Blackberry Keyone Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The BlackBerry Keyone is a unique smartphone that combines the best of both worlds - a classic QWERTY keyboard and a modern touch screen. With its sleek design and durable build, it offers a premium feel in your hands. The Keyone features a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 1620 pixels, offering sharp and vibrant visuals. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3GB/4GB of RAM, it delivers smooth performance and multitasking capabilities. The 12MP main camera captures stunning photos, while the 8MP front camera is perfect for selfies. With a non-removable 3500mAh battery, you can enjoy all-day usage. The BlackBerry Keyone is available in different variants and colors, offering options to suit different preferences. With its attractive price point, it's a compelling choice for those seeking a unique and reliable smartphone experience.

Design and Build Quality

The BlackBerry Keyone showcases a unique and distinctive design that sets it apart from other smartphones in the market. With its physical appearance, the device exudes a professional and sophisticated vibe, perfect for business-oriented individuals. The combination of glass, plastic, and aluminum materials used in its construction gives it a sturdy and premium feel. The Gorilla Glass 4 on the front provides added protection against scratches and accidental drops.

One of the standout features of the Keyone is its QWERTY keyboard, which adds a nostalgic touch to the device's aesthetics. The keyboard is ergonomically designed, allowing for efficient typing and enhancing the overall user experience. It provides a comfortable feel, making it a great option for those who prefer physical keyboards over touchscreen ones.

In terms of durability, the Keyone is built to withstand the rigors of daily use. The aluminum frame adds strength and stability to the device, while the plastic back ensures a lightweight feel. The device is also equipped with a fingerprint sensor on the front, seamlessly integrated into the physical keyboard, providing added security without compromising the design.

The attention to detail in the construction of the Keyone is evident, with its precise dimensions and well-placed buttons and ports. The 4.5-inch IPS LCD display offers a sharp and vibrant visual experience, protected by Gorilla Glass 4. The device also boasts a long-lasting 3500mAh battery, ensuring extended usage without frequent charging.

Overall, the BlackBerry Keyone impresses with its design and build quality. It combines nostalgia with modern technology, providing a unique and functional smartphone experience. The materials used, ergonomic design, and durability make it a reliable and stylish choice for individuals who value both aesthetics and functionality in their gadgets.

Display

The BlackBerry Keyone features a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 1620 pixels. The screen has an aspect ratio of 3:2, which is slightly taller compared to the traditional 16:9 ratio seen on most smartphones. The LCD technology ensures accurate color reproduction and good viewing angles. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4, which provides durability and resistance against scratches and accidental drops. With a pixel density of around 434 pixels per inch, the Keyone's display delivers sharp and detailed visuals.

In terms of brightness levels, the Keyone offers decent outdoor visibility, allowing users to comfortably use the device even in bright sunlight. The touch responsiveness of the display is smooth and accurate, making it easy to navigate and type on the QWERTY keyboard.

While the Keyone does not feature OLED technology, which is known for its deep blacks and vibrant colors, the LCD display on this device still offers pleasing color accuracy and vibrancy. The Keyone does not have a notch design, and the bezels surrounding the screen are quite noticeable compared to bezel-less designs seen on other smartphones. The screen-to-body ratio is around 55.6%, which means there is a significant amount of bezel space.

The Keyone does not have an always-on display feature, but it does offer a blue light filter and adaptive brightness, which adjust the display based on ambient lighting conditions. This helps reduce eye strain and improve visibility in different lighting environments. The display calibration on the Keyone is generally well-balanced, providing a comfortable viewing experience.

Overall, the BlackBerry Keyone's display offers a good balance of size, resolution, and color accuracy. While it may not offer the latest display technologies like OLED or HDR, it still delivers a satisfactory visual experience for everyday use.

Performance

The performance of the Blackberry Keyone is powered by the Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625 chipset, which is built on a 14nm process. This octa-core chipset, with its Cortex-A53 CPU clocked at 2.0 GHz, ensures smooth multitasking and efficient app loading speeds. The Adreno 506 GPU handles the graphics processing and provides a satisfactory gaming experience.

