Review: BlackBerry Q10 for Verizon Wireless
Screen
The Q10's screen measures 3.1 inches across the diagonal and has 720 by 720 pixels. It's the exact same width as the display on the Z10. This was a conscious design choice made by BlackBerry for app continuity across the different form factors. The Q10's screen is an OLED panel that I thought looked good. It is bright and and colors look deep and rich. Viewing angles are excellent, and there's no color shift or brightness loss when you tilt the Q10 back and forth. Outdoor viewability is OK, but could be better.
Signal
The Q10 performed very well on Verizon's network. It never lost the signal, no matter where I took it. It survived the NJ vault test (my local supermarket), where signal strength is notoriously poor. The Q10 connected calls on the first dial, and didn't miss or drop any calls while I was reviewing it. Thanks to the pervasive presence of Verizon's LTE 4G, the Q10 never dropped down to EVDO 3G during my time testing it, either. That means the Q10 offered speedy data performance, as it was able to put LTE to good use when browsing the web or downloading new apps. Bottom line, the Q10 delivers on the network goods.
Sound
The Verizon Q10 beats the snot out of the AT&T Q10 when it comes to voice calls. The quality of calls was far superior. Voices coming through the earpiece were clear as a bell, and there was never any kind of interference, such as static or echoes. Voices sounded present and had a warm characteristic that I found pleasing. Those with whom I spoke said I sounded very good. In addition to the excellent quality, the earpiece produces plenty of volume. I was easily able to hear calls next to a screeching espresso machine in a noisy Starbucks. The speakerphone offers the same clear voice quality, though the volume isn't quite as impressive (it's best to set it down on a desk or table). Ringers and alerts were loud enough to get my attention from several rooms away, and the vibrate alert was very strong. The Verizon version is markedly better than the AT&T version in this category.
Battery
The Q10 didn't give me any trouble when it came to battery life and its performance matched that of the AT&T variant. I was able to get a full day of use out of the device with plenty of power to spare, despite heavy use. It often had about 30% showing on the battery gauge when I called it a day. Charging the Q10 once per day should be sufficient for most people.
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