying to carve its own path toward getting noticed on store shelves.

Unlike the recently reviewed REV-Tech GTS, which was a large, sleek 230-watt monster, the Nitro is a little more “blue-collar.” Instead of shiny, metallic paint frames, the Nitro brings a matte zinc alloy body, with a matched leather-like grip, and a large, round display. Indeed, this represents the other end of the automotive spectrum.

As I mentioned in the preview, if the flagship GTS is REV-Tech’s luxury sports car, consider the Nitro the no-nonsense drag racer. But no matter which one you choose, either one of these powerhouses are designed to perform. It all comes down to personal style.

At 86mm tall, the REV-Tech Nitro isn’t oversized by any means. However, the convex body shape makes it ‘ampler’ in the hand than the ProColor and Revenger mods of the world. Despite a clear theme in its design, the Nitro is a very ergonomic device, fitting well in my notoriously small hands. I had no problems reaching around the device and accessing any of the operation buttons.

A quick note on the speedometer like display. Unlike the GTS screen, which came across to me as choppy and erratic, the Nitro’s similarly designed display is both smoother and more consistent. Perhaps the GTS design was a little overambitious, but REV-Tech gets the theme right with the Nitro. All of my vital information was clearly visible and legible, and the acceleration effect was much more impressive here.

The rest of the Nitro’s accents were equally durable. The oversized, angled fire button is a highlight of the mod, with phenomenal throw and feel. The operation keys are just as nice, with firm, confident clicky-ness, and zero concern of them accidentally going off in a pocket or purse. Within seconds of activating the Nitro, I could operate it without looking – something I don’t say about too many vape devices.

The offset 510 connection was my only concern in reviewing the REV-Tech Nitro 200W Box Mod. This press-fit piece seemed to have a little play when screwing down certain tanks and RDAs, which became more noticeable the longer I tested it. Do I think it’s at risk of coming loose? Probably not. But it does take away from the Nitro’s otherwise bulletproof design.

Despite the Nitro’s “brute strength” exterior, it has quite a bit of precision under the hood. The proprietary REV menu system is a modern interface, designed for effortless navigation and input. And it will be needed, since the Nitro offers a wealth of options within.

The Nitro is capable of full temperature control for all standard wire types, six TCR customizations for more complicated builds, bypass operation, and even a customizable display. Using the REV menu system, I was able to easily make adjustments on the fly, with detailed TC tinkering becoming an absolute breeze when compared to other, more-antiquated menu interfaces. (Getting the TC to read consistently was another story … but more on that in the next section…)

The large round display does a good job reflecting these adjustments. Even though the moving speedometer needle gets most of the space, there is all the relevant data vapers have come to expect in a modern screen format.

I have to say, I rarely mention screen themes and customizations, because these items have little to do with the vaping experience. However, I loved coordinating my screen to match my tanks and their o-rings. Silly? Sure. But it’s so easy to change palettes, there’s no reason to not make these changes to suit your tastes.

When we previewed the Nitro, we couldn’t believe how quickly and efficiently the mod ramped up, and that opinion didn’t change over our week of testing. Near-instant power flew out of the Nitro when engaging the button, and even our lowest-resistance coils had no issue getting up to speed. I don’t know much about the REV chipset, but for pure power users, there are few mods we’ve tested that match the Nitro for quick, potent draws.

Happily, the REV-Tech Nitro hits its full 200 watts with absolute ease. I won’t break down every 10-watt step, but rest assured, the dual-18650s hit their mark with no stutter or slips along the way.

Unfortunately, in temperature control, things got a little dicey. Not “deal-breaking” or even “bad,” mind you. But I noticed that the precision we’re used to from modern mods wasn’t quite there. First, when trying to adjust wattage after setting my coil, I repeatedly got taken out of my current menu screen and taken back to the primary menu.

So far, this was a firmware concern – there hasn’t been an update posted for the Nitro yet, but I’m hopeful one will come along soon to rectify this slip-up.

But there were several other instances where my coils were reading erratically, even with my most-reliable RTAs and drippers. Just to be sure I wasn’t losing my mind (and my coil-building skills), I moved the same RTAs to other mods and saw steady readings throughout. Yet, on the Nitro, I struggled to get my coils to stop jumping.

To be clear, even with the erratic reads, the Nitro vaped well in temp control. But, as someone who isn’t a regular TC vaper, it was a little disconcerting to see ohm readings bounce with every fire.

Moving back to power mode righted the ship and renewed my enthusiasm for the REV-Tech Nitro 200W Mod. As a wattage vaper, these jumps didn’t bother me. But I’m confident a more-experienced TC enthusiast will be able to figure out these quirks.

(I’m also confident REV-Tech will do the right thing and address these items in a future firmware update.)

Finally, I should mention the Nitro’s battery life, which is pretty great. The Nitro might be designed like a muscle car, but it sips power like a Prius. On two fresh 18650s, the Nitro gave me a solid six hours of vaping, including countless menu adjustments, tank swaps and power tests. Under normal, everyday use, I expect the mod to last even longer. Very, very impressive overall.

I am extremely impressed with the REV-Tech Nitro 200W box mod, and with REV-Tech as a whole. After making a strong introduction with the powerful, bold GTS, one would forgive its little brother for not being “as impressive.” However, the Nitro is just as powerful, and might even be a better mod for some, if not for the quirky temp control.

If REV-Tech could marry the precise TC performance from the GTS with the compact form and better display of the Nitro, we would be handing out an A+ without blinking an eye. But, even though the mod vaped well enough in temp control, the oddball ohm readings bring the Nitro down a letter grade.

Still, if you’re a wattage-only vaper, and want a fast-ramping, unique and awesome mod, the REV-Tech Nitro might be a gear worth shifting to when you buy your next device.

Score: B+

REV Nitro 200W TC Box Mod specs:

• Dimensions: 86mm x 57mm x 32mm
• Dual High-Amp 18650 Battery – Not Included
• Wattage Output Range: 5-200W
• Voltage Output Range: 0-8.5V
• Temperature Control Range: 200-600F
• Mininum Atomizer Resistance: 0.07ohm
• Comprehensive Temperature Control Suite
• Supports Ni200, Titanium, and Stainless-Steel Heating Elements
• TCR Adjustments: 6 Memory Modes
• BYPASS Mode
• Preheat Mode
• High-Quality Zinc Alloy Construction
• Racing-Inspired Design
• Centralized Control Face Design
• Oversized Firing Button
• Three Button Adjustments
• MicroUSB Port
• 510 Connection
• Available in Silver, Gunmetal, Black

REV Nitro 200W TC Box Mod contents:

• 1 x REV Nitro TC Box MOD
• 1 x User Manual