The best 4 inch smartphone. The best compact smartphones according to customer reviews

The race of smartphone sizes, which has been going on for many years, continues today. Recently, the demand for gadgets with screen sizes larger than 5 inches has increased significantly, and in connection with this, each manufacturer is trying to please its fans not only with good functionality, but also with their impressive size. However, there are still lovers of medium-sized cellular gadgets, and it is for such readers that we have compiled a rating of the best 4.5-inch smartphones, to make it easier for you in 2018-2019 based on your preferences and financial capabilities. And before you make your choice, you should know that smartphones with a 4.5-inch screen are still “bestsellers” of past seasons, so their arsenal will not have the most powerful batteries, cool cameras, good RAM and a high-quality screen. quality. Our top includes exactly the best of them in terms of characteristics, reasonable price and customer reviews, which we will be happy to present to you.

Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) SM-J120F/DS

The best 4.5-inch smartphone in our rating is based on the reviews of its owners; it is another masterpiece of the world famous company Samsung. Today's popular smartphone has a modern hardware platform that meets high performance requirements. The engineering core of the device includes a high-quality AMOLED display with an image density of 207 pixels per inch and a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels. The heart of the machine is a powerful Exynos 3475 processor whose 4 cores quickly reach a frequency of 1300 MHz. The Mali T720 coprocessor is responsible for displaying graphics.

A gigabyte of RAM and 8 gigabytes of built-in memory are enough for the smooth operation of standard applications. And if the internal data storage is not enough for someone, then thanks to the support of external memory cards it can be increased to 128 GB. The Samsung smartphone uses the GLONASS and GPS orientation systems, which allow you to use the device as a navigator. Users can connect to the Internet using the 3G or 4G protocol, which makes it possible to use video telephony programs thanks to the front 2 MP camera. In turn, a rear camera with 5 million pixels complemented by a flash will allow you to capture interesting events in a person’s life. This is a good phone in all respects and has taken its rightful place in our TOP.

Huawei Y3 II

A good smartphone with a small screen fits comfortably even in a child’s hand. The device operates on the popular Android 5.1 OS. The model has 2 slots for SIM cards, which are used alternately. The smartphone display size is 4.5 inches and displays an image with a resolution of 854×480 pixels. The hardware of the device is based on a quad-core MediaTek MT6582M chipset, 1300 MHz and a Mali-400 MP2 video accelerator. The device has 8 GB internal storage and 1 GB RAM. The multimedia capabilities of the best mobile phone in its price category are represented by 2 good cameras - a main 5 megapixel complemented by an LED-based flash and a front 2 megapixel for communicating on Skype. A smartphone with a large battery with a capacity of 2100 mAh shows good battery life. Overall, this is a reliable smartphone with excellent performance and dual SIM cards that allow you to use different operators simultaneously.

Highscreen Easy F

This is the most budget smartphone with the weakest performance indicators in our rating, but this is fully justified by its cost and positive reviews. The Highscreen Easy F model, developed on the basis of Android 5.1 OS and not overloaded with pre-installed programs, is simple and intuitive to use, which is fully confirmed by user reviews on thematic forums. A good, inexpensive smartphone has 2 SIM card slots and a 4.5-inch screen. The picture displayed on the screen is quite clear and has a resolution of 854 by 480 pixels. If it’s difficult for you to figure out which smartphone to buy, then you should pay special attention to the Easy F, the hardware of which includes a 4-core MediaTek MT6580 chipset that easily reaches a frequency of 1300 MHz. The Mali-400 MP2 coprocessor is responsible for displaying graphics.

The size of the gadget's internal information storage is 4 GB, but due to the built-in slot for external drives it increases to 32 GB. Although the RAM is not impressive with its performance of 512 MB, it copes well with the functions assigned to it. One of the best budget devices in our rating has a 2 MP camera and LED flash. A good touch phone also has a front camera with a resolution of 0.3 megapixels, which is barely enough to make video calls. Continuing the review of the smartphone, it is worth noting that it supports 3G networks and has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules. The built-in 1700 mAh Li-polymer battery is enough for active use throughout the day.

ASUS ZenFone Go ZB450KL

4.5-inch smartphones from ASUS are powerful devices that open up unlimited possibilities for Internet surfing. Thanks to the Wi-Fi and LTE module, you can easily connect to high-speed Internet to install a new game or program. A chipset with four Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 MSM8916 cores, 1200 MHz, 1 GB of RAM and a good Adreno 306 video accelerator make the smartphone functional and productive for its price. A budget smartphone with a good 8 million pixel camera is suitable for fans of group photos. The model has two slots for SIM cards, which is convenient for using the services of different mobile operators. Thanks to a battery with a capacity of 2070 mAh, the gadget works quite well without recharging, which allows us to classify it as one of the best devices in our TOP.

Prestigio Wize L3


A nice and well-built smartphone with a small screen is the Prestigio Wize L3, which is worthily placed in the middle of our rating. A fast 4-core chipset with a frequency of 1.3 GHz is responsible for the performance of the model. It has 512 MB of RAM and 4 gigabytes of built-in memory, which can easily be increased by using an additional slot for external drives with a maximum capacity of 32 GB. The gadget's display has a small diagonal of 4 inches and a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels, which is the standard for models in this price category. This is a worthwhile cell phone with a good 5 megapixel camera, which is enough for high-quality photographs or recording videos. The additional camera can hardly be called good, since its matrix is ​​only 0.3 megapixels, although it is enough for video communication. The smartphone battery also cannot boast of a large capacity, which is 1450 mAh. The gadget runs Android 5.1, a review of which on various forums confirms its stability and reliability. When figuring out which budget smartphone to buy, you should pay attention to the model from Prestigio.