In terms of CPU benchmarks, the Snapdragon 625 chipset performs well. It offers a balance between power efficiency and performance, making it suitable for everyday tasks and moderate gaming. The Keyone's processor efficiency allows for a lag-free performance and a smooth user experience.

When it comes to gaming capabilities, the Keyone handles most games with ease. The Adreno 506 GPU delivers decent graphics scores and can handle graphically intensive games at moderate settings. However, it may struggle with more demanding games that require high graphics settings.

In benchmark tests, the Keyone performs adequately. Synthetic benchmarks show that it is capable of handling most tasks without any significant issues. Gaming benchmarks also indicate that the Keyone can handle popular games, although it may not achieve the highest frame rates or graphics settings.

Overall, the Keyone offers a satisfactory performance for everyday tasks and moderate gaming. Its system optimization and thermal management contribute to a smooth user experience. The Snapdragon 625 chipset provides a good balance between performance and power efficiency, ensuring that the device does not drain the battery quickly.

In conclusion, the Blackberry Keyone's performance is commendable for its intended target audience. It may not be the best choice for power users or gamers who require top-of-the-line performance, but for those who prioritize a physical keyboard and a smooth overall experience, the Keyone delivers. Its CPU and GPU benchmarks, along with its multitasking capabilities and system optimization, make it a reliable device for everyday use.

Software and User Interface

The BlackBerry Keyone runs on Android 7.1 Nougat out of the box, which is upgradable to Android 8.1 Oreo. This means that users can benefit from the latest features and improvements offered by the Android operating system. The device comes with a few customizations from BlackBerry, but they are not intrusive and do not hinder the overall user experience. The user interface is clean and straightforward, making it easy for users to navigate through the phone's features and settings.

One of the notable aspects of the software on the BlackBerry Keyone is the lack of bloatware. The device does not come with unnecessary pre-installed apps that take up storage space and can be annoying for users. This allows users to have more control over their device and customize it according to their preferences.

BlackBerry has also included some useful productivity apps on the Keyone, such as the BlackBerry Hub, which integrates all your emails, messages, and social media notifications into one unified inbox. Additionally, the device comes with the BlackBerry DTEK security app, which provides users with an overview of their device's security and privacy settings.

Overall, the software on the BlackBerry Keyone is user-friendly and offers a smooth and efficient user experience. The combination of the clean Android interface and the useful BlackBerry apps make it a great choice for individuals who prioritize productivity and security.

Camera

The Blackberry Keyone is equipped with a 12-megapixel primary camera that boasts an f/2.0 aperture and 1.55µm pixel size. This camera is designed to capture sharp and detailed images, ensuring excellent image quality in various lighting conditions. With its PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) feature, the camera focuses quickly and accurately, allowing for crisp and clear shots. The Keyone's camera also includes a dual-LED dual-tone flash, which helps to capture well-lit photos even in low-light settings.

In terms of camera features, the Keyone offers HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode, which enhances the dynamic range of photos, ensuring accurate exposure in high-contrast scenes. Additionally, the camera supports panorama mode, allowing users to capture wide-angle shots with ease. There is also a pro mode available, giving users more control over settings such as ISO, white balance, and shutter speed.

When it comes to video recording, the Keyone is capable of shooting 4K videos at 30 frames per second, ensuring high-quality footage. Video stabilization technology helps to reduce shakiness, resulting in smooth and steady videos. Slow-motion video and time-lapse recording are also available, adding versatility to the camera's capabilities.

Overall, the camera of the Blackberry Keyone performs well in daylight photography, producing images with natural colors and good sharpness. It also offers decent low-light performance, thanks to its large pixel size and image stabilization feature. Whether capturing outdoor scenery or taking indoor shots, the Keyone's camera proves to be a reliable option for users who prioritize photography on their smartphones.

