BlackBerry Key2 / BlackBerry Athena

Keyboard changes make it better than the KeyOne ; Not confined to BlackBerry’s own OS ; Gesture control and shortcuts in the keyboard are great

Too expensive ; Having the physical keyboard is restrictive in most situations ; Awkward to hold ; Camera just ok

For BlackBerry die-hards only.

Long-lasting battery ; Fantastic physical keyboard ; Multitasking is lightning-fast ; Sleeker physical design

Camera can be hit-or-miss ; Sometimes confusing button placement ; $650 is pricey for a mid-range device

Chris is Engadget's senior mobile editor and moonlights as a professional moment ruiner. His early years were spent taking apart Sega consoles and writing awful fan fiction. That passion for electronics and words would eventually lead him to covering...

Excellent keyboard, handy new Speed Key ; Beautiful design ; Speedy performance, good battery life ; Good display ; Lots of privacy- and security-focused features

Headphone jack isn’t centered

Tactile keyboard is a treat to use ; Speed Key unlocks new navigation possibilities ; Mediocre hardware performs like a champ

Small screen with large bezels

I may have moved on to another phone, but the KEY2 stays with me in spirit. I find myself missing the keyboard. It’s the only Android phone I’ve used this year that truly had me excited. So whether you are an ex-BlackBerry user wondering if you should...

Nice physical keyboard with powerful shortcut key. Focused on security and privacy.

Dim screen. Disappointing cameras.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 vs. Samsung Galaxy S7

Improved keyboard ; Useful Speed Key ; Lots of security features

Worst portrait mode camera yet ; 3:2 screen aspect ratio is odd ; Won't work with all US carriers

The new BlackBerry Key2 is a phone designed entirely for BlackBerry fans. You won't want this if you're thinking of upgrading from a Galaxy S7 and your muscle memory is trained for on-screen keyboards, but for old BlackBerry fans struggling with...

Excellent battery life ; Security and timely updates

Lower-end chipset than competitors ; Keyboard gestures are not very good ; Cameras are unimpressive ; Small screen is frustrating to use

The very thing that makes the Key2 a BlackBerry is the same thing that keeps the Key2 from competing in a modern smartphone world. A BlackBerry needs a keyboard, but no one needs a keyboard on a smartphone in 2018.

Keyboard greatly improved over KeyOne ; Battery life is very good ; Solid build quality improvements ; New 'Speed Key' makes multitasking much faster

Quite expensive considering mid-range specs ; Space bar feel is inconsistent with other keys ; Camera could be improved ; It's an undeniably niche phone

meaningful security and business features ; physical keyboard for frequent typists ; fast CPU

relatively small display ; flat sound ; poor camera performance in low-light

The days of BlackBerry OS are over, but the BlackBerry KEY2 is still a business-centric device. The KEY2 has a physical keyboard that is almost as quick to type on as a virtual keyboard after some practice. The KEY2 scores highly for its snappy SoC and...