Summary
- The SMOK Nord C Pod Vape Device comes with an integrated 1800mAh lithium-ion battery and variable output from 5-50W.
- The Nord C charges faster than its cousin the Nord 5, and has a more convenient top-fill system which makes it super easy to set up and use.
- You’ll get an excellent DTL draw from the Nord C. It’s perfectly capable for MTL vaping as well, although you’ll need to dial in the airflow and power settings a bit.
- This device comes strongly recommended for users who prefer DTL vaping and want a compact, high-quality device. If MTL is your thing instead, we recommend checking out a couple of other SMOK options (like the Novo 4).
SMOK is constantly coming out with new editions of their most popular devices, so it should surprise nobody that we’re here today to review another Nord. This time around, we’ve got our hands on the Nord C—which is a bit like the Nord 5’s little brother with an updated look.
The real question is, should you give this new device a shot? We’re big fans of SMOK here at U Vape, but they have a lot of other great devices on the market—and that market can seem a bit crowded, especially lately.
Not to worry. As usual, our crack team of cloud chasers and coil killers is here to give you the low-down on this stylish open pod system. We’ll tell you what kind of experience you can expect if you decide to try this model out for yourself. Here we go!
See Also:
Via SMOK.
Key Features of the SMOK Nord C
The SMOK Nord C sports quite a bit of tech, but the most important bits and bobs are:
- An 1800 mAh integrated lithium-ion battery
- A fire button
- Stepless airflow control
- Variable wattage from 5-50W
- 4.5ml pod capacity
- Compatibility with SMOK RPM2 replacement coils
- A 0.69” OLED screen
- USB-C fast charging
Lots to consider here. And while you can find most of these features in the Nord 5, the Nord C uses RPM2 replacement coils instead (the Nord 5 takes the RPM3 series). This is a small difference, but an important one—you’ll see why when we talk about using the device in a few sections.
First Impressions of the SMOK Nord C
Look & Feel
This is an area where the Nord C scores big points. The textured surface of the device immediately sets it apart from others in the Nord series, and the new colour schemes are lots of fun too.
At nearly the same dimensions as the Nord 5, the Nord C fits nicely in the hand as well. You’ll notice that while these two devices appear to share a lot of the same features on paper, they have a pretty distinct look and feel from each other—the Nord C opts for what we’d call a bit of a sportier look.
Ease of Use
The Nord C’s design does have a few nice surprises—unlike the Nord 5 (which has a bottom-fill system for the pods), the Nord C simply lets you pry the mouthpiece off and fill the pod from the top while it’s still in the device. This is a nice user-friendly touch that eliminates unnecessary hassle when putting in your e-liquid.
Using the Nord C
Charging & Setup
Charging for the Nord C is faster than for the Nord 5—the supplied USB-C charger should fill the battery up in less than an hour and 20 minutes.
The charging port is still on the bottom of the device, which means you have to lay it on its side when charging. This isn’t our favourite feature on SMOK devices, but it’s been pretty consistent across their model range so we’ve stopped complaining about it. The design of the pods has only improved as the brand has grown, so the risk of e-liquid leaking when you do this is pretty negligible (and really, you should be charging up the device before you add your e-liquid anyway).
Flavour Profile & Strength
As an open pod system, you’re not limited for flavours when using the Nord C—although we do recommend choosing your e-liquid carefully based on the coil you’ve installed.
- For the supplied 0.16ohm coil, use e-liquids with a higher VG concentration
- For the supplied 0.6ohm coil, use e-liquid with a 50/50 VG/PG concentration
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Draw Quality
Here’s where some of you might get a little bit divided. The Nord C excels—and we mean, really excels—at DTL vaping. The wide duck-billed mouthpiece allows plenty of vapour to flow through, and using a 0.6ohm RPM2 coil provides rich, satisfying flavour.
Can it do MTL as well? Sure it can—but honestly, this device really shines in the DTL department. We found our best MTL experience at around 15W with the airflow closed pretty much all the way. But even then, your draw is going to be a bit on the looser side.
Longevity
It’s easy to get a full day of moderate vaping out of a fully charged Nord C, and the coils should last 7-10 days if you’re not abusing the device (expect less than a week per coil if you’re going hard). This is pretty typical for most current SMOK pod systems, so you’re getting pretty much exactly what you’d expect.
Should You Buy the SMOK Nord C?
If you’re looking for a compact, customizable pod system that’s easy to fill and great for DTL vaping, the Nord C absolutely rules. It’s a perfectly passable jack-of-all-trades device as well—it’s only if you’re really craving a small device for MTL vaping that we’d recommend looking elsewhere, like the SMOK Nord GT.
To learn more about using and maintaining this device, check out our SMOK Nord C FAQ. And as always, feel free to contact our team at U Vape to have your questions answered by one of our team members—we live and breathe vaping (literally), and we’re here to help.