If you’re looking for the best phones with a physical keyboard then I’m sorry to tell you that your options are slimming down. Phones with a built-in physical keyboard are becoming very, very rare. And the few ones available right now are pretty much considered antiques in the world of smartphones.
However, if this is a feature you absolutely need, there are still some devices you might want to consider — and the best solution might surprise you.
Clicks Keyboard Case: The best Android QWERTY Keyboard solution
Clicks Keyboard
Familiar keys • Precise typing • Multifunction keys
MSRP: $139.00
Want QWERTY? Get Clicks!
The Clicks keyboard moves the physical keyboard off the screen, freeing up display space. It features backlit keys and supports app shortcuts and AI interactions via a Gemini key.
Positives
- Familiar keys
- Precise typing
- Multifunction keys
- Backlit keys
- Pass-through charging
- Sleek design
Cons
- Increased bulk
- Learning curve
- Limited compatibility
- Premium price
If you really want a phone with a physical keyboard, and you don’t want to buy what could be considered an antique in the modern world of tech, then the Clicks Keyboard Case is your best bet. This isn’t technically one of the best phones with a physical keyboard, though. It’s a keyboard case.
The tricky part with the Clicks Keyboard Case is that it is only available for a limited selection of smartphones. But if your phone is compatible, this is the best way to add a QWERTY keyboard to a modern phone.
If you want to use a physical keyboard on a smartphone, nothing beats the Clicks Keyboard case.
This is one of the most expensive cases around, too. It costs $139-$159, depending on the phone it is made for. I had some time to play with it at CES and was pleasantly surprised by it. The tactile feedback is excellent, and the backlit keys make it easy to type in the dark. It works as a pretty good case, too.
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
BlackBerry Key2
Full qwerty keyboard • Classic Blackberry
A legacy Blackberry phone with a mid-range processor, top-end RAM and storage, and a full qwerty keyboard.
While pretty old, launched in 2018, the BlackBerry KEY2 remains one of the best phones with a physical keyboard. The keyboard itself is great, but don’t expect too much from it. It has a Snapdragon 660 processor, 6GB of RAM, and runs on Android 8.1. It was always a bit of a niche device, but this is the case even more so now. Not only is it one of very few phones with a great keyboard, but it is also the best BlackBerry you can still find.
BlackBerry Key2 LE
All-day battery life • 3.5mm jack • Excellent microphone
The Key LE prioritizes privacy and security
The BlackBerry Key2 LE smartphone is an excellent option for enhanced privacy and security at work. The backlit keyboard is fast and handy, and it supports fast charging.
The BlackBerry KEY2 LE launched as a more affordable version of the standard KEY2. As such, it has a more basic design, using plastic instead of metal elements. It also gets a Snapdragon 636 and 4GB of RAM. Similarly, it is still possible to find it, but it has also become rather challenging to do so.
Here’s something a bit newer, released in 2021. It has a pretty nice physical QWERTY keyboard and a rugged construction. It has an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM, and runs on Android 11.
Unihertz Titan Slim
Slim and modern design • Physical QWERTY keyboard • Affordable
Does this remind you of another phone? It looks like a BlackBerry! The physical keyboard is great, and it has a fingerprint reader. It launched in 2022, making it the newest phone on this list.
The state of physical keyboard phones
Years ago, most of us had entirely written off the idea of a phone with a physical keyboard, as the category was all but dead. Not wanting to let go, BlackBerry started pushing back. The revival of the physical keyboard began with the BlackBerry Priv but didn’t truly heat up until the BlackBerry KEYone and KEY2’s arrival. Unfortunately, the trend didn’t last, and hope is undoubtedly dying now.
TCL stopped making Blackberry phones, which left the brand languishing. Still, it had a fresh new owner in OnwardMobility, which promised it would offer a keyboard-toting 5G Blackberry phone. Sadly, the new company shut down in 2022, and all plans for a new BlackBerry phone were also canceled.
The best option today is to get a compatible phone and a Clicks Keyboard case.
A crowdfunded phone, the ASTRO Slide 5G, successfully raised good money in 2020, and it had an expected October 2021 release date. The device reached some backers, but most were disappointed by the outdated tech, and many were still waiting for it in 2023. Fxtec released the Pro1, and in 2019, also made an Indiegogo campaign for a successor, the Fxtec Pro1 X. It’s now amazingly hard to get, and most don’t think it is a worthy acquisition.
Still, the market for phones with a physical QWERTY keyboard continues to die off slowly, and some of you might be better off picking a good keyboard app or a Bluetooth keyboard instead. If you still want a device with an actual keyboard, though, the ones above are your best bets, which seems rather sad. That said, we believe by now it’s time to give up, and the best option is to get a compatible phone and a Clicks Keyboard case.
FAQs
Smartphones with physical QWERTY keyboards are becoming a scarce breed. Very few are still around, and the few you can still buy are already pretty old.
Whether you prefer physical or software keyboards is a subjective matter. Many like the tactile feedback you get from pressing actual keys. That said, these smaller keyboards aren’t always optimal. They are usually crammed into small spaces and offer little to no customization. Physical keyboards pretty much become dead space when not typing. This is why the industry has moved to software keyboards, which can be customized and adapted to every user’s needs.
Most phones with a physical keyboard aren’t too expensive, mainly because they are pretty old now. Of course, plenty of other factors will come into play. For example, some of these are so rare people are starting to sell them for insanely high prices. On the other side of the spectrum, most newer keyboard-toting handsets are budget phones.
Phones with a keyboard started dying before 5G became proliferous. This is why 5G phones with a keyboard are so hard to find. The most popular one was the Astro Slide 5G, but it isn’t really a phone we would recommend.
As you can see, you don’t have many options to pick from. Maybe it’s time to finally let go of phones with physical keyboards. At least for now, it would be worth checking out our list of the best Android phones and best budget phones.
