BlackBerry Torch 9800 vs HTC Desire Z
A spec-by-spec comparison of the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and the HTC Desire Z, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Price | $2,499 | $5,999 |
| Our rating | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 1,270 mAh | 1,300 mAh |
| Storage (max) | 32 GB | — |
| Screen size | 3.2 in | 3.7 in |
| Main camera | 5 MP | 5 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 161 g | 180 g |
| Released | Aug 2010 | Nov 2010 |
Summary: BlackBerry Torch 9800 is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). HTC Desire Z is ahead on our rating, battery, screen size.
★ Which should you buy? HTC Desire Z is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, BlackBerry Torch 9800 is the cheaper option.
Researched with AI assistance by infozme.com from manufacturer and retailer sources — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Type | TFT capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors | S-LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
| Size | 3.2 inches | 3.7 inches |
| Resolution | 360 x 480 pixels | 480 x 800 pixels (WVGA) |
| Pixel density | ~188 ppi | — |
| Protection | — | Gorilla Glass (reported by some sources) |
| Pixel Density | — | ~252 ppi |
Platform
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| OS | BlackBerry OS 6.0 | Android 2.2.1 (Froyo), upgradable to 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) with HTC Sense 2.1 UI |
| CPU | Marvell PXA940 624 MHz processor | 800 MHz Scorpion ARMv7 |
| Chipset | — | Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM7230 (Snapdragon S2) |
| GPU | — | Adreno 205 |
Memory
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC, up to 32GB (4GB card included) | microSD (SD 2.0 compatible), microSDHC |
| Internal | 4GB storage, 512MB RAM | 1.5 GB Flash |
| RAM | — | 512 MB |
Main Camera
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Single | 5 MP | 5 MP, autofocus, LED flash |
| Features | Autofocus, LED flash, image stabilization, face detection, geo-tagging, zero shutter lag | Face detection, geotagging |
| Video | VGA (640 x 480) | 720p |
Selfie Camera
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Single | No | None |
Battery
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1270 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion |
| Stand-by | Up to 312 h | Up to 430 h (2G) / 420 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 5 h 40 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 30 min (3G) | Up to 9 h 50 min (2G) / 6 h 40 min (3G) |
| Capacity | — | 1300 mAh |
Body
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Dimensions | 111 x 62 x 14.6 mm (4.37 x 2.44 x 0.57 in) | 119 x 60.4 x 14.16 mm (4.685 x 2.378 x 0.557 in) |
| Weight | 161 g (5.68 oz) | 180 g (6 oz) |
| Keyboard | Sliding QWERTY physical keyboard | Physical QWERTY slider keyboard |
| SIM | Regular-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Build | — | Aluminum shell |
Comms
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 with A2DP | 2.1 with A2DP |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS | Yes, with A-GPS |
| Radio | No | FM radio with RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | micro-USB 2.0 |
Launch
| BlackBerry Torch 9800 | HTC Desire Z |
|---|
| Announced | August 3, 2010 | 2010, September 15 |
| Status | Released August 2010 | Released 2010, November |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, BlackBerry Torch 9800 or HTC Desire Z?
HTC Desire Z — 1,270 mAh for the BlackBerry Torch 9800 versus 1,300 mAh for the HTC Desire Z.
Which is lighter, BlackBerry Torch 9800 or HTC Desire Z?
BlackBerry Torch 9800 — 161 g for the BlackBerry Torch 9800 versus 180 g for the HTC Desire Z.
Which is newer, BlackBerry Torch 9800 or HTC Desire Z?
HTC Desire Z — Aug 2010 for the BlackBerry Torch 9800 versus Nov 2010 for the HTC Desire Z.
Is the BlackBerry Torch 9800 or the HTC Desire Z rated higher?
We rate the BlackBerry Torch 9800 6/10 and the HTC Desire Z 7/10.
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