BlackBerry Classic hands-on: First look

BlackBerry Classic hands-on

BlackBerry Classic looks a lot like its Bold 9900 sibling, intentionally of course, as the company wants to keep it this time as close as its best-selling phones from the glorious past. The modern upgrades are easily noticeable as well - you get a high-res touchscreen, capable camera department and stylish exterior.

The BlackBerry Classic features a 3.5" 720p touchscreen with 294ppi density and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It runs on a dual-core 1.5GHz Krait processor with 2GB RAM, just like the popular BlackBerry Z10, and offers an 8MP rear cam with a LED flash.

BlackBerry Classic

The front look as a traditional BlackBerry - there is the beloved four-row QWERTY keyboard with ergonomically-shaped keys, a square display and the brought back to live helpful trackpad. The control deck is here to stay too - you get the familiar call buttons plus the menu and back keys.

The phone revolves around a silver metal frame, while the non-removable rear is made out of high-quality plastic with grippy dotted pattern for extra pleasurable handling. Indeed the BlackBerry Classic feels great in hand, as all its predecessor did, compact and comfortable to use for typing or browsing.

BlackBerry Classic

The 8MP camera lens and the LED flash are highlighted over the back with a long glass plating. The bottom of the phone looks like it is housing a set of stereo speakers, but as it turns out the second grille covers the primary microphone of the device.

The SIM and microSD slot are on the left side, both in ejectable beds. The Classic connectivity package includes GSM, 3G and Cat.4 LTE support, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS and FM radio.

BlackBerry Classic accessory line and comparison to other smartphones

The BlackBerry Classic is already available for purchase worldwide via selected carriers and retailers. Pricing in the US is $450, while in Europe it should cost €450.