BlackBerry KEYone vs. BlackBerry Priv: Lock, stock and mobile

There are only two Android-based BlackBerrys with keyboards, and while they share a few key features, at their cores they couldn't be more different.

The BlackBerry Priv has been available since November of 2015, so it's certainly not the newest cat around, but for all its quirks it did a lot of things right — and for being the first BlackBerry running Android, it was ambitious as hell.

The KEYone has a quirky name — as do most BlackBerrys cough DTEK50 cough — but it's got some real reasons to get excited. Let's run through some of them.

But first, a spec rundown between the two phones:

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CategoryBlackBerry KEYoneBlackBerry Priv
Operating SystemAndroid 7.1.1 NougatAndroid 6.0.1 Marshmallow
Display4.5-inch1620x1080 IPS LCD434ppi5.43-inch curved2560x1440 AMOLED540ppi
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 625Quad-core 2.00GHzAdreno 506 GPUQualcomm Snapdragon 808Hexa-core 1.8GHzAdreno 418 GPU
RAM3GB3GB
Storage32GB32GB
ExpandablemicroSD up to 2TBmicroSD up to 2TB
Rear Camera12MP f/2.0, PDAFdual-tone LED flashHDR, 4K, 30fps18MP f/2.2,OIS, PDAFHDR, 4K, 30fps
Front Camera8MP f/2.21.12um pixels2MP f/2.81.75um pixels
Battery3505 mAhnon-removable3410 mAhnon-removable
ChargingQuick Charge 3.0USB-CQuick Charge 2.0Micro-USB
Water resistanceNoNo
Wireless chargingNoIn some models
Dimensions149.1 x 72.39 x 9.4 mm147 x 77.2 x 9.4 mm
Weight180 grams192 grams

Now, the Priv, when it was announced, was a high-end phone; it cost $699 when it debuted which, without carrier support, made it pretty hard to swallow. It had a big, high-resolution display with curved glass, a fast-at-the-time processor in the Snapdragon 808, and an 18MP camera that produced some great shots. Its 3410mAh battery was no slouch either.

And while BlackBerry's Android build debuted with some crushing bugs and some slow-as-molasses software, it improved with the Marshmallow update (though our friend, MrMobile, somewhat disagrees).

Of course, many people bought the Priv not for the specs but the thing that lay underneath, the better-than-it-deserved-to-be slider keyboard. While shallow, sure, it was an incredible feat of engineering, and a viable input alternative to the also-excellent virtual option bundled with the phone.

The KEYone's 3,505mAh battery should last considerable longer than the Priv's.

The KEYone is a different class of phone altogether. At $549, it's not as expensive (though not as cheap as we hoped), and the keyboard is prominent. It replaces the Priv's high-resolution AMOLED display for a more reasonable and less battery-sucking IPS panel, and the camera has stepped down to a better-in-the-dark 12MP Sony IMX378 sensor.

Finally, the 3,505mAh battery should last considerable longer than the Priv's, given its Snapdragon 625 chip, an octa-core multitasker that, while not as fast as the Snapdragon 808 in single-threaded tasks, shouldn't pose a problem to any of its users' average daily tasks. Indeed, the 625 holds its own in other devices like the Moto Z Play and Huawei Nova Plus, and leads them to best-in-class battery life, so I have no doubt the results will be similar in the KEYone.

Of course, the KEYone, running Android 7.1 out of the box, has a distinct advantage over the current Priv — better notifications, true multi-window, and improved efficiency — but the same update is expected on the Priv at some point. The Priv, however, has a 16:9 screen, with no obstructions like a keyboard when held in landscape, so it's better for watching movies or playing games.

The Priv is currently sold for a more reasonable $499 directly from BlackBerry, and can be found for less around the internet.

See Priv at BlackBerry

The BlackBerry KEYone will be released in April for $549, and you can find out more information over at BlackBerry Mobile.

See KEYone at BlackBerry

Daniel Bader

Daniel Bader was a former Android Central Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor for iMore and Windows Central.