Review: Nord GT – Smok

The Nord GT from Smok is a beefy pod. Big battery and big vapour. Designed for direct inhalation, it performs well with no leaks at all. It comes with two interchangeable coils and delivers excellent flavours.

A compact pod with a long battery life

The Nord GT is a fairly compact pod despite weighing more than 110 grams. It has a built in 2500 mAh battery for maximum battery life at moderate power. It is designed for direct inhalation. Stylish and practical, it couldn’t be easier to use.

Technical specs

What’s in the box?
·Pod
·Spare parts
·USB cable
·User guide

A pod for huge clouds

A USB-C port on the bottom of the Nord GT allows fast charging of the built-in 2500 mAh battery. It offers a very comfortable battery life close to an 18650 battery. It is consistent with the power delivered by the Nord GT which, in its original configuration, is designed for direct inhalation. However, a maximum power of 80 W is not necessarily a good thing for a pod. We’ll come back to that later.

On one side of the Nord GT is the black and white screen, a button to adjust the power and an opening that allows the airflow to reach the coil. There is a second identical opening on the opposite side to the first one. For direct-to-lung vaping, the airflow impacting the draw and the feel of the vape has to be optimised as much as possible. The finish of its various assemblies is excellent. There is no play and no sharp plastic, everything is clean and impeccably finished.

On one side of the Nord GT is a slide to adjust the air inlets on the sides. Sliding it to the left opens the airflows and conversely, sliding it to the right closes them simultaneously. The adjustment is precise, enabling you achieve the ideal sensation to suit your vaping stye and the choice of coil fitted.

The screen is bright. You can read it even in bright sunlight. The number of puffs, the coil value, the power selected and the battery percentage are displayed. It’s simple and intuitive to read. The Nord GT is capable of up to 80 W, a huge power for a pod less than 11 cm high. The small button is used to adjust the power level after pressing it three times. There are no difficulties, and you don’t need any particular skill to use the Nord GT, even if you are a beginner.

The cartridge fits on the top of the battery. The shape of the tank means it stays in place without budging at all. There is not much chance of it coming off on its own during transport or outdoor activities.

The coil is inserted into the tank from the bottom. There is a right way to fit it since the coil has two flat areas. The seals ensure there are no leaks.  We particularly like the lever system that locks the coil and holds it in place exceptionally well. It’s simple and, most importantly, effective.

The cartridge can contain up to 5 ml of e-liquid. This capacity puts the Nord GT up there with the best in terms of quantity of liquid available for a pod. Filling it is pretty standard – just lift the silicone tab and insert the bottle tip.

The pod comes with two coils. The RPM 3 0.15 ohm and 0.23 ohm. Both are mesh for excellent flavour delivery with fruity flavours. Although the 0.23 ohm coil used between 20 and 45 W is ideal with a pod having a 2500 mAh battery, we are not quite so convinced by the 0.15 ohm coil. This coil can be used between 40 and 80 W. During our tests, we preferred it at 60/65 W. At this power level, the battery life drops very quickly. At 80 W it would be difficult to vape for a whole day without charging along the way.

Even so, the Nord GT is perfectly adapted to this type of coil. The draw is very pleasant, and the airflows play their role to the full at very high power. The vapour is cool and dense. The flavour delivery is stunning throughout the whole puff. The 0.23 ohm coil is just as good and might be better suited to use all day long without having to recharge your device.

Summary

What we like
·Battery life
·Simplicity
·Two coils
·Vape quality

What we don’t like
·Battery life at high power

REVIEW OVERVIEW

SUMMARY
The Nord GT is a good pod for fans of powerful DL vaping. It is leak-free, practical and easy to use. Its 5 ml capacity is a real plus point to avoid frequent refilling. The poor battery life at high power is a downside.