iPhone 5 vs BlackBerry Z10: Specs, Features Analysis - Which Device is Best?

Research in Motion Ltd. (RIM) unveiled the company's first multi touch-screen BlackBerry Z10 last week which puts another smartphone on the market to battle against Apple's iPhone 5.

So how do the devices stack up when their specs are compared against each other?

In terms of size, the Z10 is a little bit larger all around. The iPhone 5 comes in at 123.8mm x 58.6mm x 7.6mm with a 4-inch screen while the Z10′s 4.2-inch screen sits inside a 130mm x 65.6mm x 9mm chassis. The Z10′s 135.4 grams is also noticeable heavier than the iPhone 5′s 112 grams, making Apple's device clearly the lighter and thinner of the two phones.

Both the iPhone 5 and the BlackBerry Z10 pack dual-core processors, though the Z10 is clocked at 1.5Ghz vs the 1.2GHz in the iPhone 5.

However, the Z10 packs twice the RAM of the iPhone 5, which it uses for the new BBM video chat and file sharing service. The expandable MicroSD slot means that users can increase their existing 16GB of storage to 48GB with the same model, where as Apple sells separate storage points for significantly more than their base price. Both phones support Bluetooth 4.0, LTE, and HSPA+, but only the Z10 supports NFC.

Apple's 4-inch Retina display is an 1136 x 640 IPS LCD screen with 326ppi, while the BlackBerry Z10′s 4.2-inch 1280 x 768 IPS LCD display at 356ppi.

The Z10 comes with a higher-capacity battery with 1,800mAh compared to the iPhone 5's 1,400mAh. Unlike Apple's device, the Z10's battery is also removable, which is great for business customers on the go.

Both phones also use speedy LTE networks and support HSPA+ (faster than 3G, but not LTE) and 3G networks.

However, mobile devices are nothing without apps, and in this department Apple clearly dominates with the iOS App Store, compared to BlackBerry World. Apple's App Store is miles ahead in both quality and quantity of the apps available.

The BlackBerry Z is a formidable opponent against the iPhone 5 with specs that either match or surpass Apple's device on paper. However, it comes down to the overall experience for the user and an individual's needs and preferences. BlackBerry's first touchscreen device does give Apple a run for its money, but is unlikely to make much of a dent in Apple's smartphone sales.