A few years ago compact phones used to be the norm but, these days getting your hands on a good compact phone is proving to be difficult. Small compact phones are slowly being phased out by bigger handsets.
The big players like Apple, Samsung and Sony have been releasing larger than life phones.
We believe that bigger isn’t always better in the smartphone world, and we’ve decided to compile a list of the best compact phones in 2022.
If you happen to have small hands or just prefer a more compact, easy to pocket smartphone have a look at this list.
1. iPhone 13 Mini
The iPhone 13 Mini is probably the best all round compact smartphone. The mini strikes a perfect balance between the compact size and performance. The 13 mini has a 5.4 (60Hz) Super Retina XDR OLED display.
The 13 Mini runs on the same A15 Bionic chipset found in the rest of the series and it also benefits from more base storage and a bigger battery, compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 12 Mini.
The dual rear 12Mp camera also enjoys improved stabilization, better sensors and new video features like Cinematic mode, while the selfie snapper is among the best in the business.
Pros
- Lightweight and compact
- Powerful performance
- Great cameras
Cons
- Limited battery life
- Relatively expensive
- 60Hz display
Get the iPhone 13 Mini here.
2. Google Pixel 6a
The Google Pixel 6A is one of the best compact Android phones you can get in 2022.
The Pixel 6A has a 20:9 60hz 6.1-inch AMOLED screen, making it slightly taller than the iPhone 13 mini. It is still a slender and manageable phone when compared to most modern smartphones.
The Pixel is our favorite compact Android phone thanks to top tier performance from the Google Tensor processor, the same chip found in the larger and more expensive Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
The 12.2MP main camera is also one of the best in the game thanks to Google’s clever HDR software that processes shots excellently.
Battery life is also excellent on the Pixel 6A, unfortunately, charging speeds are on the lower end of things.
The phone also has a ton of clever features baked in such as spam call answering, great on-device transcription, and photo tools, and this is one pocketable powerhouse.
Pros
- Great performance
- Good battery life
- Five years of security updates
Cons
- 60Hz display
- Slow 18W charging
- Plastic back scratches easily
Get the Google Pixel 6A from here.
3. Asus Zenfone 9
While the rest of the smartphone players are moving away from small, compact smartphones Asus has continued to make smaller phones.
The Zenfone 9 is not only the best Zenfone model ever, it’s also one of our favorite small phones, and the best small Android flagship you can get.
Under the hood, the Zenfone 9 is powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset. The 8+ Gen 1 is very efficient and this is evident as this phone has very good battery life, lasting well over a day of use.
This is pretty impressive as the Zenfone 9 has a relatively small battery by todays standards.
The Zenfone 9 comes with a 5.9-inch punchy OLED display which refreshes at 120Hz.
The back side of the phones is made of a unique grippy plastic finish. The only downside with the Asus Zenfone 9 is that Asus only promises only two years of Android updates.
Pros
- Flagship specs
- Great battery life
- Accomplished cameras
Cons
- Overheating issues
- Only two Android updates promised
Get the Asus Zenfone 9 from here.
4. Samsung Galaxy S22
Coming in at a reasonably-sized, high refresh rate 6.1-inch display with AMOLED technology, Samsung’s newest Galaxy S22 is well worth considering.
It’s the smallest in the S-series of phones, but even so, it packs the flagship specs you want in 2022.
Under the hood you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor or the Exynos 2200 (depending on which market you get it from) paired with 8GB of RAM, Android 12, and three solid main cameras.
Pros
- Awesome display
- Compact-ish
- Good haptics
- Good camera
- OneUI is all grown up and fleshed out
Cons
- Not a huge improvement over S21
- Battery life is a bit weak
- Speakers need improvement
Get the Samsung S22 from here.
5. Xiaomi 12
The Xiaomi 12 is a compact phone you should consider provided you’re happy to contend with its more convoluted MIUI-based user experience, the Xiaomi 12 packs in the latest flagship chipset, great cameras and impressive 67W fast charging; addressing one of the frequent shortcomings of smaller phones, weaker, shorter battery life.
Size-wise, it’s 6.28-inch 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED display.
Pros
- Impressive fast charging
- Crisp 120Hz display
- Great performance
Cons
- MIUI isn’t for everyone
- No IP certification
- Underwhelming battery life
Get the Xiaomi 12 from here.
6. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4
The Z Flip 4 is a beautiful expression of the evolution of foldable smartphone tech and somehow manages to incorporate water resistance into its design.
As such, you get a phone with a pretty sizeable 6.7in 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED that folds in half, making it much more compact.
Battery life could be better but it’s a step compared to the Flip 3. Despite having flagship-class performance in a groundbreaking design, the Flip 4’s pricing also proves that foldables can tango in the same space as conventional high-end smartphones without having major sacrifices.
Pros
- Much better battery life
- More durable than last year
- Same $999 price as the Flip 3
- Great performance
Cons
- Minimal camera upgrades
- Display crease still prominent
Get the Samsung Flip 4 from here.
