The trend for thin smartphones began around 2014 and lasted only a year. Then the thinnest smartphone in the world, Coolpad Ivvi K1 Mini, was presented. The thickness of its body was only 4.7 mm, excluding the camera. Today, against the backdrop of the popularity of folding devices, this trend is being revived again, because manufacturers simply need to make the device thin so that when folded it does not seem too massive. If we take the form factor that is familiar to everyone, then we did not find any extremely interesting options here.
The thinnest modern smartphones
The fact is that previously manufacturers managed to achieve thinness due to large frames; in this case, the battery could be made very thin and at the same time quite voluminous. Modern compact phones have almost no frames, so the battery can only be expanded by increasing its thickness. And that is why today devices whose body thickness does not exceed 8 millimeters can be considered thin. Below is a list of the thinnest modern devices on the market
Huawei Mate X - 5.4 mm
Huawei Mate X is the thinnest
This is a foldable flagship from Huawei costing 2290 euros. The phone offers flagship hardware and, in my opinion, the optimal form factor for a foldable device, even compared to the Galaxy Fold. The device is currently sold only in China, and it can rightfully be called the most interesting phone at the beginning of 2021.
Samsung Galaxy A71 – 7.7 mm
The smartphone, which entered the market at the beginning of 2021, is interesting not only for its dimensions (76 × 163.60 × 7.70 mm), but also for its impressive characteristics for a middle-class device.
Its 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with a resolution of 2400x1080 features accurate color reproduction, high brightness, and is comfortable for users' eyes. A capacious 4500 mAh battery with fast charging function will provide a couple of days of moderate use (social networks, calls, short videos). And the Snapdragon 730 chipset with the Adreno 618 video accelerator will allow you to play PUBG or other heavy games at medium and high settings without lags.
Four rear cameras (64 + 12 + 5 + 5 MP) and a 32 MP selfie camera do an excellent job of providing the Galaxy A71 owner with highly detailed images, with a minimum of noise and artifacts in the daytime.
Pros : contactless payments, memory card slot, 3.5 mm headphone jack.
Cons : no wireless charging, in night mode the quality of photos and videos drops sharply, face unlocking requires good lighting.
Motorola Razr 2021 – 6.9mm
Motorola's flagship - Razr
When the phone first came out, our colleagues from CNET tested the device, according to which the hinge failed after only 20 thousand cycles. There was a lot of noise around this test, since the testing method itself seemed to many to be not entirely objective. But the reputation is still damaged. And not so long ago, users began to peel off the protective plastic in the area where the device folds. Many also complain about poor battery life and a weak camera. In a word, the phone is quite a failure. But we haven’t touched on the topic of performance and cost yet.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip - 7.2 mm
Cheapest Samsung foldable phone
While the $1,500 Razr doesn't offer decent hardware, the Galaxy Z Flip offers a good camera, a powerful processor, an interesting design, and a lower price of $1,380. Yes, when folded, the thickness of the device’s body is 17.3 millimeters, and this is probably its main drawback.
Huawei nova 5/5 Pro – 7.3 mm
The thinnest phone in a familiar form factor
The devices were introduced back in 2021 and are the thinnest modern phones on the market with a familiar form factor. They are equipped with a 6.39-inch OLED screen. The models are distinguished by the processor. In Nova 5 it is Kirin 810, and in Pro it is the flagship Kirin 980. In both cases, the battery is 3500 mAh with fast charging of 40 W (85% in 30 minutes).
The best models of thin smartphones
HIPER sPhone Card
One of the cheapest models in our rating, it is best suited for older people, since the functionality is limited. The entire front side is covered with transparent plastic with an anti-reflective coating, through which all information will be perfectly visible even under the bright sun. The screen diagonal is only 0.96 inches and is not touch-sensitive. The buttons have a short stroke and a characteristic click when pressed. There is a speaker at the top, and a microphone at the bottom left. The back panel is non-removable and made of white plastic. There is a hinged cover under which there is a tray for a microSIM SIM card; there is no slot for a memory card.
