I’ve been looking at Xiaomi’s 2020 portfolio of phones, and i was shocked to find out they have only one model smaller than 6.5″ (plus another very low end Redmi one).
I’ve been a long time Xiaomi fan and owned 4 of their phones in the past, but im not crazy about huge +200g phone, they don’t feel nice, and there is no comfortable way of holding them.
Is that really what people prefer these days, huge heavy phones? Honestly its not only Xiaomi, but Xiaomi is one of the few brands to almost completely eliminate non-huge phones.
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I can totally relate to this
which phone are you using right now?
Honestly the only good compact phones are being made by sony and google imo.
You are 100% right. My current phone is 200grams and sometimes it is not comfortable to use. The size is not really the problem, the problem is the weight. I hope they use plastic again, just 4000mah batteries or something to reduce weight.
My next phone is going to be 180 grams or less. I read that next Pixel is going to be only 150 grams. If they had a decent price and official sella in my country, I would go with them.
True, I can relate to this.
But I think I can understand why. People wants bigger battery, bigger screen, and powerful SoC for cheap. To make a small phone, Xiaomi need to sacrifice something, and I don’t think that will sound appealing on spec sheet.
That doesn’t mean Xiaomi needs to eliminate non-huge phones altogether tho. I hope Xiaomi makes non-huge phones in the future (maybe 6″ or below, no need to be super small, just like Mi 9 SE).
😄
I agree. Huge pain point for me as well.
Smaller phones should make a come back
Sony’s offerings aren’t even that small tbh.
The Xperia 5 II is being touted as a ‘compact’ but it’s only 1.1mm less wide than the Samsung S20, but 6.7mm taller. Not a fan of the 21:9 screen ratio either.
It’s a shame Samsung didn’t follow up from the S10e- now that was a fully-fledged smaller sized phone.
its my problem too! i have Mi6 and cant find anything near
bigger mean you can hold it properly.
you can feel betetr if you forgot it.
and since nowadays people do everything on thier phone , bigger screen just make it better.
my brother only wanted small phone like the famous first gen motorolla moto g xt1032.
after eyars he tried handling my xiaomi redmi 7a , he wanted nothing smaller. what a radical change of mind…
i upgraded to a xiaomi redmi note 8 , he absolutly want something of the same size or a little bigger.
EVERYONE that try bigger phone absolutly love them and are wiondering why they didnt buy a bigger phone earlier.
well some size doesnt make sense.. like some samsung.. at this point its a tablet with calling capability. its not a phone and its way too ig. THAT make no sense ( cant even be handled by one hand ).
so thats why there is almost only bigger phone nowadays , and its only a good thing.
if you absolutly want a small phone , look up chiness brand like on ebay and aliexpress.
most of they are already better than apple crap anyway in quality and durability.
there is alot of choice there and chines compagny doesnt intentionally slow the phone down to force you to buy the upcomming one. only apple do that so you dont have to worry.
i have one i paid 50 8 years ago ( no brand ) still used daily from my mom. its been unused for only 3 weeks. so yup they literally outlast the fruit brand.
just be sure to pick something powerfull enought to last at least a year. low end mediatek are like old amd before ryzen = they lose power very fast.
My previous LG G2 with 5.2″ was perfect for me. Now I’m using Poco F1, it’s ok but just a bit too large. Pokes out of some pocket where G2 would fit perfectly. I was looking for a phone for kid in 2nd grade a while ago and settled on Redmi 8. Great phone for the price, but it is awfully huge, especially in a kid’s hand. Everything smaller either had much worse specs or a price too high.
I miss the time when the flagships where around 5.5″. If I wanted something larger, I would buy a tablet.
Galaxy s10e seems like it would fit.
The redmi 7a is still for sale. It is 1mm too wide so we’re getting a frameless case to protect while preserving the minimum width
mi 9t pro is 6.39
also bigger phones (up to 6.9 inch) are best
I have Mi Note 10 lite and iphone 6s. I often find myself using my iphone 6s for messaging (whatsapp, messenger etc.)
Im looking forward to the iphone 12 mini. Yeah, hope compact phones are as prevalent as huge ones.
Redmi 7a is only compact phone of xiaomi’s exists
try oneplus nord?
The thing is phones are getting more and more features and components it’s not just about big phones becoming trendy, that’s why I don’t think we’ll ever see really small flagship, there just wouldn’t be enough space for the top of the line components
I have a mi 9se which is a smaller phone but I can honestly get why there’s no small phones so this year..
