The Smok Novo 4: An Even Better and Bolder Novo Device?

Smok makes such good pod mods that it is impossible to imagine how they could have made improvements on them. But they did, and the result is the Smok Novo 4. Our testers did an in-depth sampling of this product, and their thoughts on it are written out below.

Table of Contents

• Overview and First Impressions
• Smok Novo 3 vs. Novo X vs. Smok Novo 4
• Unboxing the Starter Kit
• Build and Design Quality
• Battery Performance
• Checking Out the Pods
• Choosing the Best Wattage for the Coils
• How to Get the Most Out of This Device
• Competing Products
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Thoughts

Smok Novo 4 Vape Review and First Impressions

This pod mod from Smok is the latest in a series of excellent pod mods. But is it good enough to carry on this line’s good name?

First impressions said yes.

The Smok Novo 4 looked like a decent mod straight out of the box, and it has some very impressive color schemes. The one our samplers used was red stabilizing. It felt solid and did not rattle or make any other strange noises suggestive of poor build quality.

Nice looking pod. The plastic is a little dark, which might make it hard to detect juice levels. But holding it up against a light nips that problem in the bud right quick.

However, looking at it and vaping it are two entirely different things. After trying this vape, it turned out to be as impressive as it looks.

Safety Features

The Differences Between Smok Novo 3, Novo X, and Smok Novo 4

There are some apparent differences between these devices. The first and most obvious difference is the size. Compared to its predecessors, the Smoke Novo 4 is huge. Still, it is not much bigger than the palm, so it is still comfortable to hold and convenient to transport.

The other two significant differences are the airflow and the screen. The Novo X and 3 do not have airflow adjustment, but the latest model does. Additionally, the Novo 3 does not have a screen, and the Novo 4 does have a screen.

But there are also some similarities. They all use the same form despite being of different sizes, and the pods’ wattage output and juice capacity are the same. Nothing wrong with that. If a feature works or is popular, leave it alone. Only improve what needs improvement.

The Smok Novo 4 Starter Kit

Internal Build Quality and Design

The battery section is pretty solid. It has a long and curved shape, and it feels very sturdy. It should be able to withstand some moderate bangs and pumps. Just do not throw it around like it is one of those mods that looks like a football and can be treated like one.

The firing button is well placed close to the mouthpiece so that it can be pushed with the forefinger or a thumb if turned around. The screen is also well-placed down towards the bottom so that it is not obstructed by the hand.

The airflow control dial is also well positioned. It is on the firing button, and it covers three airflow holes. The dial is rotated back and forth. It can leave all three holes open or closed. Fully closed, it makes for an excellent mouth-to-lung hit, but it is pretty good for restrictive lung hits fully open. At halfway, it is a loose MTL.

Battery Performance

This pod mod uses an 800 mah integrated battery. That might seem a bit small to some people, but for a 25 watt device, that is not too bad. Besides, the coils are meant to be vaped well under 25 watts, so 800 mah is where it needs to be. Expect the battery to last 12 to 14 hours, depending on the settings and frequency of use.

Another pro is that the battery charges pretty quickly. It usually charges in around an hour, give or take ten or so minutes.

The Screen

It is a tiny screen, but nothing fancy or big is needed on a device this size. It is 0.49 inches or 13 x 8.5 mm. It has a basic display that shows the wattage and battery level shown as a percentage and a bar. Beneath that are the coil resistance and a puff counter.

The only problem with the screen is that it is not very bright. While it is ok indoors, it can be hard to read outside, especially on a really sunny day.

Smok Novo 4 Pods

The pods are refillable and use replaceable plug-n-play coils. The only criticism of the pods is that they only hold 2 ml of liquid. 3 ml would have been a substantial improvement over the previous Smok pod mods.

But it is an understandable con because EU regulations restrict tanks and pods to 2 ml. It might be too expensive for Smok to make a set of pods for the EU and another set for everyone else. Even so, 2 ml is not bad for 0.8 ohm coils.

There is not much leaking on this device, and the connection is pretty solid. It is not a magnetic connection, though. The pod connects to the battery via a small bump on the pod that connects to recesses inside the battery connection. That is a little odd because most pod mods have a magnetic connection. But it works, and that is the most important thing.

The only thing is that there is some moisture between the contacts. That is usually the case with pod mods, so occasionally wipe it down with a cloth or old t-shirt. Another thing is that the mouthpieces on the Novo pods are too wide.

Smok Novo 4 Coils

The two coils in the kit are a 0.8 ohm LP1 DC coil and a mesh coil of the same resistance.

The DC coil is best at 12 watts, and it provides a good amount of flavor. Higher or lower than that, the flavor is either not very strong or borders on burnt.

The mesh coil is also pretty good at 9 to 12 watts. At the lower wattage, the flavor is very prominent and produces that sweet drippy feeling at the back of the throat. The nice thing about vaping under 12 watts is getting decent levels of flavor without making obnoxiously huge clouds. But at 12 watts, cloud production comes into play so that the vaper gets the best of both. However, above that, the flavor starts to decrease significantly.

Compatible Juices

Since it uses 0.8 ohm coils, the best juice to use is 20 mg salt nicotine with a 50/50 vegetable glycerin to propylene glycol mix. But the 0.8 ohm coils are not the only ones in that series. There is also a 1.0 ohm coil that works well with liquids with higher nicotine concentrations.

Vapor Production

Anything over 12 watts and these coils are going to produce a large amount of vapor. The amount of vapor may not be comparable to a box mod, but it is pretty good for an MTL vape.

How to Use the Smok Novo 4

Devices like these are easy-peasy. Just follow these steps to get going. Start with the coils:

To fill the pod, remove the plug covering the fill port. The fill port is on the side. Fill the pod and replace the plug, wiping away any spilled juice.

Perform the following steps to start vaping:

Competing Products

Smok Novo 4 vs. Smok Nord 4

These are both excellent pod systems, but they are made for different roles. While the Smok Novo 4 is ideal for mouth-to-lung vaping, the Nord 4 is suited for direct-to-lung vaping. It puts out 80 watts and uses two sub-ohm coils, including a 0.16 RMP 2 mesh coil. It also has a larger 2,000 mah battery, which is necessary because it runs at higher wattages.

Smok Novo 4 vs. Uwell Caliburn A2

In some ways, the Uwell Caliburn A2 is a better vape. It has a long and thin form factor that makes it slightly more comfortable to hold and transport. Also, its mouthpiece is slightly narrower than the duck-bill thing the Novo’s got going on.

But the Caliburn A2 has a weaker 520 mah battery, and it only has one coil in the starter kit. Also, juice also gets through the mouthpiece. The Smok Novo 4 has a larger battery, two coils, and not issues with juice getting into the mouth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pros&Cons

Final Thoughts

This is one of the best MTL pod mods a person can get. It puts out a steady amount of flavor, and it produces solid MTL and restricted lung hits.

It is a little bit oversized, and it would have been nice if they could have narrowed down that mouthpiece a bit. But some people like these mouthpieces, so that will not be listed as a con. However, one thing that is a con is that they could not improve on juice capacity. A 3 ml pod would have been nice, but it is understandable why they did not make it.

Other than that, it is a great mod. Good form factor, if not large, and outstanding hits that are flavorful and tight. Heck, it even puts out a pretty good level of vapor. What more can a vaper ask for?

This product gets high marks from us.

If you have used this device and want to put your two cents in, please leave a comment below.