Digma Vox G450 3G


Continuing our review of the best 4.5-inch smartphones, it’s worth taking a closer look at the DIGMA G450. A smartphone with a good battery has a capacity of 2800 mAh, with which you can talk on the phone for hours or browse the social pages of your friends. During a continuous conversation, the gadget works for 14 hours without recharging. A high-quality IPS display measuring 4.5 inches diagonally provides high-contrast images. The smartphone runs on Android 5.1 and has access to a store of games and applications for every taste. Even the absence of an Internet connection will not let the user of the gadget get bored, since the internal storage of 8 GB of information, which can easily be expanded with external drives up to 32 GB, can accommodate a lot of music, games and video files. And thanks to the excellent 5-megapixel camera located on the rear panel, you can take high-quality pictures. In general, the gadget is ideal for entertainment lovers.

Fly FS454 Nimbus 8


A good phone from FLY perfectly combines low cost, average functionality and practicality in use. Due to the intuitive interface and correct placement of buttons, operating the device is very convenient. The popular Android 6.0 OS ensures stable operation of the device, providing access to useful functions and applications. The best smartphone with good sound has a good speaker and stylish appearance with a reliable design. Good performance of the model is ensured by a quad-core MediaTek MT6580M processor, 1300 MHz and 512 MB RAM. A smartphone with a good 5 MP camera is capable of taking excellent photographs, just like for a budget employee. The device has an internal storage of 4 GB, expandable via external cards up to 32 GB and supports two SIM cards. Anyone can buy this device, which costs around 3,000 rubles.

[Total votes: 46 Average: 2.9/5]

In 2016, the trend toward larger smartphone screens reached its peak. If five years ago a 4.5-inch screen seemed quite large to many, today models with this display resolution are classified as compact devices, and the most popular smartphones on the market are smartphones with a screen diagonal of 5 to 5.5 inches. At the same time, even a 6-inch display will not surprise anyone. But for many people, the key factor when choosing is the minimum dimensions of the device. Objectively, the minimum screen size at which you can comfortably enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone is 4 inches. Some of the most interesting 4-inch smartphones on the market are, of course, devices from Apple - iPhone SE and iPhone 5S. But these phones are quite expensive, and besides, Apple’s IOS operating system is not suitable for everyone, but Android is a much more universal OS. This is where we will look today at the 5 most interesting offers with a price of no more than $100, compare their characteristics and choose the best model.

Optimal requirements for comfortable smartphone operation

For the smartphones we select, we set several conditions: in addition to a purely 4-inch screen, the device must have at least 1 GB of RAM and at least 8 GB of built-in memory - the necessary minimum for comfortable operation of a smartphone. Another criterion is the main camera, it must have at least a 5 megapixel module and a flash.
There weren’t that many models on the market that met all our requirements; even if we raise the price level to $150, the choice is still great. But we still stick to the maximum of $100.

Archos 40 Helium

  • Display resolution: 800×480 pixels, 233 ppi
  • RAM capacity/ built-in: 1 GB / 8 GB
  • CPU: 4-core Spreadtrum SC9830, 1.5 GHz
  • 5.0 MP / 2 MP
  • Dimensions (HxWxD) / weight: 125.5×65.5×11.6 mm / 110 grams
  • 1500 mAh

The Archos 40 Helium smartphone supports two SIM cards. The operating system of the device is Android 5.1. The device's display has fairly good viewing angles, but it clearly lacks brightness reserves. The sound from the speakers is of very decent quality, but its volume is not above average. The cameras are quite passable for such a device, but we note that the autofocus declared by the manufacturer was not found in the main camera. The advantages of the smartphone also include support for 4G networks and good performance. The main AnTuTu test rated the device at 26631 points.

Video review of the Archos 40 Helium smartphone from MobilMarket.ru
This is the cheapest smartphone in our selection; the average price of Archos 40 Helium today is about $58.

Lenovo A1000

  • Display resolution: 800×480 pixels, 233 ppi
  • RAM capacity/ built-in: 1 GB / 8 GB
  • CPU: 4-core Spreadtrum SC7731, 1.3 GHz
  • Main/front camera: 5.0 MP / 0.3 MP
  • Dimensions (HxWxD) / weight: 124.5x64x10.6 mm / 132 grams
  • Battery capacity: 2000 mAh

Lenovo A1000 is a fairly popular smartphone in the CIS markets. The device is dual-SIM and runs on Android 5.0 OS. The smartphone screen is perhaps its weakest link: the picture is frankly weak, there is little brightness reserve, and color inversion occurs even at minimal viewing angles. The cameras also cannot boast of quality: we didn’t expect anything from the front 0.3 megapixel camera, and the main camera could at least produce average photo quality, but no. The pictures are extremely weak, and also have a very blue tint. Only with very good lighting can you achieve more or less normal photography. Otherwise, the phone is not bad at all and is well balanced; it performs the functions of dialer and Internet surfing with a bang. The big plus of the device is a fairly capacious 2000 mAh battery. AnTuTu test results - 20866 points.

Video review of the Lenovo A1000 smartphone from MaximumMobile
The average price of Lenovo A1000 today is about $65.