There is a small amount of consumers that want a smaller phone… Let’s set aside that percentage… Of say five percent that insist on having a small phone. Or let’s be generous and say ten percent
When you make a small phone … In 2020… Consumers want amoled screens… And 5g.. and good battery life. And reliable fast chipset. And good cameras ..those things are basically a must..
Then there’s extra bonuses like stereo speakers and nice designed backs and thin profiles etc etc .. in screen fingerprint readers. Good Selfie camera too don’t forget.
This year is the first wave of 5g phones and I’ve read that the modems etc are large for the 5g thing… So yeah after 18 months of having mi 9 se I can say that my phone is cool n small but I can also say that I don’t get GREAT battery life .. I dont have mind blowing cameras .. things get sacrificed when phones are smaller unfortunately. Bigger phones have more space to fit marketable hardware into them
As a user, I live with it… But trying to sell an item like this in 2020 would be hard
Oh right reason I brought up the 5-10% consumers insisting on small phone still is because of that 5-10%… What percentage of those consumers would be okay sacrificing battery power… Good Cameras… Good screen panel.. good selfie camera etc etc
What would that percentage then look like? I guess maybe 2-6% of consumers? Perhaps suddenly you’re looking at a very niche product…
I’m pro small phones but I just get why there aren’t any they’d be such a unicorn in 2020.. maybe next year they can manufacture smaller hardware components who knows
And here I thought the iPhone SE would spawn 1000 Chinese copies
I am on Redmi K30. With a 6.67″ display, this phone is HUGE and painstakingly hand wrecking.
Personally the mi 9 Lite is the perfect size to me, don’t want smaller not bigger, this is just perfect. It’s 6.4″. However, I’m a woman with the typical “pianist hands” and smaller women of women with smaller hands find this phone giant and impossible to use one-hander, so I know your drama.
They should have alternatives at 6 and 5.8″, like some “Small Edition”
I agree, I’m using mi9se which just about 6 inch, maybe my next phone won’t be xiaomi, thinking about iphone or pixel 4a
Totally agree. Something size of Mi5 or Mi6 with full screen and decent specs would be my ideal phone. I had heard a rumour that there was going to be a “new” Mi6 with no bezels released but doesn’t seem to be true. I have Mi8 and I love the performance, choice of ROMS and I’ve got used to the size but I would prefer something slightly smaller.
I am also not a fan of round screen corners and those front cameras distorting the screen. Fuck the insane “full” screen phones trend.
Exactly my problem too. I want a compact size phone with no compromises on performance.
Love those days when Redmi series was compact and the Note series was about bigger screens. They lost their way and now the term Note is just a marketing thing for them. I’d love to have a modern phone with the dimensions of Redmi 4X.
Unfortunately it seems like we need to get used to it and adapt to it.
Why not just get an older model phone. I’ve a redmi 6a from 2018 thats like 5.45″
Specs link: https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_redmi_6a-ampp-9217.php
Theres also the redmi 9a. Its about 6.53″. Its like £99.00 in the UK
size and performance doesn’t correlate really in technical Terms.
1) The new SOC which is better performing isn’t really bigger in size, it has shrunk over the years actually.
IT’s the user preference which is driving this, and definitely there is section of people including me, who doesn’t want to have phone bigger than 5 inch, Trouble to keep in pocket/drive – but still able to do all work and multiple reasons.
But looks we are in for disappointment as no small phone is being any good spec or mid spec even.
Me personaly, dont like heavy phones, but totaly love big screens. No problem while typing on keyboard and clicking another letter than you want. Only thing that i dont like on that is weight. They should stop doing on size and start to do lighter phones
Hope they can optimize battery on that mini model. SE 2020 has 4 hour SoT and i think its not enough. Every phone that build in 2020 should have 7.5+ hour SoT.
I can feel your pain.
The perfect size fore would be the MiA1 size..
I bought a note 9s, and it’s huge.
Small Phones strain your eyes anyway. Ideally, No one should sport a Smartphone lower than 1080p in screen resolution. There are phones that can go even larger than 7″ but when not opened you can still use it’s 4″ folded screen. Yeah 6-6.3″ does seem like the ideal phone size
“Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
32h 18minNBC WiFi Websurfing Battery Test 1.3 (Safari Mobile 13.1)
11h 34minBig Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
11h 21minLoad (maximum brightness)
2h 23min”
This is what the current SE 2/SE 2020 can do. With two and a half hours under maximum load, its not a gaming phone
What? I have used iphone 7 for 3 years and i got 4.5 sot max without gaming. SE has smaller battery and more powerful successor.
