For those with little fingers, Naijaknowhow device specialists have carefully compiled a list of the best compact smartphones to buy.
Smartphones manufacturers are already shifting to producing smartphones with smaller bezels and large displays, this doesn’t mean the demand for compact and handy phones have dropped. In fact, Samsung announced its latest flagship device with three models — Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 + and the Galaxy S10e which is the compact smartphone in this category.
The truth is phone OEMs haven’t abandoned those with small hands. Devices are not as wide any more thanks to longer aspect ratios. That is why there are enough brands where you can find a handy mobile phone. These devices you are about to view are some of the best ones around.
You will find compact smartphones from Samsung, Huawei and of course Apple. You will also find compact phones here in all sorts of price ranges, from real budget toppers to handy high-end smartphones. They are quite handy with a premium build quality with amazing features.
Let’s delve right into it!
Top 10 Best Compact Smartphones 2019 (Handy / Small Display Phones Under 6 Inches)
1. Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact (5.0″ display)
Sony Xperia compact smartphone: power and size in one hand
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact is a small smartphone, where it is also the first mobile phone in the world with a 5-inch screen with an 18:9 ratio. That makes the device even more compact and relatively narrow. The screen edges on the side are also minimal, making it easy to use the device with one hand.
In addition, they opted for extremely powerful hardware, in the form of the Snapdragon 845 chipset, 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. You can take photos with the good 19-megapixel camera and the device is also completely dust and waterproof. This small powerhouse is finished with a frosted glass housing, but no longer offers a 3.5 mm port. You can listen to music wirelessly via Bluetooth or via headphones with a USB C connection!
Here are the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen, 1080 X 2160 pixels |
OS | Android 8.0 Oreo |
Processor | Octa-core 2.7GHz Qualcomm Processor |
Storage | 64GB ROM + 4GB RAM (MicroSD card up to 400GB) |
Camera | 19MP Rear/5MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 2870mAh |
Price | N240,000 – N250,000 |
2. Samsung Galaxy S10e (5.8″ display)
Samsung compact smartphone: Powerful hardware in a compact package
For the first time, Samsung presented a ‘lighter’ variant when launching a Galaxy S line: the Samsung Galaxy S10e. This variant has the same hardware as its larger brothers but is packaged in a slimmer jacket.
The device has a razor-sharp Dynamic AMOLED display with a size of 5.8 inches. Thanks to the ultra-thin screen edges and the so-called ‘punch-hole’, the entire housing can remain very slim so you can easily operate the S10e with one hand! Furthermore, the device has fast hardware, good battery life and cameras with which you can shoot beautiful photos and videos!
Here are the Samsung Galaxy S10e key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.8 inches Dynamic AMOLED capacitive touchscreen (1080 x 2280 pixels) (438 ppi) |
OS | Android 9.0 Pie (One UI) |
Processor | Exynos 9820 / Snapdragon 855 chipset |
Storage | 6GB/128GB, 8GB/256GB (expanded with a memory card of up to 512GB) |
Camera | 12MP + 16MP Rear/10MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 3100mAh |
Price | Starts $749 (around ₦270,000 naira) |
3. Apple iPhone 8 (4.7″ display)
Apple compact smartphone: compact iPhone from 2017
The Apple iPhone 8 has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display. That is large enough to enjoy photos, videos and apps, without the device feeling clumsy. The screen edges are thin so that the iPhone 8 fits nicely in your hand and easily fits in your pocket. The Retina display combines a beautiful colour reproduction with a high resolution so that everything is displayed beautifully.
In addition, you can enjoy absolute top performance despite the compact size. Think of Apple’s built-in A11 chipset and the high-quality 12-megapixel camera with which you can capture all your favourite moments. Add that all together, and you can only conclude that the iPhone 8 is a real hit among the compact smartphones!
