Best compact phones 2024 - buyer’s guide

Goodbye iPhone 13 mini, hello Moto! Yes, we have a clamshell foldable as our top pick in the Compact category for the first time, but it surely deserves it. The Motorola Razr 50 Ultra offers a ton of flagship features in its super compact body.

The Moto is without competition in its market segment when it comes to charging speed, its displays are likely the best in its class, and its speakers are better than most (foldables or otherwise). The software implementation on the cover screen is one 2x button in the camera UI short of perfection, and Hello UI is easy to like in its entirety as well.

Motorola is taking a bit of gamble with the camera setup - or is it a calculated strategy? Either way, we do like the main+tele combo, and if you're more into ultrawide shots, there's always the non-Ultra. In any case, this Razr does a solid job as a cameraphone.

All things considered, as small-size foldables go, the Motorola Razr 50 Ultra is quite the enticing proposition.

The Galaxy S24 offers a nice little incremental upgrade over its S23 predecessor without really innovating or breaking the mold in any major way. It is also one of the most compact Android flagships available and the small size didn't come at the cost of cut features.

The new, much brighter and a bit larger LTPO, 120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED 2X display is a great little step up from last year. The same goes for the new Armor Aluminum 2 frame, which is now complete with a matte finish. We also appreciate the slight bump in both battery capacity and actual battery endurance.

One UI 6.1 is also a nice incremental step up when it comes to general functionality, even if you ignore the major Galaxy AI injection, which, admittedly, is still an "acquired taste" for most users and will take some refinement and normalization before becoming an unquestionable and established value-add.

As for the whole chipset situation, we see how returning to a two-chip, segmented approach rubs many people the wrong way. We acknowledge that Samsung's own Exynos parts have a pretty bad reputation (deserved, at least in part). Still, from our first batch of testing, the Exynos 2400 variants of the Galaxy S24 and S24+, we can at least say that this year, the Exynos 2400 does seem pretty close in overall performance to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

Going into wishful thinking for a bit here, we would have loved to see the vanilla S24 join its bigger siblings and get 45W charging this year. Ultra Wide Band (UWB) would have been a nice extra too. And Samsung just needs to stop offering the UFS 3.1 128GB base storage variant. We get why it's there, but that doesn't mean we have to like it. The same goes for the 8-bit displays, by the way.

In keeping with tradition, the Galaxy S24 continues to be a mighty yet surprisingly compact package. It is one of the few small flagships left out there, and that alone will ensure its popularity with buyers. Also, as usual, it is the cheapest way to get into Samsung's latest flagship line and for better or worse, that appeals to a particular crowd.

The Pixel 9 Pro opens up a new niche for Google's hardware lineup - that of the compact flagship. We personally find that pretty exciting in itself. It also helps that the Pixel 9 Pro is a very well-rounded overall package. Its display, in particular, is excellent and near the top of our current charts when it comes to brightness. Build quality is solid; the same goes for audio and battery life.

The camera setup is identical to that of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is a formidable accomplishment in itself. We were especially bummed by the inconsistent video quality, which was soft and mushy in one scene and sharp and crispy in the next. And just because AI can enhance photos now, that doesn't mean it should be used as a replacement for having the most advanced camera hardware possible. Still, we'll go much easier on the 9 Pro in this respect because, in the context of compact flagship devices, the Pixel 9 Pro is much more competitive than the 9 Pro XL is in its own respective segment.

And yes, we'd agree the Pixel 9 Pro is mostly exciting as a vehicle for Google's AI pursuits - if you want to ride the generative AI wave, there's nothing better than the Pixel 9 series right now. But even if you don't care about all that, and you are just after a compact flagship device, the 9 Pro deserves to be on your shortlist, though perhaps just not as the sole entry.

The compact iPhone 16 Pro brings all the good things you'd expect from it. The premium build makes a strong first impression and if Apple's talk on materials is at least half true, it should be a long-lasting impression too. Improvements to battery life across the lineup didn't skip the 16 Pro and it's got pretty much the best endurance in this somewhat hypothetical small Pro class. Also Pro is its camera system, now upgraded with better reach on the telephoto end and a new ultrawide (that has its small missteps). The Camera Control is another potential plus for the right kind of user.

We are appreciating the increased screen size and thinned bezels, and the iPhone 16 Pro, while not the most lightweight among the compact phones, earns a well-deserved spot here.

