The Best Small and Compact Phones in 2024

Maya Lin-Takahashi
Maya Lin-Takahashi
• • 10 min read

Where Did All the Cute Little Smartphones Go? Remember Those Compact Phones That Used to Be Everywhere, the 5-Inchers? Now, They're Slowly Getting Replaced by...

The Best Small and Compact Phones in 2024
Where did all the cute little smartphones go? Remember those compact phones that used to be everywhere, the 5-inchers? Now, they're slowly getting replaced by these bigger, taller phones we once used to call phablets. Even the few survivors, like the iPhone mini, are kinda fading away.

Big players like Apple, Samsung, and Motorola keep launching these huge phones that aren't exactly handy for folks with smaller hands or those who just want something pocket-sized. But hey, don't give up on small phones just yet. They're still out there, although a bit hard to find. Actually, last year, there was a bit of a comeback for compact phones.

If you're on the hunt for a smaller phone, you're in luck! We've rounded up the best ones you can snag right now. So, what are the best compact smartphones in 2024? Let's find out!

The best small, compact phones to buy in 2023:

Bonus:

Must Read

Apple iPhone 13 Mini

Until not long ago, we thought the era of compact flagship phones is over. But last year, these compact devices made a surprise comeback. The iPhone 12 mini became the smallest iPhone Apple is offering, beating even the iPhone SE for that title. And this year, we got its successor – the iPhone 13 mini.
Thanks to its thin bezels and flat-edge design, you're getting a bigger screen compared to that of the iPhone SE, yet in a smaller body. And 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, which is also double the storage of last year's iPhone 12 mini, but for the same price!

You won't sacrifice much in terms of specs, either, going with the mini iPhone. You still get Apple's A15 Bionic processor and same fantastic new camera features as the other iPhone 13 models. When it comes to high performance in a small package, nothing beats the iPhone 13 mini right now, and it's probably the fastest compact phone you can get. 

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Consumer Tech & Gadget Reviewer
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Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.