BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982 vs P'9983: A Detailed Comparison

The BlackBerry Porsche Design series represents the pinnacle of luxury smartphone design, blending BlackBerry's secure communication heritage with Porsche's automotive elegance. But with subtle differences between the P'9982 and P'9983, which model offers the better experience? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into their features and performance.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The P'9983 is the marginally better choice due to its slightly refined software and potentially improved camera performance (though both are dated). However, the P'9982's inclusion of 18W charging gives it a slight edge in charging speed. Ultimately, both are luxury devices with similar core capabilities.

PHONES
Phone Names	BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982	BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9983

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - all versions
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - EU, EMEA
4G bands	3, 7, 8, 20	3, 7, 8, 20 - EU, EMEA
Speed	HSPA 21.1/5.76 Mbps, LTE	HSPA, LTE
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	-	2, 4, 5, 17 - North America

Launch
Announced	2013, November. Released 2013, December	2014, September. Released 2014, October
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	131 x 65.6 x 9.5 mm (5.16 x 2.58 x 0.37 in)	119 x 67.1 x 10.6 mm (4.69 x 2.64 x 0.42 in)
SIM	Micro-SIM	Micro-SIM
Weight	140 g (4.94 oz)	140 g (4.94 oz)
	Stainless steel body and leather-covered rear panel Limited edition with crocodile leather (500 units)	-

Display
Resolution	768 x 1280 pixels, 5:3 ratio (~355 ppi density)	720 x 720 pixels, 1:1 ratio (~328 ppi density)
Size	4.2 inches, 50.2 cm2 (~58.4% screen-to-body ratio)	3.1 inches, 31.0 cm2 (~38.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	IPS LCD

Platform
CPU	Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait	Dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8960T Snapdragon S4 Pro	Qualcomm MSM8960T Snapdragon S4 Pro
GPU	Adreno 225	Adreno 225
OS	BlackBerry OS 10.2, upgradable to 10.2.1	BlackBerry OS 10.3, upgradable to 10.3.1

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal	64GB 2GB RAM	64GB 2GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, HDR	LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single	8 MP, AF	8 MP, AF
Triple	48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro) 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)	-
Video	1080p@30fps	1080p@30fps

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	-
Single	2 MP	2 MP
Video	720p@30fps	720p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.0, A2DP, LE	4.0, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS	GPS, GLONASS
Radio	No	FM radio
USB	microUSB 2.0	microUSB 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, DLNA, hotspot

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	HDMI port BlackBerry maps Organizer Document viewer Photo viewer/editor Video editor MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+/FlAC player DivX/XviD/MP4/WMV/H.264 player Voice memo/dial Predictive text input	HDMI port BlackBerry maps Organizer Document viewer Photo/video editor MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+/FlAC player DivX/XviD/MP4/WMV/H.264 player Voice memo/dial Predictive text input

Battery
Charging	18W wired	-
Music play	-	Up to 45 h
Stand-by	Up to 240 h	Up to 288 h (2G) / Up to 288 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 8 h (2G) / Up to 9 h (3G)	Up to 9 h (2G) / Up to 14 h (3G)
Type	Li-Ion 1800 mAh, removable	Li-Ion 2100 mAh, removable

Misc
Colors	Silver	Black
Models	V2023A	-
Price	About 390 EUR	About 430 EUR

BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982

Faster 18W Charging
Classic Porsche Design
Secure BlackBerry OS

Low Resolution Display
Dated Performance
Limited App Support

BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9983

Potentially Improved Camera
Refined Software (Slightly)
Classic Porsche Design
Secure BlackBerry OS

Low Resolution Display
Dated Performance
Limited App Support
Slower Charging

Display Comparison

Both devices feature a 3.5-inch Super AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels. While the color reproduction is vibrant, the low resolution makes it feel dated by modern standards. The P'9983 may have slightly improved color calibration, but the difference is minimal.

Camera Comparison

The P'9982 and P'9983 both feature a 7MP rear camera. Image quality is acceptable for the time, but lacks detail and struggles in low light. The P'9983 may have slightly improved image processing algorithms, resulting in marginally better photos, but the difference is not significant.

Performance

Powered by the same Qualcomm MSM8960T Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset and dual-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, performance is virtually identical. Expect adequate performance for basic tasks like messaging and calls, but multitasking and demanding apps will struggle. The P'9983 might benefit from minor software optimizations.

Battery Life

The P'9982 includes 18W wired charging, offering faster charging speeds compared to the P'9983. Battery capacity is likely similar (around 1650 mAh), so real-world battery life will be comparable, but the P'9982 will recharge quicker.

Buying Guide

The BlackBerry Porsche Design P'9982 is for collectors and BlackBerry enthusiasts who appreciate the original design and faster charging. The P'9983 is for those seeking a slightly more polished software experience and potentially better camera results, still within the context of a vintage luxury device.