Vaporesso XROS 3 vs. SMOK Nord 5: Which Is The Best Option?

Is the Vaporesso XROS 3 better than the SMOK Nord 5? How do they compare? I’ve used both extensively – here’s my verdict on which is the overall better option

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The SMOK Nord 5 is an immensely popular pod vape, but so too is the Vaporesso XROS 3. Most would agree that SMOK’s Nord series is more well known than Vaporesso’s XROS pods. But is it better? 

I’ve used both of these pods extensively over the past 18 months, and I have some pretty clear ideas about which pod is best in which area and why.

Overall, one of these pods is the superior option. But there are caveats for both that you need to be aware of before buying. 

Here’s everything you need to know about how the Vaporesso XROS 3 compares to the SMOK Nord 5 before you commit to buying either. 

Design

The Vaporesso XROS 3 has a sleek and slender design that is compact and lightweight, making it highly portable. It measures just 115.1mm x 23.6mm x 13.7mm.

The Nord 5 is slightly larger, with the regular edition measuring 104mm x 25.3mm x 21.5mm and the leather edition at 110.2mm x 25.3mm x 21.5mm. For pure portability, the XROS 3 has a size advantage.

In terms of aesthetics, the Nord 5 offers more striking colors and material options like carbon fiber and leather.

The XROS 3 has a simpler, understated look. For build quality, both are designed well, but the Nord 5’s leather edition is prone to wearing over time.

Coils

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A key advantage of the XROS 3 is the longevity and consistency of its pods and coils. They run rings around SMOK’s coils.

The patented COREX heating system extracts every bit of flavor from e-liquids and prevents a drop-off in performance even after weeks of use. Nord 5 coils average around a week before needing replacement.

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The XROS 3 also provides both a 1.0Ω MTL and 0.6Ω loose MTL pod in the kit, while separate RPM coils must be bought for the Nord 5 to switch between tight and loose draws. This gives the XROS 3 more flexibility.

But the longevity and flavor of Vaporesso’s XROS coils is what really sets it apart from the rest of market – nothing else comes close right now.

Battery Life

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The Nord 5 has a higher 2000mAh battery capacity compared to the 1000mAh of the XROS 3.

The Nord 5 can and will output at higher wattages and this will affect battery life. The lower you run it, the longer the battery will last.

With the XROS 3, you’re limited to low wattage vaping, so the battery performance – while not quite as good as the SMOK Nord 5’s – is more than enough for a day’s worth of vaping.

Heavy users, like myself, will need to top of the XROS 3 mid-way through the day. But this is a fact of life for most pod vapes and the main reason why a lot of vapers stick with vape mods.

Both pods run USB C charging, so you can charge them up pretty quickly. On paper and in practice, the SMOK Nord 5 has the better battery performance.

But I’d still go with the XROS 3 because it has the Nord 5 whipped in every other area.

Performance

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In terms of vapor production, the Nord 5 puts out noticeably more clouds, which is expected given its higher power output.

However, when it comes to flavor accuracy, the XROS 3 pulls ahead noticeably. Its heating technology optimizes flavor, producing layered, nuanced profiles.

The Nord 5 lags slightly behind both in flavor quality, coil longevity, and coil consistency, whereby you can have one coil that lasts 8 days and another from the same pack that lasts 3 days.

With Vaporesso’s XROS coils, performance and longevity are consistant and reliable. I’ve been using XROS coils for 18+ months now and I’ve yet to encounter a dud.

They always last a minimum of two weeks, most of the time much, much longer.

Ease of Use

The XROS 3 keeps things simple, with no screen and just straightforward button controls. The Nord 5 has a more sophisticated output adjustment and OLED screen, but this added complexity could be less suitable for beginners.

Both devices are easy to fill and maintain, however the XROS 3’s pods are transparent so you can view juice levels without removing the pod. This gives it an edge in convenience.

Best Overall

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The SMOK Nord 5 isn’t a bad pod vape. It’s actually really rather good. But this is predicated on the fact that you haven’t used the Vaporesso XROS 3 which, save for battery life, is a vastly superior pod vape in every regard.

The MTL draw on the XROS 3 (and the XROS Pro) is currently the market-leader. The coils are phenomenal, lasting weeks between changes and delivering, once again, market-leading flavor.

The XROS 3 is simple to use, perfect for current smokers looking to switch over to vaping, compact, and really well engineered. My first XROS 3, bought over 12 months ago, is still working flawlessly.

There’s a reason why Vaporesso XROS 3 has been sat at the top of VapeBeat’s best pod vape guide for over 12 months. And you just learned it. The damn thing is more or less flawless.

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