BlackBerry Key2 LE

amazon BlackBerry Key2 LE reviews

With the BlackBerry Key2 LE, fans of ‘Blackberry’ were hoping for a product that is still as great as the Key2, but the price will be better for users who love physical keys and now it is cheaper, but this ‘cheap’ Is it convincing enough for users to choose?

Configuration

One of the most valuable things about a phone, even though the original Key2 version is not equipped with a high-end processor, is still powerful for a machine that is not inclined to games or other devices. Heavy-duty, it’s just enough and satisfying in everyday experience.

With Key2 is Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, with 6GB RAM and 64GB internal memory; As for the Key2 LE, the configuration is reduced to only Snapdragon 636, with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal memory. Cut down, but this is not a bad processor for user experience, and combined with 4GB of RAM in the Android world is now just enough, not redundant or lacking.

Camera

The dual camera cluster on the back of the Key2 is also in the reduction area, now from 12MP + 12MP to 13MP + 5MP; However, losing the telephoto capability still retains the portrait mode and the ability to record videos in the same 4K format.

And the most regrettable point.

The keyboard lost the ability to scroll right on the surface of the keyboard without reach up to slide it on the touch screen.

A pretty cool feature and brings a lot of conveniences but has been omitted by BlackBerry on the Key2 LE.

The rest

The design is somewhat lighter, and the big plus is that Key2 now has more colors. In the current Android world, it is impossible to find a single phone in one direction, launching more new phones that still maintain the stance as BlackBerry.

When the notch was so popular, it started with the teardrop screen. Still, in response, the Key2/Key2 LE didn’t bring any trends, just BlackBerry users who wanted a physical keyboard best on the phone, needed a decent-sized screen, needed an operating system with lots of apps, and that’s the combination that makes Key2.

The front is still similar to the Key2; the LE version will still have a keyboard and a 4.5-inch screen, which is a size just enough to use but not too spacious, because it also has to be a bit compact to be able to ‘add’ the QWERTY physical keyboard into the bottom edge.

But also note that currently, the KEY2’s screen still retains the classic style with thick borders for all four sides; the bottom edge also takes up more room to place Android’s virtual navigation key. So almost with Key2 / Key2 LE, you will have a mix of classic and…classic (BlackBerry and Android), but the front has almost no modern touches that make it easy to recognize; it’s just that the keyboard is almost invisible on Android devices these days. Here ‘Black Strawberry’ is a manufacturer that offers no other manufacturer enough power or charm to equip its products (Reminder, ‘Black Strawberry’ now belongs to TCL of China). The classic of Android is three virtual navigation keys. It is gradually being forgotten with mid-range and high-end devices, but instead is a swipe gesture; Key2, in general, now only lacks every gesture; it was much more convenient.

The back is still finished from plastic; the texture is different from the interwoven pattern that increases the size to around dot shape. With the advantage that plastic-faced machines have existed since years ago, it is very firm in hand, the hand rest and the feeling of holding are ‘better’ with a smooth and smooth feeling that is rare for any phone to use a material like Key2/LE.

This back is where the 13MP + 5MP camera is located, LED flash, and the BlackBerry logo below.

The edge of the Key2 LE looks like metal, but its finished doesn’t feel like the metal frame on today’s devices; it doesn’t feel cool, but holding it is a bit like solid plastic. It was then painted with a fairly thick layer, so it no longer felt cool to the hand.

Along with that, this border is also a big difference when compared to Key2, LE version; it can choose from 3 different colors: Red, Black, and Yellow; And depending on the color, the groove on the keyboard will always be in the same tone as the machine, but it seems that the best is still the traditional black of BlackBerry, with other colors it looks unbalanced, a bit messy.

The top edge is where the 3.5mm headphone jack is located, which I think it may take a long time for BlackBerry to remove part of it is necessary for users. The other part is that on the Key2, there is no need to type Change by design to ignore this little jack. The bottom edge is the USB-C charging port, with the left part being the mic and the right part is the speaker.

where can you get a BlackBerry Key2 LE online

BlackBerry KEY2 LE GSM Unlocked Android Smartphone, 64GB, 13MP Rear Dual Camera, Android 8.1 Oreo (U.S. Warranty) – Slate: Buy it now

BlackBerry KEY2 LE Unlocked Android Smartphone (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), 64GB, 13MP Rear Dual Camera, Android 8.1 Oreo (U.S. Warranty) (Atomic Red Limited Edition Dual SIM, 64GB): Buy it now

BlackBerry KEY2 LE Unlocked Dual SIM Slate Android Smartphone (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon), 64GB, 13MP Rear Dual Camera, Android 8.1 Oreo QWERTY – US Warranty: Buy it now

Experience

The most prominent part is the keyboard; going back and forth is still the part that needs to be mentioned the most on BlackBerry devices. For users who are too familiar with the virtual keyboard, the switch to the physical key is a ‘challenge’ and a fun game, but the fun will eventually get boring.

