Review

Blackview BV9000 Test: 5,7″ Outdoor Smartphone for $239.99

Hey, guys! Just a heads up: The linked offer is already a bit older and the price of the gadget might have changed or it might not be available anymore.

Outdoor smartphones are certainly not an option for everyone when buying a smartphone. Nevertheless, many users enjoy their robustness, which they know from the beginnings of mobile phone time (Nokia says hello). Blackview is certainly one of the more well-known manufacturers of outdoor smartphones from China. The Blackview BV9000 even comes in the hip 18:9 aspect ratio.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone in Hand

Technical Specifications

Display5.7-inch IPS LCD display (1440 x 720 p) with 282 ppi
ProcessorMTK6757CD Helio P25 2.6 GHz
Graphics chipMali T880
RAM4 GB
Internal memory64 GB
Camera13 megapixels + 8 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture
Front camera8 megapixel, front LED
Battery4.180 mAh
ConnectivityUSB Type C, BT 4.1, GPS, GLONASS Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
Featuresfingerprint sensor, smart key, hybrid SIM
Operating systemAndroid 7.1.1
Dimensions / weight16 x 8,1 x 1,38 cm / 253,8 g

Typical Blackview

The trained eye immediately recognizes that the smartphone is from Blackview. Edgeless design and a thickness below the 1 cm mark are obviously not known to the manufacturer. Instead, the BV9000, like its predecessors, embodies the outdoor mentality. Hard edges, robust appearance, thick screws and metal elements can be seen here again. The step from BV8000 Pro to BV9000 is not a big one, but it is striking. This is mainly due to the orange accents on the edges of the device.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Orange Accents
These orange accents enhance the look of the BlackView.

Otherwise, the BV9000 looks pretty familiar. The display is framed or folded by a robust plastic housing. This alternates with metal elements on the right and left side. There are slightly thicker screws on these, which the smartphone proudly presents. On the right side, there are the volume keys, the power button and a smart key. On the top side is the SIM/microSD card slot, which is provided with a cover. The USB Type-C connector on the bottom side is also equipped with such a cover.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Screws

Processing & Handling

While most manufacturers keep their backs very minimalistic, much more happens with the BV9000. A concise metal element with the dual camera and fingerprint sensor, a metal Blackview logo, speakers and the “Waterproof” label. In addition, screws and orange accents round off the overall picture.

Also, the back is slightly bevelled on both sides, which makes the Blackview BV9000 fit quite well in the hands. Whereby “good” here is relative: Dimensions of 16 x 8.1 x 1.38 cm and a weight of 253.8 g go beyond the usual frame of a smartphone. Nevertheless, the weight is quite well distributed, we in the office have all estimated the weight less than it actually was.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Back

Processing is always an important point. With a smartphone that claims to be waterproof, however, this is even more important. And Blackview did a pretty good job of it. Especially since the elements alternate and this special design certainly demands more precision. The display is neatly enclosed in the housing. The only exception is the SIM slot, which is quite difficult to detach. The mechanism just doesn’t work so well there.

IP68 certification – is the BV9000 waterproof?

The IP rating provides information on whether a device is protected against foreign objects and liquids. The first number, here the 6, confirms that the mobile phone is dust-proof and the second number, in this case the 8, stands for the fact that the device can survive a continuous immersion to a depth of 1 m without damage. So far, our test device has not revealed any malfunctions due to submersion. If anything changes, we’ll let you know!

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Waterproof

5.7″ display without Full HD

There are two versions of this generation of the Blackview Outdoor Smartphone. The Blackview BV9000 and Blackview BV9000 Pro. These differ in two aspects, one of which is the display. Although both models have a 5.7-inch diagonal screen, only the Pro resolves in Full HD. With this BV9000 we work with a display resolution of 1440 x 720p. The display has an 18:9 aspect ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protects the panel.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Launcher

In general we would probably recommend to use the Pro version with the better display, but the panel used here also does a good job. Of course, the lower resolution means that Youtube videos can only be played with 720p, but the color intensity is good and the videos are sufficiently sharp. The panel also displays fonts clearly, both on websites and in the launcher. The IPS Panel also provides good brightness.

Of course, there is still room for improvement, but the difference to the more high-resolution display may not be a decisive criterion for us in this case.

Blackview BV9000 with appropriate hardware

Recently introduced outdoor smartphones have seen a trend for outdoor smartphones to use weaker CPUs, such as the Ulefone Armor X or the Blackview BV5800 Pro. Why? First of all, you can reduce costs; secondly, outdoor telephones are often only the second device and therefore do not have to be performance-oriented. Blackview takes a different view with the BV9000.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Blackview Logo

Inside works the MediaTek MT6757CD, the Helio P25 processor. This is no longer the very latest, but it is already a performance-oriented CPU. Eight Cortex A53 cores with a maximum clock frequency of 2.6 GHz form a unit that is to be arranged in the solid midfield in terms of performance. The BV9000 also has 4 GB of memory, an average value. Paired with 64 GB internal memory, which can be expanded via microSD card, you have a decent memory combination here.