I think its hard to put powerful components into small phone. (thats the reason why xiaomi’s only small phones are cheap low end) It’s easy being used to big phone. I like big screens cause much more content fit in the screen. Bigger form factor also allow to put bigger battery. if you want smaller phone look on samsung, google or apple phones.
it sucks that pixel 4a is your only options for small budget phone now
Mate i mean daily usage. You get hardly 4 or 4.5 hour sot with this phone it has latest most powerful apple successor and 1800mah battery. 32h only safari doesn’t shows you real specs.
I’ve been an avid xiaomi user… A lot of products besides their phones as well.
This year I don’t see the A4 coming out as part of the A series… Any one have any info /idea?
Thanks
Mi 9 SE is also compact.
Just grow larger hands. Boom, problem solved.
February 29th, 2021
I agree mi9se for me is the perfect size… Hope they have something similar in the short term. Otherwise I will switch brands. Too big and too heavy
Mi9se is great. I have it. But they have stopped their production, the same as the mi9 standard
Mi9se has everything I need (3 cameras battery is fine too) and the size is ok. The same for the new iPhones.
I think main and uwa camera are really good. For me battery life is enough. Zoom is bad, but not because of the size but of the prize. In any case mi8 zoom was even crappier (a friend of mine had it)
Ten hours is what my gf gets out of her SE 1
Same here. Unless they get a mi11se 🤣🤣
Not only size, but weight… They are too heavy
Sometimes I think I am only one that wants huge phone xd
Is ten hours all usage or only screen on time
Mi CC9/ Mi A3 is pretty cool.
Totally agree. They are kind of loosing the focus. Huge battery, huge screen, very heavy, too many cameras that sometimes are low quality .. macro or only for depth…
And many permutations T, PRO, Ultra, lite, note..
I understand your point but.. i own a Mi 9. It’s a 6.39″ phone with only 173g and great specs, the reduced weight is because Battery is “small” (3300mah). It lasts a day with the great AMOLED screen. I suggest you think what matters more to you, what you need in the phone, then make a choice. They have bigger battery, bigger screen, bigger specs, lighter phones.. size is really 6″+ rn, but my phone is an example of a big phone that is comfortable to use and carry. My previous one was the Redmi Note 8 Pro.. THAT is a heavy, uncomfortable phone.
i was thinking about it but its kinda lower in nearly evevrything compare to mi6, the only thing is the size!
Honestly sounds like your best bet will be the Xperia 5 II. Only hope is that the rumoured 5.4 inch iPhone 12 Mini will goad Android OEMs into following suit and offering more compact offerings again.
Processor is 7xx not 8xx but for me it’s ok. Cameras, uwa and main are really good. Zoom not so good ☹️
Really? The only thing i think bothers me a little is that it’s a little big in the pockets. Other than that, perfect phone.
Pixel 4a is perfect size and weight. The only thing is that is lacks UWA camera and I use it quite a lot
No need small phone. I am happy with it’s size and everything
i dont care about camera, important things for me are battery and size
Pixel 4a seems the perfect choice for you… And it’s quite light!!
Same lol. I recently bought Note 8 Pro and I thought I’d go crazy since I have small hands but I adjusted pretty quickly, I love the feeling
ill check it thank you
Might be a semi-controversial opinion but Apple too. iPhones are overpriced and whatnot but the 11 Pro (and probably the 12 Mini soon) is the most powerful phone with the least hardware compromises in a compact form factor.
Then obviously some people hate iOS and its limitations and that’s fine.
Well in fact camera is excellent. The only thing is that it lacks ultra wide angle… It just has one
Nope, as a Mi Max 2 user here, all phones are actually are going the small route i cant find a proper replacement for this.
I went with the mi note 10 because of the battery
look for the redmi go xd
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE.
Great little phone with good camera.
Happy cake day
Its wonderful. I also look a phone for my brother which is gonna buy his first phone, i don’t want to buy him a 6.5 inch phone its too much. But there is no compact and cheap phone here.
got mi9se from the release date, satisfied for its size and performance…. unless for the battery life ಠ_ಠ
They just dont sell as well as bigger phones.
Crazy to see that Redmi and Redmi note phones are almost same size.
Lets see if the 5.4inches iPhone can get some copies from others, even if they are midrangers or lowrangers.
My first tablet was just a bit bigger than my phone today.
I agree even if I prefer the 9se but 9 but no that bad. This year’s are not only huge but heavy. Even for lovers of bigger phones weight is an inconvenient
I wonder if they will copy… Or small phones only make sense in Apple because they are cheaper and people are not willing or cannot afford they size they prefer…
I agree. Maybe a 6 inch model would sell more than some of those models that are basically the same. Like the too many models of redmi note
Yes. Huge phones please.
