Renowned tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) has given the Solana Mobile’s Saga the dubious honor of being the “Worst New Phone of 2023” in his latest YouTube review.
Critical evaluation by MKBHD
In a candid assessment, MKBHD compared purchasing the Saga phone to acquiring a timeshare, emphasizing the immediate regret associated with the decision. He explicitly advised against buying the phone at its current market price, signaling potential issues with the device.
According to a post on X, the tech reviewer stated that “no amount of BONK tokens or Cryptosaurus could save Saga.” He added to his comment, “It’s a shame the ceramic build was wasted on a weak camera, display, and battery.”
Contrary to MKBHD’s scathing review, eBay recently listed the Saga phone for as much as $5000, a significant markup from Solana’s initial offering of $599. This price surge followed the revelation that each Saga phone came bundled with a free 30 million Bonk (BONK) token. Investors, eyeing the potential value of the memecoin, seemed undeterred by MKBHD’s negative critique.
MKBHD’s review raises concerns about potential flaws in the design of the Solana Saga. The flagship crypto-first Android phone boasts impressive specifications, including the Snapdragon® 8+ Gen 1, 12GB of RAM, 512GB of Flash, and a 6.67” OLED display. Solana’s co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko has acknowledged the review, hinting at the possibility of revisiting the drawing board to address identified issues.
Community responses
There were many responses and reactions from the web3 community concerning the Youtuber’s review. However, one user asked MKBHD if they could have his Solana mobile instead.
Notably, cybersecurity firm CertiK had previously expressed concerns about the security of the Saga mobile. While Solana promptly dismissed these claims, MKBHD’s review prompted a reconsideration of the cybersecurity aspect. With broader Solana outages in recent memory, addressing these concerns becomes crucial to reassure phone owners.
In the wake of MKBHD’s critical evaluation, the Solana Mobile team faces a decision: address the highlighted flaws and potentially outperform market leaders in the long term or maintain the current design and risk further negative reception.