We can confirm this with several tests, because the Helio P25 has already found its way into some Chinese smartphones. The benchmark tests carried out can definitely confirm this assessment. Compared to current flagship models, the Blackview BV9000 smartphone naturally takes a back seat. But after all, it is not just about such benchmarks, but about everyday applications. 3D games like Drift Max Pro run smoothly, and social media apps like Facebook are no problem either.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Gaming
The Helio P25 processor is still sufficient for 3D applications.

Benchmark results

In its predecessor, the Blackview BV8000 Pro, the manufacturer installed the predecessor processor. The difference between the two generations is minimal. This can also be seen from the benchmark tests, which are a bit better overall for the new 9000 Series. The values settle in the absolute middle class and are even on a similar level to the values of the newer P23 processor, which is located in the Vernee X, for example.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Benchmarks

Camera – one of the best in the price segment!

Imagine you are hiking with your Blackview BV9000 and discover a quiet clearing or see a small stream splashing. Of course, one would like to record this accordingly. Blackview equips the BV9000 with a dual camera, consisting of a 13 megapixel and an 8 megapixel sensor. A sensor from Sony is used here. The aperture is ƒ/2.0.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Camera LensTo our surprise, the Blackview BV9000 camera is really good! Especially compared to other China smartphones, the photo quality for this price range is decent. This is mainly due to the good colour intensity in combination with a pronounced sharpness. There is no grey or purple tint, as you often find with other China cameras. The saturation can be seen especially in good lighting conditions. This is really fun! The BV9000 can also handle poorer lighting conditions. In addition, the smartphone must be credited with the fact that the focus works reliably and the camera triggers quickly!

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Test Photo

Blackview BV9000 Test Photo 2 Light
Even with artificial exposure, the camera of the BV9000 still copes well.
Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Kristian Head
The autofocus reacts reliably and quickly.

Blur mode

The blur mode is of course also on board, after all it has two cameras. The second sensor is a monochrome sensor. This allows you to achieve a certain amount of blurring in the background of the photo. The Blackview BV9000 also does this surprisingly well and surprised me positively. The Bokeh is quite soft and looks relatively natural. This works a little better for people than for objects. The edge detection is also reliable here, even if you shouldn’t zoom in too much.

Blackviev BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Portrait Test Photo
This photo really surprised us!

Front camera

Unfortunately, the selfie camera on the front doesn’t create such enthusiasm. The image noise is much more pronounced than with the main camera. The automatic white balance is not quite as good for the Sony sensor, so artificial light sources in particular lead to a slight blue cast. Overall, however, the recordings are quite okay and are sufficient for the occasional selfie.

Blackview BV9000 Front Camera Test Photo

Battery

The selected CPU is not quite as energy efficient as the somewhat newer Helio P23 processor. This is compensated by Blackview’s 4,180 mAh battery. If you look at the smartphone like this, you could assume even more capacity. The runtime of the Blackview BV9000 is good, we have an on-screen time of about 11 hours. Within 1:45 h the Blackview smartphone is fully charged. The standby time is also impressive. All in all, we are satisfied with the battery, because it lasts a good 2 days.

Android with Blackview interface

The Blackview BV9000 comes with Android version 7.1.1. and the security update from November 2017, but a system update from January is also available. It is important to say that this is certainly not a pure stock Android on it, but a version adapted by Blackview. This is already noticeable in the interface, including its own icon pack. All app icons are very metallic, except for the Google Apps of course. They’re all there, just like the Google Play Store.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Software

Connectivity – (almost) everything on board

Another aspect that is also important for an outdoor smartphone is the connection options. The Blackview BV9000 is limited to one physical port: the USB Type C port. You won’t find a 3.5 mm jack connection like the previous one. A special feature of the USB Type-C port is that it is not a common port. Due to the robust housing, the connection is located somewhat deeper “in” the device. This means that not every USB Type-C cable is compatible with the port because it is simply too short or too thick. The device also supports OTG. This means that with the included OTG adapter, for example, a USB stick can be used with the smartphone.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone USB Port
The USB Type-C port is also provided with a cover.

Of course you can also count the SIM slot or microSD slot on the top side, which offers space for two SIM cards or one SIM card and one microSD card.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone SIM Slot
The SIM card slot is protected by a cover, but it is not quite as easy to open.

The SIM card slot is protected by a cover, but it is not quite as easy to open.
The LTE bands B1/B3/B7/B8/20 provide mobile Internet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi provides local Internet. Unfortunately no ac-Wlan, that would have been desirable. Of course, Bluetooth 4.1 is also available. GPS and GLONASS are the standards responsible for the satellite navigation system and both are supported by the Blackview BV9000. Here the device from the Chinese manufacturer does not make any mistakes and delivers well. The voice quality was not affected either.