As we have already noted, the functionality is small - there is a phone book, a voice recorder, a calculator and an alarm clock. There is Bluetooth 2.0, which is used to connect a wireless headset. The signal reception quality during a call is quite acceptable. There is a speakerphone, but it leaves much to be desired. Short messages are sent consistently. The battery is quite reliable - in standby mode the device can last up to 5 days. Charges from any charger with a suitable connector within half an hour.
Advantages:
- Very compact overall dimensions - the device will even fit into a wallet, as it is slightly larger in size than a credit card;
- High quality workmanship;
- Reliable and durable battery.
Flaws:
- Minimum set of functions;
- Small screen size;
- Not touch sensitive.
HIPER sPhone Card
9. BlackBerry DTEK60
The smartphone has been on the market for quite a long time - about 2+ years, although it has already fallen from the leading position it occupied immediately after its appearance on the market, it still continues to regularly enter various ratings. This device has decent overall dimensions. The back is made of high-quality, carefully tempered glass, which gives the device not only attractiveness, but also additional strength. Users have no complaints about the build quality - there are absolutely no backlashes, creaks and other manufacturing defects here. The edges of the case, which is made of metal on the front side, have polished chamfers. The screen is covered with a special 2.5D Dragontrail protective glass; it also has an oleophobic coating, which does not leave fingerprints or other contaminants.
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The display diagonal is quite large - 5.2 inches. It fits comfortably in one hand, but the likelihood that it will slip out is quite high. The product is equipped with a very powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, which runs on four cores - two of them have a variable frequency of up to 2.2 GHz and two more have a constant frequency of 1.6–1.7 GHz. The Adreno 530 chip is used as a graphics accelerator, the device has 4 GB of RAM. As you can see, the characteristics are decent. The design operates quite quickly and smoothly, withstands significant loads well when using demanding applications, and the battery does not heat up. This model is perfect for fans of mobile games.
Advantages:
- Looks very nice;
- High quality camera;
- Superior power;
- Excellent manufacturing and assembly quality.
Flaws:
- It's quite expensive.
BlackBerry DTEK60
8. Philips Xenium X818
The manufacturing company annually develops and launches many different smartphones for wide sale. This model is far from the most powerful, but it is characterized by good functionality and excellent performance, thanks to which this smartphone can successfully compete with more expensive analogues. There are no frames on the sides of the display. Above the screen there is an earpiece, there is a front camera and a proximity sensor. The alert indicator is an LED and is located under the panel. Below the screen is the only physical button. The main camera is equipped with a dual flash and has a noise-canceling microphone.
The screen diagonal is 5.5 inches. It fits well in the hand, does not slip out, the fingerprint scanner is located under the thumb, and works almost instantly. It is activated only after the display is turned on - this allows you to significantly save on energy consumption. All buttons work very well. The smartphone has an IPS screen with FHD resolution, providing a density of 400 pixels per inch. The screen has excellent color reproduction, wide viewing angles, and the image is not distorted. The display sensor can perceive up to five simultaneous touches. The product runs on the Android 6.0 operating system. The smartphone has an eight-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor with a clock speed of over 2 GHz, it copes well with even demanding applications. The device has 3 GB of RAM and a Mali-T860 graphics accelerator. The built-in memory is 32 GB, of which 25.5 GB will be available to the user, there is a slot for a memory card, the capacity of which can reach 128 GB. The main camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels, the front one is 8 megapixels. It produces pretty good images even when there is contrasting lighting or even a lack of light.
Advantages:
- Good battery life;
- The energy saving mode is very effective;
- Excellent sound through speakers;
- The screen has rich and bright colors.
Flaws:
- A large number of pre-installed programs that cannot be removed.
