Pod System Reviews

Smok rpm 4

Si gets hands on with the Smok RPM4 pod mod kit. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....it might actually be a bit of a swan

by Si Davies
Jun 7, 2021

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Supplied by Vape Sourcing UK for review
https://vapesourcing.uk/smok-rpm-4-kit.html
Price: £23.99 (RRP = £35.99 a total of 33% OFF)

*THIS IS THE PRE RELEASE SAMPLE WITHOUT BOX and MANUAL*

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit review

Features

Two Optional Series - Regular & Leather design
Long Endurance, Stable Output, Fast Refuelling
1650mAh Built-in Battery
Max 60W Power
0.001s Firing Speed
0.96Inch TFT Display
RPM 4 LP2 Pod - Compatible with two LP2 coils
RPM 4 RPM Pod - Compatible with all RPM coils
New LP2 Meshed 0.23ohm DL Coil
Stepless Airflow Control
Transparent Oil Window
Latest Leak Proof Technology
Magnetic Pod Connection
Duck-Billed Mouthpiece

Usually I find some of the quoted features to be bloated to say the least, but I see no false claims here though ‘Fast Refuelling’ is a bit tongue in cheek.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit parts

Unboxing

Well this part's easy because I didn’t have a box as it was a sample version. As you can see from the above picture, I didn’t receive a manual either, but here’s what you should expect in the retail package:

1 x SMOK RPM 4 Device (1650mAh)
1 x SMOK RPM 4 LP2 Pod (LP2 Meshed 0.23ohm DL Coil Preinstalled) (5ml)
1 x SMOK RPM 4 RPM Pod (RPM Mesh 0.4ohm Coil Preinstalled) (5ml)
1 x Type-C Cable
1 x User Manual

The inclusion of two different pods is nice to see and offers two different vapes for you to find your preference or as I found, one is good for home use and the other is better for out and about as it uses less power.

Specifications

The official spec list is very bloated but here’s the skinny version and the only stuff you need to know:

Size: 103mm(Height)*25mm(Thickness)*27.9mm(Width)
Weight: 102g(regular series) /107g(leather series)
Battery Capacity: 1650mAh
Power Range: 5W-60W
Charging Port: Type-C Port at 1.5A
Pod Type: RPM 4 LP2 Pod - Compatible with two LP2 coils
RPM 4 RPM Pod - Compatible with all RPM coils
Pod Capacity: 5ml (2ml TPD version)

First Impressions

Without the strip-tease of unboxing, I was straight onto the main course of the RPM4 in the hand. The leather version feels really nice and has an expensive feel to it, the brown leather and the gold metalwork go well together, and the black of the pod and screen contrast well too.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit all angles

There’s so much going on with this design, every face is different and interesting. I even found myself admiring the base, and the use of screws just looks good, the same goes for the screws on the control face.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit screen on top

I will let the photos do the talking with its looks, as a photographer I found the RPM4 was a great model and such a natural poser which looked great from every view.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit logo

I have always been a fan of Smok’s bling designs and the RPM 4 is possibly one of the blingiest pod designs I have seen, especially in the brown/gold version I received. The obvious downside is that the gold is such a fingerprint magnet that I found myself forever wiping it down.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit with coils

Pods

The two pods look pretty much the same but with different coil holes. It’s not easy to tell the difference between the two but both fit into the mod perfectly with zero wobble, and the magnets keep it secure.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit fitment

It is once that you fit the coils that the difference becomes obvious, the RPM version is pretty much the same as older versions but the LP2 pod has an anti-leak reservoir and the coil has an additional O-ring so the airflow is directed through the reservoir. In theory any excess eliquid that would normally leak through the base is now sucked back up through the coil.

Both are side fill via a fiddly rubber tab, which I found it a little awkward to fill as the port is close to the coil, but I soon got used to it and I found it pretty much mess free.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit airflow

Airflow control is achieved via a sliding lever on the back face, sliding it to the left is fully open and to the right is fully closed. Well I say fully closed, but it isn’t as air still gets in making the RPM4 unsuitable for a tight draw MTL. Strangely for Smok, fully open isn’t all that airy so the draw felt slightly restricted for full DL vaping, still usable but I was expecting it to be airier. RDL users will LOVE this airflow setup and the adjustability.

Controls

Bear in mind I had no manual so here’s what I worked out:

5 x Fire = Turns device On/Off
3 x Fire = Locks the Fire button
Press Up/Down together = Locks/Unlocks Adjustments
Press Fire & Down button = Clear Puff Counter (Yes/No option)
Press Fire & Up button = Cycles through colour schemes

That’s all that I discovered, there’s no auto power setting that I can find but the functionality is pretty much as you would expect from a basic pod system. I do like the colour schemes and the fire button locking feature.

