BlackBerry Q5
Key specs
Critic consensus
“The BlackBerry Q5 looks like the classic work phone - it's not fancy, not even pretty, but it gets the job done, plain and simple. Considering where the market is heading though, a Z5 would've made more sense. You know, an affordable full-touch phone to probably try and compete with Android and Windows Phone in the midrange.”
“The BlackBerry Q5 isn't a bad handset, but it carries the weight of disappointment when you realize that it's not just a stripped-down Q10. Had it been, we'd probably be far more appreciative of the hardware, but as it stands we have two objections we simply can't get past. First things first, the price. We've labored this point already, but it's worth repeating that unless you specifically want a phone with a physical keyboard, for the same sort of money you can pick up a 2011 / 2012 flagship that'll pack more of a punch.”
“While the BlackBerry Q5 isn't necessarily a bad phone, we can't imagine seeing it fly off the shelves. That's because it targets a very specific demographic, namely people who aren't yet ready to give up on the hardware keyboard, and/or folks who haven't yet made the switch from BBM to an alternative mobile messaging app. And the number of people belonging to either or both of these groups are slowly decreasing.”
“It's a mixed bag when it comes to the BlackBerry Q5. It's cheaper than both the BlackBerry Q10 and Z10 and a lot of its hardware specs are better than we expected. However, build quality isn't inspiring and while BlackBerry 10 is smooth with good features, a shortage of apps remains a downfall.”
Watch before you decide
In Depth
The BlackBerry Q5 maintains the classic BlackBerry look with the square screen and physical keyboard, but drops the trackpad and thumbstick. The phone offers mid-range specs with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 2GB of memory, 8GB of onboard storage and a microSDHC slot expandable up to 32GB. Due to the phone’s decent specs, the new BlackBerry Hub and apps run smoothly on the phone according to PC Advisor.
CNET notes that the Q5, as compared to the Q10, “feels cheaper…The Q5’s glossy plastic surfaces are slippery and prone to grease and fingerprints.” In addition, while the Q5 does support a physical QWERTY keyboard, many reviewers found it to be much more difficult to use than previous BlackBerry phones. Ewan Spence of Forbes notes that while the Q5 uses the familiar BlackBerry keyboard layout, the keys themselves have “a lower physical profile [so] it’s harder to hit the right key…when you do not only do you need to ensure that you hit the key dead center for it to register, you’ll also feel the surrounding keys move down very slightly…”
Many reviewers also had screen issues. Since the Q5 utilizes a physical keyboard versus on-screen keyboard, the actual size of the screen is only 3.1 inches. Chris Martin of PC Advisor mentions that it might be difficult for consumers used to larger screens as during their tests they would “often quit out of apps by going too close to the bottom of the screen when scrolling down a page or a list.” Demetrius Crasto of TechShout notes that the screen is also a “smudge magnet.” The screen itself is an IPS LCD display with a 720×720 pixel resolution. According to Engadget despite its small size, the screen has excellent backlighting and good viewing angles.
Overall, most reviewers have found the Q5 to be a rather disappointing addition to the BlackBerry family. ZDNet states that ”…for most the combination of physical keyboard, diminutive screen and limited array of apps may leave them cold.” Softpedia notes that the “…build quality of the phone leaves much to be desired…”
The Good: IPS LCD display offers excellent viewing angles, BlackBerry 10 OS runs smoothly.
The Bad: Difficult to use keyboard, small screen size, poor build quality.
What people actually want to know
When was the BlackBerry Q5 released?
The BlackBerry Q5 was released on June 20, 2013.
How long does the battery last on the BlackBerry Q5?
The BlackBerry Q5 has a 2,180 mAh battery.
Does the BlackBerry Q5 have a headphone jack?
Yes, the BlackBerry Q5 has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Does the BlackBerry Q5 have NFC?
Yes, the BlackBerry Q5 has NFC. You can use Google Wallet, Apple Pay, and tap-to-pair with Bluetooth accessories.
Where can I download the BlackBerry Q5 manual?
You can view and download the BlackBerry Q5 manual on our dedicated manual page.
Questions & answers
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