Philips Xenium X818
7. Motorola Moto Z 32GB Dual
A very functional design that has an extended configuration. In particular, there is a camera installed here with the possibility of tenfold optical zoom, an audio speaker is supplied with the device, and the battery is quite powerful, which ensures a long battery life. In general, as the users themselves note, this is a very unusual model, and this concerns not only the appearance, but also the technical equipment. The thickness of the product is only a little over 5 millimeters, and the weight of the device is also not too high - 130 grams. The smartphone looks solid and durable, the assembly is high-quality and reliable. The body is made of aluminum alloy, which gives the device additional strength. There are special glass inserts at the top and bottom. On the front side there is a decorative pattern of transverse stripes. The back panel is quite easily soiled, so you will have to handle it with the utmost care.
The main camera protrudes quite far beyond the body. The flash and dual lens are placed on a separate round area of decent size. The phone will rest on it when it lies on a table or some other surface. At the top end there is a tray for SIM cards; nano format is supported; there is also a slot for installing a memory card. The fingerprint scanner is located under the display; up to five samples can be stored in the equipment memory. The display has a diagonal of 5.5 inches, its resolution is 2560x1440 pixels. There are anti-reflective and oleophobic coatings. The sensitivity of the sensor is excellent, the multi-touch here can support up to ten simultaneous touches. The smartphone runs on Android 6.0.1 operating system.
Advantages:
- Good device performance;
- The battery charges quickly;
- Excellent photos during daylight hours.
Flaws:
- No 3.5mm headphone jack;
- Autonomy is average.
Motorola Moto Z 32GB Dual
Nubia M2 64GB
Available in two colors - black-gold and white-gold. The case is thin, all-metal, with small plastic inserts, which are necessary for the antennas to work better. All edges are finished perfectly: there are no sharp edges. The front side of the device is covered with 2.5D protective glass. All the standard elements are located here - the earpiece, front camera with flash, light and proximity sensors. The physical button is combined with a fingerprint scanner. At the bottom end there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones; nearby there is a socket for a charger and a speaker. The back panel is monolithic, matte, and fingerprints will not be visible on it.
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For a 5.5-inch diagonal, the gadget turned out to be quite compact - it is comfortable to hold in your hand. The display here supports HD resolution, the picture quality is quite good, the colors are rich, and the viewing angles are wide. The model runs on Android 6.0 OS. The processor used here is MTK MT6750 with a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz, Mali0T860 graphics accelerator, RAM capacity is 3 GB, internal memory is 64 GB. The device has a slot for installing a microSD memory card. The performance reserve is quite good, you can play demanding games and use graphic editors. The main camera is 13 megapixels, the front one has a resolution of 16 megapixels - this is quite rare.
Advantages:
- The camera has a large number of different settings;
- The touch buttons have LED indicators;
- High resolution front camera;
- Good sound quality.
Flaws:
- Combined tray for a second SIM card and memory card;
- Average autonomy;
- Decent length of the device.
Nubia M2 64GB
Honor View 10 128GB
Placed in a monolithic aluminum case, which allows you to use this device without a case. The build quality is perfect - the junction of the metal surface and the glass covering the front panel is almost invisible. No creaks or play were found, the smartphone feels solid in the palm. The front side is covered with 2.5D protective glass. There are small fields at the top and bottom, and there is a fingerprint scanner under the display. The dimensions of the product are quite decent, all the device controls are located in such a way that they are always at hand. The power button is knurled, so it won't be confused with the volume rocker. The shapes are smooth, the corners are rounded. The metal surface is matte, which prevents slipping.
The display diagonal is almost 6 inches, the aspect ratio is 18:9, the sensor supports up to 10 simultaneous touches. Screen resolution – 2160x1080 pixels. It is reliably protected by factory film and Corning Gorilla glass. The brightness range is wide, and the same can be said about contrast and viewing angles. The processor used here is a quad-core HiSilicon Kirin 970 chip, the purity of which is 2.36 GB. Together with them, the performance of the model is ensured by the Mali-G72 MP12 graphics accelerator and 6 GB of RAM. Physical memory is 128 GB, but 8 of them are spent on the shell and operating system. The smartphone has a slot for a memory card, the maximum capacity of which can reach 256 GB. With such parameters, you don’t have to worry that demanding applications may start to slow down. Any programs open almost instantly.
