Vaporesso XROS 3 and XROS 3 Mini
Vaporesso sent over the new XROS 3 and XROS 3 Mini for us to look at, so which will be best for you?
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by Si Davies
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Supplied by Vaporesso for review
https://www.vaporesso.com
Price TBC
I missed the XROS 2 but the original XROS impressed me a lot! It was one of the first ‘back to basics’ pods that focussed on pure vape quality in a simple form, so here we are with a version 3. I check out what’s new, but I suspect the vape is going to be mighty fine.
- Size: 115.1mm x 23.6mm x 13.8mm (Mini 99.2mm tall)
- Battery: 1000mAh
- Pod Capacity: 2ml
- Charging: USB-C 5V/1A
- Neon Battery Indicator
- SSS Leak Resistance
- Pulse Mode Axon Chipset
- MTL and RDL
- Adjustable Airflow
- New Corex Pods (0.6ohm & 1.0ohm)
- Slimmer Mouthpiece
- Flip-top Filling
Unboxing
I received both the XROS 3 and XROS 3 Mini, the main focus of this review will be the main XROS 3 but I will cover the Mini along the way. The XROS 3 comes in the new Vaporesso packaging with a bold outer sleeve showing your colour choice.
The full kit is held in a blown plastic layer and the manual is in an envelope on top.
It’s a basic starter kit with the device, a charging cable, and a skinny manual, but you do get two different pods which are both the new Corex mesh 0.6ohm and 1.0ohm, and both have the new slimmer mouthpiece.
The XROS 3 Mini is a lot more basic, the packaging is a simple carton style with a blown plastic inner tray.
You don’t get a second pod so you only get to try the 0.6ohm one. There’s a charging cable and an instruction manual/leaflet and a pod filling guide, but that’s your lot. This kit appears to be aimed at those that want to spend less to try out the vape and even though it’s basic, it’s still a much better alternative to disposables and I’m guessing that’s the point of the Mini 3.
XROS 3 Overview
The size is fairly compact considering it has an internal 1000mAh battery; 115.1mm x 23.6mm x 13.8mm, and weighs just 46g making it an ideal lanyard vape, and there’s a little feature that makes it better for this compared to the original:
The sides are indented slightly so a lanyard won’t block the air inlets which are two tiny holes on each side. Overall the style is very minimal, but the two-tone gradient colour scheme gives it the main style, and the metal fire button is colour matched and has a mirror finish around the edge.
The branding is very discreet as the logos are etched and more visible as you rotate it in the light, overall the styling is simple but elegant.
The other side has the airflow adjustment slider which is much better than the original as it has two set holes or you can fully close it off, it also feels easier than the original with a smooth sliding action.
The mouthpiece is indeed slimmer and feels a lot more comfortable (the original was a bit square). The base is one of the most noticeable differences as Vaporesso have made it far less sharp and you can really tell the difference, at the time of the original the hard base was my only niggle so I’m glad to see this change.
The other big change is the ‘Neon’ light which is now in a narrow slit at the base, the colours mix and change during vaping with some pleasing colours, and the battery status colour shows at the end of each puff. The light is quite subtle and easy to cover if you want to stealth vape.
The pod is a magnetic fit and there’s a strong connection, there’s no wobble or rattle at all, and the pod sits deep so it never pops out in your pocket or bag.
You get two all new pods to try (only one in the Mini kit), and both are Vaporesso’s ‘Corex’ technology. I have no idea what that means but I can tell you that they are even better than the original pods but more on that in ‘Performance’.
So you get a 0.6ohm (red) which will suit both MTL and RDL and a pure MTL 1.0ohm (black), both have the new slimmer mouthpiece which flips off to reveal the fill port.
This means you can refill it without removing the pod from the battery and makes it more convenient to fill on the go, with practice you can do this with one hand.
XROS 3 Mini
The Mini is a different animal, there’s no fire button or adjustable airflow and the height is shorter at 99.2mm. Surprisingly the battery capacity is still the same 1000mAh. The styling is different also as it has a textured face on the front and is smooth on the back.
It has the same ‘Neon’ light at the base and takes the exact same pods although you only get the 0.6ohm one included to keep the price down, and it may be a more attractive option for those wary buyers that don’t want to fork out on the bigger kit.
