I used to like my BlackBerry telephones. It is onerous to explain the enjoyment of typing on a BlackBerry after struggling by way of T9 texting on older cellphones. Bodily keyboards will at all times have a particular place in my coronary heart, and I wept, together with many different devoted followers, when BlackBerry lastly shut down its servers in January 2022.
Nonetheless, a smaller producer is holding hope alive with a brand new keyboard-equipped Android cellphone on the horizon: the Unihertz Titan 2. It is a chunky beast for certain, however it has an exquisite keyboard, and in the event you’re a specific breed, you may have an interest. I spent per week with the Unihertz Titan 2, and I do not need to return.
Associated
A keyboard cellphone really constructed across the keyboard
A improbable typing expertise
Different producers tried to launch keyboard Android telephones after BlackBerry’s final first-party effort in 2015 with the Priv. Sadly, none of those units hit the spot.
The TCL-made BlackBerry units had been a disappointment, as I felt the KeyOne and Key2 provided the worst of each worlds, primarily including a keyboard to a candybar cellphone.
Even Unihertz’s earlier efforts left a lot to be desired. The unique Unihertz Titan was designed to resist a hurricane, and the Unihertz Titan Slim, though harking back to a BlackBerry Daring 9900, was just too small for contemporary use.
The bodily keyboard is the star of the present, however there are many supporting gamers that deserve consideration on the Titan 2.
The Titan 2 is the candy spot. Sure, it is nonetheless huge, weighing in at 235g and 10.8mm thick, however it’s unusually pocketable, and I preferred having a stable base to sort on.
In contrast to earlier efforts, the Titan 2 looks like a cellphone designed with a bodily keyboard in thoughts, slightly than one slapped on as an afterthought.
Do not knock it till you’ve got tried it
Typing is an pleasant expertise
In relation to bodily keyboard telephones in 2025, beggars cannot be choosers, however fortunately, Unihertz fitted a pleasant keyboard to the Titan 2. It is optimistic and clicky, and my thumbs expertise subsequent to no fatigue typing out longer emails, one thing I could not have mentioned with earlier Unihertz variations.
With its broad physique, the Unihertz Titan 2 takes greater than a little bit of inspiration from the BlackBerry Passport, and that is effective with me. I adored my Passport, and nonetheless attempt to use it to at the present time, so I am a fan of any expansive bodily keyboard on a cellphone.
Just like the Passport, the keypad doubles as a trackpad, permitting you to swipe left and proper and scroll by way of webpages, which is good whenever you’re restricted to a 4.5-inch show.
I really like the four-row design of the keyboard. There are operate keys on the prime, however just like the BlackBerry Passport, Unihertz provides a contextual row on the display screen for straightforward entry to punctuation on the fly. It is a small however acquainted contact, making the Titan 2 really feel purposefully designed with a keyboard in thoughts.
The keyboard is not the one motive I really like the Titan 2
We want wider side ratios
The bodily keyboard is the star of the present, however there are many supporting gamers that deserve consideration on the Titan 2. I by no means understood why Android producers deserted wider side ratios. I cherished it when telephones featured 16:9 shows, as they had been great for viewing video content material and enjoying video games.
Taller side ratios have their place, and it does make telephones simpler to carry, however a bit of selection by no means harm anybody. Utilizing the 4.5-inch 1:1 1440p show on the Unihertz Titan 2 is a superb expertise. It is an LCD, with the restrictions of a $400 smartphone, however I respect with the ability to see extra of an e-mail or doc.
Not each trendy app is appropriate with a sq. show, and a few video games, similar to Pokémon GO, might seem distorted, however this isn’t a deal-breaker for me. As well as, it isn’t all unhealthy information for gaming, because the 1:1 side ratio is good for retro recreation emulation, full with bodily buttons to mash away on.
Dwelling with the Unihertz Titan 2 is less complicated than you suppose
A good chipset and glorious battery life
Underneath the hood, the Unihertz Titan 2 is powered by a Dimensity 7300 chipset with 12GB of RAM. My prototype unit solely has 256GB of storage, however the manufacturing items, which can ship in October, can have 512GB of onboard storage.
I’ve used the Dimensity 7300 in some Motorola units earlier than, and it is a succesful chipset, particularly when paired with a whole lot of RAM. Every day duties are dealt with simply on the Titan 2, and since it is a productivity-focused gadget, I am not overly involved about high-end gaming efficiency or video and picture enhancing.
As anticipated, I get excellent battery life from the Titan 2’s 5,050mAh cell, typically stretching into a 3rd day if I am cautious. The cellphone contains a small subdisplay on the again, which is good for displaying notifications or controlling your music app. I used to be ready to make use of it with Apple Music with no issues.
Software program assist has been a downfall for earlier Unihertz units, however the firm is stepping up its recreation with the Titan 2.
Unihertz guarantees the cellphone will obtain as much as Android 17, which is not a lot, even for a midrange cellphone, however it’s higher than I am used to on a Unihertz gadget. Dwelling with a bodily keyboard in 2025 is a problem, and software program assist is a casualty.
It is refreshing to attempt one thing new
The Unihertz Titan 2 is now out there for pre-order by way of Kickstarter. The corporate has reached its aim, and the gadget is anticipated to ship in October. The retail worth is $400, however Kickstarter offers supply a big low cost.
It is not for everybody, however in the event you’re lacking the bodily click on of your BlackBerry keyboard, the Unihertz Titan 2 is the closest we’ll get for a very long time.