Where have all the cute little smartphones gone? Remember those compact 5-inch phones that were once ubiquitous? Now they are slowly being replaced by bigger, taller phones, once called phablets. Even the few survivors like the iPhone mini seem to be fading away.
Major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Motorola are releasing giant phones that aren’t necessarily convenient for people with small hands or who want something pocket-sized. But don’t give up on small phones just yet. They still exist, even if they’re a little harder to find. In fact, they’ve seen a bit of a resurgence in the last year.
If you’re looking for a small smartphone, you’re in luck! We’ve handpicked the best smartphones you can get right now. So, what are the best compact smartphones of 2024? Let’s find out!
Best Small Compact Phones to Buy in 2023:
Bonus:
Apple iPhone 13 Mini
Not long ago, the days of compact flagship phones were thought to be over. But last year, these compact devices made a surprising comeback. The iPhone 12 mini became Apple’s smallest iPhone, even surpassing the iPhone SE. And this year, its successor, the iPhone 13 mini, was released. With thin bezels and a flat-edge design, it has a larger screen and a smaller body compared to the iPhone SE. What’s even better is that the iPhone 13 mini is the cheapest of the four iPhone 13 models, starting at $699 for the 128GB model. That’s double the storage capacity of last year’s iPhone 12 mini, but for the same price.
You won’t sacrifice much in terms of specs if you opt for the mini iPhone: You’ll get Apple’s A15 Bionic processor and the same great new camera features as the other iPhone 13 models. For high performance in a small package, it’s hard to beat the iPhone 13 mini right now, and it’s probably the fastest compact phone out there.
Samsung Galaxy S24
The Galaxy S24 isn’t the most compact phone on this list, given that its screen has grown to 6.2 inches, but it still offers a compact Android experience. The size remains roughly the same as the S23, with reduced bezels and flatter sides.
It also comes equipped with the latest processors, an ultra-bright screen, and the newest trend in smartphone tech: AI. The S24 is equipped with Samsung’s Galaxy AI, which ensures the system learns new features over time.
As for the cameras, they’re pretty much the same from a hardware perspective, but since photography on smartphones these days is computational, there are improvements to the algorithms. The Galaxy S24 is just a little bit bigger than the Asus Zenfone 10, but if you want to stick with an Android smartphone for the next 7 years, it’s the best choice for a compact phone.
This year, Apple updated its “budget” SE series with the new iPhone SE (2022). To cut costs, the Cupertino company reused the body of the now rather outdated iPhone 8, but under the hood the smartphone is powerful, probably the most powerful smartphone in its price range.
And it’s a pretty compact smartphone, too, with a 4.7-inch display and weighing just 5.08 ounces (144.0 grams). Despite an older design with larger top and bottom bezels, the latest hardware inside, especially the A15 Bionic chip and 5G support, makes the iPhone SE (2022) very future-proof. So if the price of the iPhone 13 Mini is too high for you, this is your next best bet if you’re looking for a smaller iPhone.
Sony Xperia 5V
The Xperia 5 V explores another side of the term compact. This 6.1-inch phone is hardly compact on paper, but hold it in your hand for a while and you’ll see what Sony has achieved. The phone is just 68mm wide, very close to the iPhone mini’s 64.5mm. In fact, the narrower width makes it feel like you’re holding a much smaller phone.
Meanwhile, the taller 21:9 OLED screen might not be as easy to navigate, especially for drawing the notification shade or reaching for UI elements at the top of the phone, but it’s great for watching movies and other content.
When you buy a Sony phone, you get the usual perks like a 3.5mm audio jack, a microSD card slot, cool professional software tools, and a unique form factor. When it comes to great packaging, don’t overlook the Xperia phones, and the 5 Series delivers that in a compact form factor too.
Google Pixel 8
If you line up the Pixel 8 next to the other phones in this compact article, it doesn’t look all that compact, but the phone is significantly more compact than its predecessor, and the trend is noteworthy enough that we felt the need to include it here.
Rumors suggest that the next Pixel 9 could be even more compact, confirming the return of compact flagship phones. Which brings us back to the Pixel 8. This phone checks all the boxes: it’s got a super bright and fast screen (90Hz refresh rate), built-in AI, loads of features, Google’s camera magic, and a design that fits really comfortably in your hand.
Last but not least, this phone has the longest software support cycle of any Android (7 years) and it’s not too expensive. What’s not to like?
Asus Zenfone 10
Asus decided to change course in 2021, introducing two separate flagship devices in its Zenfone 8 lineup. The larger Zenfone 8 Flip continued the flip camera tradition, while the standard Zenfone 8 went the compact route. It seems Asus saw a demand and a potential niche in the smartphone market, and the Zenfone 8 was born.
