Best small phone 2021 | Android Central

Best
small phone
Android Central
2021

Best overall: Google Pixel 4a

Regardless of size, the Pixel 4a is just one of the best Android phones you can buy right now. Admittedly, it isn’t the most technically impressive handset on the market, but the value on offer is tremendous.

As you’d expect from any Pixel, the Pixel 4a takes incredible photos. Whether you’re shooting in broad daylight or trying to take a picture of the night sky using the Astrophotography Mode, the Pixel 4a delivers the goods. Images are crisp, full of color, and consistently look nothing short of amazing. You get these great results every time you press the shutter button, and that reliability isn’t something always found on much more expensive devices.

Outside of its camera, the Pixel 4a doesn’t skimp out in any other regard. The 5.8-inch display strikes a near-perfect balance of being big enough for enjoyable content consumption while still being manageable in one hand, and thanks to an OLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution, everything you do on it looks excellent. You can also look forward to a snappy performance from the Snapdragon 730 processor, all-day battery life, and ample storage (128GB, to be exact).

There’s no denying the value of the Pixel 4a, but if you’re yearning for something a bit more premium, the Pixel 5 is an exceptional upgrade. It has everything that makes the Pixel 4a great, along with a few key improvements that make the experience even better.

Starting with the display, the Pixel 5 keeps the Full HD+ OLED setup and adds a 90Hz refresh rate to the mix. Pair that with the faster Snapdragon 765G processor and the Pixel 5 sees a nice speed boost. The screen is slightly larger at 6 inches, but when you factor in the Pixel 5’s smaller bezels all around, it ends up having a similar footprint to the Pixel 4a.

Also included on the Pixel 5 is a 16MP ultra-wide camera, in addition to the same 12.2MP primary sensor from the 4a. It isn’t the very best ultra-wide camera we’ve ever used, but it still allows for expanded shooting possibilities that you can’t get on a phone without an ultra-wide option. Throw in minor perks like IP68 dust/water resistance and wireless charging, and the Pixel 5 gives you a lot for its asking price.

Samsung’s return to truly small phones with the Galaxy S10e back in 2019 was a breath of fresh air, and since then, we’ve yet to get a proper successor. So while the Galaxy S21 may not be quite as small as some people were hoping for, this is still a seriously great package that you don’t want to overlook.

In regards to size, the S21 packs a 6.2-inch display. That might sound intimidating on paper, but in real-world use, it’s extremely comfortable to use. With tight bezels, a flat display, and a lightweight design thanks to the plastic back, the Galaxy S21 is one of the most user-friendly flagships we’re bound to see in 2021. The display is also top-notch, featuring an AMOLED panel, Full HD+ resolution, and 120Hz refresh rate for buttery smooth animations.

Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 chipset is at the heart of the S21, and as you’d expect, this allows for some of the best performance currently available in a smartphone (in addition to sub-6 and mmWave 5G support). There’s also 8GB of RAM and your choice of 128 or 256GB of internal storage. The triple-camera system is unchanged from last year’s Galaxy S20, but to be perfectly honest, that’s not a bad thing. Between the 12MP primary camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, and 64MP telephoto camera, you’ll be able to take some nice shots with the S21.

The biggest downside to the S21 is, unfortunately, battery life. It’s far from unusable, but if you’re rocking the 120Hz refresh rate and have an active 5G connection, don’t expect to make it through more than one day of use.

Foldable smartphones have gone from being a pipe dream to a reality, taking on a few different shapes and sizes. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G was Samsung’s first attempt, while Motorola tried its throwback with a reimagined RAZR (2020). By virtue of simply folding in half, the device is small and compact. Samsung also finally figured out how to put in a usable display on the outside with the Galaxy Z Flip 3.

That 1.9-inch AMOLED Cover Display makes it handy to use the rear camera to take selfies, among other things. While that makes certain features easier to access, like selfies, notifications, and audio recording, it’s not big enough to handle more intricate tasks.