The screen layout is really good, Smok have finally realised we don’t need a logo on the screen. Instead a battery bar and percentage is much more useful, everything is clear and easy to read but it isn’t very bright and is pretty much useless in bright outdoor light. I’m not too bothered by this as once you have your wattage set and locked off, you rarely need to look at the screen other than to check the battery status.

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit duck and cover

Performance

I started off with the RPM pod and 0.4Ω coil which is rated as ‘BEST AT 25W’ and had the airflow fully open using 70VG/30PG juice. As mentioned previously, the airflow is a little restrictive for a full dl draw but more than adequate for the 25 watts. I enjoyed the flavour from this coil and the vapour production was surprisingly high. I did attempt closing the airflow off for a MTL draw but nah, it was crap for that (unless you like a sloppy MTL vape?).

Where this kit excelled for me was the other LP2 Meshed 0.23ohm DL Coil which is rated between 25-45 watts. 25 watts wasn’t too shabby if you prefer a cooler vape but I found my sweet spot to be 40 watts which gave a damn good, flavourful, dense vape. The airflow seemed a little looser on this pod but still not what I would call a proper loose DL draw. I found myself vaping shorter puffs as a result but I still enjoyed it a lot. The downside to this pod was that the battery life wasn’t great, it lasted me around six hours of frequent use.

Out of the two pods, I definitely preferred the LP2 pod and coil as it gave a more intense flavour and warmer vape. It also offered a decent enough vape at 25 watts if battery life is an issue. That said, I liked that I could always swap over to the RPM pod which is better at 25watts than the LP2 so I’m glad Smok included the two options.

Charging was reasonably quick and the screen display was perfect as it shows the battery bar animation along with the percentage and the time remaining. It charges at 1.5 Amps which is reasonable for a small device, and from 30% it took less than an hour to get to 100%. General out and about top-up charging was very effective using a USB power-bank which made it a better all-dayer.

I found the locking features very useful, especially the fire button (3 clicks to lock) so accidental firing when stored in your pocket or bag would be rare. I tended to power it off fully mostly as it booted up pretty quick.

Coil life wise, I tested the RPM for a few days but I’ve mainly been hammering the LP2 coil. It keeps up with chain vaping and is still going strong after a week of excessive use, and I expect it to last me a good 3 weeks of general use.

As for the leak resistant feature, I didn’t have any issues with either pod, mostly due to using them regularly. Pods and tanks generally leak when left unused for long periods of time so I suspect even the LP2 would eventually leak if left unused for a few days. I am in the habit of storing pods upside-down to prevent this.

I’m not a fan of the ‘Duck-bill’ mouthpiece though, I wish they had made it a proper ducks bill shape and oval instead of the squared off edges. It beats a ducks ass mouthpiece though (don’t ask me how I know that!).

SMOK RPM 4 Pod Mod Kit duck again

Conclusion

The Smok RPM 4 is a really nice pod kit but the slightly restrictive DL draw makes this kit more for RDL users or sloppy MTL at a push. For me I found it a good option for out and about and in the car. Generally I really enjoyed using this kit and I absolutely loved the styling, despite it being square I still found it very comfortable to hold and vape.

With the above in mind, I think Smok fans will love this kit as much as I do. There are better pod systems out there but few look as good as this if you like enjoy the Smok designs.

Pros

Smok bling styling
Ideal for RDL users
Adjustable airflow
Screen layout is perfect
2 different pods included
Decent 1.5 Amp fast charging and perfect charging screen
Comfortable
Clear pod so you can easily see your juice level

Cons

A little restrictive for full DL
Screen is hard to see outdoors (daytime)

Final Thoughts

I’ve always liked Smok products but rarely enjoyed their pod offerings until this year, not only have they finally nailed MTL pods (Novo 4 and ACRO), they have achieved a damn fine RDL option with the RPM4. It looks and feels posh to me and I often find myself admiring it in between vaping, for me that’s part of the pleasure of vaping.

The easiest way I can describe how much I like the RPM4 is this. As I receive far too many kits to use after reviewing, I more often than not give kits away after I’ve finished reviewing, I fully intended to pass this along but I’m having second thoughts and have already ordered a pack of coils – proof of the pudding?

Scores

Flavour: 8.5/10
Vapour production: 7/10
Styling: 9/10 (obviously subjective)
Quality: 9/10
Value for money: 9/10

Overall Score: 8.5/10 – RPM = Real Posh Machine

Si Davies

Reviewer at POTV

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My background is Engineering and Professional Photography. Mostly from POTV users knowledge I learned so much about pretty much all styles of vaping and equipment, Cloud Chasing, Squonking, Mouth To Lung, Direct To Lung, Pods, Mechs, Rebuild-able tanks and atomisers etc, and have experience with many many devices and atomisers, it's become a hobby and enjoy trying out the latest gear. I like to think my reviews are plain speaking and informative without getting too technical, if I have to resort to reading the manual then I don't consider it user friendly!