Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

By Prasid Banerjee | Updated Sep 29 2014
Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

The newest BlackBerry smartphone has been launched in the country and it looks entirely different from any other smartphone today. We were at the event and took it through the usual motions, here's what it felt like.

Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

Build

The phone is sturdily built and weighs 194 grams. We expected this to feel heavier though, considering its large size. It is made out of polycarbonate plastic, but has a metal finish on the rim on its sides.

Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

Performance

The Passport runs on a 2.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon quad-core SoC and the UI is quite smooth, with minimal lags. It also has a 13 MP rear camera, which is perhaps the best ever on a BlackBerry smartphone.

Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

Looks

The Passport isn't the best looker in the market and takes some getting used to. It will also not be a good fit in your pocket or hand. The device will be available in Black and White colours in the country.

Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

Screen

The 4.5 inch square screen is the main feature of the Passport. It gives a 1:1 aspect ratio along with a 1440x1440 pixel resolution. The screen also has Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which gives it a premium feel. Also, it is quite comfortable for viewing and editing excel sheets etc. Also, apps adjust to the size and do not stretch or look wierd.

Hands On: BlackBerry Passport

Keyboard

The rectangular keyboard on the bottom also has a steep learning curve. There is also a touch feature, where you can swipe on the keyboard to perform certain activities, including choosing word predictions that are shown on screen.