Best compact smartphones in the Philippines (Q3 2021)

If you're wondering if small phones still exist, well, they still do!

Small phones matter

Throughout the years, we've seen smartphones in different sizes. There was even a point where mobile tech companies get ahead of each other in releasing phones with large displays. Although we enjoy large-screen displays, we can't deny that it's nice to see a phone that is easy to hold even with one hand. 

As compact phones have become a rare sight, we've only included those with below 6.5-inch screen size. Read on.

List of the best compact smartphones in the Philippines (Q3 2021)

iPhone 12 mini

1. iPhone 12 mini - Just when we thought that Apple is done with their small iPhones, they surprise everyone with the 5.4-inch iPhone 12 Mini - the compact version of iPhone 12 without compromising any of its features. 

iPhone 12 mini is said to be the smallest and lightest 5G smartphone in the world. It has a 5.4-inch 1080 x 2340 Super Retina XDR OLED display with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. Inside, it is powered by the 5nm Apple A14 Bionic chip with a 6-core CPU, a new 4-core Apple GPU. For cameras, it goes with a 12MP f/1.6 main camera and 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide camera with an improved Night mode that now works even for the ultra-wide and selfie cam and the new Night timelapse. It also has an IP68 water resistance rating, MagSafe, and wireless charging.

The iPhone 12 mini is priced at PHP 43,990 (64GB), PHP 46,990 (128GB), and PHP 52,990 (256GB).

ASUS Zenfone 8

2. ASUS Zenfone 8 - With its compact build, you'd probably wonder how the 5.9-inch Asus Zenfone 8 has managed to squeeze its flagship specs despite its size.

The handset boasts a 5.9-inch Gorilla Glass Victus protected Super AMOLED 120Hz 1080p HDR10+ display, 2.84GHz 5nm Snapdragon 888 octa-core processor, Adreno 660 GPU, up to 16GB LPDDR5 RAM, up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage, and 4,000mAh battery with USB-C QC 4.0 and PD Charging at 30W. It also goes with a highly capable 64MP f/1.8 Sony IMX686 w/ PDAF, OIS + 12MP f/2.2 Sony IMX683 w/ Dual PD autofocus, 4cm macro + LED flash with 8K video recording at the back, and a 12MP Sony IMX663 w/ Dual PD autofocus in front. ASUS also equipped this device with IP68 water and dust resistance rating, stereo speakers, HiFi chip, Hi-Res audio.

The price of this handset starts at PHP 34,995 for the 8GB/128GB variant and PHP 39,995 for the 16GB/256GB.

OnePlus Nord 2

3. OnePlus Nord 2 - Even though slighter larger than others on the list, the 6.44-inch OnePlus Nord 2 is easy to navigate with one hand.

Officially announced last month, the OnePlus Nord 2 features 6.43-inch Fluid AMOLED Display with a 90Hz refresh rate, runs on a custom-developed MediaTek Dimensity 1200-AI octa-core processor with Mali-G77 MC9 GPU, 8GB/12GB RAM, with 128GB/256GB storage. It also has a 50MP Sony IMX766 AI Triple Camera with OIS, 32MP punch-hole selfie camera, a 4,500mAh battery with 65W Warp Charging, an In-Display fingerprint reader, and dual 5G SIM card slots.

The OnePlus Nord 2 is available for PHP 21,990 (8GB/128GB) and PHP 25,990 (12GB/256GB).

vivo V21 5G

4. vivo V21 5G - Further adding the list is the compact yet feature-packed 6.44-inch vivo V21 5G.

The vivo V21 5G is an attractive phone with a 6.44-inch 2.5D curved E3 AMOLED screen, FHD+ 2400 x 1080 resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and HDR10. It is powered by a 2.4GHz 7nm MediaTek Dimensity 800U octa-core processor with Mali-G57 MC3 GPU, 8GB LPDDR4X RAM, and 128GB UFS 2.1 expandable storage. It also has a 64MP f/1.89 w/ PDAF+OIS + 8MP f/2.2 120-degree ultra-wide-angle + 2MP f/2.4 macro + LED flash, and a notch for the 44MP f/2.0 w/ Eye AF, OIS, EIS, and 4K selfie video recording, 4,000mAh w/ USB-C 33W FlashCharge, In-Display fingerprint reader, and a built-in 5G modem.

This device is priced at PHP 23,999.

Huawei P40 5G

5. Huawei P40 - Small as it may be but the 6.1-inch Huawei P40 might surprise you with its powerful specs. 

The Huawei P40 features an IP53 rated 3D glass body with a 6.1-inch OLED screen, FHD+ resolution, and an improved In-Display fingerprint reader.

Inside, it sports a 7nm+ Kirin 990 5G octa-core processor with Mali-G76 MP16 GPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB expandable storage via NM card, and a 3,800mAh battery with USB-C 22.5W wired charging.

For cameras, it has the Leica triple-cam 50MP f/1.9 OIS Ultra Vision Wide camera + 16MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera + 8MP f/2.4 telephoto lens + PDAF, OIS, 3x optical zoom.

It also has a single 32MP f/2.2 selfie camera with an IR depth sensor and 4K video recording for selfies. It also has an advanced WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, dual-band GPS, NFC, and dual SIM with eSIM.

The Huawei P40 can be availed for the price of PHP 36,990.

Samsung Galaxy S21

6. Samsung Galaxy S21 - This device is the company's small high-end device this year featuring a 6.2-inch AMOLED panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate, 10MP punch-hole selfie cam with Dual Pixel AF, 2.9GHz 5nm EUV Exynos 2100 5G octa-core processor, 8GB RAM, up to 256GB storage, 4,000mAh battery, 25W charging, 12MP + 12MP + 64MP tele triple-cam, 5G, and Android 11 OS with One UI 3.1 skin.

It measures just 161.7 x 71.2 x 7.9 mm and weighs 172 grams. Originally, its 8GB/256GB variant is priced at PHP 49,990, but it can now avail for PHP 47,990.

And there you have it! These compact phones prove to us that size doesn't matter as long as it performs well and does its job. 

Let us know your thoughts, comment down below!