Best compact smartphones of 2020

Technological progress does not stand still, and allows manufacturers to create more and more innovative and improved electronic devices. And phone models are completely replaced, their appearance is rapidly developing, and the internal filling becomes more nimble, and the amount of memory increases.

It's hard to believe that 20 years ago, cute, tiny and compact phones with a small black and white screen were in the top. Over time, the devices began to increase in size and functionality, turning into a smartphone. Many companies, competing with each other for the title of the best manufacturer, are trying to update and release a gadget with improved characteristics and functionality as quickly as possible.

Some are trying to reduce the cost of the device by releasing compact and budget devices, albeit with weak hardware and nondescript design for an inexperienced user. Nevertheless, the struggle for primacy and for an honorable place in the ranking of high-quality and top-end smartphones allows users not only to choose a flagship or a small smart one with a diagonal of up to 5 inches to their liking, but also to get a reliable, productive device at a reduced price.

This review is dedicated to the top ten compact smartphones of 2020, collected by the number of positive reviews from active users and high-tech fans.

The main trends of compact smartphones in 2020

If some 15-20 years ago, manufacturers fought to reduce the screen of a mobile phone and for a smooth, rounded design, now the displays are increasing and flattening. If earlier a device with a 5-inch display, occupying 60% of the front face area was something fantastic, now you will not surprise anyone with a screen that occupies almost 80%. Moreover, the developers are trying to turn the entire front panel into a screen, reducing the frame.

The increase in hardware performance is associated with an increase in camera resolution for professional shots, more demanding games and programs. Also, the power of the filling and the amount of memory is necessary for the uninterrupted operation of the operating system, which is relatively quickly updated.

A separate topic is the appearance of the case, although it was mentioned in the first paragraph, but it is worth adding a design change and fashion to a glass block with aluminum inserts. Despite the fact that only flagships could boast of such a luxurious and cool-to-touch body, now compact phones of the middle price segment can afford it.

An increase in the power of the filling for active games is more than an obvious expectation. Since you will not surprise anyone with a phone with the parameters of a stationary computer.

Durability and moisture protection of the device.A good smartphone is an expensive pleasure and it is highly undesirable to break it. Therefore, the developers are trying to protect the device in all possible ways: with an aluminum frame, tempered glass or oleophobic coating. Also, in many phones, all slots and carriages are embedded almost hermetically. This method of protection draws on high water resistance and shock resistance.

Hit parade of the best small devices of 2020 and their technical parameters

This top ten includes not only well-known brands, but also inexpensive new items, distinguished by a good combination of price, quality and power, according to users. Each model has its own advantages and minor flaws.

The main characteristics of these devices can be found in the table below:

Functions	Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini Prime	iPhone 8	Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact	ASUS ZenFone Go ZB452KG
OS	Android 5.1 Lollipop	iOS 11	Android 8.0 Oreo	Android 8.1 Oreo
Display	diagonal: 4.0, Resolution: 800 x 480	diagonal: 4.7, Resolution: 1334 x 750	diagonal: 4.6, Resolution: 1280 x 720	diagonal: 4.5, Resolution: 854 x 480
Materials	glass + plastic	glass + metal	Gorilla Glass 5 + metal	glass + plastic
Colour	white, black, gold	pink, white and black	black, blue, pink and silver	black, white, red, yellow, gold and silver
Camera	main - 5 Mpx, f / 2.2, frontal - 0.3 Mpx, f / 2.2	main - 12 Mpx, f / 1.8, frontal - 7 Mpx, f / 2.0	main - 19 Mpx, f / 2.0, frontal - 8 Mpx, f / 2.0	main - 5 Mpx, f / 2.0, frontal - 0.3 Mpx, f / 2.0
Video	1280? 720: 30 fps	3840 x 2160: 30 fps	3840 x 2160: 30 fps	2592 x 1944: 30 fps
CPU	MediaTek MT6737M - 4 core, 1.2 GHz	Huawei Kirin 970 - 8 core, 2.36 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 - 8 core, 2.45 GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 - 4 core, 1.2 GHz
Memory	RAM: 1 GB, ROM: 8 GB, SD: 128GB	RAM: 2 GB, ROM: 64 GB, SD: -	RAM: 4 GB, ROM: 32 GB, SD: 256GB	RAM: 1 GB, ROM: 8 GB, SD: 64GB
Connectors	USB Type C, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm	Apple Lightning, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm	USB Type C, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm	USB Type C, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm
SIM	dual SIM	dual SIM	mono SIM	dual SIM
Communication and Internet	2G, 3G, Bluetooth: 4.0	3G, 4G, Bluetooth: 5.0	3G, 4G, Bluetooth: 5.0	3G, Bluetooth: 4.0
Wi-Fi	802.11 ac	802.11 ac	802.11 ac	802.11 ac
Navigation	A-GPS, GPS, Glonass	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass	GPS, Glonass, Beidou	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Beidou
Radio	FM	not	FM	FM
Battery	1500 mAh	1821 mAh	2700 mAh Quick Charge 3.0	2070 mAh
Dimensions (mm)	63.1 x 121.6 x 10.8	67.3 x 138.4 x 7.3	65.0 x 129.0 x 9.3	66.7 x 136.5 x 11.2
Weight (g)	123	148	143	125
Average price rub / tenge	5 000 / 28 544	48 000 / 274 025	34 990 / 198 785	5 000 / 28 544

