Best Compact Phones in 2024

Overview of the best compact phones

• Best overall phone: Samsung Galaxy S24.
• Best premium flagship: Xiaomi 14.
• Best value phone: Google Pixel 8a.
• Best foldable phone: Motorola Razr 40 Ultra.
• Best performance: Asus Zenfone 10.

Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 series was the first to launch Google’s AI features. You’ll find smart features like Circle to Search and Live Translate, all while costing less than the other members of the series. It’s also notably smaller and lighter than they are at 168g. It has a glass back based on Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus, and an aluminium frame. 

Samsung has committed to seven years of updates, which means you’ll enjoy the latest features and security updates until 2031. But the company has kept its RAM size to just 8GB across all memory options. If you plan to run multiple heavy games and apps, you might want to reconsider it.

Google Pixel 8a

Google Pixel phones with the “a” suffix are the more affordable variants. This Pixel 8a comes with a smaller price tag than the original Pixel 8 series, making it the best option for budget users seeking flagship qualities. It uses most of the same features as its predecessors, including the powerful Tensor G3 chip and seven years of Google updates. 

The display is 6.1-inch and uses OLED technology. It also has a high 120Hz refresh rate and the screen brightness peaks at 2000 nits. Quad cameras are enviable on most smartphones, but Google has kept it simple as always. The dual camera on this phone includes a 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide camera on the back. The selfie camera is a 13MP ultrawide lens.

ASUS Zenfone 10

Though Asus only offers two years of major software updates, they have promised four years on the Zenfone 10. Its 5.9-inch AMOLED display has a high 144Hz refresh rate, and is exceptionally smooth for gaming. But the brightness peaks at 1100 nits. 

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 runs inside the phone, and is a flagship-level processor. Overall, the phone weighs 172g while sporting a plastic back and an aluminium frame.

If you like AI capabilities, you’ll enjoy Object Sense. It’s a camera feature that divides images into different sections and optimises them individually. This way, the entire picture looks its best without much human input.

Motorola Razr 40 Ultra 

We can’t discuss compact phones without mentioning foldables. Their form factor allows you to bend them, and use a display on the cover (if the model provides one). The Razr 40 Ultra has one, and it’s a 3.6-inch AMOLED screen with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate. It’s suitable for viewing notifications, replying to messages, or controlling music playback without unfolding the phone.

When unfolded, you’ll find that the main display reaches 6.9-inch and also uses AMOLED technology. It even has a high 165Hz refresh rate. It uses the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset and the RAM options are 8GB or 12GB RAM. There’s no support for a memory card slot, so you’re stuck with the 256GB or 512GB options, which are still plenty of space to have.

Xiaomi 14

The Xiaomi 14 comes in different models, targeting different markets. You can either get the 185g or 189g model with a glass or silicone polymer back. Both models have an aluminium frame with an IP68 resistance rating. The 6.36-inch AMOLED display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits.

There’s a triple camera setup with a 50MP wide main sensor, a 50MP telephoto lens, and a 50MP ultrawide lens, along with Leica technology. For memory options, the phone offers 8GB, 16GB, and 12GB RAM with the storage space reaching one terabyte.

Keep it small and simple

Flagships have many exciting things to offer. But on closer inspection, you may realise that they’re not practical for your needs. There are still tons of settings on Android phones that I don’t use till this day. The point is that you shouldn’t be swayed by expensive phones with big battery capacities, the now trending titanium frame, and more premium materials. 

There are still smaller phones that mimic their look and feel, and help you save money. Basic indicators of a compact phone are the size and weight. Phones around 6-inches and 180g or less are pocketable and fit prolonged one-hand use. You’ll also want to target phones with smaller battery capacities as it means that there are space constraints.