BlackBerry Z3 first impressions

We just came from the local launch of the BlackBerry Z3 where we got the chance to fiddle around with the company’s newest 5-inch smartphone that runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and the latest BlackBerry 10 OS. Here are our first impressions.

The BlackBerry Z3 flaunts a 5-inch display with a screen resolution of 960 x 540. Its entire face is slapped with one piece of solid glass that stretches from edge to edge. The lower part of the screen only shows the company’s logo – there are only on-screen but no capacitive buttons present on the Z3.

On the right side is where the micro SIM and microSD card are housed under a flap. This is the only thing visible on this side of the device, while the opposite side is populated by the volume controls and the lock screen button. One thing we immediately noticed is the positioning of the lock screen button at the top left of the device that’s hard to reach when we held it using one hand.

This is how I usually hold a phone. But Z3’s awkward placement of the lock screen button all the way up top makes it hard to reach.

On the top of the device you’ll find the 3.5mm audio jack residing on the left side, while a microUSB port sits alone at the bottom.

Z3’s physique doesn’t concentrate much on making the body slim like what other companies are working hard on. Instead, it’s got a bit more thickness to it at 9.3mm but has a solid form factor that veers away from an all-plastic build.

The Z3’s back is what makes the device stand out. Apart from the neatly-placed 5MP camera and single LED flash, it has BlackBerry’s signature dot-textured rubber that covers the entire back and adds grip to the device. The added layer of protection looks good too and the rubber material doesn’t feel cheap at all.

Laser-drilled audio holes for the speaker are located at the bottom part of its back.

The BlackBerry Z3 is a midrange device that certainly looks good and feels good to hold. Apart from its lock screen button that’s hard to reach, we have nothing against the overall physique of this phablet. For Php10,990USD 187INR 15,876EUR 178CNY 1,364, it’s got a strong, solid build that has balanced weight all around. It’s available starting today at authorized BlackBerry retailers for Php10,990USD 187INR 15,876EUR 178CNY 1,364.

BlackBerry Z3 specs:
5-inch capacitive display @ 960 x 540 resolution, 220 ppi
1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 dual-core processor
1.5GB RAM
8GB internal storage
Adreno 305 GPU
5MP rear camera with LED flash
1080p video recording
1.1MP front camera
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
3G, HSPA+
140 x 72.8 x 9.3mm
164 grams
2500mAh battery
BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS
Price: Php10,990USD 187INR 15,876EUR 178CNY 1,364