Honest review Blackberry Keyone vs S7 edge

2high4u

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I posted this on the crackberry forum, but I will post it here just in case some people don't check over there.

Just to put in context, i'm just a regular Joe using his phone for social medias, media consumption and day to day tasks. So here's my little review after using my Keyone for a week in comparison to my S7 edge for a year. I bought my Keyone from Selfridge UK and use it on Telus (Canada). PS: for those having concerns about antenna bands compatibility and all, I didn't have issues. At this point, people keeps pointing specs but how does it perform in real life? Here's what I came across during my time using this phone.

Pros (over the S7) :

1) TREMENDOUS BATTERY LIFE
Did I say battery life? Yes. This phone IS the best phone I ever used in term of battery life. I consistently get 6-8h of screen on time on LTE mobile network (not wifi) in a day. If I switch between wifi and mobile network during a day, I can get about 8-10h of screen on time. On moderate use, I get about 5-6h of SOT in a lapse of 1.5-2 days of use. In comparison to my S7 edge where I get about 3-4hours of SOT for a typical work day where battery lies around 20% at 5-6pm. The battery on S7 used to be good, about 5-6 SOT, but due to poor optimization (bloatware draining battery in the background) & battery degradation...​

2) Optimization & software
The phone is fairly optimized and smooth in my day to day tasks. The blackberry launcher is not that great compared to Nova launcher where you can tweek every single thing. The icon packs option is very limited because you can only apply the whole pack. But I found an app called ''Awesome icons'' where you can modify any single icon without a launcher, root, etc ! I unlocked the developper mode to make animations and transitions to 0,5x to make it feel fast. The only thing missing is the animation speed '' Faster than light'' from Nova to make this phone perfect. Otherwise, the phone itself is very smooth I didn't encounter any lag or stutter unlike the s7 edge (mostly while scrolling where you can notice some frame drop/skip''. Update is pretty quick, I did get an update not long ago for the blackberry keyboard where on snapchat the virtual keyboard pops out everytime I type something. Blackberry is aware of some issues and are working hard to patch it as soon as possible (unlike samsung *cough*). People talk about RAM issues and all, so far I didn't have any major slow down when I have about 4-6 apps in the background. I can notice some lags when I have heavy apps in the background like Facebook & youtube but that's just minor. Personally, I close all apps everytime I'm done with them so I just keep the ones i'm using and it's all smooth. The only reason why I use the Blackberry launcher over Nova, is because of the shorcuts. I think it's fair to say it's the most conveninent feature for having a PKB. My home is now much cleaner and all my most frequently used apps are binded to a key and also placed in a folder. God I missed that feature (previously used a Bold 9000 & 9900). I think the ''Faster than light'' animation speed & icon customization is not worth the use of the shortcuts.​

3) Speaker and sound quality
Personally, I find the Keyone to sound much better when playing a song with the speaker. The volume is loud and the sound is clear with a grain of bass better than my s7 edge. Call quality is very good, just like the old blackberries 9000 & 9900. I'm not saying S7 is bad either, but I feel the call quality is on par with the old blackberries which was really good and where Blackberry made their name from!​

4)Fingerprint scanner & Double tap to wake
The fingerprint scanner on the Keyone is a no match to the S7 edge! It's blazing fast and reliable. Unlike the S7 edge where the screen has to be on or the home button has to be pressed to be recognized, I can simply rest my finger on the scanner and it will immediately unlock my phone (no need to push the button or screen to be ON to unlock my phone). I find the double tap to wake much more useful and wish it was also on the S7 Edge. Of course, there's Always-on Display, but it's still draining battery 1% an hour and power users like me won't take that chance so Double tap to wake IS the thing!​

