VALORANT weapon skins allow players to customize their weapons with unique styles and themes. Skins are visual only and should not alter the way the weapon works or performs to ensure an even playing field.
Recently, however, players have claimed that the Singularity Phantom skin has a longer reload animation, which could put players at a disadvantage.
A Reddit short clip that a VALORANT player uploaded to Reddit tried to show that the Phantom Singularity skin takes longer to animate compared to other skins. This does not affect the actual reload rate of the weapon, but indicates that the weapon is not ready to fire for a longer period of time.
The singularity phantom has a longer equip animation than the other phantom skins from r/VALORANT
Players using the Singularity Phantom may be at a bit of a disadvantage if they are not aware of the long animation. For example, even if players can defend themselves, they can wait to shoot until the animation ends. This small amount of time can make a big difference in the VALORANT game and potentially affect the outcome of a round.
Other players claim that the Singularity skin for Sheriff lasts longer than other skins, putting players who buy it at a disadvantage.
This is probably an unintentional issue as it can negatively impact players with skins. It's unclear if Riot Games is aware of the issue, but it will likely be fixed in a future patch if more players report the same experience.