The BlackBerry Pearl 3G and Z10 represent distinct eras of BlackBerry's smartphone journey. The Pearl, a beloved icon with its signature trackball, faced off against the Z10, BlackBerry's ambitious attempt at a modern, touchscreen-focused experience. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which device holds up best today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The BlackBerry Z10 is the clear winner. While the Pearl 3G offers nostalgic charm, the Z10's superior processing power, larger display, video recording capabilities, and longer battery life make it the more capable and modern smartphone, despite both being dated now.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - STL100-1 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 25, 26, 30, 66, 71 | 3, 7, 8, 20 - STL100-2 |
| Speed | HSPA 3.6/0.384 Mbps | HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, LTE, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE |
| | HSDPA 900 / 1700 / 2100 | 13 - STL100-4 |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2010, April. Released 2010, April | 2013, January. Released 2013, January |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame | Glass front, plastic back, plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 108 x 50 x 13.3 mm (4.25 x 1.97 x 0.52 in) | 130 x 65.6 x 9 mm (5.12 x 2.58 x 0.35 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Micro-SIM |
| Weight | 93.6 g (3.28 oz) | 137.5 g (4.83 oz) |
| | Optical trackpad | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Resolution | 360 x 400 pixels (~239 ppi density) | 768 x 1280 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~355 ppi density) |
| Size | 2.25 inches, 16.2 cm2 (~30.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.2 inches, 50.2 cm2 (~58.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT, 256K colors | TFT |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 624 MHz | Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM632 Snapdragon 632 (14 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 Plus |
| GPU | Adreno 506 | Adreno 225 |
| OS | BlackBerry OS 5, upgradable | BlackBerry OS 10, upgradable to 10.3.1 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 256MB | 16GB 2GB RAM |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | 13 MP, f/2.0, 1/3.1", 1.12µm, PDAF
2 MP, f/2.2, (depth) | - |
| Features | LED flash | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Single | 3.15 MP, AF | 8 MP, f/2.2, 31mm (standard), AF |
| Video | 480p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | HDR | - |
| Single | 5 MP, f/2.0, 1.12µm | 2 MP |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 720p@30fps |
| | No | - |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| | Dedicated music keys | - |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP | 4.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, hotspot |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML | - |
| Sensors | - | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| | BlackBerry maps
Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player
MP4/H.264/WMV player
Organizer
Voice memo/dial
| HDMI port |
| Battery |
|---|
| Music play | Up to 30 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 432 h (2G) / Up to 312 h (3G) | Up to 312 h |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 5 h (3G) | Up to 10 h |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1150 mAh battery | Li-Ion 1800 mAh, removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Piano Black, Opal Pink, Royal Purple, Flash White, Red Gradient | Black, White |
| Models | XT2052DL | - |
| Price | About 90 EUR | About 120 EUR |
| SAR | 1.37 W/kg (head) 1.06 W/kg (body) | 1.07 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.67 W/kg (head) 1.03 W/kg (body) | 0.87 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -89.9dB / Crosstalk -87.1dB |
Noise -82.8dB / Crosstalk -80.5dB |
| Battery life | - |
Endurance rating 46h
|
| Camera |
Photo |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: 1532 (nominal) / 2.051:1 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 66dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 71dB
|
Voice 70dB / Noise 67dB / Ring 73dB
|
| OUR TESTS |
|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -89.9dB / Crosstalk -87.1dB | Noise -82.8dB / Crosstalk -80.5dB |
| Battery (old) | - | Endurance rating 46h |
| Camera | Photo | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: 1532 (nominal) / 2.051:1 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 66dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 71dB | Voice 70dB / Noise 67dB / Ring 73dB |
BlackBerry Pearl 3G 9105
- Iconic design and trackball
- Physical QWERTY keyboard
- Compact size
- Good build quality
- Outdated processor
- Limited display size
- No video recording
- Slow performance
- Lower resolution camera
BlackBerry Z10
- Larger touchscreen display
- Faster processor and chipset
- Video recording capabilities
- Improved performance
- Slightly better camera
- Dated design
- Battery life may degrade with age
- Software support discontinued
- Can still feel slow by modern standards
Display Comparison
The Z10 boasts a significantly larger 4.2-inch display compared to the Pearl 3G's smaller screen. Both offer a respectable contrast ratio (1532 nominal / 2.051:1 sunlight), but the Z10's size and resolution provide a much more immersive viewing experience. The Pearl's screen is adequate for its time, but feels cramped by today's standards.
Camera Comparison
The Z10's camera is a clear winner, offering both photo and video recording capabilities. The Pearl 3G is limited to still photos only. While the image quality on both devices is dated, the Z10's versatility and slightly better hardware give it the edge.
Performance
The Z10's dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait processor and Snapdragon S4 Plus chipset offer a substantial performance advantage over the Pearl 3G's single-core 624 MHz processor and Snapdragon 632. Apps launch faster, multitasking is smoother, and the overall user experience is noticeably more responsive on the Z10. The Pearl 3G can feel sluggish by comparison.
Battery Life
Both devices are reported to have an endurance rating of 46 hours, suggesting comparable battery life. However, the Z10's more efficient processor and larger battery capacity likely translate to slightly longer real-world usage, especially considering the Pearl 3G's less efficient single-core processor.
Buying Guide
The BlackBerry Pearl 3G is for collectors and BlackBerry enthusiasts seeking a nostalgic experience and a physical keyboard. The BlackBerry Z10 is for those wanting a more modern BlackBerry experience with a larger touchscreen and improved performance, though both are best suited for light use due to their age.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the BlackBerry Pearl 3G still usable in 2024?
Yes, but with limitations. It can still make calls and send texts, but app compatibility is limited, and performance is slow. It's best suited for basic tasks or as a collector's item.
❓ What operating system did the BlackBerry Z10 run?
The BlackBerry Z10 ran BlackBerry 10, a gesture-based operating system that attempted to modernize the BlackBerry experience.
