You only use Mechs - what are you doing with this?Towards the end of last week I got a phone call from George at OK Smokey - I've known George for years and have used his "Roll Up" juices a lot -
allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/59343/smokey-roll-own-flavours-revisited?page=1&scrollTo=1023247 - asking "do you still do reviews?".
"Yes" I said. "I have a new Aspire mod - would you review it if I send you one?" Asked George. I thought it would be an interesting experience:scratch: (the last regulated device I had was a Nuck's Fistpack) so I agreed. George also asked what tanks I used - I don't use tanks I replied - so he said he would send me a tank too.
So - I got these items free - but I will of course give my honest opinion!
Apparently the NX80 is a "tweaked" NX75 that isn't generally available yet and OKS have an "exclusive" on it:
www.ok-smokey.com/european-exclusive-aspire-nx80-stainless-steel.htmlThe NX80A parcel from George arrived the next day containing the NX80 and an Aspire Cleito tank.
Here is the NX80 in its box:
In the box was the NX80 in a protective rubber shield:
A USB lead which can used for charging and downloading firmware upgrades:
A quality control ticket:
And an instruction leaflet in Chinese (didn't seem a lot of point photographing that) - I visited the Aspire site and downloaded an English NX75 manual to be going on with... Apparently a sheet should have been in the parcel separately - but had been overlooked.
The first things that struck me about the device was its weight - being machined from. Stainless Steel billet has resulted in a device which is very well made but I wouldn't want to carry it in my trouser pocket without tightening my belt a notch first!
Here are a series of shots of the device in its "just unboxed" state:
The button are simple and feel nice to use. "T" switches between and provides configuration of the temperature controlled mode (via the + and - buttons) - I'm Kanthal only so didn't try this out - and "W" switches between watts, volts and bypass modes. When the firmware update arrives, it should then also provide customisable personal configurations. Other functions (like child lock, changing the words on the display etc) are accessed via combination presses of the T/W/+/- buttons. I found all the stuff I actually wanted to do fairly easy to do.
One side has a USB port for charging (it will charge at 2A given the right supply) and connect to a computer for updating the firmware.
The top has a spring 510 connector and the bottom has a LOT of vent holes...
The battery compartment pulls out:
A very nice bit of machining. The NX80 uses button top 18650 batteries and it is not possible to replace the battery section with the battery inserted the wrong way up. I have a few telescopic mechs that will take 18650s (but don't tend to use that option much) so I had some very lightly used "big green Sony" batteries and I inserted one that I had charged in preparation. Here is the display following battery insertion (I set the device to 40 watts regulated and screwed on an atomiser with a 0.4ohm coil):
I notes that when I locked the device (the usual 5 clicks of the button) and switched it old down the button for 3 secs when locked) I was getting messages in Chinese. This was rectified by pulling out the battery and reinserting it whilst holding the firing button - this enables the language to be chosen.
I then customised the display to show my name rather than Aspire's.
In UseI'm an RDA man so I decided to try it out using my Snapdragon with a pretty agressively sub-ohm coil (and with the glass top cap I bought at Vapefest fitted):
Exactly how aggressive the coil was (by my modest standards) is shown below:
I calculated that on one of my Mechs, at around 4v, a 0.2ohm(ish) build would be about 80W/20A, so I cranked up the NX80 to 80W. I was using Real Extracts Pecan Tobacco juice at 24mg with tight airflow and mouth to lung vaping.
It worked splendidly - nice fast fire-up, not too hot, excellent flavour and hit - just what I would have expected on a Mech with the same fresh battery.
I also tried the NX80 out with my Hellfire Sidewinder with a 0.4ohm coil at 40W and again got the results I expected.
As George had kindly sent me an Aspire Cleito tank, I also tried the NX80 with that too, but have written a separate review for that.
ConclusionThe NX80 is quite small and neat - I have shown it below next to a small mech - my 20mm Super T Precise Plus 18350 fitted with a Satburn switch and a 20mm Hellfire Short-Cranked Dripper:
It is, however, trouser-droppingly heavy! The build quality in mechanical terms is excellent, the electronic stuff seems easy to use and works (it provided a consistent vape until the battery dropped to "can't cope") and, despite the weight, it is a nice fit in the hand (I have quite small hands). If you want a small neat, well-made regulated device - this is is a good one at a good price.
So... Am I converted to regulated box shaped devices? No, although I like the NX80 and will certainly be keeping it (thanks George), as an "old school" high nic mouth to lung Vaper who is happy with drippers from 0.2 to 1.0 ohm - I prefer my little 18350 mechs for out and about (I would never go out without a spare battery regardless of device and a couple of 18350s weigh the same as one 18650). I just don't need the versatility or, indeed, consistency of this type of device and remain a dyed-in-the-wool "tubist".
I should add that the NX80 is great for (non-competitive) lung inhale clouds - see my Cleito review:
allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/64969/prof-reviews-aspire-cleito
