compact phones are better than large smartphones

Our editors share a lot in common: a heightened interest in Android and a great need to race their fingers across keyboards. But, that doesn’t mean they always agree. In AW Discussion Thursday we put each other to the test with a statement every week. Last week we discussed cycling and apps at the same time, this week we’re taking it a little easier: compact phones, or rather a larger screen?

Compact device

Jelle: It’s a pleasure to be able to operate your smartphone with one hand, isn’t it? You can reach everything, no more strained thumb, more comfortable in your pocket and less likely to fall.

Laura: Sure, although there are also options to operate your large screen with one hand, don’t you like that?

Jelle: No, I really often don’t like those options three times.

Laura: Why?

Jelle: In my opinion, it just doesn’t work well and a really good optimization is often hard to find and your smartphone remains one big whopper.

Laura: But yes, if you want to watch Netflix, you have little screen, or such a crazy long screen with thick black bars …

Claudia: Small screens are a thing of the past, give me a big screen for gaming and multitasking.

Jelle: Little screen? Ideally, a smartphone of 6 is at most 6.2″. Format of the Galaxy S23 or Pixel 6a, for example. Still a nice compromise between compact, but still large enough.

Laura: When I review a compact phone I think: ooh how nice and nice, but as soon as I start apping I think: oh yes, I’m the GVR. Do you have such pointy fingers that you can WhatsApp well, or do you do that in horizontal mode?

Jelle: You can also have black bars on large smartphones, the aspect ratio is not the size. Whether I type on a compact or larger smartphone, the experience remains the same as far as I’m concerned.

Samsung Galaxy S23.

Different time frame

Jelle: But unfortunately the demand for compact smartphones has collapsed quite a bit. The image of the times has changed and of course technology nowadays also allows large smartphones to be kept relatively handy.

Laura: But is it really mainly about using one hand? Or do you also like that it has a longer battery life, for example?

Jelle: One hand is really a pleasure, battery does not necessarily have to be bad. Just look at the Zenfone 9.

Claudia: For me a smartphone is an entertainment device so I don’t want to stare at a 6 inch small screen.

Jelle: Seb in his review: the battery life is a feast.

Claudia: Yes, but not every compact device has a good battery life.

Jelle: True, but not all large smartphones have a good battery life. Depends largely on the processor, software and optimization of the manufacturer.

Claudia: I don’t really have a good reason, I just prefer big screens.

Jelle: Many of Samsung’s Ultra models weren’t great in terms of battery life either, thanks Exynos. Well, I can imagine that there is less screen to illuminate and therefore should in principle be a better battery life, but yes they are indeed small again. But do you think there should be more compact smartphones on the market? Do you understand my tiny hands and screwed up thumb?

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The choice is… huge?

Claudia: More choice is always better. There are many people who would like a small smartphone.

Jelle: I also hope for more choice, although it is difficult because screen manufacturers of course produce more large screens because the demand for this is much higher. Now you have the S23, Pixel 6a and 7a, Sony Xperia 10 V, Xperia 5 IV and probably the ASUS Zenfone 10. The choice is not huge, but the current smartphones are.

Laura: I can imagine it, but it just seems so non-entertainment friendly. Or game-friendly, as our gamer Claudia likes to see. Anyway, for them there is indeed a great device.

Claudia: If there is no demand, manufacturers will not reserve a production line for it, I think. And there are quite a lot of phones under 6.2 inches.

Jelle: No, that’s why there is so little choice. And there was some initiative, but it was often not enough. Of course, Apple also stopped it. See list above Claudia (not a lot; )

Claudia: For really small phones you have to go to Apple. Then straight on to Hans Anders.

Laura: From which brand would you prefer to see a killer compact phone and what should it have?

ASUS Zenfone

Jelle: I find the ASUS Zenfone almost ideal. They can also really distinguish themselves from the masses and larger manufacturers, they do well. The only thing ASUS does really dramatically, but really dramatically, is the update policy. Two years of upgrades and updates is pretty lousy anyway

Claudia: They have a compact phone and a compact update policy.

Jelle: It will probably be one year more, but still quite mediocre.

Laura: Yes but yes, everything is of course smaller with such a small device, so also the duration of the updates.

Jelle: We can say that they implement their USP well.

Claudia: So we want more compact phones with high-end specs so that there is more choice?

Jelle: The choice is not huge, the smartphones of today are huge, I want a more compact choice.

Claudia: Fine, as long as I can walk around with a big phone.

Jelle: Write that on a tile. And you can reimburse the costs of a thumb brace later.

What do you prefer? Nice and small and compact or rather a bit bigger? Leave it now in the comments to this DiscussionThursday.