5)Keyboard
I think we all know that the major selling point is also the keyboard. I was also sceptic about the keyboard being glossy but after a week, it's just a matter of getting use. Typing on it is so satisfying and reminds me of my 9000 and 9900. Key travelling wasn't as good because the buttons are not as pronounced as previous devices but it's still good and I found myself typing just like before. So guys, DON'T worry about it you'll LOVE it. It's so satisfying to type on a PKB. I almost forgot why I always had a Blackberry before (i'm just 25 BTW). I have to admit I can't type as fast as on a virtual keyboard as other reviewers said, but the accuracy is much better and the best : you can type without watching the keys once you're used to so you can type more efficiently and accurately including with the symbols and shifts/alt. I didn't use a DTEK or PRIV so the flicking/swiping up gesture for word prediction is new to me. I'm not used to it yet, but I can see why people would use it to type faster. Personally, I still select the suggested word on the screen.​

6) NO BLOATWARE
Gosh, now I see why people like stock android so much. Coming from S4, Note 4 & S7 edge, I can understand why people hate so much touchwiz and their bloatware. The keyone is so much cleaner, i'd say almost stock without the blackberry implementation like Hub or calendar etc. It's so smoother and less batterry drain from bloatware that I was used on my samsungs.​

Cons (over the S7) :
I would like to say most cons are not major points but rather some preferences.

1) Camera (Low light)
Despite the fact that the Keyone use the same sensor as the Pixel, the S7 edge still take better low light pictures. It all comes down to image processing so maybe we can expect an update in the future? Personally, I prefer oversaturated and shaper images from the S7. In day light, both perform very well, that said pictures can still be modified afterward to my preference so it's not a big deal. In low light, the S7 takes better pictures but with noises while the Keyone is opposite, ok pictures but very less noises

Fronfacing camera is better on the Keyone for selfies. Less noises and better colors. I hate the fact that I don't have the option ''Save as previewed'' like my Samsung. I always have to flip my picture after, but i'm sure there's a way to get the option through an app or something​

2) Screen brightness & sharpness
I think we all know it's a 1080p vs Quad HD screen Amoled. Of course it's a no match when it comes to brightness and sharpness. But I still give the credit to Blackberry for putting a good screen still. I initially thought it would be a big tradeoff because I use my phone for social medias and media consumptions but it's not as bad as I thought. I still enjoy it on my Keyone, but ofc it's more enjoyable on an Amoled screen. For me, I'd still use a keyone as my daily driver whatsoever. The keyone is not as bright outdoor in comparison, but it's still usable not a big deal!​

3) Convenience key & Buttons location
Yes for me it's a con because of it's location!!!! Even after a week, I still find myself hitting accidentally the convience key when picking up my phone or while holding. They placed a bit too low so holding the phone is a bit weird in a one-handed use. The phone is meant to be two-handed use for typing, but still achievable with one just not as comfortable. I'm still confused about the volume rocker being on right side but it's not a big deal. I only wish they had placed a bit on the upper side. I also find myself hitting the convenience key while calling which double as a mute key so sometimes I end up being confused haha. I think a bumper should fix this issue personally so I can clearly see the button emplacement while holding the phone. I'd be such a waste to put a case on this beauty so a clear bumper around the phone should fix this issue.​

4) Headphone jack output
I can notice a little drop in sound quality from the headphone jack compared to my S7. Nothing major, just a little drop. I think we all know from the start that this phone is not meant to be used for entertainment.​

5) Samsung features / app
I was surprised to see how I missed a few apps/features from samsung. Starting by the '' Scroll to capture'' option where I can take a long screenshot instead of fragmented ones. There's also a ''Blue light filter'' missing on the Keyone but i'm sure it's not a problem with an update, still a useful feature. Theme option is missing, I used to choose one with deep black amoled so less battery drain but hey it's not a problem anymore ;) But I still miss the deep black across my device. There's a dark theme on the keyone, but it's not across the device only on selected places. The ''Schedule message'' is also a feature that I miss, but i'm sure there's an app for that :p I hate the android message used as default for SMS, so I use Textra which is a mile better in term of customization. Somehow, I like the simplicity of the stock one on Touchwiz, it's just a preference.​

