Small phones, or compact smartphones, have exactly the same features as the large ‘phablet’ devices being pushed by phone manufacturers. They’re just smaller.
This means you get less screen, and possibly shorter daily usage times thanks to there being less space for batteries. As screens are measured across their diagonal, a 5.5-inch phone can be significantly smaller than a 6-inch model, even though that doesn’t sound like much. But they do have advantages too.
Primary among these is one-handed operation. Not everybody has paws like Bigfoot or the ability to range across a touchscreen with your thumb without having to use the other hand to support the device. You may also be reluctant to have to employ the use of some dreadful software kludge that moves the top of the screen downwards. Compact phones can fit in your pocket more easily, and you may even be able to make the most of lower prices.
There’s also the question of what, exactly, you do with your phone that requires a big screen in the first place. If you’re watching movies via streaming services, then a tablet might be a better choice. If you’re using it to edit documents on something like Google Docs or Microsoft 365, then a Chromebook, with its full keyboard, might be more suitable. A phone can be a universal computer, but if you’re using it for chats, photos, or even actual phone calls, perhaps a compact model is exactly what you need.
See the best small phones below
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Best for: most people
It’s an iPhone, just smaller. Actually, the iPhone has always been pretty small, launching in 2007 with a 3.5in screen and only branching out with Max variants after Android phones had gotten huge. As the iPhone 14 didn’t come with a Mini version like the iPhone 13 did, this is now the only choice if you don’t like the 6in screen of the standard iPhone. It’s also mini-er than the Mini ever was.
The screen on the SE measures 4.7in across the diagonal, and it’s a standard Retina HD display instead of the Super Retina XDR OLED shenanigans appearing on the more premium models. This means it’s not as bright, but you’ll only really notice this in intense lighting conditions. There’s only one camera on the back, a 12MP moderate-wide-angle model, and internal storage starts at a paltry 64GB, but the CPU running the show is the same as in the iPhone 14, so performance is excellent.
As the cheapest model in the iPhone lineup, it misses out on a few innovations that phones further up the hierarchy benefit from, and looks a little dated as a result, but it’s still a fully functioning iPhone, and has all the productivity and usability you’d expect.
Buy now £449.00, John Lewis
Google Pixel 6a
Best for: a great Android experience
In the absence of a Pixel 7a, you have to step back a generation to find a compact phone in Google’s lineup. Its 6.1in screen means it’s not spectacularly small, but the 2400x1080 AMOLED panel means it’s filled with colour and is really nice to look at.
With 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage you’re not giving too much up to the more premium phones, and it can squeeze more than a day’s use out of the battery. Round the back, there are a pair of 12MP cameras, offering wide and ultrawide views, and there’s 5G and dual-SIM compatibility.
Android is a Google product, and it seems most at home on Google’s phones. The 6 series may have been outdone by the 7s in terms of processors and cameras, but that doesn’t mean the 6a isn’t worth considering, as it’s effortlessly capable, runs extremely smoothly, and doesn’t cost the Earth. That said, it does lack features such as wireless or super-fast charging that may be important to some.
Buy now £399.00, Amazon
Motorola Razr 2022
Best for: handbags
Of the flip phones currently on the market, we think the Motorola Razr might be the best. It’s a close-run thing, though.
The bendable screen and hinge are at the heart of a flip phone, and are arguably more important than the processors inside. After all, a phone is no good for watching videos or playing games if there’s a line down the middle of the display where the folding happens. Morotola’s engineers have done well to minimise this crease, and the 6.7-inch 2400 x 1080 display looks good when fully unfolded. It’s not a particularly compact phone when fully revealed, but being able to fold it down goes a long way.
The 2.7-inch secondary screen that’s accessible in folded mode is better on the Razr than on its close rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, but the almost-16:9 aspect ratio of the main screen means it’s rather wide, and the Samsung folds down more gracefully.
There’s a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 running the show, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. A dual camera module sits on the back, offering a 50MP main wide-angle camera and a 13MP ultrawide. It boasts wireless charging too, completing an impressive package.
Buy now £949.00, John Lewis
Sony Xperia 5 IV
Best for: pockets
Another 6.1in OLED screen, but with a 21:9 aspect ratio that means it’s thinner than most phones. This makes it easier to slip into a narrow pocket, though it may poke out the top.
All Sony’s phones from this generation look the same, with some variation in camera bulges and button placement. There’s an Experia 10 IV that’s a bit cheaper, and an Xperia 1 IV that’s really expensive, but we’ve chosen the 5 as a comfortable middle ground. It’s still expensive, though.
Running on the popular Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Sony is really pushing the cameras in its phones, and the 5 IV sports a triple-lens array with three Exmor RS 12MP sensors, offering wide, ultrawide and short telephoto views. Combined with Sony’s excellent camera app, they offer a lot of photography options.
