A lot has changed since the release of BlackBerry’s last keyboard flagship, the Bold 9900. The Canadian firm has changed its name from RIM to BlackBerry, it’s launched a new version of BlackBerry OS (10) and its also released its touch screen flagship, the Z10 (read our Z10 review here).
There’s also no hiding the fact that BlackBerry has been through some troubled times. Some may have jumped ship to rival operating systems having grown impatient with BlackBerry’s slow progress, but there are those that have remained loyal and eagerly await BlackBerry’s next keyboard instalment. In this post we’ll have a look at the main differences between the old and new – and try to assist those of you that are pondering an upgrade (or first time purchase) from the Bold 9900 to the BlackBerry Q10.
Before we start, here’s a quick note to clarify the situation. The BlackBerry Q10 and Z10 are devices that run on BlackBerry 10 OS, so this post may sometimes refer to BlackBerry 10 rather than the Q10. Anything said here about BlackBerry 10 software is applicable to both the Q10 and the Z10. The BlackBerry Bold runs on BlackBerry 7, so in some cases we will essentially be comparing BlackBerry OS 7 to BlackBerry OS 10. However, any references made to hardware will be a direct comparison between the Q10 and the Bold 9900.
BlackBerry Q10 vs BlackBerry Bold 9900
Keyboard and trackpad
We’ll start with the most significant feature of the two devices and that for which BlackBerry has become so well-known over the years – the keyboard.
BlackBerry has increased the size of the keyboard on the Q10, making rapid typing even easier. The frets (strips separating each row of keys) on the Q10 are larger than those of the 9900, meaning there is more space between each row which therefore makes it easier for your fingers to find the correct key. Increasing the size of the keyboard means that all of the keys on the first three rows are the same size, which BlackBerry says will help with touch typing. In contrast, the keys on the Bold 9900 aren’t consistent in size. Interestingly BlackBerry has switched the keyboard from curved to straight, which may take some getting used to, but suggests that this combined with the larger keys does make typing easier.
Another big change between the two devices is the removal of the optical trackpad and the dedicated send, back and menu keys, which are present on the 9900 but not the Q10. Removing these has enabled BlackBerry to increase the size of the keyboard and screen. Seasoned BlackBerry users may prefer the feel of a trackpad, but the larger, more responsive screen more than makes up for its absence.
Messaging
On the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and other handsets that run previous versions of Blackberry OS, the Unified Inbox enables you to easily create and respond to different message types and social networks from one place.
This is still the case with the Q10, but instead of Unified Inbox you have the more powerful and feature-rich BlackBerry Hub. From BlackBerry Hub you can sort all forms of communication in various ways, update your status on social networks, quickly access your daily agenda and switch between apps. The Hub works nicely with another new feature called BlackBerry Flow, which enables you to easily switch from an open app to BlackBerry Hub simply by swiping up the screen.
With the Q10 and the Z10 BlackBerry has taken a whole new approach to multi-taking and messaging and done a good job of it.
Apps and Games
Apps and Games on the Q10 run much better than on the Bold 9900. This is partly due to the speed increase of the processor, but also because of better integration with the operating system. It’s vital that new devices have seamless integration with cloud storage services and BlackBerry has achieved this with the Q10; Dropbox, Evernote and Box all have excellent apps.
BlackBerry users may have felt left out in the past when comparing the BlackBerry app market to that of rivals such as Android and Apple’s iOS. There is still a severe lack of apps compared to these two, but headline apps such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype and LinkedIn are available and there’s now the option to sideload (install from a computer) Android apps on BlackBerry 10 devices. This is a big advantage over older devices such as the 9900.
blackberry-q10
Speed
The BlackBerry Q10 is much faster than the Bold 9900. It’s got a 1.5GHz dual-core processor compared to the 1.2GHz processor of its predecessor and 2GB RAM compared to 768MB. This makes a huge difference when it comes to daily use – it can handle multi-tasking better, plus apps and games run a lot more smoothly.
Storage
Space to store files is another factor that has taken a big step up on the Q10, which has 16GB of internal storage. That’s double the amount of the Bold 9900′s 8GB, so plenty of extra space to store music, video and any other file types that you need. MicroSD expansion remains the same with a capacity of 32GB, bringing the total space of the Q10 up to 48GB should you so choose.
