[macbookpro2011]

Hello, newbie here. Currently using a Rogers unlocked Torch 9800 on T-Mobile's network (so only EDGE for me, which is PAINFULLY slow...). T-Mobile's having a sale on their phones this weekend, and BBs are $200 off by rebate! So... I can't decide between getting the 9810 or the 9900. Help!

What I like about my 9800: Touch screen, and bigger screen, that's about it.

My BB prior to the Torch was a Curve/Javelin 8900. Hated the small screen on that.

What I don't like about the 9800: SUPER SLOW web browsing! Seriously, it's almost not worth it. I don't use the on-screen keyboard much - find myself sliding it up to use the keyboard most of the time. Which, when I do, I find the phone to be off balance and awkward to hold. Also find myself using the center button most of the time, rather than the touchscreen, which I find throws off the balance of the phone's weight because it's so low and the phone is so heavy.. Must have been a habit from using the Curve for 2 years. Also, my cheek pushes buttons when I'm on the phone, and I can't turn the screen off when I'm on the phone by pushing the lock button on the top left.

My concerns with the 9900 (from what I've read): the battery life, the not-so-great camera, the bricking issues. Will I hate the small screen? Also does it have wifi calling?

My hesitation in getting a 9810: Feels like I'm paying more money to buy the same phone I have now.

Thank you all for your help!

p.s. I use my phone mostly for email, txting/bbm, web-browsing, some GPS, using apps like Poynt, amazon, Twitter/FB, What'sApp, camera, Groupon, making lists, calendar.. No games or movies or YouTube.

[narci]

Never owned a 98xx torch but I did play with it.

What I like was the larger display.

What I didn't like was the way it felt when typing. The keyboard is a bit recessed and the phone felt unbalanced when typing.

Everyone has their own preference so go try it out and see which you like better.

The new OS7 phone are much much much faster at everything then the OS5 and OS6 phones.

[SC457]

Had the 9810, sold it to get the 9900 and haven't regretted it for one second. Really like the form factor of the Bold 9900. Although the 9810 is a great device, nothing bad to say about it.

[Twepac]

the browser on the 9900 is fantastic

i easily get over 24hr of battery life and I consistently use my phone each day: 1 hour of talk, 50 to 100 text/email/bbm/whatsapp messages, and 1 hour of random activity (browsing the net, play games, listen to bbm music..etc)

[emirozmen]

This question was really for me also

[emirozmen]

By the way 9800 and 9810 are very very different phones IMO in terms of performance. Well, the design is the same but the speediness will make you feel like you are using a completely different handset.

[ibiza.ben]

Them both... Love the Torch. Although, would never swap my bold now, amazing.

[calicocat2010]

I just upgraded using my Mom's this past Thursday and this is a great device. Love the keyboard; still getting used to the battery. The Torch well it is heavier but I don't miss the keyboard. The 9900 phone feels solid and easier to hold in the hand. Do I miss the large screen? Sure, but I'd rather have a bigger keyboard then a cramped one.

[joeyjay]

I was skeptical about purchasing the 9900 but took a chance and LOVE it! It is just a really elegant phone! Was considering the T-Mobile My Touch Slide [my daughter has it] but the 9900 is just as fast and smooth, but not so bulky. The keyboard on the 9900 is terrific and easy to use. I think the camera is actually really good and recorded my kids band concert - sound quality on the video is super! Have had NO problems with it whatsoever! Paid full price - wish I could get the $200 rebate!

[sulcopete]

The 9900 is a winner. The Torch...I'm sorry to say...was not a winner. It was underpowered and the accidental button-pushing thing while talking on the phone was a major ***** by whomever designed the software. My thumb used to hit the mute button...and I wouldn't know it until the other person started going "hello....hello?" I'm so happy with my new bold...you couldn't pay me to go back. Battery life is not a huge issue. I'm a heavy user with phone and music playing for hours a day...and I'm usually with the red battery indicator when I'm going to bed at 11pm. Some days I'll put it on the charger for a few after work and before I go out that night. The phone charges quickly with the supplied charger, so 15 or 20 minutes is all you need. Other than that, the phone is snappy and has an overall feel of substance. The smaller screen is not a big deal for me either. I'd rather have that than the top heavy slider that was difficult to open without pressing a button along the way. I don't miss the Torch at all.

[infinus]

9900 is way to ride...
keep eye on this forum and soon you see people jumping with rejoice about improved version of OS.
this will solve bricking and boost some good battery life too.
9810 is good phone with bumped up specs.
but 9900 has best BB experience...
It beats 9000, except in battery life (for now )

[Alex_Hong]

On a 9900 myself and just got my sis a 9810. i personally feel that the 9900 is one of the best blackberry experience one could have now. The 9810 feels really solid too and the camera is better than the 9900, but the keyboard is just no where near the 9900. plus the 9900 has NFC (which my country will be implementing soon in public transportation and mobile payment). but ultimately for me, the deciding factor was the form factor and the keyboard.

I think its all up to personal preferences. Whether you want more screen real estate or you prefer a better keyboard. Or if camera quality is more important to you? and whether you absolutely need NFC or not. Weigh the factors and decide for yourself.

[peargood]

I had the Torch 9800 and upgraded to a 9900, haven't looked back ever since. (Well, except for the camera -_-)

If you love the bigger screen and can't live without it, stick to the 9810. However, if you value awesome keyboard over screen size and camera, go for the 9900.