Highscreen Pure F

  • Display resolution: 800×480 pixels, 233 ppi
  • RAM capacity/ built-in: 1 GB / 8 GB
  • CPU: Quad-core MediaTek MT6582M, 1.3 GHz
  • Main/front camera: 5.0 MP / 0.3 MP
  • Dimensions (HxWxD) / weight: 123.6×63.9×9.6 mm / 122 grams
  • Battery capacity: 1500 mAh

The creators clearly didn’t bother with the design of the Highscreen Pure F smartphone, but the build quality of the device is at a very good level. The device OS is Android 5.0, there is support for two SIM cards of the Mini-sim standard. The display is surprisingly not bad, the viewing angles are average, the picture quality is one of the best of all the five devices we reviewed. The smartphone’s cameras are average; the main one, like Lenovo’s, adds a “blue” tint to the photos, although not as much. Overall, the phone is well-balanced and, for a budget device, performs as a solid 4-star. In the Antutu test, the smartphone scored 20,735 points.

Video review of the Highscreen Pure F smartphone from Vlad Filatov
Highscreen Pure F is the most expensive smartphone we review; its price almost approaches our “ceiling” and is $98.

Micromax Canvas Pace mini Q401

  • Display resolution: 854×480 pixels, 245 ppi
  • RAM capacity/ built-in: 1 GB / 8 GB
  • CPU: Quad-core Snapdragon 210 MSM8909, 1.1 GHz
  • Main/front camera: 5.0 MP / 0.3 MP
  • Dimensions (HxWxD) / weight: 124.5x63.9x10.2mm / 136 grams
  • Battery capacity: 1550 mAh

The Micromax Canvas Pace mini Q401 smartphone boasts good body materials and build quality. The design of the smartphone is also not bad - it doesn’t smell cheap. OS - Android 5.1, there is support for two SIM cards. The screen is not bad, with a good margin of brightness. The main speaker is quite loud, but its sound quality is not above average. The quality of the images from the main camera leaves much to be desired, but the photos cannot be called too bad; in very good lighting you can get quite decent photos. Note that the device supports 4G networks. The AnTuTu test rated the smartphone at 18352 points.

Video review of the Micromax Q401 smartphone from mobile-info
The average price of the Micromax Canvas Pace mini Q401 smartphone is $75.

Texet iX-mini TM-4182

  • Display resolution: 960×540 pixels, 275 ppi
  • RAM capacity/ built-in: 1 GB / 8 GB
  • CPU: Quad-core MediaTek MT6582, 1.3 GHz
  • Main/front camera: 8.0 MP / 1.3 MP
  • Dimensions (HxWxD) / weight: 124x59x9 mm / 108 grams
  • Battery capacity: 1400 mAh

The Texet iX-mini TM-4182 smartphone is essentially a copy of the iPhone 5C (replica), and actually replicates its design. The main difference in appearance immediately catches your eye - the touch-sensitive central control button instead of the physical one on the iPhone. And it’s not just central here, it’s the only one on the front panel and performs the functions of all three usual buttons. An original solution, but not very convenient; it will take a long time to get used to. The build quality and case materials are at a good level. The device is designed for only one SIM card, moreover, in nano-sim format. Operating system - Android 4.4.2. The IPS screen here is undoubtedly the best of all the devices we have reviewed.

The picture is good and juicy, the viewing angles are large, and the brightness reserve is enough to satisfy your needs. The main camera is also the best of our five; it takes quite good pictures, although there are big doubts about the declared 8 megapixels; rather, it is a 5 megapixel module interpolated to eight. There are no complaints about the performance of the smartphone; the device is fast and runs smoothly. Overall, it’s a very decent device, but the overall picture is spoiled by one serious drawback - the volume of the external speaker. Its power is sometimes not enough even in a quiet room. AnTuTu Benchmark test results - 22190 points.
Video review of the Texet iX-mini TM-4182 smartphone from Mobiltelefon.ru

The price of the Texet iX-mini TM-4182 smartphone varies greatly, with an average price of about $85.

Which smartphone is better?
If you don’t want to overpay, and you need a simple, but modern “dialer” that is not large in size, feel free to look towards the first two models. At the same time, the Archos 40 Helium smartphone looks like a more interesting proposal - it is a really well-balanced budget “mid-ranger”. In addition, it is cheaper than the Lenovo A1000, which, in contrast to the Arhos, can only provide a battery with a significantly larger capacity.

Highscreen Pure F and Micromax Canvas Pace mini Q401 are very similar smartphones both in terms of quality and specifications. The first one has a noticeably better screen and smaller dimensions, but clearly loses in design. The Mikromax Q401 has everything in order with its design, moreover, it can offer 4G and costs much less, and it is this one that we prefer from this two. Well, the Texet iX-mini TM-4182 absolutely deservedly gets the status of the best smartphone in our review.

Texet iX-mini TM-4182 turned out to be a very interesting device, even outside the scope of our review. It meets all our criteria and, most importantly, it is the most compact and lightest smartphone of the five.
The design of the iPhone 5C is a huge plus; the device looks nice and modern, the bright colors of the body make it youthful, and the black color makes it look solid. There are no complaints at all about the device’s screen; the main camera can already take normal photos, and the front camera can take more or less decent selfies. The already outdated Android 4.4.2 is undoubtedly a minus for the device, but it works smoothly with it, the phone is quite fast and allows you to play many modern toys. One-button control is original, but not very convenient.
However, judging by the reviews from Texet iX-mini owners, you can get used to it, and besides, we still use the touchscreen for most actions with the smartphone. The volume of the main speaker is undoubtedly the main disadvantage of the device, but for $85 a smartphone cannot be ideal a priori. The device is still very far from the iPhone 5C, but for the money the Texet iX-mini TM-4182 is an excellent option, and a sure winner of our comparative review.

