Product intro and specs
The XROS 3 is the latest product of the VAPORESSO XROS series, a line of pod vapes that came as a response to those who wanted a Caliburn-style vape but with a tighter draw. But as the Caliburn line evolved throughout the years, the same is true for the XROS line. Now the XROS 3 comes with fully adjustable airflow and a new 0.6-ohm coil that can do some RDL.
The XROS 3 is equipped with a large 1000 mAh battery, takes 2 mL top filling pods with built-in coils, and has a button and an airflow slider. It is powered by the latest edition of the AXON chip and utilizes the COREX heating coil tech that is claimed to keep consistent flavor for longer. And finally, it is released alongside the XROS 3 Mini, a smaller edition with a preset airflow and no button.
I was very impressed by the performance of the LUXE QS, which was VAPORESSO’s latest COREX-powered vape. Keep reading to find out how the XROS 3 compares to the LUXE QS, and which is the best option for you.
Price: $23.99 (at Element Vape)
Colors: Black, navy blue, space grey, icy silver, sky blue, rose pink, royal gold, mint green.
- Pod capacity: 2 mL
- Battery Capacity: 1000 mAh
- Coil resistance: 0.6 / 1.0 ohm
- Charging: Type-C / 1A
- Display: Neon light
- 1 x XROS series 0.6-ohm mesh pod (pre-installed)
- 1 x XROS series 1.0-ohm mesh pod (in box)
- 1 x Type-C charging cable
- 1 x Reminder card
- 1 x User manual/warranty card
Build quality and design
As always, the build quality of VAPORESSO products is stellar. The XROS 3 has the right amount of weight, and everything about it feels high-quality. The button is clicky, the airflow adjustment slider is solid (unlike the Caliburn X where it was noticeably loose,) and the pods are clear and well-made. At 115.1 mm x 23.6 mm x 13.7 mm, it is a tiny bit taller than the XROS 2 and larger overall than the Caliburn A2—but it has a significantly larger battery. But it’s still a compact vape.
As for the design, outside of the thin LED bar at the bottom of the device, there’s nothing special about the looks here. But the bar is a nice touch. It is bright and has a neon rainbow effect, but can be easily concealed if needed. Other than that, it is a simple design, with the colors making up most of the flair. I got the sky blue and rose pink editions, with both colorways being gradient. There are three more gradient color options, along with three solid-colored ones: black, navy blue, and space grey.
Getting started
Using the XROS 3 is very straightforward. It is a button and draw-activated device, and the only adjustable feature is the airflow.
- Push the mouthpiece at its flat side to remove it.
- Fill the pod through the red-marked hole and set it aside for five minutes to saturate.
- Five clicks of the fire button turn the device on/off.
- Set the airflow using the slider on the front (right for tight, left for loose).
- Push the button or just inhale on the mouthpiece to vape.
I wish there were a button combination to turn off the LED bar, but it’s easy to hide it with a finger, especially if you are using the device in draw activation mode.
Performance
The XROS 3 comes with two pods in the box:
- One 0.6-ohm mesh pod (for MTL and RDL)
- One 1.0-ohm mesh pod (for MTL)
The two coils vape very differently from each other, but similar to the LUXE QS, I feel that the pod claimed to be for RDL vaping is better used as an MTL pod. (Note that the device is backward compatible with all the pods of the previous XROS models).
The 1.0-ohm pod is clearly an MTL pod, with the airflow ranging from slightly loose to very tight. It’s a great pod for higher-strength salts, and I enjoyed using it with the airflow halfway open with 25 mg salts. It’s a warm vape and, as with the QS, flavor is great from the first puff. I’ve gone through six full pods, and there has been no drop in performance whatsoever. If you’re opening the airflow all the way, you may need to use the button, but on every other airflow setting the sensor seems very sensitive.
As for the 0.6-ohm pod, it ranges between a loose MTL and a tight RDL. Unlike the QS, the mouthpiece didn’t seem to get hot with RDL vaping, but you’ll probably need to streamline it a bit if that’s how you want to use it. I mainly used it as an MTL vape with the airflow almost fully closed, and I had to use the button for MTL when I opened the airflow around halfway because the sensor was struggling to register some hits. My 20 mg salt felt a bit too strong on this pod, but it was a great fit for my 7 mg freebase juice. As for coil life, I must have gone through eight or nine pods till now, and it vapes like new.
This COREX tech is no joke! Both coils offer amazing flavor, more or less the same as the QS pods. You’d be hard-pressed to find MTL pods with better flavor and longevity on the market right now. They are at the top of my list, and the only device I haven’t tried that sounds like it can give the VAPORESSO pods some competition is the Galex Nano by Freemax.
Battery life and charging
Using the XROS 3 with the 0.6-ohm pod, I managed to go through a bit over 3.5 mL on a charge. That’s very close to the 4 mL I got from the LUXE QS, and once again the 1000 mAh battery seems accurately rated. With the vape being so warm on the XROS 3, battery life is impressive.
The LED bar at the bottom of the device acts as a battery indicator. Once your puff is over (and the light show ends), the color of the bar shows the battery level:
- Green: 70-100%
- Blue: 30-70%
- Red: 0-30%
Finally, the device charges through the Type -C port that’s on the bottom. I timed a full charge at 55 minutes, which seems to be in line with the 1A rating. Everything under one hour is a pass in my book, and with the battery life this device offers, charging speed is satisfying.
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
Similar to the LUXE QS, the VAPORESSO XROS 3 is an excellent MTL vape and an ok RDL vape. The bonus here is that you get adjustable airflow, which allows it to get a bit looser than the QS. As a result, the RDL here is a bit better, especially since the mouthpiece doesn’t get that warm.
The star of the show here is the coil tech, with the COREX pods offering impressive flavor throughout the lifespan of the coils. VAPORESSO has released two great pod vapes in a row (three if you count the XROS 3 Mini which takes the same pods), and their secret sauce is the advancements they’ve made with their coil technology.
I’ll keep using the LUXE QS because it hit my sweet spot with the default airflow and it’s more compact, but if you want the option to fine-tune the draw and feel that you’ll be using it as an RDL vape at times, then go with the XROS 3. It’s a great vape.
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