SMOK Novo Pro Review: Big Upgrades and a Few Missteps

Product intro and specs

The SMOK Novo Pro is the newest member of the evolving Novo family, which began back in 2018. We’ve seen a dozen versions of these popular pod vapes over the years, each building on the success of its predecessor with minor improvements.

Considering past successes, expectations are likely high for the new SMOK Novo Pro. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking innovations, it does offer some upgrades from the comparable Novo Master. Some of these features include an OLED screen, fully adjustable power, a 1300 mAh battery, 1.6A charging, and new 3 mL pods.

On top of that, the Novo Pro is cross-compatible with previous Novo pods. This makes it a safe investment for Novo fans, as it allows them to continue using their favorite pods in an upgraded device.

Keep reading to learn how the Novo Pro performs and whether it's a worthy addition to the Novo lineup.

Price: $18.99 (at Element Vape)
Leather series colors: Matte black, white, black gun metal, cyan, pale pink, purple pink, cyan blue
Regular series colors: Red black, green black, pink black, silver black, silver carbon fiber, black carbon fiber

Build quality and design

The build quality of the SMOK Novo Pro is neither impressive nor disappointing. It’s just a solid little pod system. Like its predecessor, the Novo Master, the Pro features a zinc-alloy chassis accented with plastic panels (IML-injected). The rounded edges make it extremely comfortable in the hand. It can be a bit of a fingerprint magnet due to the glossy finish, but this could vary depending on the colorway.

The device also has a small rubber pad on the bottom to make it easier to stand. Small touches like this are usually worthy of applause, but this one seems unnecessary; the bottom platform is tiny, so standing the Novo Pro upright is going to be a challenge, with or without the added grip.

Subjectively, the size and weight are perfect. The Novo Pro weighs 59.2 to 64.2 grams (dependent on the series) and measures 112.0 mm x 24.6 mm x 14.6 mm. It’s an incredibly pocket-friendly device. You can even puff on it hands-free if desired. 

Lastly, the SMOK Novo Pro features a single button on the front and an airflow switch on the side. The button feels great. It doesn’t rattle and isn’t prone to accidental pressing. The airflow switch, on the other hand, is quite loose. This makes retaining a particular airflow setting difficult, especially if you put the device in your pocket or purse.

Clear meshed Novo pods

While maintaining compatibility with other Novo pods, the Novo Pro is also debuting a new range of “clear meshed” pods. These pods utilize a side-fill system, which might seem like a downgrade. However, by eliminating the top-fill design, SMOK was able to increase the e-liquid capacity to 3 mL. The new pods are lightly tinted, but the e-liquid level can be seen without much difficulty.

Getting started

Filling the SMOK Novo Pro should be easy, but some effort is required. The new pods have a rubber plug on the side for filling. While the plug feels durable, it can be a chore to open for those with trimmed nails. Also, because of the narrow confines of the pod, it’s difficult for air to escape as you add liquid. You may need to tilt it in multiple directions to achieve a full refill.

Once the pod is filled, operating the SMOK Novo Pro is a breeze. The single power button controls all of the settings (aside from airflow).

• On/off: five clicks
• Wattage adjustment mode: three clicks
• Turn button activation on/off: four clicks
• Puff counter clear: remove pod, then hold down the button while inserting pod

The 0.42-inch OLED screen displays the power setting, puffs, battery life, and resistance. After clicking the button three times, the wattage can be adjusted upwards in one-watt increments. It round-robins when you reach 30 watts.

I have two minor criticisms of the screen layout. The battery status is represented by a tiny bar, and the puff counter is only three digits. A percentage battery indicator and a four-digit puff counter would have been ideal.

On a positive note, the intelligent chipset is a joy to use. Simplicity at its finest! When you insert a pod, the power automatically adjusts to the recommended wattage. The wattage can still be adjusted; this is just a good starting point. And if you remove and reinsert the same pod, it remembers the previous setting. Note that it will default to the recommended wattage if you power off the device or switch to a different pod.

Another handy upgrade is the option to lock the fire button. The SMOK Novo Pro is both button and draw-activated by default, but you can disable the firing button by quickly clicking four times.

Performance

The airflow is one of the standout features of the SMOK Novo Pro. Regardless of the setting, it is beautifully smooth. No turbulence or sharpness to report. This is perfection! Again, I do feel the adjustment switch is too loose, but the performance is fantastic nonetheless.

The device comes with two pods in the package: a 0.6-ohm pod and a 0.8-ohm pod. Neither the intended vaping style nor wattage ranges are listed on the pod, manual, or website. Thankfully, the recommended wattage feature will get you in the ballpark.

I tried both pods as restricted direct lung (RDL) vapes, and an additional 0.8-ohm pod was also tested for mouth-to-lung (MTL) vaping. Let’s discuss their performance.

0.6-ohm (RDL)

At first, this pod provided a great RDL experience at the recommended setting of 18 watts. I used one of my favorite fruity menthol e-liquids (70% VG), and the flavor really popped. Unfortunately, this romance was short-lived. This pod frequently delivered semi-dry hits, even after reducing the wattage. I only put about 10 mL of e-liquid through it before throwing in the towel.

0.8-ohm (RDL)

Using the same e-liquid, the flavor was comparable to that of the 0.6-ohm pod—maybe even slightly better. I still experienced occasional semi-dry hits, but not nearly as often. Overall, I enjoyed the performance; I just wish I could’ve gotten more mileage out of it. After about 22 mL of e-liquid, this pod was toast.

0.8-ohm (MTL)

This is where the SMOK Novo Pro truly sings. The 0.8-ohm pod really came to life with a proper MTL e-liquid and tighter airflow. The flavor was saturated and well-defined. I don’t think it’s up there with juggernauts like the Caliburn A3 or XROS Pro, but I could use this all day without any complaints. However, its longevity was slightly inferior to the other 0.8-ohm pod I tested; the performance started to plummet after hitting the 20 mL mark.

Battery life and charging

SMOK seriously stepped up their game in the battery life department. While previous versions had a capacity of 450-1000 mAh, the Novo Pro boasts a whopping 1300 mAh! That’s impressive for a device of its size. 

Based on my experience, you can go through about 7 mL of e-liquid before needing to recharge. The Novo Pro has a USB-C port and a charge rate of 1.6A, so it only takes about 43 minutes to bring a dead battery up to 100%.

My only complaint here is the charging indicator. When you plug in the device, the OLED screen shows the battery status and the estimated charge time. The problem is that this display disappears after nine seconds. Sometimes it flashes for a split second when you press the button, and sometimes it doesn’t! Ideally, I’d like to see the charge status displayed throughout the charge. Or, at the very least, stay on for a few seconds after pressing the button.

Pros / Cons

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