BlackBerry has unveiled a Light Edition of the BlackBerry KEY2 at the ongoing IFA 2018 show in Berlin. The TCL Communications-owned brand has made some changes to the BlackBerry KEY2 LE to differentiate it from the original KEY2. Of course, as the name itself suggests, the KEY2 LE is a downgraded version of the original KEY2- not in terms of design, but in terms of hardware. For example, BlackBerry has used a slightly less powerful Snapdragon 636 Soc inside the KEY2 LE, instead of the Snapdragon 660 SoC found on the BlackBerry KEY2. The KEY2 LE has been priced at $399 (approx. Rs 28,000), while the original KEY2 is selling for $649 in the United States and for Rs 42,990 in India. The KEY2 LE might also be making its way to the Indian market sometime next month. What are the differences between these two phones? Read on to know more.
BlackBerry KEY2 vs BlackBerry KEY2 LE: Design and Display
Both the smartphones feature a similar design with the same good-old QWERTY keypad which also has the fingerprint scanner on the space bar. However, to cut the costs, BlackBerry has gone with the plastic body for the KEY2 LE, unlike the KEY2 which sports Aluminium body. BlackBerry is calling the plastic body on the KEY2 LE as 'toughened polycarbonate blend.' Having said that, the usage of plastic makes the device feel a bit lighter than the KEY2. Another difference is the colour options. TCL has launched the KEY2 LE in funky colour options- traditional Slate, Atomic and Champagne; Maybe the company wants to appeal young consumers.
The BlackBerry KEY2 LE still has the same 4.5-inch IPS display with 1650 x 1080 pixel resolution as the KEY2. While BlackBerry confirmed that the KEY2 has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 on top of the display, it did not confirm the same for the KEY2 LE. Instead, it said the phone is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass (unspecified version).
BlackBerry KEY2 vs BlackBerry KEY2 LE: Hardware, Battery and Software
The BlackBerry KEY2 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chipset whereas the KEY2 LE comes with the Snapdragon 636 SoC. The KEY2 was launched in various configurations with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, but the KEY2 LE comes in a single 4GB RAM and 32GB of storage variant. Software-wise, the device boots Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box with several BlackBerry security features.
Another area which differentiates both the devices is the battery. The KEY2 LE has a smaller 3000mAh battery, while the KEY2 had a larger 3500mAh battery. The reduction in battery capacity also made up for the loss in weight.
BlackBerry KEY2 vs BlackBerry KEY2 LE: Cameras
The BlackBerry KEY2 was the first BlackBerry device to sport dual rear cameras. The KEY2 LE also comes with dual rear cameras, but they're just basic ones. A 13MP primary sensor with f/2.2 aperture, 79.8-degree lens, 1.12 µm sensor and PDAF is paired with a secondary 5MP shooter with f/2.4 aperture. The secondary sensor helps in capturing depth information. The KEY2 LE comes with an 8MP front-facing camera.
To recall, the BlackBerry KEY2 arrived with two 12MP sensors on the rear side- a standard one with f/1.8 aperture, 1/2.3-inch sensor, 1.28µm and dual pixel PDAF, and a secondary 12MP sensor with telephone lens and f/2.6 aperture.
