You dont have javascript enabled! Please enable it!
  • Tech News
    iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

    iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

    9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

    9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

    iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

    iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

    Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

    Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

  • Reviews
    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    Stellar Converter for OST: The Best Tool to Convert OST Files to PST

    TechEngage®

    Everything You Need to Know About the Latest iPhone 14

    TechEngage®

    An ambitious phone with Wild Camera & tricks

    TechEngage®

    Google Pixel 3 Review: Consistently Unbeatable Camera Lord

    TechEngage®

    Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer?

    Slim, Slick & Economically Premium

    Slim, Slick & Economically Premium

  • Noteworthy
    TechEngage®

    Russia to briefly “turn off” country’s Internet entry. But why?

    TechEngage®

    Sprint announces first solid plans to unveil 5G infrastructure at MWC19

    Drunk shopping could be a $45 billion industry

    Drunk shopping could be a $45 billion industry

    TechEngage®

    The advantages and benefits of electronic signature

    TechEngage®

    Father of “cut, copy, and paste” Larry Tesler, dies at 74

    TechEngage®

    How the use of modern technology is messing up our sleep

  • Science
    • All
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Space
    Avatar Of Ali Raza

    5 Best laptops for every budget this 2023

    What are interest rates, and how do they work?

    What are interest charges, and how do they work?

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    Market Analysis: How Will Wall Street Respond to the End of Fed’s Rate Hike Streak?

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    US Congress Avoids Default: Senate Passes Debt Ceiling Bill

  • Opinions
    TechEngage®

    igaming Industry: Tech And Marketing That’s Behind It Explained

    TechEngage®

    Features Which Make a SmartPhone “Smart”

    TechEngage®

    How Drones Will Rule the Skies in the Future

    TechEngage®

    Fundamentals of Wealth Creation for Better Outcomes

    TechEngage®

    Change; The only Constant in this World

    TechEngage®

    Proactive & Reactive being two extremes of different worlds

  • Applications
    TechEngage®

    Google Play Pass will give access to paid apps

    TechEngage®

    Quizlet reaches 50 Million Users milestone

    TechEngage®

    Eradicate Gender Inequality through Crowd mapping!

    TechEngage®

    How mobile phone apps can help pregnant women

    TechEngage®

    Apple News app will be broadcasting live election results

    TechEngage®

    TikTok becomes the most downloaded app on the App Store

  • Blockchain
    Avatar Of Aima Irfan

    From Pixels to Earnings: Unveiling NFTs and the Digital Arts Revolution!

    Rising Influence of Cryptocurrencies in Sports Markets

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    What is DeFi? Newbies’ Guide to Decentralized Finance

    TechEngage®

    Crypto Casinos: Exploring the Advantages of Gambling with Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

    Avatar Of Guest Author

    How to Reduce Losses from Crypto Sports Betting

    TechEngage®

    Is Bitcoin Prime Scam or Legit? – key features of Bitcoin Prime

  • Applications
    TechEngage®

    Google Play Pass will give access to paid apps

    TechEngage®

    Quizlet reaches 50 Million Users milestone

    TechEngage®

    Eradicate Gender Inequality through Crowd mapping!

    TechEngage®

    How mobile phone apps can help pregnant women

  • Culture
    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

  • Deals
    TechEngage®

    Save $400 on Apple’s last-gen 14″ MacE book Pro and new Mac Mini 2023

    TechEngage®

    New York Times joins with Scribd to offer an economical subscription bundle

    TechEngage®

    Motorola puts up some scary good deals for Halloween

    TechEngage®

    Lavender version of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will be $140 off

  • Events
    TechEngage®

    Nokia to launch new smartphones on April 8th

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from the OnePlus 9 launch event

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from Apple’s WWDC21 event

  • How-to
    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

  • Roundups

    4 Best PC Monitors for Gaming in 2023

    5 Best Handheld Video Game Consoles for 2023

    6 Best Car Scratch Removers for 2023

    TechEngage®

    10 Top-notch Apps to amplify your smartphone experience

  • Startups
    Avatar Of Rebecca James

    The Future is Shiny: The Top IT Companies in Asia You Need to Watch Out For

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    Techabout Banner

    TechAbout: A venture that adds life to your dreams

Thursday, September 28, 2023
Tech News, Magazine & Review WordPress Theme 2017
No Result
View All Result
  • Tech News
    iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

    iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

    9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

    9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

    iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

    iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

    Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

    Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

  • Reviews
    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    Stellar Converter for OST: The Best Tool to Convert OST Files to PST

    TechEngage®

    Everything You Need to Know About the Latest iPhone 14

    TechEngage®

    An ambitious phone with Wild Camera & tricks

    TechEngage®

    Google Pixel 3 Review: Consistently Unbeatable Camera Lord

    TechEngage®

    Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer?

