BlackBerry has announced the Q5, a new mid-ranged handset which should replace the Curve in its Qwerty keyboard-packing form.

So there are now two Qwerty keyboard handsets that run BlackBerry 10: the Q10 and the Q5. But which should you choose? How do they compare? Read on for the key differences between the BlackBerry Q5 and Q10.

1. Camera

This is one of the main differences between the two phones. In short, the Q10 has an 8-megapixel camera similar to those you might find on current flagship handsets across iOS and Android.

The Q5 uses a 5-megapixel camera, which is more comparable to those found on feature phones and cheaper Android devices. The camera unit is probably one of the biggest cost-saving pieces on the Q5.

2. Display

The other area in which the Q5 gives itself away as a value for money phone is the screen. The display is a 3.1-inch 720 x 720 resolution IPS LCD, which doesn’t come close to the deep blacks and contrast-rich visuals found on the Super AMOLED screen on the Q10.

Both are the same resolution however, and the same size, so the sharpness and space you have to play with is identical. Viewing the Q5 straight on also results in colour vibrancy nearly as good as the Q10, to be fair.

3. Processor

There isn’t a huge difference in the performance stakes between the two phones. The Q5 is slightly less powerful than its bigger brother, at 1.2 GHz compared to the 1.5 GHz of the Q10.

Both are dual-core though, and the efficiency of BlackBerry 10 really means that a difference in speed is difficult to notice. You also have 2GB of RAM to play within both phones, so multi-tasking is decent enough.

READ: BlackBerry Q5 pictures and hands-on

4. Battery

Again, one of the less significant differences between the phones. The Q5 has a non-removable 2100mAh battery whereas the Q10 has a removable 2100mAh unit.

For power users and those intending to use push email, this is actually fairly important. Being able to carry a back-up battery and just swap it out when one goes flat should mean your Q10 lasts longer.

5. Design

The build quality of the Q5 doesn’t match up with the premium feel of the Q10. Having spent only a brief time with the phone, we can’t say for absolute sure, but the keyboard doesn’t appear to perform as well. There is some flex and wobble in the Q5 keyboard that isn’t there in the Q10.

The Q5 also loses some connectivity, in that it lacks a micro HDMI port. You do save on weight however, with BlackBerry’s value for money proposition tipping the scales at 120g to the Q10’s 139g.

Size differences are pretty negligable, but if you want specifics, the Q5 is 120 x 66 x 10.8 mm and the Q10 119.6 x 66.8 x 10.4 mm. There really isn’t enough there to notice a difference.

6. Memory

Last but by no means least is the difference in storage between the two phones. With the Q5 you have 8GB of memory to play with and microSD support for up to 32GB of storage.

On the Q10, there is 16GB of internal space and support for 64GB microSD cards, meaning there is a lot more memory to use on the Q10.

7. So which to choose?

If you are on a budget the Q5 looks like a very impressive Qwerty keyboard phone. While BlackBerry hasn’t announced exact costs yet, it is aimed at emerging markets and the budget end of the scale in other countries (including the UK), so don’t expect it to be hugely expensive. That given, the specifications are very impressive.

But if you want the best Qwerty keyboard experience available, then the Q10 is definitely phone of choice right now. Just take a look at our review.