Andrew Hoyle/CNET

There are certain acceptable trade-offs that come with a bargain phone: a smaller screen, more modest camera performance, a slower processor. Compared with the higher-end hardware specs on the BlackBerry Q10, the equally keyboarded BlackBerry Q5 fits the bill, except for one major snag: its price.

Coming in at 320 British pounds (or $488 at today's exchange rate), the Q5 is pricier than we'd expect for what it is. BlackBerry does like to think of its smartphone experience as premium, but with the inchoate BlackBerry 10 OS and an app store still trying to find its feet, the embattled smartphone-maker isn't giving us a compelling enough reason to root for this starter QWERTY.

For staunch keyboard fans, the Q5 does distinguish itself from the slim pickings of QWERTY phones by being one of the most affordable, but you'll still have to reach a little deeper in your pockets than you may have initially thought.

The Q5 will come in black, light gray, and hot pink, and will ship to select regions in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Get the full low-down in CNET UK's BlackBerry Q5 review.