    Slim, Slick & Economically Premium

    Slim, Slick & Economically Premium

  • Noteworthy
    TechEngage®

    Russia to briefly “turn off” country’s Internet entry. But why?

    TechEngage®

    Sprint announces first solid plans to unveil 5G infrastructure at MWC19

    Drunk shopping could be a $45 billion industry

    Drunk shopping could be a $45 billion industry

    TechEngage®

    The advantages and benefits of electronic signature

    TechEngage®

    Father of “cut, copy, and paste” Larry Tesler, dies at 74

    TechEngage®

    How the use of modern technology is messing up our sleep

  • Science
    • All
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Space
    Avatar Of Ali Raza

    5 Best laptops for every budget this 2023

    What are interest rates, and how do they work?

    What are interest charges, and how do they work?

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    Market Analysis: How Will Wall Street Respond to the End of Fed’s Rate Hike Streak?

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    US Congress Avoids Default: Senate Passes Debt Ceiling Bill

  • Opinions
    TechEngage®

    igaming Industry: Tech And Marketing That’s Behind It Explained

    TechEngage®

    Features Which Make a SmartPhone “Smart”

    TechEngage®

    How Drones Will Rule the Skies in the Future

    TechEngage®

    Fundamentals of Wealth Creation for Better Outcomes

    TechEngage®

    Change; The only Constant in this World

    TechEngage®

    Proactive & Reactive being two extremes of different worlds

  • Applications
    TechEngage®

    Google Play Pass will give access to paid apps

    TechEngage®

    Quizlet reaches 50 Million Users milestone

    TechEngage®

    Eradicate Gender Inequality through Crowd mapping!

    TechEngage®

    How mobile phone apps can help pregnant women

    TechEngage®

    Apple News app will be broadcasting live election results

    TechEngage®

    TikTok becomes the most downloaded app on the App Store

  • Blockchain
    Avatar Of Aima Irfan

    From Pixels to Earnings: Unveiling NFTs and the Digital Arts Revolution!

    Rising Influence of Cryptocurrencies in Sports Markets

    Avatar Of Jazib Zaman

    What is DeFi? Newbies’ Guide to Decentralized Finance

    TechEngage®

    Crypto Casinos: Exploring the Advantages of Gambling with Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

    Avatar Of Guest Author

    How to Reduce Losses from Crypto Sports Betting

    TechEngage®

    Is Bitcoin Prime Scam or Legit? – key features of Bitcoin Prime

  • Applications
    TechEngage®

    Google Play Pass will give access to paid apps

    TechEngage®

    Quizlet reaches 50 Million Users milestone

    TechEngage®

    Eradicate Gender Inequality through Crowd mapping!

    TechEngage®

    How mobile phone apps can help pregnant women

  • Culture
    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

  • Deals
    TechEngage®

    Save $400 on Apple’s last-gen 14″ MacE book Pro and new Mac Mini 2023

    TechEngage®

    New York Times joins with Scribd to offer an economical subscription bundle

    TechEngage®

    Motorola puts up some scary good deals for Halloween

    TechEngage®

    Lavender version of Samsung Galaxy Note 9 will be $140 off

  • Events
    TechEngage®

    Nokia to launch new smartphones on April 8th

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from the OnePlus 9 launch event

    TechEngage®

    What to expect from Apple’s WWDC21 event

  • How-to
    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

  • Roundups

    4 Best PC Monitors for Gaming in 2023

    5 Best Handheld Video Game Consoles for 2023

    6 Best Car Scratch Removers for 2023

    TechEngage®

    10 Top-notch Apps to amplify your smartphone experience

  • Startups
    Avatar Of Rebecca James

    The Future is Shiny: The Top IT Companies in Asia You Need to Watch Out For

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland's past

    Two-million-year-old DNA, oldest ever found, opens window to Greenland’s past

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

    Techabout Banner

    TechAbout: A venture that adds life to your dreams

No Result
View All Result
Tech News
No Result
View All Result

Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer?

