You see it on a desk or at a coffee shop and it hits you immediately. That deep, metallic crimson. It isn't the "Product Red" you see on an iPhone, which is a bit more playful. No, the blackberry red colour phone—specifically the KEY2 Red Edition—looks like something a high-level executive would carry if they also moonlighted as a race car driver. It’s aggressive. It’s professional. And frankly, in 2026, it’s a total unicorn.
Why are we still talking about a phone that came out years ago?
Honestly, it’s because the smartphone market has become a sea of glass slabs. Everything is a black or grey rectangle. When TCL (the manufacturer at the time) dropped the Red Edition at MWC 2019, it felt like a rebellious act. They didn't just paint the back. They anodized the entire Series 7 aluminum frame in this luscious scarlet. Even the tiny spaces between the physical keys have red accents. It’s a design flex that hasn't been matched since.
The Two Reds: Don't Get Them Confused
If you’re hunting for one of these on eBay or secondary markets like Swappa, you’ve gotta be careful. There isn't just one "red" BlackBerry. There are two, and they are definitely not the same.
- The BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition: This is the big kahuna. It’s the flagship. It came with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which was double what the standard silver or black models usually offered in North America. It’s made of high-grade aluminum. It feels heavy and expensive.
- The BlackBerry KEY2 LE (Atomic Red): This was the "Lite" version. It’s still red, but it’s a brighter, almost plastic-looking "Atomic" shade. The frame is polycarbonate (plastic), the specs are lower (4GB RAM, Snapdragon 636), and the keyboard doesn't have the capacitive touch features that let you scroll through emails just by swiping your thumb over the keys.
If someone is trying to sell you a blackberry red colour phone for $500, check the charging port and the frame. If it’s plastic, it’s an LE. If it’s cold, hard metal, you’ve found the holy grail.
What It's Actually Like to Use in 2026
Let's get real for a second. This phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo.
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In tech years, that’s basically the Victorian era. You’re going to run into problems. Most banking apps stopped supporting Oreo a while ago. Even WhatsApp and some Google services are starting to get flaky on older builds. But for a certain type of person—the "digital minimalist" or the "keyboard enthusiast"—that doesn't matter.
The 35-key backlit QWERTY keyboard is still the best ever put on a mobile device. The "Speed Key" (that little grid of dots on the bottom right) allows you to jump from Instagram to your Calendar in roughly 0.2 seconds without ever going to the home screen. It’s a productivity beast. People buy the red version specifically because it turns a "boring" work tool into a statement piece.
"It’s a stylish workhorse built with the highest-security standards in mind," said Alex Thurber, former Senior Vice President at BlackBerry, during the launch.
He wasn't lying about the security part. The DTEK software still monitors your privacy, though the lack of modern security patches is a legitimate concern if you're handling sensitive data.
The Collector's Price Tag
When this thing launched, it was $699 in the US and £699 in the UK. People thought that was insane for a mid-range Snapdragon 660 processor. They weren't wrong.
But here is the kicker: because TCL stopped making BlackBerry phones in 2020, and because the Red Edition was a limited run, the price hasn't plummeted like you'd expect. You can still find "New Old Stock" units selling for $600 to $900. Used ones in "decent" condition often hover around $300.
Collectors love them. It was the last "true" flagship-tier BlackBerry before the brand went into its current state of limbo.
Quick Specs Recap (The KEY2 Red Edition)
- Frame: Series 7 Red Anodized Aluminum
- Storage: 128GB (The only way to get this much native storage in many regions)
- RAM: 6GB
- Battery: 3,500 mAh (Still lasts about a day and a half because the screen is small)
- Screen: 4.5-inch IPS LCD, 3:2 aspect ratio (weird for movies, great for emails)
- Camera: Dual 12MP (Let's be honest, it's pretty mediocre by 2026 standards)
Should You Actually Buy One?
Look, if you want a phone for TikTok, gaming, or high-end photography, stay far away. The blackberry red colour phone will frustrate you. The screen is too small for modern apps, and the processor will chug on heavy websites.
But.
If you are a writer, an email addict, or someone who just wants to put their phone down more often, it’s incredible. The red finish is a conversation starter. People will ask you about it. It feels like a piece of history.
If you decide to hunt one down, focus on the "BBF100-2" (North American) or "BBF100-6" (Global Dual SIM) model numbers. These have the best LTE band support. Avoid the Chinese "BBF100-4" unless you’re okay with missing some frequency bands and dealing with different software quirks.
Actionable Next Steps:
Check the "About Phone" section in any listing to verify it's the 128GB model. If it says 64GB, it’s not the official Red Edition flagship; it’s likely a housing swap or an LE model. If you buy one, immediately install a "Debloater" tool to disable old, battery-draining background services that no longer connect to defunct BlackBerry servers. This will easily add another 4 hours to your battery life.