BlackBerry Z10 review: First look

We take a hands on look at the BlackBerry Z10 ahead of our full in-depth review

The BlackBerry Z10 is easily the most important thing to come out of Canada since The Arcade Fire. It's been on the cards for two years now and represents something of a watershed moment for the telecommunications company formally known as RIM.



To say there's a lot riding on it would be a massive understatement. BlackBerry 10 (BB10) has to succeed. Failure is not an option anymore. And with BlackBerry 10, BlackBerry has done just about everything it can to ensure the platform succeeds and takes that all-important third spot behind Android and iOS.



And the BlackBerry Z10 is a great place to start that campaign. It's a solid looking device constructed from a variety of materials including plastics, soft-touch rubber, and what feels like brushed aluminum. Inside the Z10-branded box you'll find everything you need (and more) to get you started: charger cables, headphones, carry case, and plug.

Visually, the Z10 is a very good-looking device - that much was obvious from the leaks. It definitely looks and feels bigger in the flesh though with its expansive slab-like proportions and gorgeous 4.2-inch 1280x768 pixel display.

Some have said it looks like the iPhone 5, and in some respects it does. But on the whole we disagree. Yes, the BlackBerry Z10 has a similar overall shape and finish to Apple's iPhone. But there's also lots of other things that separate the two from a design perspective.

Take the Z10's button-free glass front, larger display, two-tone chassis, as well as the use of soft-grip rubber around the back, and the fact that it has a removable battery. It might not sound like much, but taken all together these aspects give the Z10 a very bespoke look that helps set it apart from the iPhone and indeed everything else.



We wouldn't go as far as saying the Z10 breaks new ground, however. Nor would we say it's ‘unique' looking, because it isn't - but that still doesn't detract from the obvious: this is a very good looking handset.

We love the display, the UI is novel and interesting, and the build quality and general performance really is up there with the best of Android and iOS.



Here's a break down of the official specs for the BlackBerry Z10:

• Processor: Dual-Core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 Plus


• Display: 4.2-inch, 4 point multi-touch LCD display, 1280x768 pixel resolution at 356ppi


• Cameras: 8-megapixel rear facing camera, Auto Focus, 5X digital zoom, 1080p HD video recording. And a 2-megaoixel front facing camera, 3X digital zoom, 720p HD video recording


• Memory: 2GB RAM ・16GB Internal Storage ・Hot Swappable microSD Slot

by via Know Your Mobile