Two generations later, little has changed in how Asus approaches this compact idea: the Zenfone 9 received surprisingly positive reviews online, and its successor, the Zenfone 10, adds some much-needed features to complete the package.
The latest and greatest Qualcomm chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, is the beating heart of this little monster, along with a beautiful 5.9-inch 144Hz AMOLED panel from Samsung. Asus managed to find a way to retain the 3.5mm jack, and there’s also a sizeable battery inside. There’s wireless charging, a new selfie camera, faster RAM and storage, and an upgraded six-axis gimbal stabilization system. This little guy is one of the best compact Android smartphones on the market right now.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
We come to the foldable category. While the models here are just a bonus for now, it makes sense to include foldable models in our picks for the best compact phones. Let’s start with the newest and most popular foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Flip 5. This one is so new that it’s only available for pre-order for now.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 does have one big upgrade: it now has a brand new 3.4-inch cover screen that’s very easy to use, can launch apps, and supports text input. Samsung uses widgets on the cover screen, but you can “allow” third-party apps like Google Maps, YouTube, and even Netflix. We expect this list to grow over time.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is almost identical to its predecessor, except for the larger cover screen, and it also has the same dual camera system, battery, charging, and internal display. The processor has been upgraded to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, which means there is almost no gap when the phone is folded. With dimensions of 6.50 x 2.83 x 0.27 inches (165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm) and a weight of 6.60 ounces (187.0 g), the phone is more than capable of competing with other more “rugged” compact phones.
Motorola Razr Plus
Motorola has tried a foldable RAZR a few times with little success, but this year the company hit the big time with the Razr Plus (aka the Razr 40 Ultra), which has something other foldable phones in a similar form factor have been missing: an easy-to-use cover screen. The tiny Razr+’s front screen lets you do just about anything you want with it, no prying required.
The Razr Plus is thin, sleek, lightweight, crease-free when open, and gap-free when closed. It’s powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, 8/256GB memory configuration, and a 3,800mAh battery. There are two main cameras, both boasting 12MP sensors. A punch-hole in the center of the flexible display houses a 32MP selfie camera.
But then again, more importantly, the Motorola Razr Plus measures 6.73 x 2.91 x 0.28 inches (170.83 x 73.95 x 6.99 mm) and weighs 6.65 ounces (188.5 g), making it very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 5. And with similar prices, you can choose between the two, right?
Oppo Find N2 Flip
Finally, we conclude our foldable smartphone digest with the Oppo Find N2 Flip, the successor to the hugely popular and critically acclaimed Oppo Find N. This foldable smartphone has the same internal display with almost no creases, but in a smaller format and with a very interesting vertical cover screen.
While this cover screen’s functionality is somewhat limited, it does act as a great mirror/finder for taking selfies with the two main cameras. The Find N2 Flip also features a TUV-certified hinge (good for 100 opening and closing cycles per day) and one of the brightest displays of any foldable phone, at 1,600 nits.
Dimensionally speaking, the phone is roughly the same as the Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr Plus. It’s also similarly priced, but the phone is a bit harder to find in person. Still, it’s a viable option for a compact flip phone.
Will you be able to buy a compact phone in 2024?
Absolutely! Scroll up and see for yourself! There are still plenty of compact phones out there, and while they’re not as small as they used to be, they’re still easier to operate one-handed than other larger devices.
We expect this trend to continue, with major manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple keeping at least one compact model in their portfolios. Let’s not forget brands such as Sony and Asus, which sometimes offer better packages than the larger manufacturers.
What will be classified as a compact phone in 2024?
Remember those “big” 5″ phones when they first came out? People thought they were huge! Slowly but surely screen sizes started to grow, and today we have 7″ monsters that we still call phones (back in the day they were called phablets). So what is a compact phone in 2024?
Well, let’s take the iPhone 13 mini as our main example, mainly because it’s the last phone with “mini” in its name (remember the Galaxy S mini smartphones and the Xperia compact?). The main defining feature of the 13 mini is its size: it has a 5.4-inch screen, and as such, it’s pretty compact.
At the other end of the compact series, we have phones like the Zenfone 10 and Xperia 5 series, which are 5.9 inches and 6.1 inches respectively, and if you add in the regular S24, the display size comes in at 6.2 inches. This means that compact smartphones in 2024 will be defined primarily by screen size, with anything between 5.4 inches and 6.1 inches being considered compact.
Conclusion
Here are the best small smartphones you can buy in 2024. If you are still confused about finding the perfect smartphone, the following options might also help you.