Functions	iPhone 7	iPhone SE 32GB	Alcatel 1	Digma LINX ATOM 3G
OS	iOS 12	iOS 12	Android 8.0 Oreo Go	Android 8.1
Display	diagonal: 4.7, Resolution: 1334 x 750	diagonal: 4.0, Resolution: 1136 × 640	diagonal: 5.0, Resolution: 960 × 480	diagonal: 4.0, Resolution: 800 × 480
Materials	metal + glass	metal + glass	plastic + glass	plastic + glass
Colour	black, obsidian, pink, gold and silver	pink, metallic, gold and black	the black	red, blue, gray, black and cyan
Camera	main: 12 Mpx, f / 1.8 front: 7 Mpx, f / 1.8	main: 12 Mpx, f / 2.2, front: 8 Mpx, f / 2.2	main: 5 Mpx, f / 2.0, frontal: 2 Mpx, f / 1.8	main: 2 Mpx, f / -, frontal: 1 Mpx, f / -
Video	3840 x 2160: 30 fps	3840 x 2160: 30 fps	1920 x1080: 30 fps 1280 x 720: 60 fps	1280 x 720: 30 fps
CPU	Apple A10 Fusion - 4 core, 2.34 GHz	Apple A9 - 2 core, 1.9 GHz	MediaTek MT6739 - 4 core, 1.3 GHz	Spreadtrum SC7731 - 4 core, 1.3 GHz
Memory	RAM: 2 GB, ROM: 32 GB, SD: -	RAM: 2 GB, ROM: 32 GB, SD: -	RAM: 1 GB, ROM: 8 GB, SD: 16 GB	RAM: 512 MB, ROM: 4 GB, SD: 32GB
Connectors	Apple Lightning, nanoSIM	Apple Lightning, nanoSIM	USB Type C, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm	USB Type C, nanoSIM, 3.5 mm
Communication and Internet	3G, 4G, Bluetooth: 4.2	3G, 4G, Bluetooth: 4.2	3G, 4G, Bluetooth: 4.2	2G, 3G, Bluetooth: 2.1
Wi-Fi	802.11 ac	802.11 ac	802.11 b / g / n	802.11n
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass	GPS, A-GPS, Glonass	GPS, A-GPS	GPS
Radio	FM	not	FM	FM
Battery	1960 mAh	2500 mAh	2000 mAh	1200 mAh
Dimensions (mm)	138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1	123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6	137.6 x 65.7 x 9.8	125.0 x 64.6 x 10.5
Weight (g)	138	113	134	129
Average price rub / tenge	35 000 / 199 810	20 990 / 119 248	4 000 / 22 724	3 000 / 17 043

Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini Prime

Inexpensive and very decent smartphone from the company - Samsung. The first thing that can be said is that manufacturers have learned how to create decent models of the budget segment.

