Two Great
Samsung BlackJack II / Motorola Q9 Global Showdown
INTRODUCTION
If you've had your eye on the Samsung BlackJack II and the Motorola Q9 Global, you're not alone. Both run Windows Mobile 6 Standard and have a similar form factor and spec list - no wonder you're having trouble making a decision! I sought out to find which device is truly the best. Read on for a comprehensive showdown between the two devices!
Device |
Size (inches) |
Weight (grams | ounces) |
4.74" x 2.63" x 0.43"
|
157 | 5.53 |
|
4.33" x 2.09" x 0.59"
|
117 | 4.12 |
|
4.66" x 2.48" x 0.47"
|
130 | 4.58 |
|
4.56" x 2.33" x 0.67"
|
188 | 6.63 |
|
4.64" x 2.36" x 0.48"
|
129 | 4.55 |
|
3.96" x 2.34" x 0.67"
|
133 | 4.76 |
|
4.68" x 2.44" x 0.67"
|
188 | 6.63 |
|
4.58" x 2.42" x 0.47"
|
120 | 4.20 |
|
4.56" x 2.33" x 0.65"
|
178 | 6.28 |
|
3.92" x 2.41" x 0.60"
|
137 | 4.83 |
|
4.24" x 2.09" x 0.53"
|
117 | 4.12 |
|
4.17" x 2.00" x 0.85"
|
151 | 5.34 |
|
4.41" x 2.24" x 0.49"
|
122 | 4.30 |
|
4.57" x 1.70" x 0.64"
|
140 | 4.94 |
|
4.88" x 2.44" x 0.53"
|
130 | 4.56 |
|
4.21" x 2.20" x 0.55"
|
120 | 4.20 |
|
4.53" x 2.47" x 0.47"
|
146 | 5.15 |
|
4.63" x 2.19" x 0.67"
|
158 | 5.57 |
|
4.35" x 2.07" x 0.67"
|
158 | 5.57 |
|
4.56" x 2.41" x 0.51"
|
125 | 4.41 |
|
4.44" x 2.36" x 0.55"
|
133 | 4.69 |
|
4.01" x 1.98" x 0.55"
|
124 | 4.37 |
|
8.28" x 4.67" x 1.08"
|
640 | 22.5 |
|
4.48" x 2.52" x 0.59"
|
154 | 5.43 |
|
4.17" x 2.38" x 0.68"
|
147 | 5.18 |
|
4.01" x 2.00" x 0.71"
|
165 | 5.82 |
|
4.41" x 2.24" x 0.49"
|
122 | 4.30 |
|
4.41" x 2.28" x 0.73"
|
140 | 4.94 |
|
4.61" x 2.51" x 0.78"
|
183 | 6.45 |
|
4.40" x 2.40" x 0.50"
|
123 | 4.34 |
|
4.01" x 2.00" x 0.45"
|
110 | 3.88 |
|
4.56" x 2.36" x 0.70" |
200 | 7.05 |
|
4.60" x 2.30" x 0.50" |
110 | 3.88 |
|
4.30" x 2.40" x 0.60" |
120 | 4.23 |
|
4.20" x 2.30" x 0.60" |
136 | 4.79 |
|
3.70" x 2.30" x 0.60" |
126 | 4.44 |
|
4.48" x 2.39" x 0.51" |
116 | 4.09 |
|
4.60" x 2.60" x 0.50"
|
134 | 4.70
|
|
4.40" x 2.32" x 0.75" |
190 | 6.70 |
|
4.10" x 2.10" x 0.60" |
150 | 5.30 |
|
4.01" x 1.97" x 0.78" |
110 | 3.88 |
|
4.40" x 2.32" x 0.75" |
190 | 6.70 |
|
4.40" x 2.50" x 0.50"
|
120 | 4.20
|
SPECIFICATION COMPARISONS
BlackJack II |
Q9 Global |
|
Processor |
260MHz | 325MHz |
ROM |
256MB | 256MB |
RAM |
128MB | 96MB |
Screen |
2.4" QVGA | 2.4" QVGA |
Cellular |
EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA | EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA |
Scroll wheel |
Rotary | No |
GPS |
NMEA 0183 | SiRF Star III |
WiFi |
No | No |
Camera |
1.9MP | 1.9MP |
Flash |
No | Yes |
Battery |
1700mAh | 1170mAh & 1800mAh |
Blue denotes the winner in a particular specification. And for a thorough comparison between the two devices, check out this comparison grid.
SIZE COMPARISONS
Thanks to our friends at Sizeasy.com, we can see that with the standard battery, the Q9 Global (in red) is a bit taller than the BlackJack II (in purple)...
...and wider too. With the standard battery installed on the Q9 Global, both devices are about the same thickness. With the extended battery, the Q9 Global becomes much thicker than the BlackJack II as you'll see below.
(all images link to higher resolution)
From the front, we see the differences in the keyboard. The Q9 Global's keys are large and have ridges on the top, making it easy to feel for the next letter. The BlackJack II's keys are spread apart and are more "clicky" when you press them, with a noticeable lag from when you press a key to when it shows up on the screen. Note the rotary scroll wheel/Dpad combination on the BlackJack II, something that the Q9 Global lacks and desperately needs.
Turning over to the back, we can note the glossy shine of the BlackJack II and matte black rubbery finish on the Q9 Global. This makes the BlackJack II seem more slick and sexy, though the Q9 Global is more securely held in hand because of the grippy material.
With the standard battery, the Q9 global is just .01" thicker than the BlackJack II, which isn't noticeable. The BlackJack II looks (and feels) thinner because of the predominant chrome strip that runs along the side.
Phew - the extended battery of the Q9 Global is quite bulky and ugly. It requires another backing to make it fit. Does the Q9 need an extended battery? It depends on how you're using it. If you're using GPS for more than a few moments during the day, then yes, you need the extended battery. But with low to moderate internet browsing and a fair amount of calls, the standard battery allowed me to get through the day on one charge (sometimes just barely).
But if we swap the standard 1170mAH battery for the much larger 1800mAh unit on the Q9 Global, it suddenly becomes MUCH thicker than the BlackJack II with that huge hump.
VIDEO REVIEW SERIES RECAP
In the first part of the video series, I go over the hardware features of both devices.
In the second part of the video series, I test the GPS signal acquisition times and try to measure device performance by the speed at which programs open.
In the fourth part of the video series, I test the keyboard on each device. If you're wondering where the third part is, click here to see it (it was a test of cell phone reception).
And finally, in the fifth part, I talk about software on each device. I didn't put much emphasis in the video on Documents To Go (included on the Q9 Global instead of Office Mobile 2007), which is a great software suite for those that want to not only view or edit documents, spreadsheets, and presentations (which is the capability of the limited Office Mobile 2007), but also create these files. It's not easy making Office files on your Smartphone, but if you're out of the office and want to crunch some numbers in a spreadsheet or get started on making a presentation (the capabilities are limited in terms of formatting), it could be quite helpful.
