Flipper Devices Flipper Zero

WIRED’s Dhruv Mehrotra is impressed by Flipper Zero’s educational power but remains clear-eyed about its limitations and risks. After a week of testing, he used it to clone an RFID entry card, inspect tire-pressure and infrared signals, detect wireless broadcasts from everyday devices, and expose vulnerabilities in older garage doors and cars. The experience made the device feel less like a magical hacking toy and more like a “blacklight” for understanding the invisible wireless world. Mehrotra also punctures viral exaggerations: modern encrypted systems generally resist simple replay attacks, and reading payment-card data does not enable contactless purchases. Still, Flipper Zero is compact, approachable, customizable, and genuinely useful for curious learners and penetration testers. Its misuse potential is real, especially with vulnerable hardware or modified firmware, but the review’s overall impression is strongly positive, with the device inspiring greater technical curiosity rather than fear.

PCMag UK’s Justyn Newman is strongly positive about the Flipper Zero, calling it fun, approachable, and surprisingly capable. He presents it as a beginner-friendly gateway into open-source hardware and signal exploration, with an unusually broad toolkit spanning NFC, RFID, infrared, sub-1GHz, Bluetooth, GPIO, USB devices, and even games. Newman appreciates that it works well out of the box, feels sturdy and pocketable, and offers much more functionality than a comparable DIY Pwnagotchi project. His hands-on examples—reading a pet microchip, controlling a digital audio player, and using the Flipper as a mouse jiggler—give the praise credibility. The review does acknowledge practical drawbacks: a microSD card is required, Linux setup can be fiddly, and useful accessories cost extra. Still, the overall impression is enthusiastic: the Flipper Zero is portrayed as both a practical backup tool and an excellent, entertaining starting point for learning how everyday control systems work.

Custom PC’s Gareth Halfacree views the Flipper Zero as clever and useful, but ultimately limited by its novelty. He is impressed by its unusually broad toolkit, which can capture and replay infrared, RFID, NFC, iButton, and sub-GHz signals; in testing, it duplicated office remotes, copied a wireless doorbell signal, emulated tags, and even cloned a vintage Oyster card. The playful cyber-dolphin interface adds charm, while the desktop software and USB-UART functionality are genuinely practical. However, the mobile apps are buggy, storage is not included, regional radio restrictions limit some community files, and removing those safeguards with third-party firmware is illegal. Most importantly, there are only so many devices to clone before the excitement fades, especially since using it on other people’s gadgets can cause serious trouble. It is an entertaining hacker multitool with handy applications, but not a must-have purchase.

c’t’s Daniel Dupré is strongly positive about the Flipper Zero, presenting it as an unusually approachable and versatile hacking tool. Its playful, toy-like design makes experimenting with wireless technology inviting for beginners while still offering practical value to security professionals. The review covers sub-GHz signals, NFC, RFID, Bluetooth, infrared, USB keyboard emulation, and optional Wi-Fi attacks, while giving useful boundaries: rolling-code car locks and secure payment cards cannot simply be cloned, and Wi-Fi requires an extra module. Dupré also appreciates the open-source ecosystem, community add-ons, games, and Tamagotchi-like personality, though limited internal storage makes a microSD card advisable. The main reservations concern its potentially dangerous capabilities and the legal responsibility surrounding radio attacks and unauthorized access. Overall, the Flipper Zero is portrayed less as a professional replacement for specialized tools than as a uniquely engaging, educational gateway into hardware and cybersecurity.

ZDNET’s Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is clearly impressed by the Flipper Zero, while remaining measured about its real-world limits. He portrays it as a remarkably capable, portable security tool disguised as a colorful toy, with infrared, sub-GHz, RFID, NFC, iButton, and GPIO capabilities packed into a $169 device. The week-long battery life, simple controls, and compact design add to its appeal, and his initial testing suggests the features work well. Still, this is an early assessment rather than a full review: he has not yet established how useful the device is across real-world situations, and stresses that it is no replacement for high-end pentesting equipment. Availability is another drawback, with the official store frequently sold out and third-party sellers charging more. Overall, he sees the Flipper Zero as an unusually affordable and accessible entry point for experimenting with RF and NFC technology.

How-To Geek’s Bill Loguidice gives the Flipper Zero a measured thumbs-up, but finds its usefulness narrower than its capabilities suggest. He enjoys the device’s playful design, cyber-dolphin companion, broad support for sub-GHz, RFID, NFC, infrared, GPIO, iButton, and USB functions, and was particularly impressed by reading his dog’s microchip and the surprisingly precise Video Game Module. Battery life is strong, documentation is helpful, and the hardware feels like an entertaining experimenter’s tool. Still, setup can require authentic microSD media and plenty of reading, while security systems may prevent successful cloning—as happened with a hotel wristband. Despite its impressive range, Loguidice struggled to find compelling everyday applications beyond backing up remotes or access cards. His 6/10 verdict reflects a distinctive, enjoyable gadget with genuine technical appeal, but limited mainstream practicality.

IT Pro’s Danny Bradbury is highly impressed by the Flipper Zero’s versatility and clever design. He portrays it as a remarkably capable, portable “communications wizard,” combining infrared, NFC, RFID, sub-GHz, iButton, BadUSB, and U2F tools in one approachable device. The thoughtful interface, strong battery life, open-source community, app ecosystem, and GPIO expandability make it especially appealing for electronics enthusiasts and security-minded tinkerers. Bradbury also demonstrates its capabilities with practical tests, including reading a MIFARE card, identifying a dog’s microchip, and using it successfully as a Google security key. Still, it is not a fully secure replacement for certified hardware keys, lacks NFC-based U2F, requires a microSD card and firmware setup, and can enable questionable or illegal experimentation. His central insight is that its value depends heavily on the user’s commitment: casual buyers may abandon it, while technically curious owners can turn it into an exceptionally useful platform.