Compact Smartphones

The Samsung Galaxy S23 has a 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED display that can get enormously bright and supports a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. The display-surface ratio is also very appealing. The S23 is powered by the fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, which has 8 GB of RAM. Both a 128 GB and a 256 GB storage solution are available.

The 3,900 mAh battery helps the Samsung smartphone achieve long runtimes and the triple camera takes really good photos as well as videos. The compact phone is rounded off by an IP68 certification and a long update supply. Only UWB and Wi-Fi 7 have to be waived.

The Galaxy S23 can be ordered directly from Samsung, but are also available from all common online retailers like Amazon.

If you are looking for a compact high-end smartphone the Apple iPhone 13 mini is your best bet. System performance, camera quality, and battery life are second to none other in its class. Of all the phones reviewed in the most recent past only the Asus Zenfone 8 gets even close in terms of size. It is very fast yet not as fast as the iPhone 13 mini, and its 5.9-inch display is quite a bit bigger than the iPhone 13 mini’s 5.4-inch display.

Apps are running smoothly and without any problems. The system is very snappy and fast, which is at least partly courtesy of the iPhone 13 mini’s great touchscreen. It gets very bright and is thus well usable outdoors. Given that the entry-level models have now been bumped to 128 GB of storage the woes of the past should be just that: of the past.

The Apple iPhone 13 mini is available through Apple as well as the usual retail channels, such as Amazon.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 marks the most affordable entry into the Korean manufacturer’s premium model range. It has a 6.1-inch OLED screen, 8 GB of RAM and either 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. The heart of the powerful triple camera is a 50 MP sensor, which is supplemented by an ultra-wide-angle and a triple optical zoom. The 3,700 mAh battery enables the Samsung smartphone to have appealing runtimes.

The S22 also has a very long update supply and is also protected against dust and water penetration (IP 68). There are no major compromises compared with the heavier siblings; only a lower maximum charging performance, a missing UWB chip, and the lack of Wi-Fi 6E can be criticized here.

Users can find the Samsung Galaxy S22 on Amazon US. Currently, the Phantom black variant with 128 GB memory is available at $632.

The Apple iPhone 14 relies on a 6.1-inch 60 Hz OLED panel and has a display surface ratio of 86 percent. The fast Apple processor with 6 GB RAM ensures high system performance, and the internal memory varies between 128 and 512 GB, depending on the equipment variant. 

In the review, the iPhone knows how to convince with its good dual camera, long battery runtimes and an IP68 certification. The iPhone does not really have to put up with much criticism. Considering the price range, a macro function for the camera or even an additional telephoto lens would have been desirable. The frame rate could have been higher as well. 

The Xiaomi 13 offers a 6.36-inch LTPO OLED display that resolves at Full HD+ and operates at up to 120 Hz. The display-to-surface ratio (89%) is very good. The Xiaomi smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 8 GB of working memory. Only a 256 GB model is offered as storage options. The triple camera was developed in cooperation with Leica and takes good pictures, but sometimes overdoes it with the contrast. 

There are only a few gaps in the equipment, even UWB is included. However, the Xiaomi 13 still only uses USB 2.0, cannot use an eSIM and the front-facing camera only offers Full HD video. In return, the smartphone is dust- and waterproof (IP68), shows super battery runtimes in the test and can also be charged quickly.

At the time of writing, the Xiaomi 13 is only available as an import device, for instance from TradingShenzhen (who kindly loaned us the review unit).

The Asus Zenfone 10 offers a 5.9-inch AMOLED display that works with up to 144 Hz and has a good brightness, but it cannot keep up with current high-end competitors in this respect. Three storage options are offered: 8/128 GB, 8/256 GB and 16/512 GB. The smartphone is powered by a fast Qualcomm SoC.

An audio jack is also on board again and the Zenfone is capable of fast charging via cable as well as wireless charging. The 4,300 mAh battery enables very good runtimes and the dual camera takes appealing pictures.

The Asus ZenFone 10 is not officially sold in the US. The unlocked version is available on Amazon for $699.

With the Galaxy Z Flip4 5G, Samsung once again only makes small changes to its most compact foldable smartphone. Especially the main sensor of the dual camera is now much faster. The good speakers and IX8 certification are also real plus points.

The Flip4 has also become a bit more compact, which is mainly due to the smaller hinge, but it still does not close flush. It is also a pity that Samsung only installs a single-band GNSS solution and forgoes premium features like UWB, USB 3.2 and Wi-Fi 6E. 

The Galaxy Flip4 can be purchased directly from Samsung. Amazon also lists the smartphone for $959.9.

The foldable Motorola Razr 40 Ultra has a main display measuring 6.9 inches and a smaller panel measuring 3.6 inches on the outside. The large display operates at up to 165 Hz and gets a bit brighter, while the smaller one can use a refresh rate of 144 Hz. The storage configuration (8/256 GB) is on a class-standard level. An expansion via microSD is not possible, but an eSIM can be used.

The dual camera allows decent pictures, but only offers an additional ultra-wide-angle. The battery runtimes are also quite good. However, it is a shame that many premium features are missing despite the high price.

The device is available through the usual retail channels, such as for example Amazon with prices starting at around $1,050.

The Apple iPhone SE 2022 is merely a very gentle model update on the part of the manufacturer from California. The display only has a diagonal of 4.7 inches, but this contrasts with the old-fashioned display-surface ratio.

The Apple smartphone is powered by the fast A15 SoC, which is also used in the Pro models from 2021. Updates and a high system speed should thus be guaranteed for many years. The single camera looks a bit lonely on the back, but it still takes decent photos and can even record videos in Ultra HD with up to 60 FPS. 

In addition, Apple again gives its cheapest smartphone an IP certification, 5G with a broad frequency coverage, and Touch ID. Compromises only have to be made in terms of the refresh rate, the maximum storage size, and the flexibility of the camera system. 

The Google Pixel 6a is comparatively compact and has a 6.1-inch OLED display that only works with a refresh rate of 60 Hz. It is powered by the fast Tensor SoC, which is supported by 6 GB of working memory. 128 GB are available for the user’s own data.

The IP67 certification and the USB 3.2 port are also particularly positive. Unfortunately, the Pixel smartphone does not support wireless charging, and the charging speed is not particularly high when using a cord.