Features

Blackview does without gimmicks like face recognition or the like. The BV9000 uses the popular fingerprint sensor, which is now located on the back of the cameras. With its predecessor, it was placed on the right side, which is still unusual. The sensor works reliably here, but not very fast. At least that seems like it, because the Blackview BV9000 needs a short moment to get out of standby. Speeds like those of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 are not to be thought of here.

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Fingerprint Sensor

The popular notification LED also finds its way into the Blackview BV9000, glowing either red, green or blue. Red stands for active charging, flashing red for low battery, green for charged battery and blue for missed calls and unread messages.

Smart key

An unusual feature is the Smart Key, which is located on the right side. I don’t find the position quite optimal. Since the left side is blank, I would have preferred to see this button there. Right-handed people in particular can quickly press the smart key unintentionally.

Blackview BV9000 Smart Key

But what does the Smart Key do? This key has no function by default. In the settings, however, these can be assigned to a maximum of three different functions. Three functions can be accessed by pressing the key once, double-clicking or holding it down. Each of these actions can be given different commands. Examples are opening a freely selectable app, taking a screenshot or lighting the flashlight. A really cool function that can be helpful especially in an outdoor context.

Scope of delivery: Extra points for the Blackview BV9000

The scope of delivery is something like the bonus of a smartphone test and here Blackview still manages to score a few points for the BV9000. Besides the smartphone itself, the box contains a 24W charger, a USB Type-C cable, an OTG adapter, a USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter, a USB Type-C to Micro-USB adapter, in-ear headphones, a SIM needle, a self-adhesive ring holder, a display protection film and an operating manual. While some of them are absolutely necessary, in-ear headphones are definitely a welcome rarity. At this point we can’t help but just give a lot of praise!

Blackview BV9000 Outdoor Smartphone Scope of Delivery

Conclusion – new benchmark for outdoor smartphones?

You may have noticed it during the test, but the Blackview BV9000 really surprised me. Even though it is certainly not for everyone, it has convinced us overall. This starts with the “fresher” outdoor design, is confirmed by the good workmanship and solid performance, culminates in the really good camera and is rounded off by the lavish scope of delivery. We only print it for the somewhat unfortunate positioning of the smart key, the average front camera and the USB Type-C port, which is only available with Blackview USB cable. The bar for outdoor smartphones from China has definitely been set high in this price segment! Have a look here, if the newer Blackview BV10000 can even compare.

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Profile picture from Thorben

Thorben

My special interests are smartphones from China and I am always keen to discover new smartphone accessories like smartwatches and headphones. 

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Comments (3)

  • Profile picture from Wolffd
    # 03.06.18 um 17:02

    Wolffd

    I do know that my BV8000 rear camera benchmarked at 18Mp, while the front was an 8.2Mp. Quite a bit higher than the spec.

  • Profile picture from Ned Maxson
    # 31.07.19 um 10:12

    Ned Maxson

    Hello everybody 🙂 I’m rather new to 3d printing and I have many questions on the matter, so I hope you won’t get mad at me for asking here at least a few of them. I think before I’ll get seriously into sculpting I should focus on the software I’m going to use, and that’s what I would like to ask you about. Mainly, should I begin with the most simple program I can find or would it be better to start on something more complex? I’m worried that I’ll get some unwanted habits while working with simpler software. The second question is about the program as well: should I search for CAD software that would let me design and slice it in it, or should I use a separate program for each of them? Does it even make a difference? Surprisingly, I couldn’t find the answer to that, as it seems like most sites want to focus on the very basics (like what is 3d printing and so on), and while the answers to those questions are fine, it seems like no one wants to go into the details (it looks like some of them even steal from each other! I swear I’ve read the same answers to the same questions on at least 3 different blogs) but I’m getting off-topic… The last question is about 3d pens. Would it be possible to somehow convert whatever I draw with a 3d pen to a 3d model in a software? For example, if I’ll draw a horse with 3d pen, would it be possible to get its outline in a software? I’m not sure how that would even work, but the very idea sounds interesting to me. Anyway, I think I’ll stop here just in case no one will answer me and all of this writing will be for nothing. I’m sorry that I’m using your content to ask questions, but I hope you’ll understand and help a newbie like me. Anyway, thank you for posting. I learned something from this and that’s always appreciated. Thank you, and I hope to hear back from you very soon 🙂

  • Profile picture from Maike
    # 31.07.19 um 11:04

    Maike CG team

    @Ned Maxson, I would suggest to first take a look at our 3D Printer articles if they can answer your questions ( https://china-gadgets.com/?s=3d+printer ) and if necessary to add a comment directly there 🙂

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