A Brief Look at the Technical Specs of BlackBerry Z10, Q10

By Marcus Yam
published

The hardware behind BlackBerry's hope for the future.

BlackBerry spent the majority of its time preaching the virtues of its BlackBerry 10 OS, and with good reason. The future success of the company rests on the performance and acceptance of BB10. Now we're taking a look at the technical specs of the Z10, the all-touch version, and the Q10 that's meant for those classic BlackBerry users who need the hardware keyboard.

While not explicitly listed in the specifications, both BlackBerry phones are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 chips -- the same as found in the North American Samsung Galaxy S3 and many of the latest Windows Phone 8 models. In line with previous BlackBerry hardware, the specifications themselves aren't world-beating, but rather the company is counting on its specialized software and unique security features to be the key differentiators. Of course, there's also what will likely be the world's best hardware keyboard on a phone in the Q10.

A BlackBerry Q10 compared to the Samsung Galaxy Note 2

The entire Q10 can fit inside the Note 2's 5.5'' screen

Mashable also has a chart comparing the Z10 against the Lumia 920, iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3.    

BB10 Interview With the QNX Boss of BlackBerry OS

Check out our hands-on with BlackBerry 10 on the Z10.

Interview With the BlackBerry Z10, Q10 Industrial Designer

A Complete Video Walkthrough of BlackBerry 10 OS

Read the full live blog here from the BlackBerry Experience

Contact Us for News Tips, Corrections and Feedback

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Thunderfox
    4.2"? Pass. It's basically a mini S3. I wonder how long until somebody puts Android on it.

    And the Q10 is like a tiny child's toy.
    Reply
  • meltbox360
    Quite a nice phone. Unfortunately not the absolute best on the market but the UI and the way everything works is completely new. I'll have to pick one up and see but as long as you are running native apps the thing never stutters. I for one would not like a bigger phone like the S3 but to each their own.
    Reply
  • sulanis
    hardware is only part of the equation! if the kernal knows how to manage the resources of the hardware effectively thats all that matters.

    I prefer the size of the z10 myself, but I wouldn't be opposed to getting the q10
    Reply
  • john15v16
    I really hope this new blackberry does well...
    Reply
  • wdmfiber
    Wow, varying opinions what a good physical size for a phone should be. I'm disappointed in the Z10; only because physically it's too big. I think the iPhone 4 dimensions are perfect and I won't buy anything bigger. Mainly do to the inconvenience, but also embarrassment... "look at the tool on the phablet"

    But it looks like history may repeat itself. Dust off the old Motorola DynaTAC, it's back in style.
    Reply
  • lradunovic77
    Better than iPhone and Windows Phone. The beauty of it is OS which owns Android, Windows 8 Phone and iOS all together.
    Reply
  • Vorador2
    This is what should have been launched last year. Now after so many delays, the only thing drawing clients to Blackberry is brand loyalty and a physical keyboard. Even their own Blackberry Server now works with Android and iPhone, skewing the need of purchasing a BB.
    Reply
  • djfv
    wdmfiberWow, varying opinions what a good physical size for a phone should be. I'm disappointed in the Z10; only because physically it's too big. I think the iPhone 4 dimensions are perfect and I won't buy anything bigger. Mainly do to the inconvenience, but also embarrassment... "look at the tool on the phablet"But it looks like history may repeat itself. Dust off the old Motorola DynaTAC, it's back in style.
    It is only 0.2 inches bigger.
    Reply
  • Thunderfox
    wdmfiberWow, varying opinions what a good physical size for a phone should be. I'm disappointed in the Z10; only because physically it's too big. I think the iPhone 4 dimensions are perfect and I won't buy anything bigger. Mainly do to the inconvenience, but also embarrassment... "look at the tool on the phablet"But it looks like history may repeat itself. Dust off the old Motorola DynaTAC, it's back in style.
    Unless you have tiny woman hands, an S3 is not too big at all. And if you actually use your smartphone for, you know, smartphone things, the bigger screen is a major benefit.
    Reply
  • Thunderfox
    otacon72I have huge hands and the S3 is too big..it didn't fit in my pocket and I couldn't operate it with one hand. Anything bigger than a 4.2" display is a waste in a smartphone.I can't imagine what kind of clothes you wear if it did not fit in your pocket. I can operate it with one hand if I have to, but it is easier to use two. But the same was true when I had a 4" phone. It is just easier to use your opposite index finger as a pointer than a thumb.

    But to each his own, I suppose. As long as there is a range of choices, I will stick with bigger phones. I actually kind of wish I had gotten a Note.
    Reply