LG G6 vs BlackBerry KEYone quick look

We’re here in Barcelona for MWC 2017, and LG just took the wraps off of their latest addition to their flagship G series. MWC is always exciting when it comes to Android smartphone launches, and we’ve already seen a couple of great new devices be unveiled, with the second being from BlackBerry. Despite being drastically different smartphones, we thought it’d be fun to compare the two. Here’s a quick look at the LG G6 vs BlackBerry KEYone!

In terms of design, LG has decided to go down a more traditional route, with the G6 featuring a unibody metal and glass construction. On the other hand, the KEYone comes with a metal frame and a soft touch leather-like backing that feels great in the hand and offers a lot of grip.

Both smartphones are pretty similar in size, despite the G6 coming with a much larger 5.7-inch display, compared to the 4.5-inch screen of the BlackBerry device. Of course, the similar size isn’t because the KEYone has huge bezels and wasted space, but because the device brings back a signature element of BlackBerry smartphones, a physical keyboard.

The 5.7-inch LCD display of the G6 comes with a Quad HD resolution, with a 18:9 aspect ratio that allows for the screen to be taller and narrower. Add on the super thin bezels along the sides of the display and relatively thin top and bottom chin, and the LG G6 feels like a much smaller device in the hand than what its screen size would suggest. One handed operation is surprisingly easy, helped along by some software features that LG has incorporated to take advantage of the aspect ratio.

The 4.5-inch LCD screen of the KEYone comes with a Full HD resolution, which is more than enough at this size. What is the standout feature of the BlackBerry device though is the physical keyboard. Not only do you get to enjoy what many would say is a more satisfying typing experience, but entire keyboard functions as a large capacitive trackpad, that you can swipe up and down or left or right on to navigate around the interface. You can also assign up to 52 shortcuts to the various keys, which is crazy, and set up a variety of functions.

The LG G6 comes with the more high-end specifications, with the device packing the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor and 4 GB of RAM, while the KEYone comes with the mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and 3 GB of RAM. 32 GB of storage is standard across the board, and both smartphones offer expandable storage via microSD card for up to an additional 2 TB of space.

The battery capacities are similar, with the G6 and KEYone coming with 3,300 mAh and 3,505 mAh batteries respectively. It’s too early to make as to their battery life capabilities, but the BlackBerry smartphone does have a leg up on paper at least, with a slightly larger capacity, lower resolution display, and more power-friendly processing package. Both smartphones come with support for Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0, and in the US, the LG G6 will also include support for wireless charging.

Something you get with the LG G6 that is a result of the new design and build of the phone is an IP68 rating for dust and water protection. Both smartphones do come with fingerprint sensors, found on the back of the G6, and in the case of the KEYone, the scanner has been cleverly embedded into the physical space bar on the keyboard.

The LG G6 includes a dual camera setup on the rear, with two 13 MP shooters, one standard and one-wide angle, to be found, with a f/1.8 aperture. On the other hand, the BlackBerry KEYone features a single 12 MP rear shooter, with a larger pixel size of 1.55 um, and a f/2.0 aperture.

On the software side of things, both smartphones are running Android 7.0 Nougat. The software experience with the KEYone is pretty close to stock Android, with the exception of BlackBerry-specific features like the Hub, as well as their state of the art DTEK security package. The G6 comes with the G UI on top, with the latest version being revamped to take advantage of the aspect ratio, and also a more refreshing look with natural and vivid colors that are seen throughout the interface and with the included wallpapers.

So, there you have it for this quick look at the LG G6 vs BlackBerry KEYone! The G6 is obviously the higher end of the two, and while the pricing information is still unknown, it will likely be priced higher than the $549 price tag of the KEYone. The LG G6 brings with it all the flagship specs and features that we’ve come to expect, but the KEYone will certainly handle itself well enough, and between the two, is the one that is more likely to turn heads.