BlackBerry 9850 Torch

Overview

TechSpot Metascore

Based on 11 expert reviews

Excellent:

0
Good:

2
Average:

1
Bad:

8

Pros:

Bright and crisp touch screen, Fast browser with HTML5 support, Speedy performance, Solid build, BlackBerry OS 7.
Phone's body is nicely designed and comfortable to hold, Battery can hold its own for full day of use, New BlackBerry 7 OS leaning more towards touch interactions
True world phone, Great battery life, Good Web browser, Solid music and video playback.

Cons:

Small keys on virtual keyboard, Meager app selection, Poor battery life, Slow 3G connection, Twotoned color looks cheap, No Flash support
Screen is sometimes laggy and unresponsive, making for a bad typing experience, Operating system is still unintuitive in many places, Camera is mediocre

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Last revision on June 28, 2013

Reviewers Liked

Bright and crisp touch screen, Fast browser with HTML5 support, Speedy performance, Solid build, BlackBerry OS 7
Phone's body is nicely designed and comfortable to hold, Battery can hold its own for full day of use, New BlackBerry 7 OS leaning more towards touch interactions
True world phone, Great battery life, Good Web browser, Solid music and video playback
Touchscreen form factor finally done right, Brilliant & highresolution display, Smooth web browsing experience
Great camera and video, bright display, fast processor
Well designed, World phone, Sips data
Very well built, Sips data, World phone
Beautiful design, good materials, large touchscreen
Solid, comfortable design, Great call performance, Bright 3.7inch LCD
The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is a sharp-looking, dual-mode world phone with a good camera and offering 720p HD video playback
Touchscreen form factor finally done right, Brilliant & highresolution display, Smooth web browsing experience

Reviewers Didn't Like

Small keys on virtual keyboard, Meager app selection, Poor battery life, Slow 3G connection, Twotoned color looks cheap, No Flash support
Screen is sometimes laggy and unresponsive, making for a bad typing experience, Operating system is still unintuitive in many places, Camera is mediocre
Mediocre voice quality, Clumsy typing experience, No 4G, Confused touch screen UI, Weak app market
Platform still feels dated, Subpar photo & video capture, Shrill sounding voices with phone calls
Buggy software, clunky OS, lackluster battery life
Touch keyboard can be difficult to use, Few apps, No 4G
Somewhat slippery touch screen, Tiny portrait-style touch keyboard, Very poor app selection and quality
BlackBerry OS 7 hasn't evolved much from aging OS 6. App World selection still slim
Mediocre onscreen keyboard, BlackBerry 7 already feels dated, Somewhat limited app selection
Call quality, speakerphone, and general performance on the BlackBerry Torch 9850 hit some snags
Platform still feels dated, Subpar photo & video capture, Shrill sounding voices with phone calls

Expert reviews and ratings

The Torch 9850's touch keyboard isn't up to BlackBerry standards, and its app market isn't up to smartphone standards....

By PC Mag on September 15, 2011

As the displays on smartphones keep growing, the diminutive 2.8-inch screens on BlackBerrys have felt more and more antiquated. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is RIM's attempt to stay relevant in the eyes of Android shoppers. The company's follow-up...

By LaptopMag on September 09, 2011

Sponsored links, if any, appear in green. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 is the latest all-touchscreen smartphone to come from RIM. Eschewing the Storm moniker, and its much-derided SurePress screen, the Torch 9850 is touchscreen slate smartphone in a...

By MobileBurn on September 08, 2011

No doubt, the BlackBerry Torch 9850 is a lot of phone for $149 with contract. It has all the appeal of a BlackBerry minus the hardware keyboard, and we know that's a deal breaker for some of you (consider the BlackBerry Bold 9930 instead). But if...

By MobileTechReview on September 02, 2011

Overall the Torch 9850 is an 'Average' smartphone, which is not really a good sign for RIM. It's been a long wait since the last BlackBerry came out and many have been hoping that the next generation of BlackBerries would fare better....

By BrightHub on August 30, 2011

We can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed by the Torch 9850. It's reasonably slim, feels well made and, aesthetics-aside, is certainly not a bad handset. The thing is, it just isn't as good as t'other Torch that's also been released...

By Engadget on August 16, 2011

With its full touch screen and fair price tag, the BlackBerry Torch 9850 shows that RIM is ready to compete with others in Sprint's lineup, although it's not without its...

By cnet on August 16, 2011

This is the device that RIM should’ve put out three years ago when they embarked on the touchscreen form factor with the original Storm 9530. As we know, the key to success in the industry is partly related to timing, and it’s remarkable to...

By Phone Arena on August 16, 2011

RIM’s third attempt at an all touch device is a reasonably good one. The Torch 9850 is good looking (except for those pesky hardware buttons below the display), light, fast, and has a gorgeous display. Unfortunately, the OS 7 keyboard is still...

By Mobility Site on November 09, 2011

Most experts agree that the BlackBerry Torch 9850 is mediocre at best. Even MobileTechReview.com's Lisa Gade, who writes a mostly positive review on it, says it has a slim chance of converting any Android or iPhone users. But if BlackBerry has any...

By ConsumerSearch on November 01, 2011

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