The New Blackberry Torch 9860 Outshines The Blackberry Torch 9800

By Author: Emma Rosher
Total Articles: 194
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This autumn sees the launch of the newest model to the Blackberry range of handsets in the shape of the Torch 9860. The Torch range was originally designed as an alternative to the messenger handsets that helped establish the brand as a leading player in the phone world. Here we compare this new model to its predecessor the Torch 9800 and see what improvements have been implemented.

The Torch range of phones is instantly recognisable in the Blackberry line up thanks to the absence of a physical keypad. In its place these phones offer a much larger touchscreen with a virtual keypad incorporated. There are some differences in size between the 9860 and the 9800 and despite the new model offering a larger screen it manages to weigh in 26 grammes lighter at 135 grammes. Not content with just reducing its weight the designers have also managed to shave a massive 3mm off the overall depth of the model. The new Torch 9860 offers uses an impressive display which measures 3.7 inches and offers a high resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. This display is slightly different from many other brands as it uses a 15:9 screen ratio rather ...
... than 16:9 which results in the screen appearing slightly slimmer. The 9800 model used a smaller 3.2" display with a lower resolution of 360 x 480. When we look at the all important pixels per inch ratings the newcomer outshines its predecessor by offering a huge 253 compared to 183. Both screens benefit from the addition of an optical trackpad which is a real bonus when it comes to precise editing. This is particularly useful when it comes to correcting text documents and e mails.

In terms of processing power the Blackberry Torch 9860 is streets ahead of the 9800. The new model sports a powerful Qualcomm Scorpion MSM 8655 processor which is part of an impressive Snapdragon chipset. This chip boasts a speed of 1.2Ghz which is up there with the very best smartphones currently available. An Adreno 205 graphics processing unit is also present and this is responsible for the visually stunning interface that is present on the model. The 9800 uses a respectable 624Mhz processor which is nearly half the speed of the chip fitted in the newer device. Despite both models offering a 5 mega pixel digital still camera the 9860 has raised the bar when it comes to video capture by offering 720P high definition capture rather than the VGA standard that was offered on the 9800. This means that the results do not only look good on the phones own screen but are equally as impressive when transferred to a larger screened device such as an HD compatible television.

We were always impressed by the Blackberry Torch 9800 but the 9860 seems to have made improvements in every area. The result is a phone that looks great and offers great performance coupled with some excellent built in features.

The Blackberry Torch 9860 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are coming soon.