Battery Life

Connectivity and Networking

The Blackberry Keyone offers a range of connectivity options to keep you connected wherever you go. It supports 4G LTE network compatibility, ensuring fast and reliable data speeds. You can also take advantage of Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, allowing for seamless wireless internet connectivity. The Keyone features Bluetooth 4.2 with A2DP, LE, and EDR, enabling easy pairing with other devices and accessories. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also supported, allowing for convenient contactless payments and data transfers. The device is equipped with a USB Type-C 3.1 port, which not only enables fast data transfer but also supports OTG (On-The-Go) functionality. Additionally, the Keyone features GPS, GLONASS, and BDS2 for precise navigation and location-based services. The phone also acts as a mobile hotspot, allowing you to share your internet connection with other devices. With its comprehensive connectivity features, including Wi-Fi standards and Bluetooth version, the Blackberry Keyone ensures that you stay connected and enjoy a seamless digital experience.

Additional Features

The BlackBerry Keyone offers several additional features that enhance its functionality and user experience. While it does not have water resistance or dustproof capabilities, it does come with a durable build quality and a Corning Gorilla Glass 4 protection for the display. The device also supports expandable storage through a microSD card slot, allowing users to easily increase their storage capacity. It is worth noting that the Keyone is available in different versions, including dual SIM options, providing flexibility for users who require multiple SIM cards. In terms of sensors, the Keyone is equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a sensor suite that includes proximity and compass sensors. These advanced motion and environmental sensors enhance the overall usability and functionality of the device. Overall, the BlackBerry Keyone offers a range of additional features that cater to different user needs and preferences.

Comparison with Other Related Phones

The Blackberry Keyone is a unique smartphone that stands out in the market due to its physical QWERTY keyboard. When comparing it to related devices, such as the iPhone 11 and Samsung Galaxy S10, the Keyone offers a distinct feature that sets it apart. While the Keyone may not have the same level of processing power as the iPhone 11 or the sleek design of the Galaxy S10, it appeals to a specific audience who prioritize the tactile typing experience.

In terms of specifications, the Keyone features a 4.5-inch IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080 x 1620 pixels. While this may not be as large or as high-resolution as the displays found on competitors' devices, it still offers a sharp and vibrant viewing experience. The Keyone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, which may not be as powerful as the latest processors found in the iPhone 11 or Galaxy S10, but it still delivers smooth performance for everyday tasks.

The Keyone also offers expandable storage options with a microSDXC card slot, which is a feature lacking in some of its competitors. It has a 12MP main camera that captures high-quality photos and videos, and an 8MP front-facing camera for selfies.

One of the Keyone's advantages is its long-lasting battery life, thanks to its 3500mAh non-removable battery. This is a significant advantage over competitors like the iPhone 11 and Galaxy S10, which may require more frequent charging.

In terms of pricing, the Keyone is more affordable compared to the high-end devices from competitors. With a price tag of around 290 EUR, it offers a good value for money proposition, especially for those who prioritize the physical keyboard experience.

While the Keyone may not have the same level of market share or brand recognition as its competitors, its unique features and competitive pricing make it an attractive option for a specific niche of users who value productivity and the tactile typing experience. Its physical keyboard sets it apart from other devices in the market, providing a sense of nostalgia for BlackBerry enthusiasts and catering to those who prefer physical keyboards for typing efficiency.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Blackberry Keyone offers a unique and nostalgic experience with its physical QWERTY keyboard, which sets it apart from other smartphones on the market. The device boasts a solid build quality with a combination of glass, plastic, and aluminum materials. It features a vibrant 4.5-inch IPS LCD display with Gorilla Glass 4 protection. The performance is decent, thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3GB/4GB RAM options. The camera delivers good results, especially in well-lit conditions, and the battery life is impressive with its 3500mAh capacity. However, potential buyers should consider that the Keyone runs on the slightly outdated Android 7.1 Nougat, although it is upgradable to Android 8.1 Oreo. Overall, the Blackberry Keyone is a reliable choice for those who prioritize physical keyboards and value a durable and productivity-focused device.