6) Lack of android pay, Samsung pay (Only in Canada for now)
So far I can't use mobile payment like my Desjardins mobile payment app that I had on my Galaxy. But Android pay is coming it's way to Canada this summer so it won't be a matter anymore. No Samsung pay in Canada so far unless I have a CIBC credit card, meh...​

Overall, I wouldn't come back to my S7, but I can see myself switch from time to time. The battery and the PKB on the Keyone is so satisfying to use my S7 again. I'll still keep my S7 to take pictures tho, as I tend to prefer it over my Keyone. Whatsoever, the Keyone still take decent photo ! I'll eventually update this review with a few samples side to side. Same thing for battery life. I hope you guys enjoyed and feel free to ask any questions.
 

newcollector

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Appreciate the depth of the review. It will be interesting to see what changes in your estimation as real world Usage increases.
 

Coraya

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I don't think you can compare it to the S7. They're targeting two different markets. Motorcycle and Car. Apples and oranges. But if you're using it for personal use and not business then I can understand. Either way. I liked your breakdown.
 

dbollman423

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I don't think you can compare it to the S7. They're targeting two different markets. Motorcycle and Car. Apples and oranges. But if you're using it for personal use and not business then I can understand. Either way. I liked your breakdown.

I don't know about that analogy. I just moved from a BlackBerry Z30 to Samsung Galaxy S7. The biggest difference I see is not in speed of core functions (phone/calender/text/email/sound.music) but in the "APPMOSPHERE" and accoutrements (camera/fingerprint sensor).

BlackBerry does many things well and if they can get better in several areas could be top notch.

Just my 2 cents. No cent symbol (JK).
 

d-laybook

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Having just switched to my new KEYone from a Galaxy S7, I echo the thoughts of the original poster. I love this phone. Takes me back to old school BlackBerry days but in a fresh way.

Favourite feature has to be the keyboard shortcuts. My home screen has only a few widgets and the main apps on the bottom bar. All the other apps are accessed by keyboard shortcuts. Such a unique and fresh way to interact with the phone. LOVE IT!
 

Coraya

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Having just switched to my new KEYone from a Galaxy S7, I echo the thoughts of the original poster. I love this phone. Takes me back to old school BlackBerry days but in a fresh way.

Favourite feature has to be the keyboard shortcuts. My home screen has only a few widgets and the main apps on the bottom bar. All the other apps are accessed by keyboard shortcuts. Such a unique and fresh way to interact with the phone. LOVE IT!

Wait... I used to use the "D" key on my keyboard to get to my memo app. That's back¿?
 

galaxyfive

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Wait... I used to use the "D" key on my keyboard to get to my memo app. That's back¿?

Apparently one can use each alpha key with either a short of long press to bring up all sorts of things. What I wondered about was the "Q" key. On my old Q10 i could switch notification profiles. That was handy.
 

Lefty724

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Wait... I used to use the "D" key on my keyboard to get to my memo app. That's back¿?
Yes. It's pretty much endless. You can use long press and short press to open anything you'd like. I literally only have the phone and hub icon on my home screen, that's it!

Keyboard shortcuts are awesome!
 

SMD

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So it's been a year... A new version is coming out... Where does the OP stand now? Would love a follow up since I feel likr most phones are snappy at the start then get bogged down over time.
 

thee_boon

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So it's been a year... A new version is coming out... Where does the OP stand now? Would love a follow up since I feel likr most phones are snappy at the start then get bogged down over time.
Well, I had an S7 Exynos before moving to a KEYone, and I'm NOT looking back.
 

Chuck Finley69

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So it's been a year... A new version is coming out... Where does the OP stand now? Would love a follow up since I feel likr most phones are snappy at the start then get bogged down over time.
I’ve been a loyal BlackBerry guy for 15 years but I’ve dual carried for 12 years so I’ve always had Android/IOS/Windows phones as second device too. The KEYone takes me back to where a BlackBerry is a completely functional device with corresponding ecosystem. I actually love the PKB with BBAndroid instead of standard Android. BBAndroid on KEYone is better than BBApps on regular Android devices too. Now that new KEYtwo is just around the corner, I think we’ll see better performing and improved device.