The rectangular case with rounded edges has a range of colors to choose from: black, white, and gold. The screen is 4 inches, covered with a protective glass. Small frames on the side.

The hardware in general is the most common, it works on the basis of a 4-core processor - MediaTek MT6737M and 1 GB of RAM. Camera - 5 and 0.3 Mpx, pulls for good pictures. The interface is friendly, the icons are standard with no frills.

• Good camera with optical zoom;
• Average performance processor;
• Nice design and color palette.

• No pleasant feeling in the hand;
• Marked case;
• Weak battery.

iPhone 8

The body of this model is protected from moisture and dust, thanks to tempered glass and clearly cut connectors. Display - 4.7 inches with IPS matrix, covers about 85% of the front panel of the device. Alas, the side frames are thick. A useful function is supported - Always On Display, which allows you to display the necessary information on an inactive screen.

Apple runs on a modern processor - Apple A11 Bionic, which allows you to continuously play the latest in the gaming industry.The battery, with a capacity of 1821 mAh, with a fast charging function, saves a lot of time. And it holds about 12 hours.

The camera is the highlight of this flagship. As mentioned above, the device has built-in camera modules - 12 and 7 Mpx. With a good depth of field and optical focus, it creates not just professional images, but very high quality with accurate detail. Pictures look alive and voluminous at any time of the day. Examples of photos can be found below.

How to take pictures during the day:

How to photograph at night:

• Stylish smartphone;
• Modern processor;
• Nice camera;
• Great focusing.

• Non-removable battery;
• Lack of SD slot.

Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

A smartphone with a 4.6-inch screen and a resolution of 1280 x 720, a decent front-facing camera and a powerful eight-core processor. Available in four colors to choose from: blue, white, pink and black. The front panel is covered with a special tempered glass Gorilla Glass 5, while the side edges and back are made of metal.

The penultimate generation Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with built-in parallelization and overclocking, which is good for demanding games. Therefore, the device satisfies the criteria for choosing gamers and fans of various weighty applications well.

The camera is one of the useful features of this device, in addition to the main one - 19 Mpx and with optical stabilization, a decent front camera with a cool portrait function is built in.

• Selfie camera;
• Modern processor;
• Colorful screen;
• Color selection;
• Stylish design.

• Overpriced price tag;
• Weak battery;
• Combined memory card and sim card.

ASUS ZenFone Go ZB452KG

Before deciding which budget smartphone is better to buy, you should pay attention to ASUS ZenFone Go. On the one hand, it is an unremarkable and inexpensive phone, on the other hand, it has a good design and fairly good characteristics and a rich palette of bright colors: black, white, red, yellow, gold and silver.

The set of the device is quite simple. The block is packed in a tight box with a logo. Further, it comes with: good headphones, a key clip, a user manual, a usb cable, cord length - 1.5 meters, along with a charger.

The appearance is quite simple and without any special frills. The monoblock is made of durable plastic, matte and pleasant to the touch. The screen is covered with a glossy protective glass. The edges of the device are smoothed out, and there are no rough roughness, as is typical for inexpensive Chinese models. The unlock button is in its usual place, so users of older models will not need to get used to it.

The 4.5-inch screen occupies about 80% of the front panel of the phone. The side frames are slightly narrowed. Built-in Tianma IPS-matrix with extension - FHD +. The color scheme is quite pleasant and varied, from bright and juicy tones to the right balance of yellow and blue shades.

The uninterrupted operation of the device is provided by the processor - Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 and RAM - 1 GB. Almost all games run at medium settings and the device does not lag.

The camera is the most common, nevertheless it takes good pictures, maintains the color balance, the photo modules have decent optical stabilization. The battery is quite capacious - 2070 mAp.

• Acceptable price;
• Nice camera;
• Capacious battery.

• It is difficult to transfer many programs and applications to external storage.

iPhone 7

According to users, the model came out really worthwhile. The developers really tried to introduce new functions, not removing, but even improving, the old ones. The first thing worth noting is the six-lens photo module of the rear camera, and a powerful optical stabilizer is built into it, thanks to which there is no need to fear for a trembling hand during shooting. The pictures are clear and with good sharpness.

