Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 CPU: Octa-core (8x ARM Cortex A53 2.0 GHz 64-bit) GPU: Adreno 506 650 MHz Power/Lock, Volume Up, Volume Down, Convenience Key (customizable) And it shows, with a little help from the BlackBerry camera software (more on that later).Ĥ.5" 1620x1080, 433 PPI 24-bit color IPS LCD The one bit they really went crazy with is the camera: believe it or not, the KEYone uses the exact same sensor as the Pixel. In terms of connectivity, it’s got the whole package: Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, WiFi up to 802.11ac, GPS (including the EU, Chinese and Russian flavors) and every wireless/GSM/LTE band you can think of. On the other hand there’s plenty of RAM (3GB) and decent built-in storage space (32GB) that can be expanded up to 2TB via microSD card. They built the KEYone around Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 625 SoC, a chipset that compromises on processing power in return for reduced energy consumption. Looking at the spec sheet, it’s obvious right off the bat that TCL wants you to do more work and have less fun. There is something 100% positive about it, however: it’s not curved! Hardware Setup It is crisp though (433 PPI) and decent in terms of brightness, as long as you don't put it next to the likes of Galaxy S7/S8, iPhone 7 or Google Pixel, especially in broad sunlight.Ĭombined with the physical keyboard, the 1620x1080 resolution makes the KEYone feel like a full touch device where the on-screen keyboard is permanently visible, except you actually do get an on-screen keyboard sometimes, which reduces the usable portion of the display even further. You’ll get black bars with 16:9 content that would otherwise fill the entire screen, which makes this display seem even smaller. DisplayĪt 4.5”, the screen is on the small side and, given its 3:2 aspect ratio, not very suitable for watching videos. Lastly, there’s a 3.5mm audio jack (top) and a USB Type-C connector (bottom). On the left side there’s the lonely lock/unlock key, while the SIM/microSD tray, volume buttons (combined into one) and the Convenience key can be found on the right side. Aside from the usual logo, it also houses the impressive camera lens and its dual-tone flash, but nothing else, which completes the phone’s stylish design. The back plate continues BlackBerry’s tradition of textured, rubbery plastics, and this one looks and feels better than ever. Build quality is excellent all around, a few notches higher compared with the DTEK50 and PRIV, which feel flimsy and cheap compared to the KEYone. The metal frame looks and feels extremely sturdy, and it should be, since it’s not exactly thin by today’s standards. The physical keyboard at the bottom gives the phone its name and adds a little ruggedness thanks to the unusual geometry of the space key (there’s a reason for that, of course). Just like the DTEK50/60, there’s no BlackBerry branding on the front (probably because there was no room for it, but that’s actually for the better). I could go on about how the silver and black combine to give it an industrial look with an elegant feel that works regardless if you’re a businessman or not, but “cool” is actually the best way to put it. Now, let’s see if reality matches expectations. A new BlackBerry! Even though corporate, business strategy and software transitions over the past few years have changed what that means, the KEYone sure looks like a real BlackBerry and, as a long time (or should I say old time) user and fan of the brand, I can’t help getting excited.
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