We invite owners of smartphones from our top five to leave a review on our website. Which 4-inch budget smartphone would you choose?

No matter how much fans of large screens defend the ease of use of phablets, there is a large category of users who do not like “shovels”. These people really cannot get used to the comfortable use of a gadget with a large display. Attempts to use such a device only strengthen the opinion that more than 4 inches is inconvenient and unnecessarily large.

Manufacturers do not forget about fans of small gadgets, and continue to produce devices with a four-inch display even during the dominance of 5-5.5". However, most of these devices have entry-level functionality. Are there smartphones with a 4" screen that have good hardware - let's try to find out . The material is devoted to the analysis of the capabilities of modern compact cellular devices, of which there are not many on the market.

Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual Sim – compact Windows Phone

After abandoning the Nokia brand at the end of 2014, Microsoft released a whole line of inexpensive Lumiyas. One of them was the Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual Sim, released in January 2015. You can now buy it for a little less than $100. This is a typical successor to Nokia, in the famous rectangular body made of bright plastic, with a minimum of roundness.

The smartphone is equipped with a 4-inch capacitive screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. At the heart of the device is a quad-core Snapdragon 200 processor (which is atypical for a MS budget phone). There is 1 GB of RAM, which is also good for Windows. Built-in – 8 GB, external storage up to 32 GB is supported. The device operates under Windows Phone 8.1. You can upgrade to “ten”, but its stability is still far from ideal. There are two slots for SIM cards.

The main camera is 5 MP, without flash and autofocus. The front camera is also set “to be”: 0.3 MP and nothing interesting. The battery is 1560 mAh, which is not much even for Windows Phone. In general, a typical budget phone of 2015, not outstanding, but not the worst either.

Philips S309 – a modest Android

In June 2015, the compact Philips S309 smartphone was released.

This is a modest budget device, priced at about $80. Unfortunately, it does not have the advantage of Philips in the form of a capacious battery, and otherwise it is an inexpressive Chinese. A rectangular body with rounded ends is the favorite shape of Chinese manufacturers of cheap pipes.

The screen is naturally four-inch, with a resolution of 800x480. This is not IPS, so the display capabilities are quite modest. The MT6572 processor, equipped with a pair of 1 GHz cores, is also not impressive. Well, at least 1 GB of RAM: this is enough to run most programs in everyday tasks. The volume of built-in storage is only 4 GB, there is a slot for MicroSD. Unfortunately, the memory shortage is aggravated by the Android 4.4 OS, which by default does not support installing programs on the card. The smartphone has 2 SIM card slots.

The main camera is 5 MP, with flash and autofocus. The front one is 0.3 MP and is only suitable for Skype. A 1600 mAh battery is responsible for autonomy, which is enough for a day, but more depending on your luck. In general, the Philips S309 is not so bad, it corresponds to its price and is suitable for basic tasks. But it’s not suitable for games (you can’t really install anything in 1.5 GB of free memory).

Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini SM-J105 – Korean “Chinese”

Previously, the Koreans made smaller versions of flagships, but the Galaxy S5 Mini already had a 4.5" display, and the S6 and S7 were left without a “little brother” at all.

In 2016, it was decided to release a new compact 4-inch device, Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini SM-J105. This inexpensive smartphone with 2 SIM cards, released in February, can be purchased for about $80.

Unfortunately, Samsung is now practicing the approach “all the best goes to the flagship children”, and ultra-budget handsets are assembled using Chinese components: as long as they work stably. As a result, the four-inch screen is built on a cheap TFT (not AMOLED) matrix with a resolution of 800x480 pixels. The processor is a modest Spreadtrum SC8830, with four cores clocked at 1.2 GHz, and the graphics are Mali 400MP. RAM 768 MB (really, in 2016 the Koreans still had 256 MB chips in stock?), built-in memory - 8 GB, MicroSD slot available. At least the OS is fresh - Android 5.1, so thanks for that.

The rear camera is 5 MP, without any bells and whistles, but with HD video recording; the front camera is VGA (0.3 MP). The battery is 1500 mAh, removable, it will last for a maximum of a day. Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini SM-J105 is assembled from Chinese components, available in analogues at half the price, but its operation stability is better. Therefore, adjusted for the brand, you can forgive the weak hardware: for simple tasks it will do.

Lenovo A1000 – with a normal battery

In September 2015, Lenovo introduced the ultra-budget smartphone A1000, priced at about $70-80.

It is not much different from its competitors, but it also has advantages over them. The body is rectangular, slightly rounded, made of plastic. The filling is cheap and no frills, but sufficient for comfortable work.

The 4-inch screen has a resolution of 800x480, it is created using TFT TN technology, so it does not shine with viewing angles. The processor is a quad-core Spreadtrum SC7731, with a frequency of 1.3 GHz. RAM capacity – 1 GB, built-in 8 GB (half available). There is a card slot, modules up to 32 GB are supported. Operating system – Android 5. 2 SIM cards supported.