The second update is a powerful speaker, now the sound quality will be much cleaner and more spacious, like high-quality stereo speakers.

The 4.7-inch display takes up about 75% of the front panel. Also protective glass - Gorilla Glass, increases the degree of protection against moisture and shock resistance to IP67.

Iron and autonomy are not weak. A powerful new generation processor - a 4-core Apple A10 Fusion and a considerable amount of permanent memory - 64 GB, RAM - 4 GB. A non-removable battery with a capacity of 1980 mAh will allow the device to work autonomously at medium loads for about 12 hours.

• Rear camera six-element lens;
• Optical stabilization;
• Good performance;
• High level of moisture protection;
• Protective glass of the penultimate generation.

• Non-removable battery;
• No SD card connection option;
• No radio.

iPhone SE 32GB

A budget model with good external and internal performance for connoisseurs of Apple products. Outwardly - a standard iPhone, but differs from other models in a variety of color palette: pink, silver, gold, white and black.

The monoblock is made with high quality, without any joints. The model is quite small and fits easily into a pocket. Standard design, not very remarkable. Iron - Medium: 2-core Apple A9 and 2GB of RAM. The camera is simple - 12 and 8 Mpx, although the pictures are still great.

The screen is 4 inches, with a weak enough resolution and large side inserts. Weak lithium battery - 2500 mAh. How much does such an iPhone model cost? Its average cost is 20,990 rubles.

• Manufacturers keep the quality bar;
• Rich color palette;
• Nice camera;
• Nice appearance.

• Weak battery;
• Unusual cable and headphone jacks;
• Wide side frames.

Alcatel 1

 Nice and decent budget smartphone model. Lightweight and slim body, compact size. Rectangular block with rounded edges, smooth and pleasant to the touch.

The screen is normal and without any special additions. Diagonal - 5 inches and resolution - 960 × 480. Covered with protective glass and a special coating that protects against dust and dirt.

The hardware is simple, the smartphone is powered by a MediaTek MT6739 processor, 4-core and 1 GB of RAM. Of course, most modern games and applications will not work, but they will provide uninterrupted operation. The camera is simple, if there is no special requirement for professional photos, then it is quite suitable.

• Appearance;
• Price;
• High-quality display;
• Nice camera.

• Weak iron.

Digma LINX ATOM 3G

Super budget model from Chinese manufacturers. Despite its weak characteristics and low cost, the candy bar has its advantages. One of them is a well-made case. Smooth plastic and protective glass.

Weak display, but with an IPS-matrix. Maybe it conveys not such rich and bright colors, but their palette is quite diverse. Another advantage is the presence of two SIM cards and clear sound.

The hardware and the camera are rather weak. The Spreadtrum SC7731 processor and 512 MB of RAM will not support new games, but Android 8.1 and its components will be able to provide smooth operation. In general, the phone is suitable for those who use it primarily for online communication, checking mail and making calls.

• Low price;
• Not a bad characteristic;
• Good quality;
• Support for two sim cards.

• Iron performance;
• Weak camera;
• Dim screen.

Tips for choosing a phone

Before choosing a model that suits you and not making a mistake, you must take into account several points:

• There is no need to rush to the number of megapixels of the camera, its resolution and other advertised characteristics. In photography, stabilization, minimum angle of view and depth of field play an important role.
• The same is true for the processor. Clock speed and bit depth are good, but it's also important to consider its generation, graphics chip and the amount of RAM.
• It is best to purchase a modern gadget, since technologies change quickly and new items appear every six months and updates are written for them.
• It is better to see the device live, “climb in it” and touch it. Despite the fact that many people buy smartphones in online stores, because this is a place where it is quite profitable to buy goods, it is still worth testing the device in the store before ordering.

This concludes the review smoothly. The article listed the best compact smartphone models of 2020, compiled by the number of positive comments from active users. Now everyone will be able to choose a model for themselves according to need and financial capabilities. The necessary advice was also given before purchasing the device.

There are many brands and models of smartphones at the moment and the market is quite diverse. Therefore, before buying, it is best to look at additional reviews, and which company is best to purchase a model, everyone decides for himself.