Smartphone reviewBlackview Hero 10: Affordable, foldable, but flawed
Smartphone review
Blackview Hero 10: Affordable, foldable, but flawed
The budget-friendly foldable phone delivers on price but falls short on performance.
Top Line
The Hero 10 feels like a step back to the early days of foldable smartphones, with its small external screen, noticeable crease, and subpar cameras. While its affordable price may appeal to budget-conscious buyers, the numerous compromises—especially in display functionality and camera quality—make it less competitive.
For the same price, you can find better-performing conventional smartphones. Unless folding functionality is your top priority, the Hero 10 might not be the best choice.
Details
One of the biggest barriers to buying a foldable smartphone is the price, which typically starts at around $1,000. However, a new device is entering the market to address this issue: Blackview's Hero 10, a foldable smartphone in a flip format priced at just $500.
Blackview is not a particularly well-known brand, but it is a Chinese manufacturer that has been operating for over a decade. The company specializes in producing durable devices designed to survive drops, being run over, and other harsh conditions. Beyond this niche, Blackview also manufactures laptops, conventional smartphones, and now, a foldable model.
We tested the Hero 10 to see what it offers and how it manages to cut the cost in half.
Structure and Design: Standard dimensions with noticeable compromises
The Hero 10 adopts a flip-style fold, resembling the mobile phones popular before the smartphone era. Unlike foldables that open into tablet-like displays, this device looks like a regular smartphone that folds in half. Notably, while Samsung's flip models often feature a narrower screen, Blackview's device maintains the dimensions of a standard smartphone when opened—neither narrower, thinner, nor excessively thick.
The phone has a large 6.9-inch display and weighs about 200 grams. While this isn’t overly heavy, the weight is noticeable during use. When folded, the device is pocket-friendly, but the external screen is of limited utility. Blackview includes a small, round screen on the outside that shows the clock, battery status, notifications, a pedometer, and music controls. However, the tiny size and small font make it hard to read notifications effectively.
When unfolded, the crease in the middle of the screen is both visually and physically noticeable. Running your finger over it is unavoidable, and it can interfere with app displays. While this was common in foldables two to three years ago, most competing models have since minimized or eliminated visible creases.
Blackview claims the hinge is durable for up to 250,000 folds, equating to several years of use. When closed, the screens align closely without gaps, unlike older foldables. However, the screens feel slightly loose when closed, failing to stay firmly pressed together.
Although the device seems durable, it lacks the ruggedness of Blackview's other models. For added protection, the kit includes a protective case, but the absence of detailed information about the glass durability or water and dust resistance is concerning.
Hardware: Sufficient performance but disappointing battery
The Hero 10 is powered by MediaTek's Helio G99 processor, paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, expandable up to 36GB at the expense of storage space. While the performance isn’t groundbreaking, it handles everyday tasks and games reasonably well. However, during prolonged use, the device heats up around the external screen and camera areas.
The display offers vibrant colors and a maximum brightness of 1,300 nits, making it easy to view even in sunlight. However, the automatic brightness adjustment occasionally makes the screen appear overly bright, which can be distracting.
The device lacks a wired headphone jack and eSIM compatibility but supports two physical SIM cards. The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader, which works reliably.
The biggest drawback is the 4,000mAh battery, which drains quickly, requiring at least one daily recharge—even with moderate usage. On the bright side, the included 45W charger delivers fast charging, reaching 50% in just 15 minutes and a full charge in under an hour.
Software and Interface: A disconnect between screens
The phone runs Android 14 with Blackview's DokeOS 4.0 interface. While unfamiliar to many, the interface is intuitive and similar to those used by brands like Xiaomi. Gesture navigation is the default but can be switched to button-based navigation.
The operating system supports split-screen functionality, which feels particularly relevant on a foldable device. In the camera app, you can pin the photo preview to the top screen while keeping the controls on the bottom screen.
However, the external screen is underwhelming compared to competitors. Rival foldable devices use larger external screens for tasks like reading and replying to WhatsApp messages. They also provide seamless transitions between external and internal screens. For example, if you open WhatsApp on the external screen and then unfold the device, the app continues uninterrupted on the main display. This functionality is absent in the Hero 10.
Similarly, some competitors allow the external screen to display a live camera preview, letting the subject of a photo see themselves. The Hero 10 lacks this feature, and the external screen doesn’t function at all when the phone is open.
One interesting feature on the internal screen mimics Apple’s dynamic display: the selfie camera occupies minimal space, and certain apps like Spotify use a small window around the camera for quick controls. A long press on this window enlarges the view slightly for additional functionality. Timers and charging notifications also utilize this feature.
Cameras: Disappointing quality
The Hero 10 features a dual-camera setup with a 108MP main sensor, an 8MP secondary sensor, and a 32MP front-facing camera. However, the cameras deliver underwhelming results.
Images lack sharpness and become noticeably blurry when zoomed in, whether taken in full daylight or night mode. The night mode, in particular, is basic and unimpressive. While casual users who primarily share photos on WhatsApp or social media may find the quality acceptable, the overall performance is below par, even by modest standards.