Some of the Apple-specific downsides remain - the slow charging remains slow against direct rivals, not to mention comparing against the best in business. iOS is still fairly limiting, if you're coming from an Android, but that's not really an issue for long-time iPhone users, plus this year there are actual (and most welcome) improvements in customizeability.

In the end, the iPhone 16 Pro is shaping up to be the iPhone to get this year - the Max is too big, the others aren't Pro enough, the previous generation isn't cheaper enough, and finally – it has every feature the Max has.

The incredibly compact Sony Xperia 5 V is a minor update over the Xperia 5 IV - it brings a more powerful chipset, newer Gorilla Glass panels, and an improved main camera at the expense of the retired zoom one. Luckily, 2x zoom is still present, with excellent quality at that.

The Xperia 5 V can also be considered a cheaper alternative, and a more compact one, to the flagship Xperia 1 V with a larger 4K display and a proper telephoto with variable zoom.

The Xperia 5 V has one of the best designs on the market - it's a timeless classic with a lovely grip, an impressively compact form factor and a very secure grip. The all-round ingress protection is greatly appreciated, too.

Then there is the cutout-free OLED with excellent properties. Sony hasn't figured out the variable refresh rate just yet, but judging from the outstanding battery life, we think not many users will hold this against them. The latest Snapdragon chip and RAM will always come in handy, as well as the improved thermals. We like the new stereo speaker setup a lot. And the audio jack. And the microSD expansion.

Most importantly, the Xperia 5 V delivers on every camera promise. It snaps some of the best photos a smartphone can offer in both day and night conditions, across all cameras at that - primary, ultrawide, selfie. Furthermore, the 2x zoom turned out excellent for photos and good in videos, too. All of that – wrapped into this small compact body. Nice!

The Galaxy Z Flip6 is not a substantial upgrade over the previous generation - faced with limited opposition, Samsung is doing a bit of coasting with its foldables this year. That said, the Flip6 in particular does bring a few improvements that make it more competitive in a field where it doesn't necessarily need to compete harder. Alternatively, it could be argued that the Flip6 is only getting the bare minimum of updates to keep the flame goin.

We do appreciate the new camera - it's not the dramatic improvement we wished it would be (against our better judgment), but it does push the Flip's versatility up a bit. The increase in battery life is similarly not a gamechanger, but more is always welcome. But argubaly its key advantage remains One UI for all of its features and refinement. The close cooperation with Google on the AI stuff can be another selling point for the right buyer.

The Z Flip6's only glaring omission is a sensible charging solution - not only was it never fast, but it's not getting any faster either. The cover screen could be sexier and more useful like on some competitors, too. Overall, it is a great compact phone, one of the best, but maybe you should consider our top pick first, and the Z Flip 6 – second.

The Xiaomi 14 is a reasonably priced compact flagship phone. Overall, the handset is a capable mini flagship with plenty of big-screen features - a full stack of excellent cameras, LTPO OLED, fast charging, solid battery life and plenty of storage.

What we would like to see in the next version of the Xiaomi 14 is autofocus on the ultrawide camera, better selfie and better thermals during long and heavy workloads. We found the Xiaomi 14 to throttle significantly under load, which may ruin your gaming experience in some cases.

Still, the Xiaomi 14 is easy to recommend as it's perhaps the most capable compact Android flagship currently on the market.

Motorola has found a successful formula with some of its Edge devices for the last couple of years, and we believe that the Neos stand out even more as delivering great value. Strangely enough, only a few brands offer compact mid-range solutions, so the Edge 50 Neo finds a very tight but comfortable niche for itself. And this year's Edge 50 Neo is even better. Motorola has significantly reduced its size compared to its predecessor and has added some premium features and hardware.

The Neo's display is now a 6.4-inch LTPO OLED, gains MIL-STD-810H military standard, runs on a more powerful chipset, supports wireless charging and adds a 3x telephoto camera. Not to mention, the default storage variant stands at 256GB now.

Despite its size, the Edge 50 Neo is indeed well-equipped. You don't see many compact midrangers with a telephoto camera and wireless charging. The handset also offers a higher-end LTPO OLED panel, decently fast charging capabilities and long battery life. The design is ergonomically-sound and the finish is soft and grippy. It is a phone worth considerin.

If you live in India, this is an offer you must consider. Xiaomi put together a very competitive package for the Xiaomi 14 Civi, leaving little to complain about. The device has an excellent display, potent and versatile camera hardware, fast charging, class-leading performance and good-looking, compact and lightweight body.

It is one of the most compact and lightweight premium phones right now, with excellent screen, performance, fast charging and a versatile and reliable camera system.