OXVA XLIM C Review: Color Me Impressed!

Product intro and specs

The XLIM C is the latest pod system by OXVA, which is a pretty new company in vaping. They were founded in 2019, so they’ve only been around for three years. It’s a rare opportunity for me to review a device by a new company. I’ve been vaping for over a decade and doing reviews for over six years, so it's always interesting to try something new.

As an interesting trivia, the OXVA brand name comes from combining “OX” (the animal) with “VA” from the first two letters in “vape”—so, basically, ox vape.

The XLIM C is a pod system that’s stripped from fancy features and functions. Its internal battery is listed at 900 mAh, and it comes with 2 mL pods and replaceable coils in three resistances—with two of them included in the package.

Price: $21.99 (at VapeSourcing)

Colors: Gradient blue, glossy black sliver, red, gunmetal, glossy green silver, green camo, black, blue purple, black camo, glossy gold silver.

Build quality and design

The XLIM C is a tiny pen-shaped pod system that is made to take on the go. It measures 114.5 mm x 14 mm x 24 mm and can easily fit in pockets. It also weighs very little but feels really solid in the hand and not cheap at all, probably due to its aluminum alloy body. The fire button features an “X” that houses the LED light and has a few functions I’ll explain in the following section.

The device is offered in a whopping ten colors, so there’s something to fit anyone’s style. There are three basic colors (red, black, and gunmetal,) two camo colors (black and green,) two gradient colors (blue/purple and blue/light blue), and, finally, three glossy colors (green/silver, gold/silver, and black, silver).

I didn’t get any of the glossy ones, but based on the name and pictures, they have a fade pattern that's shiny instead of matte. The glossy green silver looks great in the pics, but in any case, there is plenty for everyone’s tastes. It also comes with a lanyard for those who like to wear vapes around their neck or secure them to their pants.

Getting started

The XLIM C is a pretty typical pod system that’s simple to use, so it's perfect for beginners. It does, however, offer a few adjustment options.

The button acts as a fire button (but the device is also draw-activated,) an on/off button, and an adjustment button. Pressing it five times turns the device on and off, while pressing it three times changes the power level. It cycles each time you do three presses, and the LED shows the power level. You get a range of power, with the output depending on the coil used:

There is also an airflow slider on the side which lets you adjust from a solid MTL to a restricted DL vape. So, the device does allow for some fine-tuning.

Filling the pod is straightforward. The pod itself is magnetic and comes in and out very easily. It’s not tight in there, but the magnets hold it in place well with no wiggle. There is a black rubber plug on the side of the pod that you remove to expose the fill hole. The pod is only about half exposed, so you have to tilt it to check for juice when half or less full, and it’s also kinda hard to see the juice level because it’s tinted.

Overall, the usage is perfect for first-time vapers looking to quit smoking or someone who wants a portable small MTL-RDL vape that offers a level of fine-tuning that other basic pods don’t.

Performance

Testing coil performance on the XLIM C has been kinda fun because I haven’t used their coils before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I've used coils from most companies out there, so I have a pretty good idea of where most of them usually stand.

There are two coil options in this kit; a 0.6-ohm coil and a 0.8-ohm coil. The 0.6-ohm coil fires between 18- 22 watts depending on your setting, while the 0.8-ohm coil fires between 13-17 watts. There is also an additional option available (not included) which is a 1.2-ohm coil that fires between 8-12 watts.

I used 50/50 20-24 mg nicotine salt juices with these coils, and the flavor was great for a pod system. The coils performed at a pretty similar level. The 0.6-ohm coil did seem to produce more clouds, but I felt that the 0.8-ohm coil was actually a little better for flavor and better suited for the device. But really, you can’t go wrong with either.

I was able to go through over 30 mL of juice with each coil too, which is excellent life.  I typically look for around 10-20 mL of life in coils like these.  That makes these coils excellent in my book, and I'm pretty impressed with OXVA.

Battery life and charging

The battery life of the XLIM C seems very good for a device like this. It comes with an internal battery listed at 900 mAh and a charge rate listed at 2A. The port is Type-C, and it’s located at the bottom of the device, so it has to lie down while charging. Not a big deal, but I prefer devices that can stand up while charging.

I tested the listed specs, and for the charge rate I got a max of 1.5A. If I were to rate it, I'd call it 1.5A, so I do consider it a little overrated there. I know most companies round up, but that's a little too far for my liking—most that get rounded up to 2A are at least around 1.6A. For charge time, it’s 40 minutes, so it's really good there—most pods charge in 30-60 mins depending on the battery size, so the charge rate is really good.

For battery size, I got a usable 840 mAh which is excellent. Very fair, and in fact fairer than most similar devices that are usually overrated by 20%. It does have passthrough vaping as well. The LED acts as a battery meter, and it’s the standard three-color setup that most devices go with.

As always, I’d prefer a four-step battery meter, but the three steps have become the industry standard for some reason.

Pros / Cons

Gallery

Verdict

I’ve tried many devices in the beginner-friendly pod vapes category, and I'd be hard-pressed to say any of them are objectively better than this one. At worst, it’s in the overall top five for this style of device!

If you are looking for a basic pod that also offers some adjustments and options, it’s hard to find a better choice. The coils are excellent performers, build quality is great, and battery life is satisfying (and accurately rated). I’m really impressed with my first taste of OXVA and look forward to trying more of their devices in the future.

Have you tried the OXVA XLIM C? How was your experience with the device? Let us know in the comments below.