BlackBerry Z30 review: Against the odds

Unboxing the BlackBerry Z30

The retail box of BlackBerry Z30 covers just the basics. We found a microUSB cable for data connections and charging, an A/C adapter and a headset. There is no extra UK plug adapter, which is the only difference to the bundle of the Z10.

BlackBerry Z30 retail package

360-degree view of BlackBerry Z30

The BlackBerry Z30 stands at 140 x 72 x 9.4 mm, which makes is a centimeter taller and 6mm wider than the Z10. Honestly we expected a bigger difference, which isn't bad at all considering what you gain in terms of screen real estate. What we find strange though is that the Super AMOLED screen hasn't resulted in a slimmer profile.

The BlackBerry Z30 is in the sub-centimeter club but, admittedly, looks nowhere near as impressive as some competing flagships that are less than 8mm thick - and there're a select few handsets that are even less than 7mm. The Z30 not only looks somewhat chubby - it can be felt too. The phone weighs 33g more than the Z10 for a total of 170g. Now, that's massive compared to the iPhone - and while it's got a smaller screen, even a metal-clad five-incher like the HTC One weighs less than the Blackberry flagship.

Design, build quality and handling

Speaking of which, the carbon fiber back cover looks all the more puzzling - to say the least, it will have you totally unprepared for the weight of the handset. We can see how Blackberry were after some continuity - the Bold Touch 9900 has the exact same pattern. But we cannot help the thought either that they went for it so the Z30 didn't look like a Samsung midranger.

No, we're not impressed with the looks of the BlackBerry Z30 - and not because the phone looks appalling - it's just short of the premium look that we've come to expect in a Blackberry, a flagship at that.

How we feel about it aside, it's clearly a mixture of the Z10 and Q10 designs, which makes sense and handles fairly comfortably. The front of the Z30 is similar to Z10's, but while the latter was in a way a nod to the iPhone, the Z30 has an uncanny resemblance to the HTC One.

It could be down to the accent at the bottom - a faux metal plate that's an extension of the silver frame that goes all around the handset.

BlackBerry Z30

The BlackBerry Z30 is nonetheless a solidly built smartphone with a practical design and secure grip.

Handing the BlackBerry Z30