Metalenses and Fresnel Zone Plates (FZPs) represent two pioneering approaches to flat lens technology, each offering unique advantages and limitations. Metalenses, comprised of millions of nanostructures called meta-atoms, are celebrated for their ability to manipulate light with high precision, while FZPs have long been recognized for their straightforward design and effectiveness in flat-lens applications. Despite the excitement in the photonics community surrounding metalenses, there remains a critical need for a rigorous, head-to-head comparison with FZPs to determine which lens type truly outperforms the other in key optical performance metrics. Our research aims to address this gap by systematically evaluating the practical performance of metalenses relative to FZPs, particularly in high-numerical aperture applications, under varying conditions and fabrication constraints. Our work emphasizes real-world conditions, with an in-depth analysis of how each lens performs in terms of focusing efficiency, resolution, and overall optical quality. This comparative approach is essential for establishing whether the belief that metalenses offer superior performance or if FZPs remain the better choice in applications requiring high resolution, sensitivity, and precision. We have made significant progress in this comparative analysis, yielding insights that challenge the prevailing notion that metalenses are superior in all flat-lens scenarios. In particular, our results indicate that high-numerical aperture metalenses underperform compared to FZPs. This finding is pivotal, as it counters the widely held belief within the photonics community that metalenses surpass other flat-lens options across all use cases. Instead, our research suggests that while metalenses excel in certain lower-numerical aperture applications, they may not be optimal for high-performance applications traditionally served by FZPs. Our work has already sparked valuable discourse within the photonics community, raising important questions about the limitations of metalenses. We are currently compiling our groundbreaking findings into a research paper, which promises to offer critical insights into the often over-hyped limitations of metalenses. However, additional research is essential to validate these preliminary findings across a broader range of conditions. Specifically, we aim to extend our analysis by exploring a wider variety of metalens and FZP designs under diverse wavelengths, refractive indices, and light polarizations. By further establishing the performance benchmarks for each lens type, our study will provide a comprehensive framework that can guide future research and inform practical decisions about lens selection in advanced optical systems. We aim to clarify the advantages and limitations of each lens type, providing a definitive answer to the question of which lens—metalens or FZP—ultimately delivers superior performance. In summary, this work represents a fundamental re-evaluation of flat-lens technology, with the potential to redefine the role of metalenses and FZPs in advanced optical applications. We hope to make a lasting contribution to the photonics community, informing both current practice and future innovation.