Commodore Flip Phone
Ranked 2 of 9 dumb phones by recommenders
People like its distinctive retro design and its limits on distractions, with a basic set of smartphone features kept. Critics say the $500 price is too high and that it looks cheap.
People like its distinctive retro design and its limits on distractions, with a basic set of smartphone features kept. Critics say the $500 price is too high and that it looks cheap.
47 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 31
- criticize it
- 16
- approval share
- 66%
Recommended in 6 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 31 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
- 1.9 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 6 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Distinctive retro design, not a black slab
“They would love the design 1000x more than what biggest players bring on the market these days.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “It was fun, quirky and a bit different to the general black rounded rectangle.”
Comment from 12 Aug 2026 in “Google launches Pixel 11 Pro Fold” “It isn't yet another iOS/Android clone, and I'm here for it!”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” - Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
Limits distractions with no browser
“I want to have access to whatsapp/browser but with constraints of T9 so that I am not tempted to jump from website to website”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “I love that it doesn't even have a browser that I'd need to try to disable via ADB or some other hack.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “it ticks all the boxes in what a dumb phone should and shouldn't have in terms of functionality”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” Feels like a good middle ground
“I can really see the appeal of such a product.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “This seems like exactly what I wanted.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “This is an excellent middle ground.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” Keeps essentials, drops the rest
“Being reachable and able to reach is good, and you'll still get all the other benefits.”
Comment from 10 Nov 2025 in “Study finds memory decline surge in young people” “It has all of the good parts of a smart phone, none of the bad ones.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Price too high for features
“At $500 this one definitely isn't, not when an ultra-cheap Android smartphone capable of running WhatsApp costs $90.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “it's the bonkers $500 price tag when you can go get a 5G military grade waterproof flip phone”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “$500 USD (so $700(!!!) Canadian) is pretty bizarre for what it is”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” - Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
- Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
- Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
Looks cheap, lacks premium feel
“it looks exactly like the kind of junk you'd have found for $10 in the Shenzhen knock off markets”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “I was hoping it would look like an Amiga not a CRT candy iMac”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “doesn't even have a premium look - not even a metallic body”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” - Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone”
Missing group MMS and NFC
“one of the things you'll likely miss if you're in the US is group MMS support.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “more concerned about nfc payment and public transport apps not working”
Comment from 17 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” Too many restrictions for some
“I really like the concept, but I think the restrictions are a double-edged sword.”
Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “Commodore Releases Flip Phone” “You shouldn’t have to pay a premium just to have features removed.”
Comment from 10 Jul 2026 in “Study: "Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?"”
Other dumb phones people recommend
The four most recommended other dumb phones, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimal Phone 2 | 34 | 26 | 57% | 2 | — | — |
| Commodore Flip PhoneThis page | 31 | 16 | 66% | 6 | — | — |
| Nokia phones | 29 | 10 | 74% | 11 | — | Approved |
| Commodore Digital Detox Phone | 14 | 11 | 56% | 1 | — | — |
| Mudita Kompakt | 8 | 2 | 80% | 7 | — | — |
What people said
40 of the 53 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“I unfortunately didn't use it nearly as much as I thought I would have. It's also significantly bulkier in my pocket than my 13 mini.”
“It was fun, quirky and a bit different to the general black rounded rectangle.”
“You shouldn’t have to pay a premium just to have features removed.”
“Maybe the new Commodore flip phone?”
“Kids dont need more, if parents dont want to ruin (part of) their childhood.”
“On a standard carrier with device payments, this is going to be in the "free, or maybe you even get a discount" tier.”
“Not sure it's a $500 plus.”
“more concerned about nfc payment and public transport apps not working”
“price is crazy, this is cool”
“doesn't even have a premium look - not even a metallic body”
“it's the bonkers $500 price tag when you can go get a 5G military grade waterproof flip phone”
“it wont be great for navigation while driving”
“I love that it doesn't even have a browser that I'd need to try to disable via ADB or some other hack.”
“That will not be apping via a $500 Commodore flip phone.”
“I can really see the appeal of such a product.”
“I love the idea and would use something like this”
“it sure does seem like a missed opportunity to claim the 'cassette futurism' as the company's iconic form factor”
“At $500 this one definitely isn't, not when an ultra-cheap Android smartphone capable of running WhatsApp costs $90.”
“checked the actual page and saw $499... absolutely not.”
“one of the things you'll likely miss if you're in the US is group MMS support.”
“I really like the concept, but I think the restrictions are a double-edged sword.”
“it looks exactly like the kind of junk you'd have found for $10 in the Shenzhen knock off markets”
“it ticks all the boxes in what a dumb phone should and shouldn't have in terms of functionality”
“It seems like a reasonable mashup of nostalgia.”
“my kneejerk reaction was "plastic crap"”
“This seems like exactly what I wanted.”
“I want to have access to whatsapp/browser but with constraints of T9 so that I am not tempted to jump from website to website”
“$500 USD (so $700(!!!) Canadian) is pretty bizarre for what it is”
“They would love the design 1000x more than what biggest players bring on the market these days.”
“Two things need to change and this would be a hit”
“I was hoping it would look like an Amiga not a CRT candy iMac”
“This is an excellent middle ground.”
“but it has to look good... this thing looks atrocious”
“Nevermind, not going to spend more than 50 bucks on that.”
“It isn't yet another iOS/Android clone, and I'm here for it!”
“It has all of the good parts of a smart phone, none of the bad ones.”
“does it bring anything new to the table? I see the same low-effort buzzwords I've seen on other "dumb" phones.”
“For $500 (FIVE HUNDRED) you get a $30 dumb phone with Whatsapp.”
“It's awesome, come on back out to reality.”
“Being reachable and able to reach is good, and you'll still get all the other benefits.”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.