Camera
The camera is one of the features that is most-improved in the BlackBerry Q10. The rear camera has been increased to 8MP (compared to 5MP on the 9900) and now offers 1080p recording compared to the 9900′s 720p. The Q10 and Z10 are the first BlackBerry handsets to include a front facing camera, which is of course vital for video calling. There’s also a great new feature on BlackBerry 10 called Time Shift. When taking a photo, the Q10 will take several shots and combine them. You can then cycle through the shots so as to pick the best smile, or to make sure that everyone has their eyes open. This is similar to the ‘Always Smile’ feature that has been popular on the HTC One.
Display
Not only does the Q10 have a larger screen than the Bold 9900 – 3.1 inches compared to 2.8 inches – but it also has a superior resolution and higher pixel density. While the Bold 9900 screen still looks good with its 640 x 480 resolution and 287ppi, the 720 x 720 resolution of the Q10 with a pixel density of 330ppi certainly trumps it. Not only is the screen bigger, but it looks better as well.
Design
The Q10 is slightly larger than the Bold 9900, but only marginally so. It’s a few millimetres longer and a fraction of a millimetre wider. There’s also a tiny difference is slenderness, with the Q10 being the thinner of the two. The 9900 was the most premium feeling Bold handset to be released, so BlackBerry had its work cut out for it to better the handset’s style. The new keyboard certainly contributes to a reinvigorated look and the stainless steel frame adds a nice touch of class.
Connectivity
Connectivity options have taken a major bump from the 9900 to the Q10 in the sense that LTE and a microHDMI port have been added. The former means that the Q10 can offer greater mobile internet speeds, while the latter means that the handset can easily be connected to a larger display. The Q10 also has the latest version of Bluetooth 4.0 (the 9900 had 2.1) and faster WiFi. Both handsets have NFC and a 3.5mm jack.
Conclusion
For users making the switch from a BlackBerry 7 device, and particularly the 9900, there will be a few things that take some getting used to. The keyboard is quite different having moved from a curved to a straight design, the trackpad is gone, as are the dedicated keys that accompanied it. However, the bigger keys and the better typing experience compensate for this, with BlackBerry’s improved suggestion tool auto-filling words to help with quick typing.
In terms of hardware, the Q10 is an all-round improvement. It has more processing power, faster internet, has a bigger screen, better camera and can now be easily connected to a TV. BlackBerry 10 also has some great features to offer and a growing range of apps.
BlackBerry fans that have stayed faithful over the years will love the new marriage between hardware and software. For any first time BlackBerry buyers, the Bold 9900 is still a good consideration, especially if you’re looking for a top quality keyboard BlackBerry at a lower cost, but if budget permits we’d recommend going straight for the Q10.
There’s also no hiding the fact that BlackBerry has been through some troubled times. Some may have jumped ship to rival operating systems having grown impatient with BlackBerry’s slow progress, but there are those that have remained loyal and eagerly await BlackBerry’s next keyboard instalment. In this post we’ll have a look at the main differences between the old and new – and try to assist those of you that are pondering an upgrade (or first time purchase) from the Bold 9900 to the BlackBerry Q10.
Before we start, here’s a quick note to clarify the situation. The BlackBerry Q10 and Z10 are devices that run on BlackBerry 10 OS, so this post may sometimes refer to BlackBerry 10 rather than the Q10. Anything said here about BlackBerry 10 software is applicable to both the Q10 and the Z10. The BlackBerry Bold runs on BlackBerry 7, so in some cases we will essentially be comparing BlackBerry OS 7 to BlackBerry OS 10. However, any references made to hardware will be a direct comparison between the Q10 and the Bold 9900.
BlackBerry Q10 vs BlackBerry Bold 9900
Keyboard and trackpad
We’ll start with the most significant feature of the two devices and that for which BlackBerry has become so well-known over the years – the keyboard.
BlackBerry has increased the size of the keyboard on the Q10, making rapid typing even easier. The frets (strips separating each row of keys) on the Q10 are larger than those of the 9900, meaning there is more space between each row which therefore makes it easier for your fingers to find the correct key. Increasing the size of the keyboard means that all of the keys on the first three rows are the same size, which BlackBerry says will help with touch typing. In contrast, the keys on the Bold 9900 aren’t consistent in size. Interestingly BlackBerry has switched the keyboard from curved to straight, which may take some getting used to, but suggests that this combined with the larger keys does make typing easier.
Another big change between the two devices is the removal of the optical trackpad and the dedicated send, back and menu keys, which are present on the 9900 but not the Q10. Removing these has enabled BlackBerry to increase the size of the keyboard and screen. Seasoned BlackBerry users may prefer the feel of a trackpad, but the larger, more responsive screen more than makes up for its absence.
Messaging
On the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and other handsets that run previous versions of Blackberry OS, the Unified Inbox enables you to easily create and respond to different message types and social networks from one place.
