BlackBerry Z10 review: Powered by a Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core processor that clocks at 1.5GHz, the Z10 sports a 4.2-inch capacitive touchscreen, 16 GB internal storage (expandable up to 64 GB), 2 GB RAM, and 8 primary MP camera.

For many years now the Canadian mobile manufacturer has been striving to bounce back in the market through the release of smartphones intended to compete against giants such as Samsung and Apple. Last year, BlackBerry launched the Z10 as one of its flagship models. With a good set of specs and features, the smartphone certainly gives off a message that it means serious business. The question is: Does it deliver?

The BlackBerry Z10 has a dimension of 5.12 x 2.58 x 0.35 inches and a weight of 137.5 grams, making it one of the thinnest models in the entire company’s roster. It also has a thick, rubberized, dimpled coating with a soft finish for a solid and comfortable grip.

Although the handset’s design doesn’t turn heads or receive awards, its entire body screams of functionality, sophistication, and most of all, formality—all qualities that make it business-like.

Meanwhile, its 4.2-inch display has a resolution of 768 x 1280 pixels and a pixel density of 355 ppi. It has an adequate amount of pixels for a crisp web and media viewing experience. This time, BlackBerry has veered away from its trademark QWERTY keyboard. As a result, the Z10 has more room for your fingers compared to the cramped BlackBerry 9900.

In terms of performance, there is nothing really special about the Z10’s 1.5 GHz Qualcomm MSM8960 dual-core processor. It isn’t even at par with high-end smartphones that are already on the quad-core level. Still, it is responsive enough for simple, everyday tasks.

Scott Hanselman sees the Z10 as the “Black iPhone” not only because of its appearance, but also because of its impressive response time.

“It actually feels more like the lovely HP TouchPad's webOS than like anything I've seen in the Blackberry universe. It's certainly more visually polished and consistent than any Android I've used, has more clarity and depth than a Windows Phone and is somehow as fluid as an iPhone,” he adds.

To sum it up, the BlackBerry Z10 is one serious smartphone. It may not have mouth-watering features unlike its competitors, but it still delivers a business-like look coupled with decent specs.