Product intro and specs
The Xros is a refillable pod vape from Vaporesso. It bears resemblance to the recent wave of Caliburn-inspired devices, but its brushed SUS304 stainless-steel body gives it a more rugged and modern aesthetic. The Xros has an 800 mAh internal battery and features both draw activated and push-button operation. The pods hold 2 mL of liquid and utilize 0.8 and 1.2-ohm mesh coils.
What sets the Xros apart from the rest? A few standout features, like adjustable airflow. Plus, the pods are perfect for monitoring liquid levels. They are held in firmly by magnets and remain fully visible when inside the device. Last but not least, the Xros utilizes USB Type-C fast charging.
The Xros has a lot going on in terms of features. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to performance and ease of use. The real question is, did Vaporesso just out-do Uwell? No spoilers! Keep reading to find out.
This device was sent courtesy of Vaporesso for the purpose of this review.
Price: $17.99 (at Element Vape)
Colors: Silver, matte grey, blue, sky blue, rose pink, rainbow
Build quality and design
The Xros weighs in at around 54 grams, with a full pod installed. It stands at 112 mm, 12 mm in width and 23 mm in length. For a size comparison, it’s just a hair bigger than the Caliburn in all dimensions—and about 20 grams heavier. The Xros is still compact enough to slip into the smallest pockets.
I really like the overall design of it. I received the brushed stainless-steel version, which showcases its aesthetics. I find it to be very attractive despite its bare bone look, which I appreciate. It seems to be like a slightly larger and more beefed up Caliburn, that’s made of a heavier steel. There is a subtle Vaporesso logo laser etched at the bottom of it. I really like the black edition, and a few of the other attractive color options.
The USB-C charge port is located on the very bottom of the device. The pods protrude out on top, which makes them super easy to keep an eye on. The device does both draw activation and push-button operation, which seems to be all the rage these days. (I wonder why). The Xros also features the Axon chip to provide a multitude of safety protections.
Last but not least, the airflow can be adjusted on the back of the device by sliding the control toggle. I had to dig my nail in a bit and drag the stopper over to either side. It’s pretty easy to adjust. Once you set it, it stays in place really well. The AFC toggle allows you to go from an airy direct lung draw, down to a tighter and more restrictive draw. More on that later.
Pods
The pods on the Xros have a sharp and boxy design. The mouthpiece is made of a shiny black PCTG material and they’re calling it “clamshell style”. There are currently two pods available for the device, 0.8 ohms and 1.2 ohms, and both utilize mesh coils and cotton wicking. On the inside of the pods, on the bottom, there are four layers of silicon to prevent leaking. So far, I’ve been using the Xros for a few weeks and I have yet to see a single drop leak out. In fact, I haven’t even experienced much condensation at all, which is pretty insane.
The filling mechanism is interesting. When you remove the clamshell mouthpiece, the fill port is protected by little flaps, which is said to help maintain the internal pressure of the pod. It’s not a plug, it's more like a valve. The dropper just slides right through and lets you fill it normally.
I tested the 0.8-ohm pods using regular 3 mg e-juice, and the 1.2-ohm ones with 30-50 mg nicotine salt. I got a good week out of them with the nic salt. Normally, that would be just average. But considering how many refills I got out of it, that’s really good. I was refilling it at least twice a day for over a week, so I was easily able to run about 15-20 mL through them.
Performance
The draw is adjustable using the airflow toggle. There are three air slots. Wide open, you get a more of a restrictive direct lung draw. With two holes open, it’s still restrictive, but not drastically different. On the tightest setting is where you can actually start getting an MTL draw, but it’s still a bit on the airy side. It’s pretty similar to the draw on the Caliburn. If you accidentally hold the device the wrong way, you can accidentally cover up the airholes with your hand, so be mindful of that when using the Xros. You might not be able to hold it the way you hold other similar devices.
I didn't really experience much of a significant throat hit. I tried the 1.2-ohm pod using 50 mg nic salt on the tightest airflow setting—still nothing. If that’s what you’re after, the Xros is probably not the one for you. But if you’re going for flavor, that’s another story. The flavor is excellent. It actually seems to be a bit more intense compared to the Caliburn. In addition, I haven’t got any dry or burnt hits with the Xros whatsoever, which is a beautiful thing.
In terms of vapor production, the Xros puts out a nice cloud. I would attribute that to the lower resistance of the mesh coils and the increase in airflow. For a pod system, it provides a bit more than average vapor production. The temperature is rather cool, but gets significantly warmer as you cut down the airflow setting. But the pods sure do a good job at cooling down the vapor on the two wider airflow configurations.
As far as leaking goes, I haven’t had to deal with any. The pod stays bone dry to the last refill. Its silicon sealing system seems to be working too. The only issue I experienced was some minor spit back after filling. Just make sure to fill the pod slowly and carefully. If you are in a hurry and fill it too aggressively, it can potentially lead to spitback issues if you overfill it.
Overall, the performance is very good. The first batch of pre-production pods gave me some spitback, but it was fixed on the final edition run, which is great news. It’s refreshing to see that Vaporesso took my feedback and improved the pod design within only a few weeks. I still got a few drops of juice in my mouth once or twice, but it’s no longer a major dealbreaker. I found that it can usually be avoided most of the time by filling it carefully and not taking too many extended consecutive puffs.
Battery life and charging
The battery life is 800 mAh, which is a lot more than the 520 mAh of the Caliburn. That’s impressive, especially considering that it’s not that much heavier. It's enough power to get me through most of the day, especially with 30-50 mg nic salt and the 1.2-ohm coils. When I use the 0.8-ohm coils with 3 mg nicotine, it doesn’t seem to last a full day. That’s because I tend to take larger and more frequent puffs with low nic, and the 0.8-ohm coils are a bit more power hungry than the 1.2-ohm ones.
They claim that it charges in under 45 minutes. From my experience it actually charged a bit quicker, but there was probably still some power left in the battery. The Xros also does passthrough charging, so you can sneak in as many puffs as you want while it’s still charging. When the device is charging, the LED will blink red. When fully charged, it lights up green.
The Xros uses the same LED color system as the Caliburn, which is pretty convenient. Green means it’s fully loaded. Blue is about 50% and red means get to the charger! (Those are just my estimates, they don’t specify the actual percentages.) The corresponding color lights up when you vape.
Pros / Cons
Gallery
Verdict
The Xros puts out really good flavor, the pods don’t ever leak, and it has adjustable airflow! It also has a cool modern look and seems like it is built to last. As a bonus, the pods are extremely visible, something a lot of other manufacturers have been sleeping on lately (for whatever reason).
The most obvious product to compare it to is the Caliburn. If you close off the airflow enough, they both offer a similar draw. Not super tight, but a nice restrictive draw that works well with its current coil configurations. The flavor is actually slightly better than the Caliburn. Overall, they are similar in performance but the Xros puts out a bit more power and offers more versatility, with its airflow adjustability and slightly lower ohm coil options.
I did have some minor spitback issues with the first edition of pods that I received. Luckily. they’ve made significant improvements on the final edition run of pods. Props to them. I can now confidently recommend the Xros to people looking for something to upgrade their current setup with.
If you’re looking for a harder hitting, more flavorful and durable version of the Caliburn, the Xros is all that and a bag of chips. I still love my Caliburn, but I think Vaporesso may have a serious shot at “capturing the crown”.
How do you feel about the Xros? Leave me a comment below.
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