Zelos X Review: Aspire’s Latest Groundbreaking Mod

A review of Aspire’s new Zelos X vape kit: a versatile mod boasting MTL & DTL vaping straight out of the box. Decked out with the Aspire Nautilus 322 Tank and powered by an external 18650 vape battery, this next-gen Zelos model reimagines the classic vape mod with a sleek finish and extra functionality.

Another mod enters the market, fulfilling the role of every sub-ohm device that came before it. But there’s something special about the Zelos X kit from Aspire—maybe it’s got that certain X factor (sorry, I couldn’t resist).

During my recent trip home to America, I got a chance to use this delicious new device for a solid 10 days, and I wasn’t disappointed. It survived two long-haul flights, suffering some leakage (as expected with air travel) but acquiring no damage whatsoever.

Today, I’ll be reviewing the new Aspire Zelos X vape kit, with emphasis on its dual functionality for MTL and DTL vaping and its many functions and features.

Let’s get into it!

Design & Appearance

The Zelos X is a sleek and sturdy piece of kit, with a double-barrel-shaped body for easy gripping and a smooth metallic finish. The shape of the mod allows it to sit comfortably in the hand, and it has a nice, sturdy—but not cumbersome—weight to it. When fully assembled and fitted with an external 18650 battery, the device weighs just under 205g. This is, of course, a far cry from the 30g-70g pod kits I’m used to, but with that extra weight comes a much larger battery—and for that, I’m grateful.

The buttons on the device’s interface provide a satisfying “click” when altering settings, and as a whole, the device feels smooth and refined.

I received the pink finish, which has a muted, pastel pink brushed zinc and aluminium alloy exterior. There are 7 other colours to choose from.  

Appearance-wise, there aren’t a whole lot of bells or whistles, and the kit’s appearance is pretty plain overall. Don’t get me wrong—I don’t need flashy or showy to enjoy the vape. Still, we’ve seen prettier kits from Aspire, so I’ve come to expect more pizazz and ingenuity when it comes to device appearance.

The tank, on the other hand, has an excellent design, featuring an adjustable bottom airflow control with 7 individual airflow settings. The spinning ring located below the tank moves between 7 different holes—from largest to smallest—ensuring that vapers can utilise the tank’s MTL functionality with appropriate airflow. 

The device’s USB Type-C charging port is located on the bottom of the device beside the external 18650 battery for emergency charging. As is always the case for vape kits that take external batteries, it’s best to charge the battery by removing it from the device and inserting it into a compatible vape battery charger rather than charging it inside the device. This is because over time, charging while the battery is inside the device will cause it to degrade faster over time.

Aspire Zelos X Interface

If you’re considering buying this kit, I’d first and foremost suggest that you read the user manual for detailed instructions on how to operate the interface, as there are several button combinations I was unaware of before reading it myself (even after having owned several adjustable wattage kits and using the Zelos X for nearly two weeks). 

For instance, I was unaware that you could adjust the brightness of the screen by pressing the fire button and the minus button at the same time. Go figure. 

There are a number of different button combinations which allow the user to change their view from watts to volts to temperature control and so on, and you can also reset the puff counter through the menus. 

At the top left corner of the screen, you can view your battery level, which is written out numerically so you’ll always know exactly how much battery you have left. I find this incredibly refreshing, as opposed to the standard LED signal lights found on most pod kits nowadays. 

In addition to its handy battery metre, the device also automatically senses the resistance of the coil you’ve inserted and displays it next to the ohm (Ω) icon—however, the power output isn’t automatically set, so you’ll have to manually adjust your wattage each time you change coil resistances. Otherwise, you risk improperly using the coils, which can lead to a host of issues like burnt wicks and spitback.

The Zelos X also features an interface locking option, which you can activate by pressing the fire button 3 times in quick succession. Because locking the device means that you cannot fire or change any settings, I’m not entirely sure why one would want to lock it in the first place when it can simply be turned off. There doesn't appear to be any difference between locking and powering off—it’s like putting your computer into sleep mode rather than shutting it down. The difference between vapes and computers, in this analogy, is that a vape takes less than 5 seconds to power on—so, again, I’m unsure why there’s a locking function in the first place.

