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Buying Guide: The 10 Best Phones with Keyboards

Frustrated with your touch-screen smartphone? Had your share of typing the letter "Z" when all you wanted to do was turn on the Caps Lock? It can be a touchy subject, but many smartphone users prefer a physical QWERTY keyboard to the strictly touch-screen devices that are becoming more and more popular by the day. And why wouldn't they? After all, anyone that has ever typed on a computer will find a physical keyboard instantly familiar, whereas touch-screen keyboards can take some serious getting used to.

Luckily, you don't have to choose between one or the other. There are plenty of smartphones out there that offer a great touch-screen experience and a full physical keyboard. Some of those keyboards slide out, while others are right there, front and center. Either way, smartphones with QWERTY keyboards are a great choice for business professionals or any other manic messengers.

You won't find any touch-screen-only phones here. For this list we've rounded up the 10 very best keyboarded smartphones on each of the four major U.S. carriers, along with options from MetroPCS and U.S. Cellular. (Prices below are with two-year contracts.)

FEATURED IN THIS STORY (BY CARRIER)

AT&T

Samsung Captivate Glide

$149.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Samsung Captivate Glide is the best keyboarded smartphone available on AT&T right now. Read the full review ››

Sharp FX Plus

Free
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Sharp FX Plus is one of the best keyboarded Android phones on AT&T, and a good introduction to Android for texters on a budget. Read the full review ››

METROPCS

Samsung Galaxy Indulge

$299
%displayPrice% at %seller% The first LTE smartphone available in the U.S., the Samsung Galaxy Indulge is one of the most powerful handsets you'll find on MetroPCS. Read the full review ››

SPRINT

Samsung Epic 4G

$99.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Samsung Epic 4G is Sprint's top keyboarded smartphone, and it's the right choice for power users who like physical buttons. Read the full review ››

HTC EVO Shift 4G

$99.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The HTC EVO Shift 4G is a powerful alternative to the EVO 4G on Sprint, and gives hardware keyboard fans another choice besides the Samsung Epic 4G. Read the full review ››

T-MOBILE

T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide

$199.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The big, beautiful, Android-based myTouch 4G Slide is one T-Mobile's most powerful handset to date and features an excellent an excellent camera. Read the full review ››

T-Mobile Sidekick 4G

$79.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The T-Mobile Sidekick 4G is a terrific messaging smartphone with a very strong, unique design viewpoint. Read the full review ››

U.S. CELLULAR

HTC Merge

$149.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Merge may weigh down your pants pocket a bit, but the phone's high-end design, excellent QWERTY keyboard, and good overall performance are compelling. Read the full review ››

VERIZON WIRELESS

Samsung Stratosphere

$149.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Samsung Stratosphere is currently Verizon's only keyboarded 4G LTE smartphone. It's a solid handset, but both better Android and 4G options are available. Read the full review ››

Motorola Droid 3

$199.99
%displayPrice% at %seller% The Motorola Droid 3 is a good smartphone choice for globetrotters, but it can't hit Verizon's fastest network here at home. Read the full review ››

About Our Expert

Alex Colon

Executive Editor, Reviews

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I’m PCMag’s executive editor of reviews, steering our coverage to make sure we're testing the products you're interested in buying and telling you whether they're worth it. I've been here for more than 10 years. I previously managed the consumer electronics reviews team, and before that, I covered mobile, smart home, and wearable technology for PCMag and Gigaom.

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I’ve written hundreds of reviews of cell phones, fitness trackers, robot vacuums, smartwatches, and various other products.
I’ve also edited thousands of reviews and articles on consumer electronics technologies and products.

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I’m writing this bio on my 24-inch blue iMac, which I initially bought for personal use, but quickly decided to use for work instead of my tiny, company-issued ThinkPad (sorry, IT team). The screen is big, bright, and sharp, and the speakers are surprisingly good considering how thin the machine is.

The other big screen in my life is a 65-inch LG C9 OLED TV. If you’re wondering whether OLED is worth the premium over LCD, I’m here to tell you that it is.

I’d be doing my beloved LG C9 a disservice if I didn’t have it hooked up to a capable sound system, so I have a Sonos Beam sitting on a media console underneath the TV, and two Sonos Ones set up as rear channels for surround sound. If you’re a Sonos user, I highly recommend adding the Sonos Sub to your setup. It’s definitely a little more expensive than it should be, but it's truly money well spent.

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With 15 years of experience in tech, Alex guides PCMag's product testing to help you decide what's worth buying and how to get the most out of it.

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The 10 Best Phones with Keyboards