February 12, 2023
in Reviews
Home Reviews

Our mission is to provide unbiased product reviews and timely reporting of technological advancements. Covering all latest reviews and advances in the technology industry, our editorial team strives to make every click count. We aim to provide fair and unbiased information about the latest technological advances.
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Snapdragon 845, 6 Gigs of RAM, 4,000 mAh battery in just $300

In 2014, OnePlus One, a phone described as the “Flagship Killer.” It was a budget phone with flagship specs. Because of the affordable price of $299, the phone became popular among smartphone enthusiasts, and today we know the company as a popular smartphone manufacturer OnePlus. Pocophone F1 or POCO F1 is an affordable phone that comes with Snapdragon 845 and 6 Gigs of RAM in the base model. Pocophone is a new sub-brand from Xiaomi, and they are selling this affordable phone in India with “POCO F1” branding and as “Pocophone” internationally. The phone comes with compelling specs with a price tag of just $300. Snapdragon 845 is the heart of recent flagship phones like Google Pixel 3, OnePlus 6T, and Huawei Mate 20 Pro. Here is the Pocophone F1 review.

Xiaomi Pocophone F1 Review

Think about a phone that meets all your needs and saves your pocket. A Snapdragon 845 processor, 6 Gigs or more RAM, 128 Gigs or more storage and a great camera. All these specs are of flagship phones which cost more than $700. But if you can get a phone with these specs under $500, then it seems like a dream come true. You are not getting a flagship phone but a budget phone with some compromises, but they don’t matter much for most people.

Pocophone F1 is a new brand from Xiaomi which costs just $300 and is offering Snapdragon 845 processor with 6 Gigs of RAM to rival the previous flagship killer, OnePlus 6/6T. The entry-level phone comes with an optimized version of MIUI running on top of Android Oreo 8.1 that performs well on Pocophone. Here are the key specs.

Key Specs

Display 6.18″ IPS LCD (1080 x 2246), 18.7:9 ratio
Camera Main Camera: 12 MP, f/1.9, dual pixel, 5 MP, depth sensor, f/2.0, Dual LED Flash
Front Camera: 20MP, f/2.0, HDR
Chipset Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Adreno 630
Memory microSD up to 256 GB
6/8GB RAM, 64/128/256 GB Internal Storage
Battery Non-removable 4,000 mAh (Li-Polymer)
Operating System MIUI 10 (POCO), Android Oreo 8.1
Sensors A fingerprint sensor, Infrared Face Recognition, Accelerometer, Gyro, Proximity, Compass, Barometer
Special Features Infrared Facial Recognition
Bummers Notch, Plastic Build
Colors Graphite Black, Steel Blue, Rosso Red, Armored Edition with Kevlar
Price Starts from $300

The design and build

Poco F1 Review

With this price tag, Pocophone comes with a cheap design as we can expect from an entry-level phone. We can’t expect premium build quality from the company as the price is already $300. The phone has plastic build and seems fair as compared to the competition in this price range.

See also  Will xFyro’s new AI-powered earbuds make AirPods Pro obsolete?

It has a polycarbonate back which feels soft. The plastic back has one advantage, when dropped, it will get scratches, unlike glass backs which get shattered if dropped. The graphite black version of Pocophone has a metallic feel, but it doesn’t feel like other premium smartphones. The polycarbonate version comes in Graphite Black, Rosso Red, and Steel Blue.

These versions come with a protective case inside.

The Kevlar back Pocophone feels more like a Droid Razr. The phone has solid Kevlar build and hence called as “Armored Edition.” This version can be used without a protective case and is only available in black color.

An aluminum frame holds the phone with tactile power and volume buttons on sides. The SIM jacket is on the other side. The fingerprint sensor is mounted on the back of the phone under dual camera modules.

