Design:
In terms of design, the BlackBerry is not in touch with any other smartphone on the market. A legendary keyboard with a divine slip design created a Priv that appealed to everyone at first sight.
Despite the slim keyboard design, however, the slimness of the handset is astounding, at only 9.4 mm. Unbelievable !
The front side is a curved screen similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge but curved less than the product from Samsung
On the left side of the machine is the power button, the bottom edge is where the micro USB port, 3.5 mm jack and loudspeaker are designed close to the screen, right is the position of the volume up and down keys.
The back side features a camera cluster that is protected by a large metal ring, flash 2 tone color and legendary Blackberry logo. The material makes the back so soft, grip when using.
Although it is mainly made of plastic, Priv still brings the elegance of its owner, which is a very powerful businessman.
Screen
The machine uses a curved screen size of 5.4 inches, 2K resolution, pixel density up to 540ppi. The technology used on the screen is Amoled for blazing colors, deep black display, high brightness.
Display
The BlackBerry Priv has this 5.4-inch AMOLED display , with a resolution set at 2560 x 1440 pixels. So, that works out to a pixel density around 540 PPI, which was pretty high back then. Honestly it was one of the standout bits at launch, with sharp, vivid visuals that felt really suited for multimedia, web surfing, and all that reading time too.
Now the AMOLED setup inside the Priv brings the usual wins. Think deep blacks, punchy colors, and strong contrast, almost like it keeps the picture separated in a really pleasing way. And then there are those curved edges , kind of like what you see on Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Edge. They give it this more elegant vibe, and the whole thing feels a little more immersive. Plus, the curves aren’t only for style, they can show notifications, and sometimes they even act like a battery readout while the phone is charging, which is kind of handy.
As for color handling, the Priv does very well. Colors look rich and also pretty faithful, so photos and videos feel lifelike instead of washed-out. It also holds up outdoors pretty nicely , with decent visibility even when the sun is directly hitting the screen. Brightness is fine for most everyday scenes, and the viewing angles are wide enough that the display stays crisp and legible even when you’re not staring straight at it.
One of the major selling points of the Priv display is , well its size and resolution, which somehow make it a great fit for productivity tasks. If you are reading emails, editing documents, or doing that constant multitasking thing, the big high-resolution screen gives you a lot of usable space, plus sharp text, so it feels easy to work on the go.
That said, the curved edges, even if they look good, really don’t do much for day to day functionality. Unlike Samsung’s Edge displays, which used to bring extra features and quick shortcuts, the Priv’s curved sides are mostly just cosmetic. So it’s more of a design flourish than anything truly useful.
Even so, the display still counts as one of the Priv’s strongest traits, delivering a visual experience that was pretty much comparable to the best smartphones of its time.
Software:
This is not really distinctive and distinct of blackberry compared to other competitors. Adroid 5.1 does not have much customization in terms of interface and features, but the meager features that Priv has to offer are extremely effective.
First of all, security. No one can deny the security of this Canadian phone company. There are still a lot of politicians, heads of state of many countries believe using BlackBerry simply for security.
On Priv, the company brought the DTEK, a potentially deadly diagnostic tool that contained the OS and provided a timely solution to the problem before it could take place.
In addition, the features that Android devices are always craving for is the BlackBerry Hub and the ability to post mail speed.
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Performance:
The machine uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 808 chip, 3GB of RAM. This is a very smart option when the 810 chip is overheated. Because running on Android does not have so much customization, the machine runs very smoothly. Although this is only for work, but with this configuration, the heavyweight titles in the market can not make this machine difficult.
Camera:
BlackBerry has invested heavily in Priv cameras with its award-winning Schneider-Kreuznach optics, Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS), and auto-focus AF.
Priv has the strength when shooting in bright full-blown, out-of-focus scenes, crisp detail. HDR machine’s stable operation, excellent light balance.
Night shots are not the strength of BlackBerry devices, pale, low light.
However, this is still the most impressive BlackBerry camera.
Battery life:
Due to the use of chip 808 with 3410 mAh battery, Blackberry Priv has impressive battery life with continuous use time of 7 hours, mixed use time can be up to 13 hours.
Conclusion: BlackBerry Priv is the bloodshed of the BlackBerry on the way to regain market share in the mobile world. Although there are many shortcomings but have shown the first Android device of the BlackBerry really powerful.
Audio Quality
The BlackBerry Priv kind of delivered solid audio, in the way that the bottom-firing speaker sounded pretty clear and loud. It could handle casual listening just fine, though honestly it didn’t have that same depth, or that richer sound, that you usually get from front-facing stereo speakers.
For calls, the Priv shined with really good clarity, where the earpiece kept things sounding sharp even when the surroundings were noisy. The microphones on the device also worked well, capturing voice in a way that kept background noise minimal. So yeah, overall it felt reliable, especially for voice calls and even conference calls.
As for the 3.5mm headphone jack it gave decent output for wired headphones, with good clarity and a fairly balanced sound profile. But, the Priv didn’t include any fancy audio extras, like DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters), which were starting to show up on a few other flagship smartphones around that same period.
Comparison with Competitors
When the BlackBerry Priv got released, it kind of stepped into a really crowded scene, where Android phones were already pretty established and Apple also had its usual grip. Basically, it was up against a few big names like the Samsung Galaxy S6, the LG G4, and the Google Nexus 6P , all of them already had a lot of momentum.
Samsung Galaxy S6
The Galaxy S6 was pretty much a head on rival to the Priv, because it delivered a comparable feel in day to day speed , thanks to the Exynos 7420 processor, and it also had a 5.1-inch Quad HD screen. On top of that , it brought a more polished look, with a glass back, plus wireless charging. The camera was also a strong point, a 16-megapixel sensor that often handled dark scenes better, more steady and clearer in low light. Still, it didn’t include a physical keyboard, and that was, honestly, one of the Priv’s most obvious standout ideas.
LG G4
The LG G4 came with a similar Snapdragon 808 chipset and a larger 5.5-inch Quad HD display, so it felt like a close match in basic hardware balance. People usually praised its camera, and in multiple comparisons it beat the Priv, especially when the lighting was less than ideal. Another perk was the removable battery , which matters a lot for power users who like swaps. But, it didn’t match the Priv when it came to the security story.
Google Nexus 6P
The Nexus 6P, with a Snapdragon 810 processor, and that clean Android feel that comes straight from Google, was again a solid choice. It delivered fast updates right from Google itself which, honestly, made it quite attractive for Android enthusiasts. Also the front camera had a higher resolution , and the rear camera performed a bit better in the big picture kind of way. Still, it didn’t come with a physical keyboard, and it also didn’t really include the security features that made the Priv feel like the Priv.
When you look at it beside the other devices, the BlackBerry Priv sort of clicked in a different way. It really leaned on the physical keyboard, the security features, and even the overall unusual design, so it stood out. But camera performance wasn’t its strongest point, and the software updates were slower, plus the Android experience wasn’t as polished overall. The Priv was more like a niche gadget, mostly for people who valued BlackBerry security along with that keyboard feel, not for those trying to win on raw performance, or chase the best camera quality.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.