The resolution of the main camera of Lenovo A1000 is 5 MP. There is a flash, but it is not equipped with autofocus. The front camera is modest, 2 MP. Pleased with the battery capacity: 2000 mAh. With such a screen diagonal, the device will be enough for 2 days of work; you can load your smartphone with the Internet all day long. In this regard, it looks a little more profitable than its competitors.

Apple iPhone 5s – a long-liver with an apple

The “old” Apple iPhone 5s, released back in September 2013, is still “on horseback”.

It was recently discontinued, but you can still buy an iPhone 5s. The issue price is about 400 dollars for a new one, or 300 “like new”. It differs from other 4-inch smartphones in that it was a flagship at one time.

The iPhone 5s screen has a diagonal of 4 inches and an atypically high resolution of 1136x640 pixels. The display is covered with tempered glass with an oleophobic layer. The processor is a dual-core Apple A7 with a gaming graphics chip. RAM 1 GB, built-in - 16, 32 or 64. MicroSD, of course, is not supported. At first, iOS 7 was installed on the smartphone, now version 9.3 is available.

The camera has a resolution of 8 MP, is equipped with autofocus, flash and has an increased pixel size. At one time it was very good, and even now it is on par with new devices. Front camera – 1.2 MP. The battery is a modest 1,560 mAh, but on iOS it's enough for a day of moderate use. The iPhone is significantly more expensive than other 4-inch devices, but it is also noticeably more powerful than them.

Apple iPhone SE - a smaller flagship

In March 2016, the “reincarnation” of the successful iPhone 5s, model SE, was released.

The screen is the same 4 inches, with a resolution of 1136x640 (the display has not changed since the iPhone 5s). But the processor is the new Apple A9, capable of handling any task. Two 1.8 GHz cores look modest only on paper, but are good in practice. RAM – 2 GB, built-in – 16 or 64 GB. The smartphone runs iOS 9.3.

The camera resolution has been increased to 12 MP, it is still good and corresponds to flagships. But they “forgot” the front matrix: it’s still the same 1.2 MP, unchanged since the 5th model. The battery capacity is 1624 mAh, the operating time has increased compared to its predecessors. In general, the Apple iPhone SE is a good “gesture of goodwill” towards fans of smartphones with small displays. The combination of this size and flagship capabilities is rare these days.

Leagoo Elite 8 – cheap, but with LTE

Leagoo Elite 8 is a budget Chinese product with a 4-inch screen, released at the end of 2015. It is interesting because in China it sells for less than $50 (in our country it is significantly more expensive). Of course, the characteristics are very modest, but for the money they are quite acceptable. It will certainly work as a smartphone for a schoolchild (who is even more uncomfortable with a large display than an adult).

The display has a resolution of 800x480 pixels and is built on an IPS matrix (if the Chinese don’t lie, of course). The processor is a 64-bit quad-core MT6735. The only pity is that the RAM is only 0.5 GB, which is not enough in 2016. The built-in storage is also not much, 4 GB. There is a memory card slot on board. Operating system – Android 5.1 with proprietary shell. There are two SIM cards, and this is the only Android smartphone in this collection that supports LTE.

The camera is modest, 5 MP, but with a flash and HD video recording. Front camera – 2 MP. The battery capacity is 1800 mAh, which is quite tolerable for a four-inch screen. Leagoo Elite 8 is notable for the fact that it is one of the newest 4" Androids, and even with 4G. Otherwise, it’s a typical budget phone.

Thus, we can state: smartphones with a 4-inch screen exist, there are many of them, but only Apple offers a compact version of a flagship.

Digital content is constantly becoming more complex and varied. If once a small screen with a resolution of 64x64 pixels was enough for games, and people could only dream of watching videos somewhere other than a computer or TV, now such an opportunity is available in any modern smartphone. However, the growth in the quality of videos, photos, entertainment and other content is forcing us to constantly increase the size of phones. If you don’t want to use a smartphone that barely fits in your hand, then you can choose a more compact model. Our rating of the best smartphones with a 4-4.5-inch screen will help you with this.

The best inexpensive smartphones for 4-4.5 inches

Cheap smartphones are an ideal choice for those who are not going to use demanding applications or are looking for an excellent device for their child. A high-quality budget-level phone with a diagonal of 4 inches or more can be purchased from 5,500 rubles. Moreover, we are talking not only about little-known brands, but also about popular companies like Samsung. By the way, it is the solutions of the South Korean brand that represent 2 out of 3 devices in the category.

Samsung Galaxy J1 (2016) SM-J120F/DS

The review begins with a good smartphone with a screen up to 4.5 inches – Galaxy J1 (2016). The device runs Android version 5.1 and is equipped with a proprietary Exynos 3475 CPU (4 cores at 1.3 GHz). The autonomy of the reviewed model is stated at the level of 12 hours of conversation in third-generation networks and 39 hours of continuous listening to music (2050 mAh battery). The smartphone is well assembled and fits well in the hand, and customers are offered two color options to choose from – gold and black. The Galaxy J1 can accommodate 2 micro SIM cards that support 4th generation networks.