We can’t ignore the big notch while talking about the design of the phone. Last year, Apple released iPhone X with a notch and everyone seems to copy the trend. Now, Android smartphones like Huawei Mate 20 Pro, Google Pixel 3 XL and OnePlus 6T are coming with notch display. Pocophone is not an exception. The mid-range phone comes with a big notch and a chin on the bottom of the phone. The front head of the phone also doesn’t have small bezels. Heavily rounded corners are making bezels even more prominent. But Xiaomi tried to mimic the phone as every other premium phone out there.

Display

Pocophone F1 Review

With a screen resolution of 1080 x 2246 pixels, Pocophone F1 comes with a 6.18” display. It has a pixel density of 416 dpi and screen ration of 18:9. The LCD panel has nice colors, and viewing angles are average, but an OLED panel would’ve worked so much better than this. However, considering the price point, the phone has a mediocre display.

See also  This Chinese electric car giant will produce in Europe and that could change a lot of things

Camera

Pocophone F1 Review

Pocophone F1 is rocking a dual camera of 12MP and 5Mp sensor on the back. The second lens of 5Mp is for depth information. The camera of the phone is pretty average. The colors, dynamic range is average if we compare it with other mid-range phones. However, the performance seems inconsistent.

With more exposure to optimal light, Pocophone captures great shots as compared to the other mid-range phones, but images are inconsistent. Sometimes you get a great picture, and sometimes it misses a lot of things. However, unlike other mid-range phones, the portraits on the Pocophone are a bit impressive. The edge detection and bokeh looks fine.

With Pixel binning technology of Xiaomi phones, the selfies from Pocophone F1 are “okay” but not mind-blowing. The cameras are near average but not exceptional, but it is justified according to the price point.

Hardware

The phone comes with premium hardware, unlike the build quality. At the heart of Pocophone lies Snapdragon 845 which is the latest flagship processor by Qualcomm. For graphics, Pocophone runs on Adreno 630 GPU. With 6 GB of RAM, the phone delivers snappy performance and fast animations.

Software

Poco F1 Review

Xiaomi Pocophone F1 is running MIUI 10 on top of Android Oreo 8.1. The Poco launcher is one of the best we have seen in any Xiaomi phone. It is simple with a lot of useful features. With Snapdragon 845 and 6GB RAM, the phone has an edge and performs well. Poco Launcher looks more like Stock Android; it’s an attempt to be more like Oxygen OS and challenge them.

See also  PDFelement Review: Features, Pricing, & Details

Stock Android is known for snappy performance and no lag, hence Xiaomi wants to attract Stock Android fans by more useful features in Poco Launcher. Pocophone users can also change themes. The customized drop down notification panel looks appealing with a blur effect. Xiaomi also promised Android Pie 9.0 update for Pocophone at the end of this year. So, it’s not a phone that the company will leave after a few months.

Battery

With 4,00 mAh battery, Pocophone F1 has promising battery life. Because of Snapdragon 845, the phone’s battery life is impressive as it should be. An optimized version of MIUI on Pocophone also saves a ton of battery.

Pros and Cons

Pocophone Review Verdict Pros And Cons

The phone doesn’t have NFC which is a bummer for those who often use Android Pay. The USB Type-C in the Pocophone F1 is a plus point as many mid-range phones cut to meet the price. Pocophone F1 comes with a single speaker, and it doesn’t sound clear when gets loud.

The infrared face unlock sensor works fast and accurately, but the downside of infrared is that it works better only in lighting conditions. The fingerprint is placed right and works pretty fast, unlocks the phone quickly.

If we talk about speed and performance, the phone meets the expectations. Because of 6 Gigs of RAM and Snapdragon 845, the phone is snappy and on par with the flagship phones of 2018. The battery life on Pocophone F1 is also great. With 4,000 mAh battery, it works well till the end of the day. It also has the advantage of optimized software and Snapdragon 845 which is designed in a way that uses less battery.

Verdict

Pocophone F1 Review Verdict

The phone comes with a lot of compromises. If you are into Android pay, then Pocophone is not the phone for you. It lacks NFC, so payments via NFC won’t work. But, if you are looking for a long battery life that takes you throughout the day or a phone with snappy performance in just $300 budget, pick up Pocophone F1. Otherwise, the phone doesn’t excel at anything besides great performance and battery. The camera is below average; the build quality is not premium, and the display is just fine.