[eds817]

I went from the 9700 to the 9900 about a week ago. Best BB ever for me. WiFi calling works OK with the leaked 7.1.0.74 OS. I'm confident it will get better with future releases.

[Xterra2]

we both have 9900 and 9810 in our house and i have used both

i think its best you go with 9900

[rdef]

9900 is way to ride...
keep eye on this forum and soon you see people jumping with rejoice about improved version of OS.
this will solve bricking and boost some good battery life too.

infinus, are you hoping, or do you have some solid information on this?

[emirozmen]

infinus, are you hoping, or do you have some solid information on this?

Bricking one is solid from RIMM:
RIM confirms issue with BlackBerry Bold 9900 / 9930, working on a fix via software update | CrackBerry.com

[jcp007]

It all depends upons your needs and which one works best for you. Do you want a slider or the bar form factor? Do you want a larger screen and the virtual/physical keyboards? Do you want an AF camera? Is no NFC an issue? I have both devices and use them in different situations. Only you can decide which one is best for you. You really can't go wrong with either one. Doing your research and actually going into a store and testing them is all up to you.

[rdef]

Bricking one is solid from RIMM:
RIM confirms issue with BlackBerry Bold 9900 / 9930, working on a fix via software update | CrackBerry.com

Everyone knows bricking is real. I'm asking if he KNOWS an uncoming OS release will solve the bricking issue.

[emirozmen]

Everyone knows bricking is real. I'm asking if he KNOWS an uncoming OS release will solve the bricking issue.

Yes it is been told that they are working on a software update to fix this issue.

[totallygone]

I think it is all about what you really want. I have a bold 9900 and I actually like my friend's 9810 more....but already bought it so I will keep it...at least until the BB 10 phones come out. I do ALOT of web surfing, some texting.....So I would probably benefit from both a large screen and a good keyboard. Coming from the 9700 the keyboard on the 9900 took awhile to get used to....I would have easily adapted to the 9810.

I suggest to go to a store and play around with both and then be really honest with yourself as to which device would suit you best.

[SK122387]

I have the 9900 and 9810 both on T-Mobile. I have to say, it's pretty much a tie between the two. They're both great. I got the Bold back in August and the Torch about a month ago. The keyboard on the 9900 is the best I have ever used on a BlackBerry, the battery life was only bad on the stock OS, but once I started using the leaked ones, battery life has been excellent. The camera..it's fine for 95% of the pictures I have taken. Great for pictures when I'm out with my friends, in low light and regular light, and great for taking pictures that I put on Twitter or Facebook, and the camera is the best for capturing moving objects. The screen on my 9900 is really good. Crisp colors, bright whites, and I also really like the lit-up trackpad.

The 9810 also has a very good keyboard. I have used a friend's 9800 quite often, typing for her while she's driving, and the keyboard on my 9810 does feel better, and slightly wider. I made sure I wasn't imagining things, and read that RIM did make the 9810 keyboards slightly wider. The screen and navigation on the 9810 compared to the 9800 is a lot better. I was using the web browser on her 9800 and it is worlds behind my 9810. The 9810 is on par with my iPod touch which runs iOS5. The 9810 loads and renders pages extremely fast, and using the phone is hugely imoroved thanks to the Qualcomm SnapDragon processor.Just the way you touch the icons and can move around between menu screens... it sounds trivial, but the extra power under the hood is noticeable and much appreciated.


If you like your 9800, then you will love the 9810. It is an improvement on the 9800 in every way. It is my first experience using a phone that can be used entirely as a touchscreen device (the 9900 can't), and I am very happy with it, and am actually going with my sister to T-Mobile later today to upgrade her 9780 to a 9810 too

[shortstops]

I had the 9810 and here is why I switched to the 9900;

1. 9810 felt too heavy for me.
2. The keyboard on the 9810 was cramped and 9900 is awesome. As I would move back and forth between virtual and qwerty I always tended to slide up and go qwerty.

The 9810 is a great phone and the 2 things I miss the most are the larger screen and auto focus camera.

.....But not enough to switch back!

[LuVJuGGs]

I had the 9800 and went to 9900 and was in the SAME conundrum as you are. I am so glad I went with the 9900, I really didnt use the touch screen keypad much and when you have it sideways you cant really see much when the keypad is up.

THE BIGGEST and best reason to go with the 9900 is the physical keypad is 10000x better than the 9800/9810

The screen quality is way better and the 9800/9810 slider can have issues if you arent nice to the phone, its delicate and doesnt take abuse at all. All my blue collar friends (including myself) who are rough on the phone a bit and have our phones sitting in a tool box and stuff have at some point gotten the phone repaired where the flex cable and screen was replaced.

The 9900 I moved to I can toss it around no problem, its fallen on the garage floor and gone flying across the shop a few times...no problems cant even tell any scuffs on it.

Its the best BB I have ever owned, even better than the 9000 (which was a very durable phone)

You will get used to it in no time and be glad once u realise how much easier the keypad on the 9900 is to use.

[macbookpro2011]

Thank you all for your replies! I went out and bought the 9900 this weekend - I miss the larger screen already! Hope I get used to it soon. It is a nice phone and the keyboard is fantastic! Seriously hoping I won't run into the issues many have run into with this model. Don't have the luxury of swapping out phones whenever I need to..

Thanks again for your response! Should I now try to get that Nokia charger that seems to help with the battery drain problem?