BlackBerry KEYone reviews are in. We’ve seen the KEYone from every angle, some of you even got to play with it in person, but today is when we get to hear the real-world results from the experts. Of course, you’ve already checked out Read In Brief full review (right?!) but we’ve also compiled a list of reviews from around the web. Each reviewer obviously has their own take on the KEYone, but some running themes, as expected, are the insane battery life and that awesome, capacitive physical keyboard.
The thing that blew me away was its speed. This might be the fastest fingerprint sensor I’ve ever used on a phone. — Mashable
SPECS
| Display | 4.5″ IPS LCD 1620 x 1080; 434 ppi |
| CPU | Snapdragon 625 |
| GPU | Adreno 506 |
| Software | Android 7.1.1 Nougat; BlackBerry Security |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB, expandable via microSD |
| Cameras | 12MP IMX378 (1.55μm) rear, 8MP front |
| Battery | 3,505mAh; Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Misc | USB Type-C 3.1, fingerprint sensor, 3.5mm jack, physical keyboard, NFC |
| Connectivity | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band; Bluetooth 4.2; LTE bands 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/20/25/26/28/29/30 |
| Measurements | 149.3 x 72.5 x 9.4 mm; 180 g |
| Buy | BlackBerry |
THE GOOD
| Software | The “stock” take on Android with BlackBerry’s apps is great. It feels like what Motorola does: functionality added on top of Google’s vision. It has the latest security patch and Android 7.1.1. |
| Battery life | My time with phones from the likes of Huawei and Xiaomi has somewhat desensitized me to stellar battery life, but the KEYone is definitely above average. |
| Screen | The color accuracy, brightness, and viewing angles are spectacular. The screen crisp and more than adequate, despite its odd size and aspect ratio. |
| Fingerprint sensor | I am not sure from where the fingerprint sensor was sourced, but it’s almost on Huawei’s level for speed and accuracy. Seriously, my success rate has been almost perfect. |
| Build quality | The KEYone is one hell of a solid device. The aluminium frame combined with the soft-touch back make the phone feel extremely durable. |
THE NOT SO GOOD
| Ergonomics/weight | The KEYone is chunky and is a bit difficult to hold. Typing with one hand on the physical keyboard is also a pain. And even though it’s only 180 grams, the KEYone feels very dense and heavy. Using it single-handed is not a pleasant experience for long periods. |
| Speaker | I know this should go without saying, but the speaker quality on this phone is pretty terrible. |
| Performance | Major lag, homescreen redraws, and RAM management issues led to a phone that, after about a week of use, became almost unusable. |
The KEYone doesn’t skimp on features beyond the physical keyboard either. It has an amazing camera — the best ever in a BlackBerry — a solid build on the outside with great specs on the inside, expandable storage, and USB-C quick charging. There’s also a fingerprint sensor, but it’s not where you’d think. Unlike some other devices that stick the sensor on the back of the phone, the KEYone actually has a sensor built into the spacebar on the physical keyboard — and it’s blazing fast. A simple tap will unlock your device so there’s no fumbling with using a pattern or passcode.
But don’t just take our word for it. We’ve rounded up as many BlackBerry KEYone reviews as we could find so you can find them all in one spot. Set aside some time to read them over, then decide for yourself if that BlackBerry KEYone is the device for you.