BlackBerry Curve 9350 review

A very capable business and personal device

BlackBerry Curve 9350
RIM proves that you don't have to have an Android or iOS phone in your pocket to go the smart route

TechRadar Verdict

RIM proves that you don't have to have an Android or iOS phone in your pocket to go the smart route, but you'll definitely be on the lower end of the coolness scale among your hipster friends. But if your work requires that you be on a BlackBerry, or you need an inexpensive but robust little phone to get the job done, the Curve 9350 is worth investigating. While the camera and connection options don't put it on the cutting edge, it should serve you very well as a business and personal device.

Pros

  • +

    Reliable BlackBerry keyboard

  • +

    Slim form factor is perfect for pockets

  • +

    Robust included software for business, social, and fun

Cons

  • -

    Screen size feels like a postage stamp these days

  • -

    No touchscreen

  • -

    No 4G

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

In a world filled with retina display smartphones, 7-inch tablets, and Wi-Fi hotspots the size of half a deck of cards, BlackBerry phones are still the workhorse, reliable phones that they first were when they were introduced. Chances are you've seen someone on a flight or in an office rocking two phones: one for personal use (usually an iPhone), and one for work (always a BlackBerry). That's because of the enterprise-class ability to have work email, calendars, and more supported by a company's IT department.

Finally, those same phones have started to get the same smartphone options that make people want to wield two devices in the first place. While it can't compete with the amount of offerings in the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store (formerly Android Marketplace), Research in Motion's BlackBerry Curve 9350 is a phone that has plenty of functions for workers on the go who need an extra kick in their pocket. Especially if they pick it up for free with a contract, avoiding the exorbitant $359.99 non-contract price.

BlackBerry Curve 9350

The Curve line of phones were first introduced back in 2007, and the 9350 is one of the slimmest and sexiest phones in the bunch. It's at the bottom rung of the 9350/9360/9370 ladder, but that's because it's a CDMA-only phone. The 9360 uses GSM/HSPA+, and the 9370 is a CDMA/GSM world phone. But that shouldn't matter as long as you aren't jetting to Dubai every other weekend.

It definitely looks slimmer, but feels compact and sturdy in your hand. It's a plastic casing, but tight and without much flex. You can remove the back cover with a thumbnail, giving you access to the SIM card slot, a 1000 mAhr removable battery, and an SD card slot that can take cards up to 32 GB. There's a 5 MP camera above the back cover, along with an LED flash, and the right side contains four physical buttons: volume up, mute, volume down, and a convenience key that can be customized. By default it's set to take a photo.

BlackBerry Curve 9350

The front of the phone contains the standard Curve line chiclet keyboard, an 2.5-inch 480x360 screen, a small speaker grill, an LED that can be configured to flash for different reasons, and six physical buttons: the send key, the menu button, the scrollable trackpad, the escape key, and the end/power key under the screen, and a lock/unlock keyboard button that also shuts off the screen on the very top of the device next to the 3.5 mm headset jack. The left side has a lone microUSB charging port, and bottom of the phone is feature-free except for the tiny microphone pinhole.

Latest in BlackBerry Phones
BlackBerry Torch
How I retrieved 10-year-old photos from a classic BlackBerry Torch
BlackBerry
OnwardMobility shuts down and ends the 5G BlackBerry dream
BlackBerry Key2 LE
Blackberry 5G won't ever release, report claims
BlackBerry Pearl
5 things BlackBerry phones got right (and 5 things they didn’t)
BlackBerry Key2 LE in a hand
BlackBerry 5G phone is still coming – and possibly soon
Astro Slide
Waiting for the Blackberry 5G? The Astro Slide could be a good alternative
Latest in Reviews
The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap being worn by Hamish
I test VR headsets for a living, and this affordable headstrap is the first Meta Quest 3 accessory you should buy
Both Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips
I thought VR controller grips were pointless until this Meta Quest 3 accessory proved me wrong
The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap
Want to upgrade your VR headset? Look no further than my new favorite Meta Quest 3 headstrap
WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR main image
I tested the WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR - read how I rated this Endpoint Protection for small business
The RIG M2 Streamstar.
I wanted to love the new RIG M2 Streamstar, but this pricey gaming microphone fails to deliver
Bambu Lab H2D Vs X1C
I've been reviewing the hotly anticipated Bambu Lab H2D for a month, and it's the most versatile machine I've ever used