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BlackBerry Q5 review

6.9/10 AVG.
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BlackBerry Q5
BlackBerry Q5
BlackBerry Q5
BlackBerry Q5
BlackBerry Q5
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6.9/10
Informr score
The BlackBerry Q5 currently has an Informr score of 6.9 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 22 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

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 720x720 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.


BlackBerry
Operating system
Operating system
BlackBerry
1.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
1.2 GHz
3.1"
Screen Size
Screen Size
3.1"
5+ MP
Camera
Camera
5+ MP
2180 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Mobile88
Mobile88

The Q5 is a decent little smartphone. While it doesn’t have any unique features to make it stand out among other average devices, it does its job without a fuss. In a nutshell, if you fancy a touchscreen phone with the added practicality of a QWERTY keyboard, don’t mind the plastic-domin...

- Andre Chan, Mobile88
Tech Ticker
Tech Ticker

As a device, Q5 has the same things to offer that you’d find in a premium model like the Z10 or the Q10 but the biggest draw of this device is the price. Price was one of the major deterrent for consumers to try out the high-end BB 10 devices but with Q5, there’s a chance he’ll at...

- Kunal Gangar, Tech Ticker
BlackBerryRocks
BlackBerryRocks

The BlackBerry Q5 is available across all of the major networks, including Orange and Vodafone, offering users an excellent alternative to the many touchscreen devices currently packing out the market.The multi-purpose Q5 serves as a respectable personal and business phone highlighting BlackBerry&rs...

- Colin, BlackBerryRocks
Softpedia
Softpedia

The Q5 is the answer to BlackBerry fans’ prayers for a cheaper 10 OS device. Even though some may not be content with the build quality of the smartphone, for the time being, this is the cheapest BlackBerry 10 handset that you can buy.I do like the BlackBerry Q5, as it feels good in your hand....

- Softpedia News (Cosmin Vasile), Softpedia
Good E-Reader
Good E-Reader

When we first got this phone last week, I thought I would hate it. The Blackberry Q10 was a fine phone, but not worth the $900 it was available in Canada to buy off-contract. The Q5 is only a few hundred, and will reel in prior Blackberry users that may have shifted to another phone, because of the...

- Michael Kozlowski, Good E-Reader


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the BlackBerry Q5 user manual here.


BlackBerry backs up the Q5 with a 2 Years parts & labour warranty.


If your Q5 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact BlackBerry support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find BlackBerry's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.




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Quick view

Screen Size
3.1"

The BlackBerry Q5's screen size is 3.1 inches with 720 x 720 pixels resolution.

Processor
1.2 GHz

There is a Dual core 1.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the BlackBerry 10 (Update Available: 10.2.1) operating system (OS).

Camera
5+ MP

You can take photos with the phone's onboard 5+ MP camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 2+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
8 GB

Internal memory is 8 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
2180mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 2180 mAh battery. BlackBerry's performance ratings are 871 minutes, 604 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

BlackBerry Q5 Specs

Overview
Release Date June 20, 2013
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System BlackBerry 10 (Update Available: 10.2.1)

Compare BlackBerry Smartphones

Processor Dual core 1.2 GHz
Internal Storage 8 GB
RAM 2 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible Yes
TTY/TDD Yes
Noise Cancellation No
SAR Head: 1.38 W/kg
Body: 0.85 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 2 Years
Accessories Included AC Charger, Manual, Headset, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Unknown
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Unknown
SIM card size
Micro-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB Yes
USB OTG Support No
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 4.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC (up to 32 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Zoom
5x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Geotagging, Image stabilization, Time shift mode
Video Recording Formats
3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, ASF, XviD, AVI
Video Recording Parameters
Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
2+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
No
Video Recording Parameters
HD (1280 x 720 pixels)
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 720 x 720 pixels
Pixel Density 329 pixels
Size 3.1 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 2180 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging No
Video Playback Time Up to 748 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 604 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 871 minutes
Standby Time Up to 14 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Plastic
Colors Black, White, Red
Dimensions [H x W x D] 12 x 6.6 x 1.1 cm (4.7 x 2.6 x 0.4 in)
Weight 120 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Unknown
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key No
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type QWERTY
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor No
More
Additional Information Messaging: SMS, MMS, Blackberry
Multi-Use Smart Phone / PDA: Yes
Graphics: Yes
Themes: Yes
Backlit Illumination: Yes
Zoom / Magnification: Yes
Screen Orientation Lock: Yes
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Voice Commands: Yes
Keypad/Screen Lock: Yes
Multiple Numbers Per Contact: Email address, Other fields
Contact Groups: Yes
Voice Activated Dialing: Yes
Photo Caller ID: Yes
Web Browser: Yes
Email Client: Yes
Email Protocols: POP3, IMAP, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
PC Synchronization: Yes
DLNA Support: Yes
Audio Formats: AAC, AAC+, AMR, AMR-NB, eAAC+, eAAC, MP3, M4A, WMA, WAV
Video Playback Formats: 3GP / 3GPP, 3G2 / 3GPP2, ASF, AVI, H.264 / AVC, MPEG-4, WMV, XviD
Streaming Video: Yes
Custom Ringtones: Yes
Vibration Alert: Yes
Downloadable Ringtones: Yes
Ringer ID: Yes
Speakerphone: Yes
Data Tethering: Yes
Mobile Hotspot: Yes
Radio: Yes (FM)
Viewable document types: XLS, PPT, PPTX, DOC, DOCX, PDF
Games: Downloadable
Apps: Downloadable, Pre-installed
Included Software / Apps: -
To-Do / Task List, Calendar, World Clock, Alarm, Stop Watch, Timer, Calculator, Weather, Maps, NotePad, Voice Memos / Recorder

Other Names (AKA):
Related Links Manual (PDF)
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