BlackBerry Torch 9810 Review

Armed with both an improved multi-touch display and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the Torch 9810 builds on the design of the original Torch 9800 from 2010 with some much-needed upgrades in the hardware department. This includes “4G” HSPA+ connectivity, a 5-megapixel camera and BlackBerry’s updated OS 7 operating system – all for just $50 with a two-year contract. But even at that low cost, is it worth it?

In an era when touchscreens over 4 inches are quickly becoming the norm, the 3.2-inch Torch 9810 slider looks almost prehistoric. Especially considering that the design of the 9810 is all but identical to last year’s Torch 9800, which makes this phone quite literally a blast from the past. But that’s not to say the device is entirely out of date.

Construction of the 9810 is solid, and the phone feels nice and heavy in the hand. That means those of you who are looking for the lightest device possible should go elsewhere. (Official weight is 161g, more than most devices out there these days, like the 140-gram iPhone 4S.) At 0.57-inches thick, we could definitely tell when this sucker was in our pocket, though it didn’t feel much more cumbersome than the lighter and thinner iPhone 4S.

Despite the hefty feel, however, the (mostly) plastic casing likely won’t withstand years of carelessness particularly well. Seeing as we have to send this device back to BlackBerry in good condition, we didn’t put it through the full drop test, but our instinct tells us users will need to err on the side of caution.

As mentioned, RIM decided to change very little in terms of external design from the original Torch. The primary difference to the overall look is the removable back plate, which used to be black, but is now a polished metal (we’re guessing aluminum) with a grip-friendly checkerboard design pressed in.

In terms of buttons and ports, you’ve got the usual micro USB port on the left side; lock and mute buttons on top; 3.5mm headphone port, volume buttons and camera button on the right side. On the front, directly below the touchscreen, are the menu, back, power buttons and an optical trackpad.

When listed like that, it sounds like a veritable smorgasbord of buttons, but RIM has done a great job making the buttons appear unobtrusive in terms of total design. The lock and mute buttons are easy to access and intuitively placed, as are the volume buttons and a shortcut button that also acts as a shutter button for the camera. Anyone who’s familiar with other BlackBerry models will pick up on the other button functionality instantly.