Whether or not you choose this over a cheaper phone depends on how much you like the tall-and-thin screen arrangement, how dedicated you are to Sony products, and how much you want those cameras. For some, it could be a tricky decision.
Buy now £949.00, Amazon
Nokia C2 Second Edition
Best for: wallets
Nokia’s bargain-priced phone comes from 2022, and its 5.7-inch screen does nothing to hide the entry-level nature of the device. With a resolution of just 960 x 480 pixels, it’s not going to do streaming movies justice.
There’s a quad-core MediaTek chipset inside with up to 2GB of RAM and just 32GB of internal storage. You can boost this last figure by inserting a Micro SD card of up to 1TB capacity, however. The cameras are similarly low-end, with a 5MP rear camera that lacks autofocus, and a 2MP module on the front. Interestingly, the battery can be user-replaced, something unusual in modern phones.
By using the Android Go version of Google’s OS, aimed at lower-spec devices, it manages to make its lack of computing grunt matter less, and if you want something to run WhatsApp, social media apps and make phone calls, it’s well worth a look.
Buy now £89.99, Amazon
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
Best for: showing off
Samsung’s flip phone is slightly smaller than the Razr, its taller and slimmer aspect ratio perhaps better suited to the flip form factor and one-handed operation. However, it has a distinct crease across the middle of the screen when open.
Samsung is a big noise in the smartphone world, and many will be attracted to the Flip 4 because it looks sleek, cool and futuristic. There are some good specs on offer, with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset backed by 8GB of RAM and a choice of 128 or 256GB of storage (bumping up to the larger storage option takes the price just above that of the Motorola Razr).
A little 1.9in 260 x 512 secondary display sits on the outside when it’s folded, and the camera module features 12MP wide and ultrawide options. There’s a neat FlexCam feature that allows you to use the camera and secondary screen in unison, using the hinge to prop the phone up for the perfect angle. You can also hold it partially folded like a camcorder, bringing the record button into easy reach of your thumb.
While certainly compact, easy to use and good to look at, the crease across the screen is a major factor that you’ll either barely notice, or won’t be able to unsee.
Buy now £899.00, John Lewis
Asus Zenfone 9
Best for: top-end thrills
The Zenfone 9 is an enigma in the world of compact smartphones. Often with fewer pixels to push, and the assumption that gamers prefer larger phones or tablets, the smaller phones can get away with mid-range chipsets inside, providing a handy price differential with the larger flagships.
Not so the Zenfone 9. This pocket powerhouse has the mighty Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 inside, as seen in the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and OnePlus 10T, which means it’s responsive and shows off Android’s latest tricks well. The hot chip is backed by either 8 or a whopping 16GB of RAM, and either 128 or 256GB of storage. The reason it’s in this list is that it measures just 5.9 inches across a 20:9, 2400 x 1080, AMOLED screen made by Samsung. On paper, it’s a great phone, rounded out by a 50MP Sony main camera that produces 12.5MP files, and a 12MP ultrawide. It can even record video in 8K, should you need it.
Ultimately, it falls into the same trap as the Sony Xperia 5 IV. The problem is that it costs more than the iPhone SE and less powerful Pixel 6a, but for the audience it probably doesn’t deliver a hugely improved experience over cheaper alternatives. If you want a small phone, there are less expensive options.
Buy now £699.00, Amazon
Unihertz Atom
Best for: backpacks
A phone from 2018 that was crowdfunded into life on Kickstarter, but also one of the most compact options on the market, and rugged too. It may have a bit of a narrow audience, but it’s perfect as a second phone to take with you when you’re going somewhere off the beaten track.
As a result it’s not really about the specs. There’s a 2.4in screen, the Mediatek Helio P23 MT6763V eight-core chipset, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. It looks pretty weak by 2023 standards, but that’s not the point. It’s small, light, and covered in rubber armour so it can take being bumped around or even dropped without complaint. There’s the full range of wireless communication options; GPS and GLONASS location tech, dual SIMs, and even an FM radio (though no 5G).
At 18mm thick, there are certainly slimmer phones out there, but they’re not as shock resistant. If being able to lug a phone into the wilderness and have it still work is important to you, then this is worth a look.
Buy now £199.99, Amazon
Verdict
Buying a smaller phone isn’t the compromise it might appear. The only things you’re giving up are screen size and battery life, though as smaller screens consume less power that might not be such a big problem. Phones such as the iPhone SE 2022 and Zenfone 9 prove that you can have flagship specs in a smaller casing, but if it’s a bargain phone you can use every day you’re looking for, the compact phone sector is filled with tempting choices.