Once you flip the phone open, you’re looking at a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen (2640×1080) that features a taller 21.9:9 aspect ratio, making it slightly narrower and more ergonomically friendly. However, it also stands out because of the type of material used to make it. Samsung used better glass this time, which doesn’t feel like plastic like the previous Z Flip did.

Powering the phone is a combination of the Snapdragon 888 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Those specs make it a capable device, and the combination of Android with Samsung’s One UI proves to work well on top of that. Unfortunately, not all apps take advantage of the Flip’s ability to prop up halfway, though you can utilize it with the camera app for selfies or video calls. YouTube also works pretty well, but the pickings remain slim beyond that.

The Galaxy Z Flip is also unique in that it uses two batteries that combine to form the 3,300mAh capacity. Of course, that doesn’t make it the most efficient battery out there, but it should hold up well in most situations. Plus, you can charge it wirelessly, so that compact size comes with extra perks.

This phone borrows heavily from the Sony Xperia 1 II, making cuts in size inside and out. The smaller frame still gives you a 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate, so visually, there’s something good to look at. You won’t be getting 4K resolution on this panel, but that’s fine if you don’t mind a step or two lower at 2520×1080.

The Xperia 5 II is also easier to wield, not just because of its smaller stature, but also a wise decision to go with rounded corners. A separate Google Assistant button also stands out, though it’s more like a multifunction key that you can customize to do something else. Strangely, Sony opted to go with an enlarged lock button to double as the fingerprint sensor when just doing an onscreen one would have probably made more sense.

In any case, there are some decent performance specs, courtesy of the Snapdragon 865 chipset, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage (there’s also a 256GB variant). That makes it more than capable of handling pretty much any task, even if the chipset itself may feel a bit aged. Streaming media is easy, and if you want to do some gaming, that’s easy enough, too. There’s even a headphone jack in case that’s useful.

A good IP68 rating gives the phone some decent water resistance, which may compel you to take a few risks when shooting with its capable camera. The triple camera array in the rear can take good shots, with more true-to-life color that might please your eye if you take photography more seriously. However, the front-facing sensor is modest 8MP and not quite as good as other comparable phones.

The 4,000mAh battery holds up well because of its larger size relative to the phone’s slimmer frame, and that’s more than enough to last a full day, every day.

There is one big caveat to all this: The Xperia 5 II isn’t compatible with 5G networks in the U.S., so go for this if you’re still running on 4G LTE.

Last but not least, we have the Asus Zenfone 8. Asus doesn’t often make headlines in this part of the world with its phones, but the Zenfone line has had a few wins in its short history, and this version is a pretty good choice if you’re looking for the right combination of size and functionality. There are a few different variants as far as memory and storage capacity go, but the rest of the phone runs on the same specs.

Once upon a time, a 5.9-inch display would’ve been big, but nowadays, it feels compact. And that’s why the Zenfone 8 is one of the smallest phones to run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 processor, including an impressive 120Hz display with a 240Hz touch response rate. Add the varying RAM and storage options, and you get a lot for something that isn’t as sizeable as other handsets are.

It also sticks to the basics, like a headphone jack, while pushing boundaries on durability with an IP68 rating. The phone’s front has Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus to add some extra ruggedness to the device. Beyond its solid hardware and software performance, the only real question is what kind of upgrade cycle Asus plans to stick to for this phone.

The cameras can take great shots, though you don’t get a telephoto lens to zoom in optically. An amply-sized 4,000mAh battery is also more than enough to keep the phone going for a full day with little to get in the way. Unfortunately, no wireless charging means you’ll need to plug in for extra juice, but it supports 30W wired charging via USB-PD.

Budget phones don’t come with reputations, though they should come with measured expectations because they’re clearly dialed back to bring the price down. The Moto G Fast very much falls in that boat, but when your needs aren’t all that…