BlackBerry Curve 9300 review

It's been difficult to judge the BlackBerry Curve 3G as a handset in its own right, so similar is it to the other members of the Curve family. But it has held its own, and despite a spec sheet not necessarily as chocablock as most smartphones, the Curve 3G isn't a handset we'd be completely ashamed to own.

We liked

During our time with the BlackBerry Curve 3G we grew to love that QWERTY keyboard, even though it's not quite as good as the BlackBerry Bold 9700's effort.

As usual, BlackBerry's email and messaging tools are top notch, and we were impressed with the call quality and great reception that was generally offered by the handset.

With the BlackBerry OS 6 upgrade imminent, the interface can only get better, and we're looking forward to advanced media features, meaning we can take full advantage of the physical media buttons atop the Curve 3G.

We didn't like

As people who've spent a lot of time with more powerful handsets, it was impossible to stop ourselves getting frustrated with the elements of the Curve 3G we wanted more from.

The screen's comparatively low resolution is one of the ways that RIM is able to keep the cost of the handset down, but for media fanatics it just won't cut it. The 2-megapixel camera is woefully restrictive. Similarly, the clunkiness of the menu system and the onboard browser will frustrate until you can upgrade the software.

Verdict

For a mid-range handset, the BlackBerry Curve 3G stands up well. If you're after an email-machine with occasional web browsing and a spot of media playback, then it'll suit you down to the ground without costing you a fortune – and with BlackBerry OS 6 just around the corner, things can only get better.