The first time you use it, you’ll be back to the heroic years of brick phones. Still, the phone from Nokia with a QWERTY keyboard of all types, with all the necessary keys to press the text, press the characters will have to go through the alt button; luckily, the Key2 LE still retains the standard keyboard with only full keys and no mutilation. Passport style lets users have a full and perfect experience according to the ‘standard’ BlackBerry.

As I said, the fun will eventually get boring because pressing the physical keys doesn’t bring much interest after a long time of use if switching from the virtual keyboard. It can be said to be slow much more when ‘scratching keys’ on the virtual keyboard; this physical keyboard only gives everyone a different feeling. Still, it is not a good choice, with virtual keys with few strange characters. Using it, you can quickly switch to another page to find and customize that keyboard to your liking. Still, with a physical keyboard, you will have to follow the form of a keyboard that integrates these buttons; which button is it? For example, on Key2 LE, there will be no” =” sign, but you have to go through the sym button to find it. It will display the virtual keyboard corresponding to the buttons on the physical keyboard so that you gradually get used to the position and work faster and faster.

This physical keyboard integrates a one-touch fingerprint at the Space button, similar to Key2, quick identification without turning on the screen, pulling the phone out of the pocket, and touching down to enter the device.

What’s new about this keyboard is that it comes with the ability to create Shortcuts on the physical keyboard; with 26 keys that can be set, users will have 52 shortcuts that can be set up through 2 ways of identification: ‘Press long’ or ‘short press,’ in default it has assigned a few keys to navigate such as short press F to enter Facebook, long-press I to compose mail, long press P to enter a list, this shortcut user You can assign it freely, whatever ‘style’ you want because there are 52 shortcuts.

The BlackBerry KEY2 LE also comes with a ‘Convenience key’ located below the power key, allowing it to be assigned the same way as a shortcut, and by default, it is set up as a button to call Google Assistant.

A little bit about software

The BlackBerry Key2 LE uses Android 8.1, which will soon be upgraded to Android 9 Pie.

Although it is a reduced version, the software alone remains an affirmation for the average user or business person; security is always a top priority as long as you use BlackBerry products.

DTEK by BlackBerry is still present, a comprehensive device security tool that can scan from events, systems, and apps to check for security issues; Locker, which helps to lock the user’s document or image files with a password or fingerprint. On the Key2 LE, there is still a Battery Center where users can check relevant information about the device’s battery activities and adjust some settings to improve Battery life, such as applications. Suppose a social network often runs in the background to download notifications. In that case, there will be a setting in the Battery Center to turn it off as soon as it exits the main screen. It also gives installation recommendations to optimize usage time and get the highest battery efficiency.

Many more apps like

Hub is the place to gather everything related to messaging, from Facebook to Messenger to text messages. Privacy Shade is an application that hides other content, only displaying the content users need. By dragging to that content, Redactor, Password Keeper, BBM, …

For everyday tasks, the Key2 LE uses a mid-range chip, Snapdragon 636 with 4GB of RAM, which is already too good, most of the time in daily use, I still rarely play games on Key2 LE because of the similarity to that Key2 is that the screen is not balanced on both sides. So playing games so that the horizontal screen is not very comfortable, the hand must be placed inside to operate, the tasks that are ‘simple business type’ such as messaging, Facebook and Youtube, it is too simple for the KEY2 to bring a good experience.

I have tried using Key2 LE’s camera for a while; in daylight conditions, the image is good enough for good quality; if the machine automatically turns on HDR, the photos are processed well, but the colors are biased. It’s dark, making the color of the sky and the surrounding space not very beautiful, but taking pictures is flat and losing details, taking food photos is not the choice of ‘businessmen’ so it doesn’t make it. It can be said that the camera only takes pictures during the day, the rest is just for fun, plus it has suggestions for editing photos after shooting, only improving somewhat; it brightens up the image for a more harmonious look.

As for battery life, I also apply the ‘businessman’ style for work mainly, let Key2 LE receive mail, reply to messages and then surf facebook a little, watch youtube a little less. Almost all activities are good balance; say no to the game. The machine still fights well within two days.

And if you only use it to reply to messages and then make calls, it will take five days to run out of battery with a battery capacity of only 3000 mAh.

Summarize

And that’s all about the KEY2 LE after a fairly long period of use; with the Key2 LE, if you’re wondering about this phone, consider that it will hardly be a mainstream phone. Use it for everyday gaming, entertainment to do all the work of the business faster. It will be a secondary phone that does a good job of improving the inherent experience of today’s mobile world. It gives the feeling of a ‘hands-on keyboard,’ and it’s also quite cool when all you are around is a phone with a small screen but with a good physical keyboard.