Peculiarities:

  • excellent AMOLED screen;
  • excellent build quality;
  • tray for two micro SIM;
  • well optimized system;
  • stable operation of the system;
  • good autonomy (for its class);
  • 5 MP main camera with flash.

teXet TM-4084

Second place went to a high-quality 4-inch smartphone from the Russian manufacturer teXet. The device is equipped with an aging combination of Snapdragon 210, Adreno 304 and 1 GB of RAM. Such hardware can easily cope with instant messengers, a browser, video playback in the display’s native 480p resolution, and other simple tasks. The smartphone stands out from its competitors with several important advantages:

  1. protection of the housing from water and dust;
  2. capacious removable battery 3200 mAh;
  3. fairly modern OS Android 6.0;
  4. Not bad, for its price, 8 MP camera.

Moreover, the average cost of this mobile phone is the same 6,500 rubles. And this could be an important argument for placing teXet TM-4084 in first place, if not for several annoying shortcomings. So, with only 8 GB of storage, the smartphone allows you to install microSD cards up to 32 GB. Reviews also criticize the phone for the quality of the screen, which is clearly inferior in brightness and color rendition to competitors. Sometimes smartphone users also complain about the proximity sensor, but this problem does not occur often.

Advantages:

  • price-quality ratio;
  • battery size;
  • removable battery;
  • protection against water ingress;
  • good sound quality;

Flaws:

  • mediocre display;
  • significant weight (260 g).

Samsung Galaxy J1 Mini Prime (2016) SM-J106F/DS

In the Mini Prime modification of the Galaxy J1 model, the manufacturer cut not only the diagonal, but also some other parameters. So, the front camera here has a resolution of a modest 0.3 MP versus 2 MP in the older version, and the battery capacity is only 1500 mAh. The battery life of the 4-inch Samsung smartphone is 29 hours (music) and 8 hours (talk). The smartphone has 1 and 8 GB of RAM and ROM, but keep in mind that only 3.9 GB of storage is available to the user. But the manufacturer decided not to change the display resolution, and it remained equal to 800x480 pixels (5:3), which ensured a density of 233 ppi.

Advantages:

  • compactness and lightness;
  • speaker quality;
  • fast battery charging;
  • appearance and build quality.

Flaws:

  • very weak front camera;
  • Screen viewing angles are not the best.

The best 4-4.5 inch smartphones in terms of price and quality

Sometimes the main criterion when choosing a phone is not availability, but justification for the price. And if we talk about the ideal ratio of cost and quality among compact smartphones, then, quite unexpectedly, it is demonstrated by a couple of devices from Apple. And this is the best proof that in fact the American manufacturer does not inflate the price tag to an unaffordable level, as many opponents of the company believe, but only sets a fair amount for the offered capabilities and quality.

Apple iPhone SE 32GB

Do you want to choose a compact 4-inch smartphone that can delight you for many years? The ideal solution in this case would be the iPhone SE. This smartphone was released at the beginning of 2016, but to this day it has practically no worthy competitors in its class.

The perfect build quality and stunning design, characteristic of all Apple products, set this model apart from its numerous competitors. Another advantage of the smartphone is a screen with a resolution of 1136x640 pixels, the calibration accuracy of which can be the envy of many modern Android-based analogues. Also among the advantages of SE it is necessary to note the fast hardware platform and good sound quality.

Advantages:

  • magnificent appearance;
  • perfect assembly of the device;
  • exemplary display calibration;
  • productive “filling”;
  • convenience and speed;
  • high-quality sound;
  • fast fingerprint scanner.

Flaws:

  • mediocre front camera;
  • The battery lasts strictly for a day of work.

Apple iPhone 8 64GB

If you like not only to chat with friends and surf your favorite sites, but also sometimes watch videos and run modern games, then it is better to buy an iPhone 8 smartphone. This device has a 4.7-inch screen, which provides a pixel density of 326 ppi.

The device is equipped with a 6-core A11 Bionic processor, which demonstrates excellent results in any task. There is only one camera in the device, but it can take beautiful pictures, has optical stabilization, and is even capable of recording 4K video at 60 frames/s. No less pleasing is the quality of the smartphone’s case, which has protection according to the IP67 standard, and also supports fast and wireless charging. True, to implement the latter, it was necessary to install glass on the back panel, which is not only more fragile than metal, but also gets dirty faster.

Advantages:

  • quality of the included headphones;
  • protection against splashes, dust and water;
  • excellent 4.7-inch display;
  • availability of an NFC module for using Apple Pay;
  • power of the proprietary hardware platform;
  • excellent main camera;
  • There is fast and wireless charging.

Flaws:

  • For fast charging you need to buy an additional power supply;
  • price tag of about 50 thousand rubles;
  • The back cover gets covered with fingerprints very quickly.

The best 4-4.5 inch smartphones with a good camera

The compact screen size in full-fledged cameras is compensated by the presence of a full-fledged viewfinder. With mobile phones the situation is completely different, so a small display is the only way to see what the finished shot will look like. Of course, you won’t be able to see the photo well on a small screen, so many manufacturers don’t even try to add a good camera to their smartphone. However, there are also pleasant exceptions, a couple of which we will talk about in this category.

Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact

Interested in a 4.6-inch smartphone for small hands with excellent performance? In our rating there was a place for such a device – the Xperia XZ1 Compact from the Japanese brand Sony. With an average cost of 26 thousand, this smartphone pleases with excellent performance (Snapdragon 835, Adreno 540 and 4 GB RAM) and first-class build. However, for an HD screen the specified hardware is somewhat redundant, although the display itself is of good quality.