Here are the iPhone 8 key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 4.7-inch LCD-display, 1334 × 750 pixels |
OS | iOS 11 |
Processor | 6-core A11 |
Storage | 2GB RAM + 64GB / 128GB ROM |
Camera | 12MP Rear/7MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 1900mAh |
Price | ₦190,000 – ₦200,000 |
4. Apple iPhone SE (4.0″ display)
Apple iPhone SE: economical iPhone with a small screen
The Apple iPhone SE was a welcome addition to the existing iPhone line at its launch in 2016. This device is very small; The display is only 4 inches tall! This is probably one of the smallest smartphones of the moment. This also means that the iPhone SE is easy to use with one hand.
In addition, this small iPhone is of course equipped with all the conveniences Apple is known for. The phone runs on iOS, the operating system of Apple known for its clarity. The iPhone SE has, just like the iPhone 6S, an Apple A9 chipset and works fast. You can also take very nice photos with the 12-megapixel main camera and the 1.2-megapixel selfie camera. The SE is equipped with Touch ID – a fingerprint sensor that you can use to secure your device. Also not unimportant: the iPhone SE has a battery life thanks to its economical processor. And, to top it off, the iPhone SE naturally looks beautiful again.
Here are the iPhone SE key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 4.0 inch ips LCD touchscreen display, 1136×640 pixels |
OS | iOS 12 |
Processor | dual-core A9 |
Storage | 2GB RAM + 32GB ROM |
Camera | 12MP Rear/1.2MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 1624mAh |
Price | ₦50,000 – ₦80,000 (Refurbished) |
5. Huawei P20 Lite (5.84″ display)
Huawei compact smartphone: Large screen with minimal screen edges
The Huawei P20 Lite is a perfect example of a compact device. This phone namely comes with a large 5.84-inch display with minimal screen edges. Thanks to the 19: 9 aspect ratio, the screen is quite large, while the device remains relatively narrow. This makes the P20 Lite easy to use with one hand, very handy!
The device also has a good processor from its own stable that offers enough computing power to run everyday applications without problems. With the double camera on the back, you can shoot beautiful portrait photos, where you play with the sharpness depth. Moreover, this device comes with a 3000mAh battery, which you can fully recharge within an hour thanks to Huawei Super Charge!
Here are the Huawei P20 Lite key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.84-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen, 1080 X 2280 pixels |
OS | Android 8.0 Oreo |
Processor | Octa-core 2.36GHz Kirin Processor |
Storage | 32GB / 64GB / 128GB ROM + 4GB RAM (MicroSD card up to 256GB) |
Camera | 16MP + 2MP Rear/16MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 3,000mAh |
Price | N99,000 |
6. Apple iPhone XS (5.8″ display)
Apple compact phone: impressive borderless design
Apple brought a very impressive device to the high-end segment with the iPhone XS. With this iPhone XS, we see almost no screen edges anymore, only a recess can be found at the top for the speaker, the front camera and some sensors. Due to the absence of other screen edges, this device also has an impressive screen-to-body ratio of 82 percent!
This device is even handy with a 5.8-inch display! Of course, this smartphone has very good specifications. The Apple A12 Bionic chipset provides a lot of computing power, thanks to the dual camera you can shoot beautiful portrait photos and with FaceID you can unlock your device easily and safely!
Here are the Apple iPhone XS key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.8 inches, 1125 x 2436 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~458 ppi density) |
OS | IOS 12 |
Processor | Hexa Core A12 Chipset Bionic |
Storage | 64/256/512GB Built-in + 4GB RAM |
Camera | 12MP + 12MP Rear / 7MP Front (With Rear quad LED light) |
Battery | Li-ion Non removable |
Price | Starts US $999 (around N365,000 naira) |
7. Samsung Galaxy S9 (5.8″ display)
Samsung Galaxy S9: high-end hardware in a compact case
On the outside, not much changed with the Samsung Galaxy S9 compared to its predecessor, the S8. The device still has the beautiful Infinity Display with 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The device also still has a nice compact design which makes it very comfortable to hold.