This is still the case with the Q10, but instead of Unified Inbox you have the more powerful and feature-rich BlackBerry Hub. From BlackBerry Hub you can sort all forms of communication in various ways, update your status on social networks, quickly access your daily agenda and switch between apps. The Hub works nicely with another new feature called BlackBerry Flow, which enables you to easily switch from an open app to BlackBerry Hub simply by swiping up the screen.
With the Q10 and the Z10 BlackBerry has taken a whole new approach to multi-taking and messaging and done a good job of it.
Apps and Games
Apps and Games on the Q10 run much better than on the Bold 9900. This is partly due to the speed increase of the processor, but also because of better integration with the operating system. It’s vital that new devices have seamless integration with cloud storage services and BlackBerry has achieved this with the Q10; Dropbox, Evernote and Box all have excellent apps.
BlackBerry users may have felt left out in the past when comparing the BlackBerry app market to that of rivals such as Android and Apple’s iOS. There is still a severe lack of apps compared to these two, but headline apps such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype and LinkedIn are available and there’s now the option to sideload (install from a computer) Android apps on BlackBerry 10 devices. This is a big advantage over older devices such as the 9900.
blackberry-q10
Speed
The BlackBerry Q10 is much faster than the Bold 9900. It’s got a 1.5GHz dual-core processor compared to the 1.2GHz processor of its predecessor and 2GB RAM compared to 768MB. This makes a huge difference when it comes to daily use – it can handle multi-tasking better, plus apps and games run a lot more smoothly.
Storage
Space to store files is another factor that has taken a big step up on the Q10, which has 16GB of internal storage. That’s double the amount of the Bold 9900′s 8GB, so plenty of extra space to store music, video and any other file types that you need. MicroSD expansion remains the same with a capacity of 32GB, bringing the total space of the Q10 up to 48GB should you so choose.
Camera
The camera is one of the features that is most-improved in the BlackBerry Q10. The rear camera has been increased to 8MP (compared to 5MP on the 9900) and now offers 1080p recording compared to the 9900′s 720p. The Q10 and Z10 are the first BlackBerry handsets to include a front facing camera, which is of course vital for video calling. There’s also a great new feature on BlackBerry 10 called Time Shift. When taking a photo, the Q10 will take several shots and combine them. You can then cycle through the shots so as to pick the best smile, or to make sure that everyone has their eyes open. This is similar to the ‘Always Smile’ feature that has been popular on the HTC One.
Display
Not only does the Q10 have a larger screen than the Bold 9900 – 3.1 inches compared to 2.8 inches – but it also has a superior resolution and higher pixel density. While the Bold 9900 screen still looks good with its 640 x 480 resolution and 287ppi, the 720 x 720 resolution of the Q10 with a pixel density of 330ppi certainly trumps it. Not only is the screen bigger, but it looks better as well.
Design
The Q10 is slightly larger than the Bold 9900, but only marginally so. It’s a few millimetres longer and a fraction of a millimetre wider. There’s also a tiny difference is slenderness, with the Q10 being the thinner of the two. The 9900 was the most premium feeling Bold handset to be released, so BlackBerry had its work cut out for it to better the handset’s style. The new keyboard certainly contributes to a reinvigorated look and the stainless steel frame adds a nice touch of class.
Connectivity
Connectivity options have taken a major bump from the 9900 to the Q10 in the sense that LTE and a microHDMI port have been added. The former means that the Q10 can offer greater mobile internet speeds, while the latter means that the handset can easily be connected to a larger display. The Q10 also has the latest version of Bluetooth 4.0 (the 9900 had 2.1) and faster WiFi. Both handsets have NFC and a 3.5mm jack.
Conclusion
For users making the switch from a BlackBerry 7 device, and particularly the 9900, there will be a few things that take some getting used to. The keyboard is quite different having moved from a curved to a straight design, the trackpad is gone, as are the dedicated keys that accompanied it. However, the bigger keys and the better typing experience compensate for this, with BlackBerry’s improved suggestion tool auto-filling words to help with quick typing.
In terms of hardware, the Q10 is an all-round improvement. It has more processing power, faster internet, has a bigger screen, better camera and can now be easily connected to a TV. BlackBerry 10 also has some great features to offer and a growing range of apps.
BlackBerry fans that have stayed faithful over the years will love the new marriage between hardware and software. For any first time BlackBerry buyers, the Bold 9900 is still a good consideration, especially if you’re looking for a top quality keyboard BlackBerry at a lower cost, but if budget permits we’d recommend going straight for the Q10.
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