BlackBerry KEY2 review
Build Quality
Phone Set Up
Features
Camera & Video
Battery Life
First dual camera on a BlackBerry phone
Our BlackBerry KEY2 review has a lot to share with you, because this phone has loads of innovative features that really make it stand out from the crowd. If you are a BlackBerry owner, then you will want this new phone and if you aren’t, then this review might just give you a real reason to become one.
The BlackBerry KEY2 is the successor to the BlackBerry KEYone and will be priced at £579 handset only, with contract line rentals still to be confirmed. This new BlackBerry phone will arrive during June 2018 in the UK, so you won’t have to wait long in order to get your hands on one.
Build Quality
Screen and keyboard review
The BlackBerry KEY2 has the same screen size at 4.5” and the resolution of this is 1620 x 1080 pixels. This equates to 433 pixels per inch, which is very fine indeed. The display is a touchscreen even though there is a 35 key backlit QWERTY keyboard.
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The keyboard features keys that are 20% larger in height and it supports Flick Typing, while learning the words you use most. Possibly the best keyboard feature is the fact that you can use it like a touch pad and scroll around by sliding your finger over the keyboard. This is a great feature because you put less fingerprints on the screen and its view is never obscured by your finger.
Improved design
The BlackBerry KEY2 is lighter and thinner but just as durable as its predecessor. The body is 8.5mm thick and the phone weighs in at 168g.
Comparison: The BlackBerry KEYone is 9.4mm thick and weighs 180g.
The front of the phone is made from durable 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass and this is fixed to a frame made from a Series 7 aluminium alloy. The back has a non-slip surface and this is created though the use of a soft-feel diamond textured material.
Processor performance
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 2.2GHz octa-core processor has 6GB RAM and this makes the Key2 extremely fast and responsive.
Comparison: The Samsung Galaxy S9 has 4GB RAM.
Phone Set Up
Keyboard fingerprint sensor
The BlackBerry KEY2 has a keyboard-integrated fingerprint sensor and this is built into the space bar. The sensor can be used to unlock the phone and to access the Locker Private Zone App.
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A choice of memory
This BlackBerry phone will be offered with your choice of 64GB or 128GB memory. You can transfer your old content, such as photos, onto this and you can even expand the memory by up to 256GB with a microSD card.
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Features
BlackBerry innovations
The BlackBerry KEY2 runs on the Android 8.1 Oreo operating system but it is BlackBerry’s own innovations that make this phone so special.
The first such innovation is the Speed Key. This sits on the same line as the space bar and initiates actions or shortcuts to your favourite apps or contacts. In total, you can access 52 custom shortcuts, without endless swiping or going back to the homescreen. The keys recognises short and long presses, so if you have two apps that begin with the same letter, you can easily access them both.
There are many BlackBerry apps installed and the most notable of these include:
- BlackBerry Hub - One place for all your notifications and messages
- Firefox Focus Private Browser - Automatic browsing that erases any footprint from the phone afterwards
- Notes by BlackBerry
- BlackBerry Password Keeper
- BlackBerry Device Search
- BlackBerry Convenience - Mutes calls
- Secure DTEK - At a glance security meter that lets you manage app permissions or run a Proactive Health Check - Highlights security optimisations
- Privacy Shade - Stops people from peering at your screen
Camera & Video
Dual camera
The BlackBerry KEY2 has the first dual camera on a BlackBerry phone and this has 12MP + 12MP lenses. One lens has a 79.3 degrees field of view while the other has a 50 degrees field of view.
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You can use the dual camera in Portrait Mode to capture depth effects. You can also use the dual camera for Optical Superzoom, where multi-frame capture reduces the noise when bringing distant objects into focus.
Further features of the main camera include 4K video recording, document scanning, Google Lens integration and Private Capture that uses your thumbprint to snap and save photos directly to the locker. The 8MP selfie camera has a Selfie Flash that uses the LCD display and it can record 1080p (Full HD) video.
Battery Life
Two day battery
The 3,500mAh battery offers 25+ hours of mixed use. There is Smart Battery Experience that learns your charging habits and prompts you to charge the KEY2, ensuring you never get caught short of power. This BlackBerry phone also supports Quick Charge 3.1 so that in 36 minutes you can get 50% charge.
Next: Nokia 3.1 review
Written by: Michael Brown