The BlackBerry Bold 9790 is the latest in a long line of phones from RIM. The styling is typical of BlackBerry with a sleek profile and elegant curves. It features a backlit QWERTY keyboard, which features all the keys you need, but they are a bit small. People with large hands might accidentally hit multiple keys, which can make writing e-mails and texting a bit of a pain. The BlackBerry Bold 9790 is built very well and constructed with brushed stainless steel, giving the phone excellent drop protection.
The phone features a 1.2GHz processor and 768MB of RAM. While these numbers lag behind the competition a bit, the Bold 9790 still feels plenty snappy in everyday use thanks to efficient software. 8GB of internal storage is included, which can be limiting to some users. Fortunately, there is a microSD slot tucked under the battery which can accept up to a 32GB card. Call quality is very good as well. Voices come across clear and dropped calls simply do not happen. The Bold 9790 does lack 4G LTE hardware though, making it unable to take advantage of that network and its lightning fast download speeds.
The camera on the BlackBerry Bold 9790 is far behind the competition. It only uses a five megapixel sensor and most photos appear washed out and not very sharp. Video is not much better with muted colors and a lot of distortion if you move the phone a bit when recording. The BlackBerry OS is also starting to show its age. While it is still easy enough to use, it just feels outdated compared to iOS and Android. If you are coming from either of those operating systems, prepare for a disappointment.
Need to Know: BlackBerry Bold 9790
1. Good, solid design helps protect against drops. (The Good)
2. Performance is fluid and snappy. (The Good)
3. The operating system feels outdated when compared to the competition. (The Bad)
4. No 4G LTE. (The Bad)
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Paul Briden, Know Your MobileGenerally the feeling we got when using the Bold 9790 was that it's boring and out of touch. We know that's a fairly standard criticism of RIM and its products these days and is cited as contributory to the company's poor predicament of late. But in this case there's no smoke without fire. RIM hasn'...
- Dan Nixon, Dial-a-PhoneDespite initial scepticism of yet another BlackBerry QWERTY device in what seems to be an already saturated range, we were thoroughly won over by the 9790. The phone is compact, feels has a premium feel and offers instant usability without ever extolling its virtues in an overly pushy manner. The de...
- Hannah Bouckley , RecombuThe role of the Bold 9790 is clearly to provide a bridge between the Bold 9900 and Curve 9360, which is quite a tough job. While the Bold 9790 is well built, it looks unremarkable, lacking the the generous screen, fantastic keyboard and premium build of the Bold 9900, although it's portability will...
- Barry de la Rosa, Expert ReviewsWhere the Bold 9790 falls down, though, is with App support. BlackBerry App World has got better, but it lacks official apps from a lot of big companies, there are fewer apps than available for Android and iPhone and less quality control.Given the small screen and lack of apps, the Bold 9790 is only...
- Florence Legrand , Digital VersusWho's going to buy the new BlackBerry Bold 9790? Business users are, and so will die-hard BBM fans and anybody who likes a good physical keyboard or not having to charge their phone twice a day. It's nippy, but the latest Bold isn't up to speed with photo, audio and video features, and the small dis...
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the BlackBerry Bold 9790 user manual here.
BlackBerry backs up the Bold 9790 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Bold 9790 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact BlackBerry support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find BlackBerry's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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