The camera in the XZ1 Compact is 19-megapixel. For its price, Sony's smartphone has virtually no competitors in the quality of photo and video shooting, so it can be recommended to lovers of mobile photography. Among the important advantages that some well-known manufacturers still ignore even when releasing flagship smartphones, it is necessary to mention the NFC module and excellent stereo speakers.

Advantages:

  • dust and moisture protection of the housing;
  • very powerful “filling”;
  • excellent main camera;
  • Android 8.0 out of the box;
  • 19 MP camera with a wide range of settings;
  • display calibration and brightness;
  • wonderful sound.

Flaws:

  • The battery is only 2700 mAh.

Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) SM-A320F Single Sim

If you are looking for something cheaper, then pay attention to the device from the Samsung brand, which is among the best smartphones with a screen diagonal of 4-4.5 inches. The Galaxy A3 is perfect in every way:

  1. protection of the housing from water and dust getting inside;
  2. Always On function, which displays basic information on the locked screen;
  3. fast fingerprint sensor combined with a mechanical button;
  4. an NFC module that allows you to pay at cash registers using your phone;
  5. excellent AMOLED display with HD resolution.

As for the main camera, its resolution is 13 MP and the aperture is f/1.9. In good lighting, the sensor used in the smartphone shows good results, and when there is insufficient lighting, slight noise appears in the pictures. The phone records video very well, but only in Full HD and at 30 fps.

For this review, we chose a mobile phone with a slot for one SIM card, but, if you wish, you can purchase a similar model for a pair of SIM cards. At the same time, there are no complaints about the wireless modules of the phone from the South Korean giant under any conditions, regardless of the version.

Advantages:

  • compact dimensions and light weight;
  • good main camera;
  • variety of branded accessories (optional);
  • convenience of the device and attractive design;
  • ability to use Google Pay;
  • speed of the fingerprint scanner.

Flaws:

  • modest battery capacity of 2350 mAh;
  • Due to poor optimization, 2 GB of RAM is not enough.

The best smartphones with a 4-4.5-inch screen and a powerful battery

The small size of the smartphone body imposes certain restrictions on various parameters of the device. And first of all, the battery usually suffers from compactness. The small capacity of the latter negatively affects the autonomy of the smartphone, which forces you to buy an additional power bank, remember to carry a charger with you, or use battery power more economically. If none of these “solutions to the problem” suits you, then you should immediately buy a smartphone that is equipped with a large battery.

BlackBerry KEYone

Perhaps the KEYone model from the legendary BlackBerry brand can be called the most interesting smartphone in the category up to 4.5 inches. The phone has a powerful hardware platform, which is quite enough for games. However, due to the non-standard display resolution of 1620x1080 pixels and non-standard design, in most projects KEYone simply will not provide the required convenience.

However, first of all, we have before us an image device for business people. Design, build quality, appearance of the system, security - all this hints that this is an excellent smartphone for a business person. This is also indicated by the physical keyboard under the screen, in the space bar of which there is a fingerprint scanner. All buttons on the device are not only illuminated, but are also touch-sensitive, allowing you to type text using swipes.

Another important advantage not available in competing products is the ability to bind to almost all physical application buttons for quick launch. The BlackBerry KEYone has 32 GB of memory, but it can be expanded using microSD cards. The advantages of the smartphone include a capacious 3505 mAh battery, support for fast charging, as well as the presence of an infrared port and an NFC module.

Advantages:

  • comfortable mechanical keyboard;
  • perfectly calibrated display with high brightness;
  • impressive power of the hardware used;
  • premium materials and exemplary build quality;
  • capacious battery and excellent optimization;
  • additional functions of a physical keyboard.

Flaws:

  • it is almost impossible to find accessories (even from third-party brands);
  • the average price of 27 thousand is poorly justified by unique “chips”.

Caterpillar Cat S31

The right to close the TOP was given to one of the best 4.5-inch smartphones based on customer reviews. Let us immediately note that this is an extremely simple device, which even theoretically cannot be considered as a gaming device. But the Cat S31 is protected not only from water and dust (IP68), but also from impacts according to the military standard 810G. The smartphone supports all popular LTE bands and has mechanical buttons. The battery capacity of a Caterpillar smartphone is 4 thousand mAh, which is enough for almost 6 weeks of operation in standby mode.

Advantages:

  • excellent autonomy;
  • high-quality assembly of the device;
  • protection of the case from dust, water and shock;
  • presence of a programmable button.

Flaws:

  • simply disgusting cameras;
  • GPS malfunctions are possible;
  • The hardware is too weak for 16 thousand.

Which phone with a small screen to buy

Making a list of the best smartphones with a diagonal of 4-4.5 inches was quite difficult, since most companies refuse this screen size, and little-known brands usually offer low quality equipment. Even the Apple brand, which has long followed its own path, has switched to producing devices with large displays.

However, we were still able to find 9 decent smartphones in the class, and two of them were represented by solutions from the Apple manufacturer. Three more phones belong to Apple's direct competitor, Samsung. Moreover, you can choose a device for either 6 or 16 thousand, based on your requirements and budget.

The most productive phone in the review is the Xperia XZ1 Compact from the Sony brand. And the camera in it is one of the best in the entire rating. If you are looking for something stylish, high-quality and unusual, and have a sufficient budget to purchase such a smartphone, then in the last category, pay attention to the BlackBerry device.

Phones with a 4-inch screen diagonal are usually inexpensive. However, sometimes there are very expensive gadgets from the well-known company Apple. Below is a selection of the best smartphones with 4-inch screens that have received positive customer reviews. It was this criterion that guided us when compiling this list. Consider this rating subjective.