After this Pocophone F1 review, will you pick it? Let us know what do you think about Pocophone F1 in the comments below.

This post was orginally published on: November 4, 2018 and was updated on: December 27, 2019.

ADVERTISEMENT
Tags: FlagshipKillerPocophonePocophone F1Pocophone F1 ReviewReviewTech NewsXiaomi

Denial of responsibility! tech-news.info is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
Previous Post

Drunk shopping could be a $45 billion industry

Next Post

Is the world ready for Sociogenomics?

RelatedPosts

Avatar Of Jazib Zaman
Reviews

Stellar Converter for OST: The Best Tool to Convert OST Files to PST

August 13, 2023
TechEngage®
Reviews

Everything You Need to Know About the Latest iPhone 14

May 31, 2023
TechEngage®
Reviews

An ambitious phone with Wild Camera & tricks

February 12, 2023
TechEngage®
Reviews

Google Pixel 3 Review: Consistently Unbeatable Camera Lord

February 12, 2023

Recommended.

  • All
  • Tech News
iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

iPhone 15 Pro design once again blamed for causing some units to overheat

September 28, 2023
9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

9to5Mac Daily: September 27, 2023 – macOS Sonoma released, Vision Pro roadmap changes

September 28, 2023
iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

iOS 17.1 brings Dynamic Island flashlight indicator to iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15

September 28, 2023
Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

Apple TV+ playback glitch causing episodes to cut off ending, credits play first

September 28, 2023
Apple Car development stalls with no release date in sight, Kuo says

Apple Car development stalls with no release date in sight, Kuo says

September 28, 2023
The Raspberry Pi 5 is here, and it comes with some huge improvements

The Raspberry Pi 5 is here, and it comes with some huge improvements

September 28, 2023

Tags

-Inch (68) amazon (166) Android (155) Announces (95) Apple (533) Apples (99) ChatGPT (101) China (71) Chinese (95) Deals (117) Digital (77) First (99) Galaxy (373) games (67) Gaming (117) Google (494) Googles (68) Heres (95) Huawei (91) Intel (68) iPhone (267) Launch (114) launches (199) Lenovo (93) Microsoft (245) Motorola (69) OnePlus (178) Phone (93) Pixel (166) price (94) Realme (111) Redmi (98) Review (236) Samsung (472) series (94) Smart (71) Tech News (428) Tesla (120) Twitter (163) unveils (98) Watch (165) Weekly (87) Windows (118) Xiaomi (206) YouTube (81)

Categories

Archives

September 2023
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  
« Aug    
© 2022 Tech-News.info
DMCA.com Protection Status
No Result
View All Result
  • Home 2

© 2022 Tech-News.info
DMCA.com Protection Status

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
error: Alert: Content selection is disabled!!
Go to mobile version

Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer?- https://www.maquillages.info/   https://maquillages.org   https://www.deguisements-fetes.fr   https://maillots-de-bain-shop.com   https://www.le-noeud-papillon.com   https://www.jeepeg.fr   https://maillotde-bain.com   https://pushkarvisit.com   -/- According to Luke Fickell, Wisconsin is ‘all-in’ on NIL   Barbie film hits $1bn mark at global box office   Zhuhai Championships: Andy Murray loses to Aslan Karatsev in last 16   Breece Hall named Jets’ offensive X-factor for 2023   Soundking AK20 BA Amplificateur pour Basse   -*-$$DAKINE Split Roller Mallette ordinateur à roulettes, 21 cm, 110 L, Carbon   Veuve Clicquot – Coffret Retraite V.Clicquot Rose   Enceinte Mobile 700W Sono Active DJ KARAOKE 12″ Autonome Batterie à LED RVB + Micro VHF USB/SD/Bluetooth – LedWood Boostar1400   Volkswagen: IT-Störung bei Volkswagen behoben   Newcastle adds BetMGM UK to its bookmaker alliances   $$* Amalia   El Rancho Place d’Italie, Centre commercial Italie 2, place d’Italie 75013 Paris   Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer? *Pocophone F1 review: “Flagship Killer” killer?