Intro

The Smok Novo 4 Mini is a stripped-back and shrunk-down version of the recent Novo 4.

It is an easy-to-use device that comes with an inbuilt 900mAh battery, and smart coil recognition features.

The device doesn’t feature a screen, or fire button and solely relies on auto-draw activation, which is quick and responsive.

The pod has a 2ml capacity, side fill, and comes with two 0.9Ω LP1 mesh coils.

The Smok Novo 4 Mini is available in 10 colors:

Regular – White Cobra, Black Cobra, Fluid 7 Color, Fluid Dark Grey, and Red Stabilising Wood

Prismatic – Silver Black Cobra, Silver Red Cobra, Green Blue Cobra, Rasta Green Cobra, and 7 Color Cobra.

Specs & Features

Design & Style

The Smok Novo 4 Mini follows the exact design language of previous Novo devices. It looks, as you’d expect, like a miniature version of the Novo 4 just without a screen.

The USB Type C port is also located on the base of the Novo 4 Mini, which I’m not always a fan of, but with such a small device it’s probably the only place it could go.

The device has a metal body with plastic front and back panels. In traditional Smok style, there is a vast amount to choose from, and thankfully they are not all as garish as the ‘7-Color Cobra’ version we have in for review.

The Novo 4 Mini is pretty lightweight at only 50g, and incredibly compact measuring 91.6mm x 24.5mm x 16.0mm. This makes it a pod vape that’s easy to conceal in the palm of your hand and is barely noticeable in a pocket.

As mentioned above the device is fancy-free, and can only be fired and activated via auto-draw. There are no fire buttons, or screen and therefore no power adjustment.

It does however come with the same airflow control wheel as the Novo 4 (just in smaller proportions). While the control does work to adjust between a tight MTL draw and a restricted DTL, it’s not the best implementation I’ve seen. The wheel is too loose and I’ve often found it moves freely in my pocket, and I’m always having to reset it.

Another minor gripe I have with the design is the LED light which is located just beneath the airflow control. The light is just to indicate battery status, but it’s too close to the mouthpiece to see clearly while you are vaping. I would’ve preferred it to have been positioned on the bottom section of the device.

The Smok Novo 4 Mini is a simplistic pod system that sadly doesn’t feel the most premium of pod systems. That said there’s nothing majorly wrong with the build quality, and at an affordable price, most will be happy with the quality that Smok delivers.

Features

The Smok Novo 4 Mini comes with an inbuilt 900mAh, which can be recharged via the USB Type C port on the base. It has a charging speed of 0.7A.

There are no other features for the device other than the automatic power (smart coil detection) setting based on the resistance of the coil connected. It has a power range of 4 to 25W.

The LED indicator light on the device only shows battery status with the following color settings:

• Green = >70%
• Orange = 30-70%
• Red = <30%

Pods/Coils

The pod for the Novo 4 Mini has a 2ml capacity, which I believe is the same in all regions. While that’s not the largest capacity it is enough for such a small device.

The pod connects to the device via push-fit, and it’s a snug but secure fit. It is the typical duck-billed shape mouthpiece of the Novo pods. As it’s a small pod the shape doesn’t bother me as much as others like it.

The pod is a tinted plastic, but it’s clear enough to see your juice levels through. However as the pod sits quite low into the device, it’s hard to see when your juice levels are low unless you tip the device or remove the pod.

The pod also features a side-fill port, which is a rubber plug with an ample-sized fill hole. It gets concealed when you connect the pod to the device.

The pod uses Smok’s LP1 coils, which push fit into the base of the pod. Smok has put extra O-rings on the base of the LP1 coils to ensure they are resistant to leaking. I can gladly say I’ve had no leaking or juice issues with the device in my time of using it.

Included in the kit you get 2 x 0.9Ω LP1 meshed coils, which a designed for MTL vaping and are best at 15W.

Below is a list of the compatible LP1 coils, with their recommended wattage :

• 0.8Ω meshed (12W)
• 0.8Ω MTL (12 to 25W)
• 0.9Ω meshed (15W)
• 1.2Ω (10 to 15W)

Performance

While the Smok Novo 4 Mini is lacking in features, it is definitely not lacking in performance.

In fact, I was really impressed with the flavor delivered from the 0.9Ω LP1 mesh coils. They don’t quite deliver on the power to get a strong restricted DTL draw but are very good with the airflow cut down for an MTL draw.

That’s really where the Novo 4 Mini shines best in my opinion, as a compact easy-to-use MTL device that delivers good flavor.

I recently reviewed the Smok Pozz Pro, which is a more advanced pod system, and one that I claimed was probably Smok’s best. However, on reflection, I have to say the Novo 4 Mini delivers a better MTL experience, especially if you like a tight MTL draw.

The airflow as mentioned before is a little frustrating as it freely moves around.

Sadly, I didn’t have any other LP1 coils to hand to see how they performed in the Novo 4 Mini. Hopefully, they do a good job, and may even offer slightly more variation and perhaps a better DTL performance.

The 900mAh battery lasts as you’d expect, and with conservative vaping, you could make it through the day. While it doesn’t have fast charging it does only take 45 minutes to charge from dead.

Verdict

Overall the Smok Novo 4 Mini is a good little pod system, but it hasn’t blown me away.

It is a simple to use, compact device that delivers a good vape experience. However, I feel there are better pod systems on the market that can deliver a superior DTL and MTL experience.

That being said I’ve enjoyed my time with it and it’s certainly higher up on my list of Smok products.