Most of the height addition over the last couple years has been tall, so 6.5″ is kinda the new 5.5″, same width roughly but a fair bit taller from bezel reduction. And, while the people who don’t like big phones are both angry and vocal, most people do like them because they sell well. Some companies, like Sony or Apple, will cater to users like you, so it’s not like there’s no options at all.
I love huge phones. My Redmi Note 8 is pretty huge and I love every bit of it ❤️
Well. Im broke but i do get u. But id still get an older model anyway. I wont go beyond 2 years though.
>but there are also enough people that want smaller phones
Might be a vocal minority at best? Unless you have a better insight on the market than the billion dollar companies of course.
Bruh. I’ve come to that realization 3 years ago. Even my 9t is too big for me
Why? Got a mi 9se, before an Essential phone, Xperia XA2, small phones and the MI 9 SE got a lot better SoT, really gonna hurt when this badboy die…i dk what im gonna do, really!!
I can’t understand why everyone thinks these giant phone manufacturers don’t keep sales data. If they thought having small phones was a money maker, they’d do it. They don’t. They know how many big phones sold and how many little phones sold, and they made a load of more big phones. They’re not idiots who hate money.
I wish, I got huge hands and I have been expecting for a new Mi Max and nothing yet.
well i dont know what to say… my hands are small. im short.
i’m someone that NEVER was able to buy quality phone ( or should i say high price phone since quality and price are NOT related at all ) because i always drop my phone…. untill i buy a way bigger phone almost double the size. its been the same for everyone i know that use smartphone ( yes some dino still use flip phone in 2020 ).
I’m actually fine with my 6.67″ phone, love it, thought it was going to be a problem, but actually it wasn’t, at all, it is kinda heavy, but i think this size is perfect
Doesn’t sell here in Brazil 🙁
For the Taxes I’m going to pay, it will be cheaper to pick up an Galaxy Note 10 lite, or even an older Note.
Yes, screens are huge, but at the expense of screen to body ratio. It used to be 80-85% and now it’s 90-95% or even more. To put it in perspective, 6.67 note 9 pro is only like 1cm taller than note 4x (5.5 screen). And also you adjust to bigger screen no problem
SE was not a new design so it didn’t.
However there’s a rumoured iPhone 12 Mini that, if sales are good, will shake the market a bit.
I think that most manufactures are afraid of small phones. Small means cheap, cheap means slow. iPhone can change that perception and show customers that they can have a power horse that’s small. But even then, media consumption and work is easier on a big screen phone. Why would you want to limit yourself with screen space.
probably since i do play games and social media (a lot), even after debloating my SoT is much lower than my previous phone (rn4 lol)
Ah of course dude, yeah years back I got a rn4 too and men that battery lasted for me like 1.5 day, sometimes 2! But u cant fight with that phone haha really love it! The shame was too big for me…
The iPhone 12 mini will definitely have that effect.
I think the main point of the SE was the performance/price value, not really the size. They recycled an old design that happened to be smaller than current phones.
Thanks
Don’t forget that phones now have 18:9 , 19:9 and some even 21:9 screens. Before they were all 16:9. The 6.5 inch screen diagonal is actually not that big with the current aspect ratios.
And apple is just way, way too expensive outside of the USA
I have occasionally thought I’d prefer a smaller phone and booted up my 1st Gen iPhone SE. After a couple of hours watching YouTube or reading I realise I was wrong.
Currently on the K30 Ultra and at 6.67″ it’s beautiful.
That phone is not really a flagship, except for the processor. Small screen, few cameras with some features left out…
If the 12 mini is the cheapest one it will be the most popular one…
Which means hopefully copies from Xiaomi.
I mean, iPhone X = Mi8/F1
I agree battery is quite good for me too. And if I have a very special day. You can always carry a powerbank. But I prefer that than a very heavy phone
Same here. Width is the problem with me
Not huge… But for an average user is more than enough… But you’re right it does not have a huge battery
Mi9se had everything you may want as was small. Same about S20. Maybe they don’t have a huge battery… But for instance the S line has always been light weight.
SE is quite small. But the iPhone 11 Pro size is quite ok. Too expensive though 😉
I think none xiaomi phone has… Not even the huge ones 😉
But S20 has it and it’s smaller and lighter
I think it may definitely increase the size. But the reason of big phones are display and battery. I think maybe in China and India since for some people is their main computing device… Or even in Europe.
But I think there also people who don’t want a huge phone if the are not heavy users. Only to check messages or browse the web… For instance this is my use case… No videos, no gaming..