In the top right corner of the screen, there’s a padlock icon. After looking further into the user manual, I found that there is also an option to lock the plus and minus buttons so only the fire button works—press (and hold) both the plus and minus buttons simultaneously to lock them. This is incredibly handy for those of us who accidentally change the settings during everyday use. I’m thrilled that the device offers this option—and truthfully, Aspire could’ve kept this function and nixed the interface locking function altogether, as it doesn’t really serve any purpose. 

To me—an experienced vaper who appreciates the numerous setting options, but still prefers a hassle-free vape experience—the Zelos X’s interface feels needlessly complex at times, worsened by the numerous button combinations. It’s like having to memorise choreography. And while I recognise that there are only so many buttons you can put on a vape (and that having more buttons would likely only frustrate me), I still wish that the interface operation could be simplified. 

Included with the device is a DTL coil, the Aspire Nautilus 0.3Ω (ohm) mesh coil (Best: 23-25W), as well as an MTL coil, the Aspire Nautilus 1.0Ω (ohm) mesh coil (Best: 13-15W). Both coils offer exceptional flavour and vapour production, and they last a good long while when vaped at the recommended wattage.

I’ve been using the DTL coil for two weeks now and have yet to experience a burn taste or a decline in flavour intensity. In fact, I've even tried using a Full-Spectrum CBD E-Liquid with this coil, and it functions pretty well, though I'll likely buy different coils for this tank if I intend on vaping CBD with it in the future.

On top of the wide range of compatible coils for this device, the build of the tank itself is exceptional. It features an innovative coil swap system, allowing you to change your coils while there’s still E-Liquid in your tank! Yep, you heard right: the Nautilus 322 tank has an auto shut-off valve which prevents E-Liquid from escaping while you’re changing your coil. This makes coil swapping much faster and cleaner than previous models. 

In addition, the tank’s top-fill port is incredibly smooth and easy to use. Simply slide open the top part of the tank, pushing where the red triangle is located, to open the port and refill. I’ve found that the nozzles of some Shortfill E-Liquids don’t quite fit into the port, so I have to fill it with the nozzle halfway out, which leads to some leaking. 

Aside from the errant nozzle not fitting, the refill system on the Nautilus 322 tank is lovely. The slide-to-open mechanism is solid and doesn’t really shift unless you're intentionally pushing on it, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the fill port accidentally opening in your pocket or handbag.

For those of us who like to swap between MTL and DTL vaping, there’s also an included MTL drip tip, which has a narrower opening more conducive to MTL vaping. I find that I prefer this tip even when I’m using it for MTL, but that comes down to personal preference. 

Overall, I have zero complaints about the Zelos X’s tank and coils. The hardware is sturdy, innovative, and reliable, and the coils are so very flavourful. I have a feeling I’ll be using this tank for quite a while.

Who should get the Aspire Zelos X Kit?

Because of the complexity of the device’s interface, I’d recommend this device for intermediate or experienced vapers who are familiar with ohms and wattage, as you’ll have to set the device’s power output accordingly whenever you change coil resistances. While the device is generally simple to operate, the menu functions could easily confuse new vapers, who may accidentally burn their coils by using the device incorrectly. 

If you’re a regular pod kit or starter vape kit user looking to branch out toward an adjustable wattage kit, this could be an excellent choice for you—but bear in mind that you’ll have to pay more attention to your menu settings and coils than you would with less complex vape kits. 

Still, the Zelos X kit is an excellent entryway into the world of sub-ohm vaping and adjustable wattage kits for those who feel like they have a decent grasp on how vapes work. And for those upgrading from less complex vape kits, you’ll still be able to enjoy your favourite high-PG E-Liquids, like nic salts and 50/50 E-Liquids, with the compatible MTL coils in the Nautilus range. 

Summary

Overall, the new Aspire Zelos X Kit offers a huge amount of versatility and customisation options, plus backward compatibility with the full range of Nautilus coils. This kit is an excellent choice for intermediate or advanced vapers looking for a kit that can do it all, from low-powered MTL puffs to flavoursome sub-ohm clouds.

While I personally prefer a less complex menu system, I can almost hear the experienced vapers shouting at their computer screens, saying “WE LIKE IT LIKE THIS!” In truth, many have found the Zelos X’s interface to be a breeze. Maybe I’m just thick, or I like it easy-breezy like the dumb American I am. Regardless, you should decide for yourself if the Zelos X’s interface is to your liking. Chances are, if you’re an experienced vaper, you’ll find it much more intuitive than I did.