Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
BlackBerry Evolve, Evolve X now official: Are they worth the asking price, though?
- BlackBerry licensee Optiemus Infracom has launched the BlackBerry Evolve and Evolve X for the Indian market.
- The two phones share several features, such as a 4,000mAh battery, 6-inch full HD+ screen, and 64GB of storage.
- The Evolve X also has a Snapdragon 660 chip and wireless charging, while the Evolve has a Snapdragon 450 chipset.
We’ve known for some time now that BlackBerry brand licensee Optiemus Infracom was planning to launch two BlackBerry devices. Now, the company has revealed the BlackBerry Evolve and Evolve X for the Indian market.
The two phones share a number of features, including 64GB of expandable storage, a 6-inch full HD+ LCD screen (18:9), a 4,000mAh battery, USB Type-C connectivity, a rear fingerprint scanner, and a 16MP selfie snapper.
Both phones are equipped with BlackBerry’s DTEK app for privacy and security tweaks, while the BlackBerry Hub is also included for a unified communications inbox (combining SMS, social media, and instant messaging conversations).
But take a look at the rest of the spec sheet and it’s clear the Evolve X is the high-end model here. It’s equipped with an upper mid-range Snapdragon 660 chipset, 6GB of RAM, a 12MP f1/.8 and 13MP f/2.6 dual camera setup (the latter is presumably a telephoto snapper), and wireless charging.
Switch to the standard BlackBerry Evolve and you’ve got a less powerful Snapdragon 450 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a dual-13MP camera setup. Optiemus hasn’t provided aperture or other technical details for the latter, which suggests it might not be as impressive as the Evolve X camera setup.
Are they worth the price tags?
As for launch details, the BlackBerry Evolve X will be available from the end of August for 34,990 rupees (~$509). If that’s a little too steep for you, then the standard BlackBerry Evolve will be available from mid-September for 24,990 rupees (~$364). Both phones will be exclusive to Amazon India.
Compared to a few other Snapdragon 660-equipped phones, the Evolve X seems somewhat overpriced. For 26,000 rupees (~$379), you can grab the Nokia 7 Plus, while the Xiaomi Mi A2 has a European price of 249 euros (~19,868 rupees). Then again, the Evolve X has wireless charging, but many see it as a bonus, rather than a must-have feature.
Meanwhile, the standard Evolve also seems a little pricey compared to fellow Snapdragon 450-toting handsets. Xiaomi’s top-end 4GB/64GB Redmi 5 costs 10,999 rupees (~$160), while the 4GB/64GB Moto G6 costs 15,999 rupees (~$233). You’re getting higher resolution rear cameras and a bigger battery with the Evolve, but does that really warrant a $150 difference?
What do you make of the new BlackBerry phones? Would you buy them? Let us know in the comments section.