Nova Odin N4.1 - All metal

[Cdn_Cuda]

Nova released it metal Odin. Looks like a more adjustable front grip and some colour options.

https://novapb.com/collections/n4-od...-green-accents

[Cyberpyr8]

I like that the front grip appears to be on a rail so you should be able to remove or replace it if you wanted. I want to love Nova but it's just hard and I won't buy another one. This does look like an improvement over the original. The originals were just blah.

[RhoXi]

Looks like the body tube is bigger than the all plastic model. I wonder why.

It would be nice if they included the upgraded trigger plate but it doesn't say. That would make it a compelling package for the money.

[Super Nova]

Black and green are excellent colors.

[Myrkul]

I would love to see more details on this.

[FlightMedic938]

It looks like the old N4 is not available anymore. I think, that for $300, that puts it directly in the price range of the Emek. To me, that’s unfortunate. It’s a closed bolt so it’s going to need a barrel kit. Let’s say you could get by with just the .679, .682, and .684 inserts. You are probably looking at $400 with shipping. That’s the price of a new Etha3M…

I think they have to include the Reaper Sport barrel with those 3 inserts to get people to choose it over an Emek or 3M.

They have too many guns in the same price range. The N1 with a shroud, front grip, and a couple inserts is around $450. The N4 with a barrel and a couple inserts is around $400. Then the N3, N2, and NX1 are all at $500. They are directly competing against each other. There isn’t enough differentiation between the models.

All mech with the only obvious difference to a potential new buyer is the action of the bolt. It’s not a good business practice and will confuse people.

Let’s say I’m looking for a new gun and I decide to look at Nova’s website… Let’s see…. The N1 stands out because it’s reciprocating but wait so is the N3. NX1 stands out because it’s closed bolt but wait… so is the N4. The N2 looks really cool and comes with the Reaper barrel…. But so does the NX1

If I buy the new N4 I need the barrel and some inserts. Man, I’m at $400 now. Wait, the N2 comes WITH the barrel and is $500. It’s $100 more so is it better? I could get an N3 for $500 too! Let’s see the product description. Wow that sounds cool. The N1 does the same thing right with the barrel moving so let’s see it real quick. Oh I need a front grip and barrel shroud. Now I’m at $420. The N4 was $400 with everything I need though and the N3 was only $80 more and has this Terr-Air trigger…

I could go on and on with it. It’s too confusing to a potential buyer. Where do confused buyers go to become less confused? Internet forums, google, ChatGPT, etc. When they do that they are going to come to conclusion to buy an Emek or 3M because there just isn’t enough information to make an informed decision.

The N1 needs to be $200 or keep it $300 but it comes with the shroud, 14” barrel, and grip. The N2 needs something obvious to buyers that separates it from the pack which is unfortunate because I think this may be their best gun. The N3 needs to be $400. The N4 needs to come with Reaper barrel and an insert. The NX1 can hold its course I guess, it’s for autococker guys, but having it available at the same price as the N2 and N3 is going to get them in trouble. What’s going to happen is new buyers are going to look at that product description and go “WOW! I want this one! Look at all the features!”. Then they are going to get it and either fuck it up or get exhausted with tuning it. Autocockers are not for people looking to get in to rec play. They are for experienced players with skills to fix and tune paintball guns.

Having most everything $400-$500 is going to cause Cannibalization of their own market and weaken their brand identity.

[Cdn_Cuda]

Speaking in Canadian dollars, the N4.1 plus is $420 (before shipping etc). That puts it in line with the cost of Tippmann such as A-5 RT, TIPX, Emek (stock at 494.99). An Etha3M is $634.99, so significantly more. So at least in Canada, the N4.1 has a very nice price point and competes well with alternatives. Trouble is getting a Nova up here is difficult, but apparently Ntensity Customs will sell some Nova stuff in Canada (I hope!)

As for marker overlap, that's a fair view. Having owned/shot an N1, N3 and N4, they are all distinctly different animals. My N3 was way faster than I had any need it to be. The N1 is more old school in feel. Thought I would hate not having a front grip, but had no issues using it at all. The N4 felt more interesting to shoot than my upgraded Emek and new players choose the N4 over the Nova when given a choice on what they wanted to use. The challenge is looking at a picture on the website doesn't give you a feel for the differences between markers. You need to hold them in your hand and shoot it, which is a challenge for any small company.

[MullerTime]

Hmm interesting. I do like my N4. It's a neat gun. The trigger is nice and it shoots well. I just wish it got better efficiency.

If I feel like shooting a closed bolt mech, I usually shoot my autococker because it gets twice the shots per tank that the N4 does.

I also feel like the $200 price point for the old N4 was a good spot. I got mine used for $133 so in the impulse buy range. I don't mind the plastic frame too much either and it points really well for me. At $300 the emek is going to be the better gun for most players unfortunately.