1st place – ASUS Zenfone 4 (A400CG)

An excellent device worth 6,000 rubles. And in general, we really like the Asus company. When we described the reliability criteria for laptops, we also provided statistics regarding breakdowns. So Asus laptops turned out to be the most reliable. We understand that smartphones are not laptops, but technically they are very similar to each other.

ASUS Zenfone 4 (A400CG) specifications:

  1. Screen with a diagonal of 4 inches and a resolution of 800x480 pixels;
  2. Rear camera 5 MP, front 0.3 MP;
  3. Intel Atom processor, 2 cores, frequency 1.2 GHz;
  4. 1 GB RAM;
  5. 8 GB of disk memory and the ability to insert a memory card.

Excellent characteristics of a smartphone costing only 6,000 rubles. Its hardware allows you to run more or less demanding applications. The device copes well with everyday tasks, so it has collected positive customer reviews.


The disadvantage is the speakers. If you turn the volume up full, the speakers will rattle. The battery is also a weak point. During normal use, the phone will have to be charged every evening, although this applies to almost any modern gadget. They really “eat” the battery’s energy.

2nd place – Apple iPhone 5S 16Gb

When compiling ratings, the iPhone almost always comes up, and at the forefront. Apple never sells cheap devices. The cost of this model is on average 32,000 rubles. Some will say that it is unjustified, but this does not interfere with active sales.


Characteristics:

  1. Operating system iOS 7;
  2. 4-inch screen with a resolution of 1136x640 pixels;
  3. 8 megapixel camera with LED flash;
  4. Front camera 1.2 MP;
  5. Processor (2 cores) Apple A7 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz;
  6. 1 GB RAM;
  7. 16 GB disk memory;

This is a wonderful device: ergonomic and comfortable, the sensor works flawlessly - it responds to every touch. The build quality is excellent. Despite the relatively weak hardware, it is very productive. This is largely due to the excellent optimization of the operating system. And in general, despite the high cost, this phone is worth the money! We recommend - this is definitely one of the best smartphones with a 4-inch screen.

3rd place – Lenovo A319

Price – almost 5000 rubles. This is an inexpensive model, but a very good model.


Characteristics:

  1. 2 SIM cards;
  2. 5 megapixel camera, there is a 2 megapixel front camera;
  3. Dual-core MediaTek processor with a frequency of 1.3 GHz;
  4. 512 MB of RAM;
  5. 4 GB of disk memory, it is possible to install a card up to 32 GB;
  6. Battery capacity 1500 mAh.

Quite normal characteristics for a smartphone for 5,000 rubles. Taking them into account, you should not expect superpowers from the model. It will cope with ordinary tasks quite well, but it will have a hard time with “heavy” ones (only half a gigabyte of RAM, alas).

Flaws:

  • Dull sensor. Sometimes you have to poke your fingers at the same point twice in order to launch the desired application. Clicking can be confused with sliding;
  • When launching “heavy” applications, the Wi-Fi signal is lost;
  • The battery is weak (but this can be seen from the technical characteristics). At maximum load, the phone will last for 5 hours, no more;
  • The external speaker does not reproduce sound very well, but the headphones are fine.

Considering all these shortcomings, we can still recommend this device - a good option for your money.

4th place – Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual Sim

Price – 5200-5300 rubles, no more. This is a small price to pay for an excellent device for everyday tasks.

Characteristics:

  1. 2 SIM cards;
  2. 4-inch screen with a resolution of 800x480 pixels;
  3. 5 megapixel rear camera, 0.3 megapixel front camera;
  4. 4-core processor frequency 1.2 GHz;
  5. 1 GB RAM;
  6. 8 GB disk memory + memory card slot;
  7. Battery capacity 1560 mAh.

The last characteristic is a weak point. And it is clear that a smartphone with good hardware will not last long at maximum operation with such a weak battery. However, the performance and speed of work are excellent, as are the ergonomics. This gadget is a pleasure to work with. In reviews, buyers characterize this phone positively, but many complain about the low battery capacity, alas. This is the only weak point. You will have to charge the device every day, even if you have not used it much during the day.

5 seats – Apple iPhone 4S 8Gb

A little outdated, but still a wonderful model of the Apple iPhone 4S 8Gb worth 16,000 rubles. The device does not need any introduction, but we will still highlight its characteristics:

  1. Operating system iOS;
  2. 3.5-inch screen with a resolution of 960x640 pixels;
  3. 8 megapixel rear camera, there is also a 0.3 megapixel front camera;
  4. Dual-core Apple A5 processor with a frequency of 800 MHz;
  5. 520 MB RAM;
  6. 8 GB disk memory.

Despite the weak hardware, this is a very fast and productive device. It collected positive reviews, but now there are already sixth-series iPhone models on the market, and we are writing about the fourth. Be that as it may, even now the Apple iPhone 4S 8Gb is one of the best smartphones with a 4-inch screen (even though it’s a 3.5-inch diagonal, it’s still almost suitable), so we can confidently recommend it too.

This was the last device for today. There are also other phones with a 4-inch screen diagonal, but we didn’t like them much: we found too many shortcomings. These 5, in our opinion, are the best. We remind you once again: this is a subjective rating. Be sure to re-read reviews about the smartphone you like on various independent Internet resources. This is the only way you can make the right choice.


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