Boasting of a gorgeous display, top notch internals and a contemporary BB design, BlackBerry Priv is considered by some as one of sleek phone churned out in 2016. BB Priv offers an exclusive experience for its users unlike some other smartphones in its class.
BB Priv Specifications
- Announced in October 2015
- Network: GSM/HSPA/LTE – Nano SIM
- Dimensions & Weight: (147×77.2×9.4) mm, 192g
- Keyboard: Physical QWERTY, Capacitive 4-row BB Touch Keyboard
- Display: 5.4 inch 1440×2560 AMOLED @540ppi, multi-touch up to 10 fingers, Gorilla Glass 4
- OS: Android 5.1.1 Lollipop
- Chipset & GPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 MSM8992, Adreno 418 GPU
- Memory: 3GB RAM, 32GB Internal, microSD up to 200GB
- Camera and Video: 18MP OIS Schneider Kreuznach Optics, 2160p recording @30fps, 2MP front Camera
- Comms: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Hotspot, Wi-Fi Direct, BT 4.1 with A2DP/EDR/LE, A-GPS and GONASS,
- NFC, SlimPort 4K microUSB 2.0
- Misc. Features: Accelerometer, gyro, altimeter, proximity, ToF, compass
- Dedicated Mic for Active noise cancellation
- Battery: 3410 mAh non-removable Li-ion Battery with Quick Charge 2.0 (60% in 30 minutes)
- Standby time up to 420 hours and talk-time up to 24 hours on 3G, Music Playback time up to 73 hours
The display of the BB Priv is simply stunning with accurate colors and good outdoor visibility. The display is also curved from edges and gives the phone a unique look. The physical keyboard is revealed when the screen slides up, just like most other Blackberry devices, and that is something BB lovers crave. What makes Priv special is the fact that it now runs on Android, something the company should have considered a couple of years ago. BB Priv is quite attractive and its build quality should satisfy even the most demanding users.
Design-wise, the phone is not so thick as it offers a good grip in ones hand. The phone looks very inviting with its stealth black color and texture.
Priv runs on a version of Android 5.1.1 Lollipop with a few customizations here and there unlike the Alcatel Onetouch Popstar LTE, which we have also reviewed, that runs on Android Lollipop V5.0. It may be updated to the latest Marshmallow in future, but for now, nothing can be said with certainty. BlackBerry devices are considered to be great when it comes to security, but Priv lacks even some of the basic security features we find on smartphones today. Most noticeable is the lack of a fingerprint scanner which can be found in most modern smartphones that don’t even advertise themselves as secure devices.
Performance-wise there should be no much complaints as Priv is loaded with a Snapdragon 808 and 3 gigs of ram which should be enough for even the most power users. Games run smoothly without any lag, but the phone tends to get warmer after some heavy use, (a common issue with many Snapdragon 808 devices). The Audio Quality is also pretty decent and loud. The battery life is average, but fast charging can address the issue to some extent.
The Cameras are less than stellar, but should suffice for more business users who are not really concerned about the imaging capabilities. The front rear camera shoots fine photos in good light, but not so fine in low light scenarios.
BB fans expected a lot more from the much hyped Priv, but it still offers much for those who love a physical keyboard and are old BB fans. How the phone will perform in the long run is still uncertain, but initial feedback suggests that buyers should have been offered with a lot more. Only time will tell.