A welcome change is that Samsung has placed the fingerprint scanner under the camera. In terms of hardware, we see progress! The S9 is powered by the Exynos 9810 and is super fast! There is also a new camera. This has a variable aperture and delivers even better places in every light condition.
Here are the Galaxy S9 key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.8-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1440 x 2960 pixels |
OS | Android 8.0 Oreo |
Processor | Octa-core 2.8GHz Qualcomm Processor / Octa-core 2.7GHz Exynos 9810 |
Storage | 64GB / 128GB / 256GB ROM + 4GB RAM (MicroSD card up to 512GB) |
Camera | 12MP Rear/8MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 3000mAh |
Price | N270,000 – N290,000 |
8. LG Q7 (5.5″ display)
LG compact smartphone: a competitive price and a handy design
Do you not need the fastest hardware and the latest technological gadgets, but do you want your device to be easily operated with one hand? Then you are in the right place with this LG Q7. This smartphone delivers everything you need in a stylish and compact package for a great price!
The device has a 5.5-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and small screen edges. This makes the device nicely narrow and therefore light in the hand. What is very special in this price range is the IP68 certification. This makes the device very water resistant! Furthermore, conveniences such as a fingerprint scanner and of course a set of good cameras are just present!
Here are the LG Q7 key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.5-inch IPS capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2160 pixels |
OS | Android 8.1 Oreo |
Processor | Octa-core 1.5GHz MediaTek Processor |
Storage | 32GB ROM + 3GB RAM (MicroSD card up to 400GB) |
Camera | 13MP Rear/8MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 3,000mAh |
Price | N140,000 – N145,000 |
9. Nokia 8 Sirocco (5.5″ display)
Nokia compact phone: Limited Edition powerhouse in a premium jacket
The Nokia 8 Sirocco Limited Edition is a combination of beauty and brains. The housing consists of a rounded glass plate both at the front and at the rear. At the front, we see a 5.5-inch display with a very high QuadHD resolution, while on the back two cameras can be found. This is one of the best compact smartphones this year.
Under the hood, we find a fast Snapdragon 835 processor, a lot of working memory and a large battery that can be charged wirelessly. The whole thing runs on Android One, which stands for 100% security, the pure Android experience and quick updates!
Here are the Nokia 8 Sirocco Limited Edition key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.5-inch QuadHD capacitive touchscreen, 2560×1440 pixels |
OS | Android 9.0 (Android One) |
Processor | Octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor |
Storage | 128GB ROM + 6GB RAM |
Camera | 13MP Rear/5MP Front (With LED light) |
Battery | 3,250mAh |
Price | Starts from N220,000 |
10. Google Pixel 3 (5.5″ display)
Google compact smartphone: True powerhouse in a compact jacket
In the fall of 2018, Google presented the new Pixel 3 family, with the entry-level model of this Google Pixel 3. This Android smartphone has a 5.5-inch display with a fairly large screen border above and below. Yet this Pixel 3 is a lot more compact compared to other high-end smartphones!
There is a single camera on the back, but thanks to smart software from Google the results always look very good. This device is equipped with a pure Android experience and high-end hardware. In addition, you can choose from a white, black and sand-coloured variant.
Here are the Google Pixel 3 key specifications…
KEY SPECS | |
Display | 5.5-inch AMOLED capacitive touchscreen 2280×1080 pixels |
OS | Android 9.0 (Pie) |
Processor | Snapdragon 845 2.8GHz octa-core |
Storage | 64GB ROM + 4GB RAM |
Camera | 12.2MP Rear / 8MP Front |
Battery | 2915mAh |
Price | Between N300,000 to N320,000 naira |
In conclusion:
I’m sure you are satisfied with our list top compact smartphones with small and handy design under 6 inches. We welcome your comments, questions, corrections and additional information relating to this article.
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