Looking for a small phone? Here are 3 options

Many appreciate a large screen, which is nice to watch videos on, but some are looking for a smaller phone that is comfortable to use and fits conveniently in a pocket or bag. Many people with smaller hands also struggle with large-screen phones, which often require two hands to use.

We present three small-screen phones that offer ease of use, but do not fall behind the flagship phones on the market. However, the unifying factor in small phones is the price. For example, you cannot find smaller phones in the lower price categories.

Asus Zenfone 9

Price: From 799 euros

Asus has been bringing compact phones to the market for some time now, which are comparable to the more expensive flagship phones on the market. Asus’s new Zenfone 9 is an excellent example of how even a small phone can fit features that are familiar from flagship phones.

In the Zenfone 9, Asus has invested especially in performance and cameras. The phone is equipped with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system chip, which is really powerful. There are three memory variants: 8+126 GB (799 euros), 8+256 GB (879 euros) and 16+256 GB (929 euros).

Zenphone 9 has a 5.9-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD+ resolution, i.e. 2400 x 1080 pixels. The screen also supports a 120 hertz refresh rate, which is already standard on flagship phones on the market. The display also has HDR10+ support.

The small size of the screen makes the phone really comfortable to use even with one hand. Use has also been made easier with a feature that allows the content of the upper part of the screen to be dropped lower, and with the touch sensor in the power button, with which notifications can be pulled down by swiping the button. In practice, you don’t have to touch the phone with two hands at all.

One of the best things about the phone is also the really clean Android user interface. Almost no useless pre-installed applications have been baked into it. Applications and the phone in general react to the user’s actions delightfully quickly, and in the settings it is already possible to shorten the length of animations by default. Usually, these settings are hidden in the app developer settings.

Considering its size, the Zenfone 9 offers a really nice battery life. The 4300 milliampere-hour battery is enough power for the whole day. On the downside, the Zenfone 9 only supports 30W fast charging. Many devices in the lower price range support this faster fast charging. Exceptionally, Asus supplies the charger with the sales package.

There are two cameras on the back of the Zenfone 9: a 50-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. There is a 12 megapixel front camera embedded in the upper left corner of the screen. The main camera produces a good result, although it does not compete with the flagship cameras on the market. As an interesting aspect, you can point out the gimbal OIS stabilization, which helps when taking photos, but mostly when taking videos. Stabilization works surprisingly effectively, even if you move your hand a lot during shooting.

The Zenfone 9 is definitely the top of the small phones, but the promise of an upgrade makes it more difficult to get. Where, for example, Samsung promises updates for four years, Asus only offers operating system and security updates for two years.

iPhone 13 Mini

Price: From 729 euros

At the beginning of September, Apple announced its new iPhone 14 collection. The mini model was not seen this year, which was disappointing for many people looking for a small phone. Fortunately, last year’s iPhone 13 Mini still offers an excellent package for those looking for Apple’s operating environment.

The iPhone 13 Mini has a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR OLED screen with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, which makes the device one of the smallest on the market. The phone’s screen is bright and offers really good color reproduction.

Because the iPhone 13 Mini is so small, it is really easy to use with one hand. The phone’s battery life is good and there is enough power for the day’s needs.

One of the best aspects of the phone is its dual rear camera setup, which offers a 12-megapixel main camera and an ultra-wide-angle camera. The images produced by the main camera are natural, and images can be captured well even in dim conditions. Optical image stabilization helps with shooting. On the video side, the iPhone 13 Mini offers a Cinematic mode, which can focus on one subject when a new subject appears in the picture.

The iPhone 13 Mini is available with 128 GB, 256 GB and 512 GB storage. On Apple’s own website, the phone prices are higher than in many electronics stores, where you can get the device 100 euros cheaper.

The iPhone 13 Mini is a good choice for those who are used to using an iPhone. The iPhone 13 mini is efficient for its size, and you don’t have to make compromises when compared to, for example, the basic version of the iPhone 13.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4

Price: From 1149 euros

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 4 offers a larger 6.7-inch display while offering a compact size. The screen of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 folds in half, which makes the phone fit in half the space. It is a modern clamshell phone that offers performance in a small size.

When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is almost square-shaped, taking up about 8x8x1.5 centimeters of space in your pocket. The phone slips really conveniently into a pocket or bag. There are almost no foldable screen phones on the market, but despite that, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has not been stripped down, but offers flagship features.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is equipped with Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and eight gigabytes of RAM. It is a powerful phone that can cope with heavy use. The size of the battery is a bit small, i.e. 3700 milliampere hours, but the current is comfortably enough for the day’s needs.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4 has a 12-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera. There is a 10 megapixel front camera on the screen. Overall, the cameras are good basic performers and, for example, low-light photography has been improved. The folding screen offers advantages for filming. When the screen is folded, the phone itself works as a camera stand.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a bit expensive, but still a stylish clamshell phone with an exceptional design on the market. It fits conveniently in a pocket or bag, offering the advantages of larger phones in a small size.