It takes a special combination of keyboard clacker, nostalgia buff and privacy seeker to carry a BlackBerry in 2018. In one respect that makes the reviewer's job simple, boiling it down to the simple calculus of "do you want a keyboard? If yes, buy this phone." Last year's BlackBerry KEYone earned my recommendation based largely on that distinction – and in spite of some software sluggishness that ultimately ousted the device from my daily rotation.

The BlackBerry KEY2 corrects for that shortfall while upgrading the specs and introducing a much more refined fit and finish. Also, the keyboard has been totally re-worked, with larger keys bearing a new matte finish and a button dedicated exclusively to the kind of multitasking that power users demand. Those improvements are welcome, as is the retention of the previous model's outstanding battery life. But the display is the same dim panel from last year, and the camera, for all its dual-lens trickery, ultimately fails to impress. That wouldn't be as big a problem if BlackBerry weren't asking $649 for this device, but it is. That's the same price as a Google Pixel 2, over a hundred dollars more than the OnePlus 6. The question then becomes: is It worth it anyway?

If you're still weighing the pros and cons of snapping up the best BlackBerry in years, lend a click to the BlackBerry KEY2 Review above. Then, let me know which way you're leaning (or how much you're enjoying your new KEY2) in the comments below!

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