SMOK Nord 4 Review - The Best Yet?

We all know and love the SMOK brand. One of the market leaders in vape devices, coils and other accessories, they understand the needs of Mouth to Lung (MTL) and Direct to Lung (DTL) vapers. In recent times, one of their key reasons for success is the Nord pod vapes that have hit the market. Starting off with the SMOK Nord, following on with the equally successful SMOK Nord 2 and SMOK Nord X, vapers can now enjoy a bigger and more powerful SMOK Nord 4 mod. In this review, we will look at all the key details and practicality of this device, so you know whether it’s the right fit.

First of all we have to state for the record that the SMOK Nord 4, although a fantastic and much improved Nord, will be generally preferred by DTL vapers, which we will explain in more depth below giving our reasons (which are subjective). Nevertheless, because of the adjustable airflow, the Nord 4 still offers MTL vapers the chance to use this compact little device that neatly fits in the pocket, but also provides key upgrades to its predecessors.

How it Differs From Others in the SMOK Nord Range?
If you’ve found this page, it could be due to a number of reasons. This varies based on what you’re searching for. Perhaps you’re a huge fanatic of the SMOK vapes and just love what they’ve been producing with the Nord range. Alternatively, you could be a new vaper just joining the community after switching from smoking. If so welcome, prepare to see the changes within days once you quit. In most cases, smokers make the transition by testing out the best MTL devices available. This is because they require a similar technique to smoking, inhaling vapour through the mouth to the lungs. For that reason you’ll love or are already a big fan of the previous three SMOK Nords because of its MTL capabilities, in addition to DTL options if you use a lower coil resistance (0.6 OHM coils feature in the SMOK Nord and Nord 2 kits).

First up was the hugely popular and innovative SMOK Nord, which proved a massive hit with vapers of all levels. However, with a maximum wattage of 15W and a smaller battery size of 1100mAh, it’s suited more to MTL vapers, even though you could vape DTL too. Following on from that, SMOK quickly released its younger sibling the SMOK Nord 2, which is a slight upgrade jumping up to 1500mAh, 40W and a 0.69 inch LED screen. 

Both the SMOK Nord and SMOK Nord 2 allow beginner vapers to enjoy a handy MTL vape with minimal fuss, thanks to the 1.4 Ohm coil which can be purchased separately, but the SMOK 2 stands out because the increase in wattage means you can get an even better DTL performance in addition to MTL. Bear in mind the 0.6 Ohm coil for DTL and larger clouds only work with the RPM pod for the Nord 2. If you want to vape MTL with the Nord 2, you need to use the Nord DC 0.8 Ohm coil or 1.4 Ohm with the Nord Pod and a suitable e-liquid. 

The SMOK Nord X differs because of the extended wattage, reaching up to 60W in increments of five while also boasting a waterproof resistance. In a short space of time we have seen three models with slightly altering features, but predominantly remaining the same. Fast forward to the present day and towards the end of 2020, SMOK released a stylish upgrade with the SMOK Nord 4 in several impressive colours. This provides the best DTL experience yet thanks to the adjustable airflow and offers nice flexibility with MTL options too. Let’s check out the further important differences and changes that push the popular SMOK pods in a different direction.

Key Features and Specifications
·Upgraded 2000mAh battery
·Reaches up to 80W
·Dual airflow
·Larger and wider mouthpiece for easy vaping
·2ml capacity and coil resistance ranging from 0.16-1.2 Ohms
·Transparent e-liquid pod so you can see how much is left

SMOK Nord 4 Coils - What Do You Get?
What’s fantastic about the SMOK Nord 4 is the two different RPM pods, pre-fitted with coils that easily slot into the device. You can then remove and fill, while the magnetic attachment makes it easy to clip back on.The device itself provides a refillable RPM2 with a 0.16 mesh coil, which is ideal for DTL vaping large clouds of vapour. Plus, you get an RPM pod too, which pairs nicely with a 0.4 Ohm coil too, so lots of options to combine with the adjustable airflow. Both are labelled so you don’t get the two mixed up as the coils are only compatible with the correct pod.

SMOK Nord 4 - How it Looks and Practicality
Another stylish easy to use mod in the Nord range, which stands out because of the bold colour schemes you can choose from. You can pick colours such white, blue or black depending on preference. With an armoured coating made from zinc alloy, it’s sturdy, reliable and looks appealing to both the user and onlookers. It’s slightly bigger than the SMOK Nord, Nord 2 and Nord X but that’s because of the larger battery size. It’s a real simplistic device with an easy to use screen displayed on the side of the device. With a Type-C charging port at the bottom, even with the long battery life you’ll have no issues when it needs a boost.

For MTL vaping, it is possible with the Nord 4 because of the flexible airflow which can be adjusted on either side to get a restricted hit Mouth to Lung. However, we feel this device is much better suited for advanced vaping Direct to Lung because of this key feature. Practically, when you try with the different coils, the right e-liquids featuring a high VG content and the airflow opened up fully, cloud chasers will love the opportunity with the Nord 4. That extended battery will come in handy too!

How to Use the Device
1.Switch on the Nord 4 by pressing the fire button five times.
2.Another five to turn the device off.
3.Tap the fire button again three times to lock the device, another three to unlock.
4.Looking at the display screen, you have two buttons close together. Press the button on the right to move the wattage up in increments of 5W up to 80W. Tapping again after 80W will round robin back to 5W. Press the left button to go down by 5W if needed.
5.Filling up is easy, which you can see in the diagram below. With DTL coils, remember to prime for the first time before use, adding a couple of e-liquid drops into the holes, proceeding to taking a few dry hits (pulling without touching the fire button). However, with MTL coils, you don’t even need to prime. Just insert the new coil, add the new e-liquid to the tank, checking there is none left from the previous e-liquid if swapping flavours. Leave it to stand for 5-10 minutes. Once that’s ready, pop in the tank and start vaping.

SMOK Nord 4 Disadvantages
1.You always need to remove the pod from the top of the device to fill your e-liquid.
2.Can not lock the wattage mode.
3.Adjustable airflow can be tricky to turn as they are small parts. Also the buttons on the display screen would be easier to press if further apart and not side by side.

Verdict
For everyday Direct to Lung vaping, it doesn’t come much better than the SMOK Nord 4. Considering its size, battery life and ability to produce huge clouds of vapour thanks to the adjustable airflow, all we can say is happy vaping! When you throw in an option for MTL too and the slick design that’s easy to carry around, convenience marries with excellence to highlight why SMOK continues to be a leader in the creation of pod devices.

At under £30 it is a bargain!