OXVA Xlim Pro 2 DNA Review: A Week With the Evolv DNA Chip

OXVA sent me the Xlim Pro 2 DNA in Luminous Forged Carbon Fibre. I used it side by side with my standard Xlim Pro 2 for a week. Same pods, same 10mg dessert nic salt and same vaping pattern. The DNA chip does change things, but not all in the ways you would expect.

The kit sits with the rest of the OXVA vapes we sell.

The specs, colours and box contents are all on our OXVA Xlim Pro 2 DNA pod kit page. This review covers what it is like to use, plus the questions owners ask us most.

It is the DNA version of the Xlim Pro 2 in our OXVA Xlim range. Every Xlim pod fits it.

Is the OXVA Xlim Pro 2 DNA Good

Yes, and two things set it apart: anti-burn and Flavour Replay. Both earned their place in my week of testing. It is the same shape as the Pro 2, so the screen is still the small 0.56 inch one. The two headline features also only work with the stainless steel pods.

Battery Life

Both kits have a 1300mAh battery. In my side by side week, the standard Pro 2 got me through the day. The DNA version went about four hours further.

I vape around 400 puffs a day, which is heavy use. At that rate I was getting a day and a half from a charge. It charges over USB-C at 5V/2A.

Flavour Replay

When a puff tastes right, press the Replay button straight after it. OXVA say the chip then follows the output curve of that puff, so every puff after it matches. It only works with the Xlim stainless steel pods.

I used Replay on a 0.6 ohm stainless steel pod with a 10mg vanilla custard nic salt. Puff one tasted like puff one hundred. On a normal chip, flavour drifts as the battery drops. This is the biggest difference I noticed between the DNA and my standard Pro 2.

Anti-Burn Protection

With an Xlim stainless steel pod fitted, the chip controls the coil temperature. That stops it dry burning when the pod is low or empty. OXVA also say it gives the pod over 30% longer life than a quality kanthal coil.

I tested it by vaping a pod almost dry on purpose. There was no burnt taste. The flavour faded and the hit got lighter, but nothing unpleasant. On a standard chip, that same pod would have tasted like charcoal.

What Is a DNA Vape

A DNA vape uses a chip made by Evolv, the American company behind the DNA boards in high end mods. The Xlim Pro 2 DNA carries an OXVA x Evolv DNA chip, printed Evolv DNA Inside on the side. OXVA call it the first pod kit with a DNA chip for dry hit prevention.

OXVA rate the chip at 30,000 readings a second, which they say is 300 times more responsive than regular chips. It is not the Evolv DNA One, which is Evolv's own pod kit. This is the Xlim Pro 2 with the DNA chip built in.

Xlim Pro 2 DNA vs Xlim Pro 2

The DNA Version shares the shape, the 1300mAh battery and the 0.56 inch screen of the Xlim Pro 2. These are the differences OXVA list:

If your Pro 2 does everything you need, there is no urgent reason to swap. If you want dry hit protection, Replay's consistency or a fire button, the DNA is the upgrade.

What Are the Differences Between the OXVA Xlim Pro 3 and Pro 2 DNA

The Xlim Pro 3 has the bigger 1500mAh battery and a larger 1.05 inch screen at 300 nits. Its Photon chip keeps the output steady as the battery drops. The Pro 2 DNA has the Evolv DNA chip, anti-burn and Flavour Replay. Both fire on draw or on the button.

Pick the Pro 3 for battery and screen, and the DNA if dry hits are what bother you most. Our Xlim Pro 2 vs Pro 3 guide sets the three kits side by side.

OXVA Xlim Pro 2 DNA Storage Mode

OXVA's manual says the Xlim Pro 2 DNA turns itself off after 1.5 days without use, to save the battery. If it looks dead after a few days in a drawer, that is usually why.

1. Hold the Replay and Function buttons together for 2 seconds to turn it back on.
2. If the screen stays dark, plug it in with the USB-C cable and try again.

How Do I Update the Software on My OXVA Xlim Pro 2 DNA

The kit's settings are changed on a PC with Evolv's EScribe software. Evolv list a separate OXVA EScribe download for Windows. The USB-C cable in the box carries data as well as charge.

1. Download OXVA EScribe for Windows from Evolv.
2. Connect the Xlim Pro 2 DNA to your PC with the USB-C cable from the box.
3. Open EScribe to set custom power and flavour curves, and change what the screen shows.

Neither OXVA nor Evolv publish a separate firmware guide for this kit. On the kit itself, two presses of the Function button change the lights. Holding Replay for 2 seconds opens the operating guide.

OXVA DNA Fill Pod Error

A fill pod message usually means the kit cannot read the pod, or the pod is low on e-liquid.

1. Take the pod out and wipe the contacts on the bottom with a tissue.
2. Check the e-liquid level and top it up.
3. Push the pod back in firmly.
4. If the message keeps showing, try a different pod.

Xlim Pro 2 DNA Pods

Every Xlim cartridge fits, but anti-burn and Replay only work with the stainless steel ones. The kit comes with a 0.6 ohm stainless steel pod fitted and a 0.8 ohm in the box. Spare stainless steel pods come in 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.2 ohm.

The Xlim Top Fill pods, EZ and V2 pods all work too, without anti-burn or Replay.

Every resistance is in our OXVA pods range.

Who the Pro 2 DNA Suits

The Pro 2 DNA suits three kinds of vaper:

• Anyone who keeps getting dry hits from pods they forget to refill
• Anyone who wants the same flavour from first puff to last
• Xlim owners who want to upgrade their refillable vape and keep their pods

For 10mg or 20mg nic salts, start on the 0.8 ohm stainless steel pod in the box.