Blackberry DTEK50.
A surprisingly inexpensive device that claims to be the worlds most secure Android smartphone.
But is it durable?
That's what my YouTube channel is here to find out.
[Intro]
I do durability tests on every new smart phone that comes out.
I even tested this phones keyboarded predecessor last year: The Blackberry Priv.
Build quality and durability are important aspects to consider when picking a phone that
you'll be carrying around for the next 12 to 24 months.
So lets see how the DTEK 50 holds up.
Ill start with the scratch test.
I have a set of mineral picks that tell me where the screen falls on Mohs Scale of Hardness.
Most flagships use tempered glass, or Gorilla Glass, which falls at a 6 on the hardness
scale.
Some phone screens are plastic, like the Galaxy s7 Active, and scratch at a level 3.
Luckily this phone is using scratch resistant glass and scores a level 6, with a deeper
groove at a level 7.
Right on par with more expensive flagships.
Keys and coins will do nothing to this screen.
My razor blade wont even leave a mark over this front facing camera.
Here is the first strange thing I found with the Blackberry.
I anticipated that the speaker grills were going to be plastic, since that's what they
look like on the outside.
But in reality, its just a thick sticker.
Like a piece of vinyl.
And comes off pretty easily.
Think about this sticker rubbing around in your pocket for 2 years.
Even if it is slightly embedded in the frame.
There is a good chance it might come off.
Heat also effects stickers, and vinyl.
So leaving your phone in the hot car on a sunny day, and you might come back to a grill-less
earpiece.
The fun doesn't stop there though, the bottom grill is also made from the same material.
But wait, there's more.
The back of the phone 'looks' like it has two speakers at the top and the bottom, but
its actually very solid underneath both of the stickers.
The holes are purely for decoration.
I don't blame Blackberry for this though, its more cost effective to order 4 of the
same sticker than it is to have variations, and this phone is a budget mid range device
anyway.
What do you think of the stickers?
Let me know in the comments.
Its the first time we've seen this approach to speaker coverings.
Now the back of this phone has a thick rubber layer.
Which feels surprisingly good after reviewing so many glass and metal phones.
I am definitely not opposed to the feel of this material . While the BlackBerry Priv
had a soft smooth rubber, like a bike inner-tube, the Dtek 50 feels more like a super grippy
basketball.
Rubber doesn't hold up against razor blades very well, But it is incredibly resilient
to my keys, which would be a much more common nemesis.
Now the camera lens.
This lens is actually made of glass.
There are benefits to both plastic lenses and glass lenses.
A glass lens is way more scratch resistant, but it also has the possibility of shattering
when dropped.
A plastic lens, like the one on the BlackBerry Priv, would be more shatter resistant, but...
it gets scratched very easy.
I personally prefer glass lenses on a phone.
But I can see the benefits both ways.
Which do you prefer?
Glass or Plastic?
The frosted dual tone flash is covered in plastic, but that's totally normal and a non
issue.
Scratches don't matter as much on an LED covering.
I was pleasantly surprised that all of the buttons were made of metal.
Along with the sides of the device.
It is metal all the way around the phone, which goes a long way for durability.
There is plastic leading up to the metal on either sides of the bumper, But the phone
feels solid, and we still get to enjoy the beautiful scratching noise.
Now its time to cook the BlackBerry.
This phone has a 5.2 inch 1080p IPS LCD display.
If you understood that sentence, give a thumbs up and pat yourself on the back.
The Older Blackberry Priv had an AMOLED display.
And while its totally personal preference which kind of screen you prefer...
When it comes to fire, an amoled display will turn white, and usually not recover.
An LCD display like this one turns off with the heat, but then fully recovers, which is
pretty cool.
I'd also like to remind the viewers that I am a professional phone burner, and you should
not try this at home.
Now for the bend test.
For a device as inexpensive as this, I was expecting the bend test to be a total catastrophe.
But, in reality, the device is super solid.
It has a very minor flex to it, but then the phone locks out, and doesn't let me bend it
any farther.
It remains fully functional.
Even when I press from the screen side, the phone does not snap in half.
So, overall this phone passes my durability test.
From a durability perspective I would recommend this phone.
Its biggest flaw is the speaker grill stickers, but if you can get over that, the back rubber
is probably more resilient than metal or glass, and the metal frame will keep it from bending
in your back pocket...
If you are a 'sit on your phone type of person'.
Its a solid phone.
I plan on doing a 'Year End summary' video of every phone i've tested so far this year.
So hit the subscribe button and turn on your notifications so you don't miss that video.
Which phone do you think is the most durable this year?
Let me know in the comments.
Bonus points for following me on instagram and twitter.
I gave away a OnePlus 3T last week to one of my lucky twitter followers.
Thanks a ton for watching!
Ill see you around.