I admit I have a weakness for niche devices. I love it when companies take chances in a world of soulless glass slabs that pass as today’s flagship smartphones.
I’ve been lucky enough to use the Unihertz Titan 2 for the last several months. It’s a fantastic device that every BlackBerry lover should seriously consider as their next phone.
Thankfully, the wait is nearly over for people who ordered on Kickstarter or who want to purchase through the Unihertz site.
It’s not a perfect device, as there are plenty of limitations for $400. However, if you’re craving something different and you long for the days of your BlackBerry Passport, the Unihertz Titan 2 is the best keyboard phone you can buy in 2025.
The best keyboard on a phone in years
An aspect ratio meant for productivity
It’s only appropriate to start any discussion about a keyboard phone with the keyboard.
I’ll be the first to admit the keyboard on the Unihertz Titan 2 isn’t as good as the BlackBerry devices of yesteryear. However, it’s the best we’ve gotten on a phone since then, and I love that Unihertz has consistently improved the feel with each phone.
The Unihertz Titan 2 keyboard is firm and responsive, yet I can still type for extended periods without thumb fatigue.
Unihertz borrowed other features from later BlackBerry phones.
The keyboard is capacitive, meaning I can scroll and swipe across it for easier navigation.
Unihertz compromises screen real estate to accommodate the keyboard, but I’m glad I don’t need to block the display with my fingers while scrolling.
It’s a pleasant experience, and one I had forgotten about using so many traditional smartphones.
Scrolling isn’t the only use for the capacitive keyboard.
It’s not a phone for people looking for a slim device. It’s almost 11mm thick and weighs 235g.
Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and there hasn’t exactly been a bumper crop of keyboard phones over the last several years.
Unihertz also made the right choice for the display. It’s a 4.5-inch 1440p panel with a 1:1 aspect ratio. It’s ideal for reading entire emails or seeing more of PDF documents.
A keyboard phone is designed for productivity, and the Titan 2 leans into that with its form factor. It uses an LCD, but it’s a decent one, and I didn’t find it a limitation of the phone.
The Titan 2 features a large 5,050mAh battery, and with its midrange chipset, I easily get two days on a single charge. It’s refreshing not having to worry about battery life.
Software designed for a keyboard
It doesn’t feel like an afterthought
One thing I’ve always enjoyed about Unihertz keyboard phones is that the company makes the keyboard feel like a natural extension of the device. I can assign apps to any key, with slots for long and short presses.
It takes a bit of getting used to, but after you start using your keyboard to open apps and navigate, you won’t want to go back.
Unihertz also planned around the awkward aspect ratio. I have one of the programmable side keys mapped to switch the aspect ratio.
If you find an app misbehaving in 1:1, a keypress can convert the screen to a more favorable ratio. It’s smooth and well-done, and I appreciate that Unihertz took the time to ensure we can use all our favorite apps properly.
Overall, performance is smooth thanks to the Dimensity 7300 chipset and 12GB of RAM. It’s clearly a midrange SoC, but that’s all I expect for $400, and I could do everything I wanted — even light gaming.
Scrolling isn’t the only use for the capacitive keyboard. When enabled, you can double-tap the keyboard to bring up cursor assistance, letting you slide across text in a document.
It makes editing emails faster, and it’s another productivity touch I love taking advantage of.
It’s not a perfect phone
There are plenty of drawbacks
It’s not a phone designed for everyone.
Despite a 50MP primary sensor, the camera performance is poor. Any movement blurs images, and color reproduction is soft.
I’m sure installing Gcam could fix some of the shortcomings, but it’s not a phone you buy if you’re a shutterbug.
I don’t love the sub-screen located on the back. If you keep your phone face down, it can be useful for notifications, but otherwise, it’s just there.
I feel Unihertz could’ve saved a few dollars, making the device a bit more inexpensive. Sub-screens seem to be an emerging trend, but I still fail to see the benefits.
Software support hasn’t been a strong suit for Unihertz over the years. The company promises updates through Android 17, but I can’t tell you how timely they will be.
Unihertz does a decent job fixing bugs that pop up through separate system updates, but I wouldn’t expect monthly security patches and feature drops on your Unihertz Titan 2.
I hope Unihertz keeps going
I don’t see many other companies jumping on the keyboard phone bandwagon anytime soon.
It’s a small market, but I’m glad there is someone servicing people who still want a physical keyboard on their smartphones in 2025.
If you’ve longed for something like your BlackBerry Passport all these years, it’s worth it to give the Unihertz Titan 2 a shot.
- RAM
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12GB DDR5
- Storage
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512GB
- Operating System
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Android 15
- Front camera
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50MP Main + 32MP
- Dimensions
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137.8 x 88.7 x 10.8 mm
- Weight
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235g
The Titan 2 isn’t simply a retro tribute—it’s a new keyboard phone reimagined for the 5G era, sleeker and lighter than its predecessor, yet more powerful than ever. This smartphone integrates a fully redesigned physical QWERTY keyboard, delivering a more comfortable, reliable, and versatile tactile typing experience.
