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:
| Category | BlackBerry KEYone | BlackBerry Priv |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 7.1.1 Nougat | Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Display | 4.5-inch 1620x1080 IPS LCD 434ppi | 5.43-inch curved 2560x1440 AMOLED 540ppi |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Quad-core 2.00GHz Adreno 506 GPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 Hexa-core 1.8GHz Adreno 418 GPU |
| RAM | 3GB | 3GB |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Expandable | microSD up to 2TB | microSD up to 2TB |
| Rear Camera | 12MP f/2.0, PDAF dual-tone LED flash HDR, 4K, 30fps | 18MP f/2.2, OIS, PDAF HDR, 4K, 30fps |
| Front Camera | 8MP f/2.2 1.12um pixels | 2MP f/2.8 1.75um pixels |
| Battery | 3505 mAh non-removable | 3410 mAh non-removable |
| Charging | Quick Charge 3.0 USB-C | Quick Charge 2.0 Micro-USB |
| Water resistance | No | No |
| Wireless charging | No | In some models |
| Dimensions | 149.1 x 72.39 x 9.4 mm | 147 x 77.2 x 9.4 mm |
| Weight | 180 grams | 192 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.
The BlackBerry KEYone will be released in April for $549, and you can find out more information over at BlackBerry Mobile.
