I tested a BlackBerry-style Android phone with a keyboard, and it's weirdly practical in 2026

pros and cons

Pros

• Compact signifier factor
• Key-specific shortcuts
• Keyboard supports cursor
• Five years of OS and information updates
• High-capacity silicon c battery

Cons

• White and orangish keys are hard to read
• Cameras aren't the best
• No h2o resistance

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I've been reviewing Unihertz phones since the Atom came retired successful 2018, and I've ever enjoyed its affordable, if niche, devices. For the past fewer weeks, I've been investigating its latest model: the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite, and tin confidently accidental it's the champion telephone Unihertz has ever made. 

One of the biggest reasons is the carnal keyboard. Unihertz seems to beryllium capitalizing connected the excitement surrounding a instrumentality to keys -- highlighted by the Clicks Communicator, archetypal shown astatine CES successful January (but inactive not available). 

Also: The champion Android phones you tin buy

The 2nd is the Titan 2 Elite's sleek signifier factor. Unlike past Unihertz phones, which tended to beryllium bulkier than the competition, the Titan 2 Elite is overmuch thinner: astir the aforesaid width arsenic an iPhone 17 but astir three-fourths arsenic long.

You tin backmost the telephone connected Kickstarter, with the run doing highly good with astir 2 weeks remaining. The Titan 2 Elite volition person an MSRP of $489, but tin beryllium purchased done the Kickstarter run for $389. As always, you should store with caution erstwhile it comes to immoderate Kickstarter project, nary substance the brand's reputation. 

What's aged is caller again

Last year's Unihertz Titan 2 was positioned arsenic a BlackBerry Passport alternative, albeit overmuch bulkier with its much rugged design. By contrast, the Titan Elite 2 is much of a successor to the BlackBerry Classic, but utilizes the keyboard arsenic a trackpad. 

The Titan 2 Elite is overmuch thicker than BlackBerry devices, but with this thickness comes a amended display, faster processor, and larger capableness battery. Powered by the latest Android operating strategy and selling astatine conscionable nether $400, the Titan 2 Elite continues wherever BlackBerry near off.  

Also: Why I urge this $450 Samsung telephone implicit competing models by Google and OnePlus

The Titan's four-row hardware keyboard nether the 4.03-inch AMOLED show is well-designed with decent-sized keys and an angled cutout for left- and right-thumb action. Tactile feedback is excellent, but the keys are a spot choky for my thumbs, resulting successful occasional mis-types.

My biggest disappointment with the keyboard is the white-colored letters connected an orangish phone. The backlight, enabled by swiping crossed the keyboard, helps maine spot the letters better. However, achromatic letters connected an orangish inheritance make a pugnacious opposition for my aging eyes. The achromatic exemplary with achromatic keys would apt supply amended missive visibility.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

I emotion the information that Unihertz allows you to acceptable customized shortcuts, some long- and short-press actions, for each missive from A to Z. I person C for Chrome, D to substance my woman Dayna, G for Gmail, K for Keep Notes, and respective others that I tin retrieve easily. 

You tin besides alteration the scroll adjunct and swipe crossed the keyboard to determination up, down, left, and close without touching the display. This capableness is useful for speechmaking websites, agelong emails, oregon documents. There is besides a cursor adjunct mode, truthful erstwhile editing text, you tin swipe connected the keyboard to determination the rodent cursor connected the display.

Communication first

The Titan 2 Elite is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 processor, 12GB of RAM and 256GB of interior storage. This spot supports 5G networks, and aft visiting my section T-Mobile store, I present person a carnal SIM successful the Titan 2 Elite with a coagulated 5G awesome and speeds.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

Navigation astir the instrumentality has been responsive, and I haven't observed immoderate lagging. I haven't played games oregon watched movies for an extended period, however, arsenic the show isn't optimized for media -- it's communications-focused. When I did trial it out, playback was reasonably smooth, and audio was noticeably wide and loud.

Also: My hunt for the eventual MagSafe accessory is over: This keyboard checks each the boxes

The Titan 2 Elite has a 4050mAh silicon-carbon battery, and its endurance has been coagulated truthful far. The lone different telephone I've tested with this newer exertion is the OnePlus 13, and that was a artillery champ. In addition, this instrumentality supports 33W accelerated charging, which is conscionable accelerated capable to marque a 30-minute top-up helpful. 

Software improvements

Software updates and patches person ever been a weaker constituent of the Unihertz brand, truthful I was pleased to spot the Titan 2 Elite motorboat with Android 16 and a committedness to upgrade the telephone each the mode to Android 20 with information updates until 2031. This improvement is important for Unihertz and shows the institution is committed to making competitive, affordable products.

The Unihertz Titan 2 Elite runs a reasonably banal mentation of Android with nary bloatware installed retired of the box. There is an app for FM vigor and for the phone's infrared distant control. A useful Toolbox exertion provides respective utilities, including a bubble level, a tallness measurement, an alarm, a magnifier, and a protractor.

Matthew Miller/ZDNET

In summation to creating customized shortcuts for each missive connected the keyboard, 11 different keys tin beryllium customized for your optimal keyboard experience. The Func1 cardinal is simply a reddish cardinal located connected the close side, beneath the broadside power/fingerprint sensor button. Short-press, long-press, and double-press options are available, with my shortcuts acceptable to Keep Notes, Camera, and Screenshot.

Also: How to easy encrypt files connected an Android telephone - and the escaped app I usage to bash it

I conscionable installed the Niagara Launcher connected the telephone since that is what the Clicks Communicator uses to supply a minimalist, focused experience. With a telephone chiefly for connection and keyboard substance entry, this launcher whitethorn beryllium cleanable for reducing clip wasted connected net rabbit holes.

ZDNET's buying advice

Unihertz does a bully occupation of launching unsocial phones astatine tenable prices. The Titan 2 Elite is a telephone I urge to anyone looking for a straightforward instrumentality with a carnal keyboard. The show is large, the keys are a joyousness to benignant on, determination is simply a ton of customization, and the artillery easy lasts for a mates of days. 

That said, it's not a telephone to service arsenic your superior camera successful each situations, nor does it excel astatine watching media. But it's a large summertime telephone that slides into your shorts pockets and helps you enactment successful interaction with household and friends.