The Sophisticated SMOK X-Priv Mod Kit Preview

At its current pace, SMOK is going to run out of letters to attach to their growing PRIV line of high-powered Mods. Just seconds after sending my T-Priv 3 preview to our editor, here comes the all-new, sophisticated SMOK X-PRIV Mod Kit, ready for a thorough testing and review.

But, while I’ve been a little tough on the prolific SMOK for dipping into the same well too many times, the X-PRIV is a mod I cannot wait to try. Sure, it seems to have the same two-button control scheme, the same clicky fire bar, and a larger version of its popular display. But there’s just something classier and more mature about the sophisticated SMOK X-PRIV that has our attention.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these specs so I can explain what I mean.

Right off the bat, the promotional pictures of the SMOK X-PRIV seem to show a smaller, more compact vape device, with an increased focus on screen space, and less in the way of unnecessary adornment. In other words, don’t expect to see any top-hatted skulls, tribal bullfighter designs, or Optimus Prime cutaways in the design.

(I think that may be the first time those words have ever appeared together in a sentence.)

Instead of gimmicks, the company is seemingly aiming for an executive-level crowd with the sophisticated SMOK X-PRIV. Nearly the entire front-facing side of the Mod is used for the large display, which takes the proven SMOK ProColor style layout (reviewed here), and expands it to fill the ample screen size.

But despite the available real estate, it doesn’t appear the X-PRIV is a touchscreen or touch-enhanced device, as two well-placed up/down control buttons are available at the bottom corner of the screen. Based on first impressions, the buttons are mostly flush with the front, so it doesn’t ruin the Mod’s clean, sleek lines and understated appearance.

It should also be noted that SMOK has really upped its game with paintjobs and finishes. The days of chipped Aliens (reviewed here) seems to be long gone, as their recent run of anodized, metallic finishes are top-tier, and wouldn’t look out of place on a Mod costing three times as much. My fingers are crossed that the X-PRIV continues this trend.

Also interesting is the seemingly resin plate on the back of the X-PRIV Mod. At first, it looked like any other panel, but I suspect it might be resin because the “Cobra” pattern is identical to the resin drip-tips that come with the TFV12 Prince tanks. Is this all part of a master design shift for SMOK? Or was the tank really designed to pair with the X-PRIV?

We might be able to shed some light on the latter because the SMOK X-PRIV Mod Kit comes with a TFV12 Prince tank and two coils, right in the Box. And the tanks will directly match the color of the Mod, which will be available in an intriguing array of hues, including: Prism Gold, Prism Blue, Prism Chrome, Prism Gunmetal, Prism Rainbow, Black Red, Auto Pink.

(I won’t lie, I’m really hoping a Prism Chrome or Gunmetal one lands on my desk. Fingers crossed.)

Despite its diminutive size, the X-PRIV provides 220 watts of power on just two 18650 batteries. While these power claims seem to get larger and larger, we’re completely confident the X-PRIV will hit this mark, since SMOK continues to optimize this chipset for more efficiency and power output.

Our most recent SMOK Mod tests have seen tremendous performance from this board of late, with some surprisingly good battery life and consistent power throughout. Even with the larger display and smaller size, we expect the sophisticated SMOK X-PRIV to continue this evolution of efficiency and performance.

Under the hood, the X-PRIV will also bring a full complement of temperature control adjustments, TCR settings, coil sensing, temperature limiting and more to advanced users, while keeping things simple to operate. We noticed there was no mention of bypass or other Mods and adjustments in the promotional literature, so we’ll be sure to get to the bottom of that during our week of testing.

What can we say about the Prince that hasn’t already been said countless times on this site? (like here) Well, not much, except for the fact that we now believe our favorite sub-ohm tank was designed to be paired with the X-PRIV – and we don’t even have the Mod in our hands yet!

Even with just promotional materials to work from, there is just something so elegant and “matched” about these two products. We’re definitely looking forward to seeing the pairing in person when it arrives sometime next week.

Despite some recent criticisms, SMOK has done a lot more “right” than “wrong” for vaping products, and the X-PRIV is quickly reminding us why we fell in love with their Mods all those years ago.  Of course, awesome looks and shiny paintjobs aren’t going to sway our review. We expect the X-PRIV Kit to arrive on our desks within the next two weeks, and we’ll have the review up shortly after – stay tuned!

SMOK X-PRIV Mod Kit Specs:

• Tank Capacity: 8ml
• Tank Size: 28 x 63mm
• Mod Size: 88 x 46.5 x 30.4mm
• Power Range: 1W-225W
• Resistance Range: 0.1Ω-2.5Ω(VW)/0.05Ω-2Ω(TC)
• Temperature Range: 200°F-600°F/100°C-315°C

SMOK X-PRIV Mod Kit Contents:

• 1 x X-PRIV Mod
• 1 x TFV12 Prince Tank
• 1 x V12 Prince-Q4 0.4Ω Quadruple Coils(pre-installed)
• 1 x V12 Prince-T10 0.12Ω Decuple Coils
• 1 x Replacement Glass Tube
• 1 x USB Cable
• 1 x User Manual
• 1 x Set of Spare Parts