The shorter size makes it more pocket friendly and discreet in the hand, the lack of a fire button can be a bonus as it won’t pocket fire but then again you cannot completely turn it off. As for the lack of airflow control, it surprised me as it met my fussy MTL needs but RDL was very tight so I would choose the bigger kit for that.
Mini vs Disposable?
It’s simply a no-brainer for the advantages you get over a bin-fodder disposable; the vape quality is better, the battery life is better, it’s rechargeable, the e-liquid flavour choices are humungous, the pod will last you around 8-10 refills, and you’re not throwing electronics into the bin, and all that is without mentioning the money saving. You will save a fair bit even on the initial outlay and it will only get cheaper as you only have to replace the pod after that. The only disadvantage is a near effortless task of filling the pod yourself and waiting a few minutes for it to prime.
XROS 3 (main) Performance
I started off with the 0.6ohm pod for MTL and RDL. The flavour is superb and is up there with the very best, the vape was smooth and consistent throughout the airflow range. It was warm but not hot, and well saturated. It was surprisingly satisfying for MTL vaping, but I did need to close off the airflow completely to get the tight draw I prefer (cheek pullingly tight). RDL wise with the airflow fully open, it is a pretty tight RDL but satisfying, if you prefer your RDL on the tighter side then I think you will enjoy this, but I wish it had been a bit looser.
1.0ohm MTL pod wise, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. You could tell the pod was designed for MTL as the airflow was a fair bit tighter to the point I had to open the airflow a little, the flavour was a bit milder than the 0.6 but that’s to be expected with the lower power, but as an MTL fan, the vape that the XROS 3 produced was right up my street, not too warm, plenty of flavour, tight airflow, and it handled chain vaping or long draws.
As for the device; the auto-draw performed perfectly and fired instantly, the slim body was comfortable to hold and the mouthpiece size was spot on. I simply never used the fire button other than to turn it off. The battery life was excellent even with the 0.6ohm pod and I got a full day and into the evening with it, I got over 24 hours with the 1.0ohm pod. The charging time was decent but not the fastest, it took around 50 minutes on average.
Oh and I almost forgot a couple of the main benefits, and that’s the leakproof worked a charm and the pods lasted me up to ten refills so I’m happy!
XROS 3 Mini
This little bugger took me by surprise, I had expected the fixed airflow to be too loose for MTL but it was bob on and produced a ciggie like tight draw (not sloppy like a silk cut). Obviously the flavour and vape quality were as good as the main XROS 3 kit. RDL wise, I would say it got too tight but it is possible, if RDL is your thing then the adjustable airflow kit is the better choice. Since I had the 1.0ohm pod with the other kit, I tried it in the Mini and damn! It was even tighter and I liked it for that, but it might put some users off as being too tight so I think the 0.6ohm pod was the wisest choice to go with the Mini kit. The battery life appeared to be a bit better but it was not as noticeable as I expected, but it lasted me most of a full day and evening.
The XROS 3 Mini is the one I would recommend to a beginner and most definitely to those moving from disposables, it’s also a great option for experienced vapers as a car vape or backup.
Conclusion
Reaching this point, I have realised that I can’t find any cons with the XROS 3 (or indeed Mini for what it is), it hasn’t got the bling or style I like in my vape gear but the simplicity and no-nonsense design still has a touch of elegance about it, but it’s the vape quality that the new pods produce that makes this kit one of Vaporesso’s finest and worthy of the upgrade. The improvements over the original, such as a better airflow, ergonomics, and the pleasing light make the old one redundant.
Even the Mini impressed me and I used it more than I expected as it was handier to chuck in my pocket without the faff of turning it off and on again, but I wouldn’t recommend it for RDL as the XROS 3 main is better for that.
XROS 3 (Main) Pros
- Superb new 0.6 and 1.0 ohm ‘Corex’ pods
- Compact and comfortable
- Effective and smooth airflow control
- Neon light
- Top-fill
- Flavour quality
- 1000mAh battery
- Leakproof
- Long lasting pods
Cons
I simply don’t have any, not even a niggle, but it’s worth pointing out that some RDL users might find it too tight.
Final Thoughts and Score
I loved the original XROS but Vaporesso managed to make the V3 even better, and the new pods are on par with the best I’ve tried. The two options make it a good choice for a variety of users and the Mini got used more than I expected, yes it’s just another pod but it’s a damn fine one!
Score: 9/10 – No idea what ‘XROS’ means but you won’t be cross!
Si Davies
Reviewer at POTVMy 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!
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