Advantages:
- A very original main camera;
- Decent battery life;
- Good performance margin;
- Minimum frames for the display.
Flaws:
- There is no moisture protection;
- Optical stabilization is not provided.
Honor View 10 128GB
BQ-5203 Vision
The device has a classic appearance. Despite the fact that the device belongs to the middle price segment, the quality of production and materials does not cause the slightest complaints from users. The case is made of metal, there are plastic inserts to provide an improved network signal. The inserts are made in the same colors and do not stand out at all. The gadget is manufactured in four color options – gray, blue, gold and black. There are no logos or anything unnecessary on the front side. The LED charging indicator is located near the earpiece, there is also a front camera and all the necessary sensors. Below the display you can find a single physical button, which has a built-in fingerprint scanner.
There is a dual camera installed at the back, which is equipped with a single LED flash. The smartphone is quite compact, has small overall dimensions, and can be operated with one hand. The corners are beveled, so the device fits easily into the palm and does not slip out of it. The display diagonal is 5.2 inches with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels - everything is visible on it quite well. It is covered with 2.5D glass, equipped with a multi-touch with support for five simultaneous touches. Color rendition is as close to real as possible, viewing angles are not very wide - sometimes color inversion is observed. The processor is a quad-core SoC MediaTek MT6737T chip, clocked at 1.45 GHz. Built-in memory 16 GB with RAM 3 GB, supports microSD memory cards up to 128 GB.
Advantages:
- Excellent ergonomics;
- The screen is bright enough;
- Good performance;
- Classic look.
Flaws:
- Not a very capacious battery.
BQ-5203 Vision
Apple iPhone 8 32GB
In third place in our review of the best thin smartphones of the year was this model, which appeared on sale quite a long time ago, but continues to maintain its popularity to this day. Despite the fact that Apple has already released several new models, this smartphone remains one of the thinnest from this manufacturer - its thickness is only 6.9 mm. The body is made of high-strength aluminum alloy. The device runs on the iOS 8 operating system. The overall dimensions are small - 138 mm in length and 67 mm in width. The display is touchscreen, its diagonal is 4.7 inches, resolution is 1334x750 pixels. It is equipped with an automatic rotation function.
More: Top 10 best smartphones for children, how to choose a children's smartphone
The model is equipped with a good 8 MP camera. With its help you can record videos with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. It is equipped with a facial recognition function. Front camera 1.2 MP. The smartphone is powered by a dual-core Apple A8 processor with a clock frequency of 1.4 GHz, a PowerVR GX6450 graphics processor, 1 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal memory. In addition, the device has a large number of different sensors and a fingerprint scanner.
Advantages:
- There are a large variety of wireless interfaces;
- Good processor;
- Interesting and original appearance.
Flaws:
- Low battery capacity.
Apple iPhone 8 32GB
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro ZD552KL 4GB
This is a top model designed for selfie lovers. The front camera is dual, so you can take both individual self-portraits and group ones. With this camera you can get the maximum amount of surrounding space in your photo. The main camera also has advanced features. The display diagonal is 5.5 inches. The design of the smartphone is laconic; apart from a couple of physical buttons, there are no protruding elements. The side edges are distinguished by rounded shapes, the body thickness is only 6.85 mm, and for such a decent screen diagonal, the device is not wide. It also doesn’t weigh too much – only about 147 grams. The back cover is metal and has plastic inserts. The screen is hidden by Corning Gorilla Glass, the edges are slightly rounded, and the width of the side frames does not exceed 1 mm. The display has Full HD resolution. The picture has quite rich colors and excellent detail.
The viewing angles are quite significant. The oleophobic qualities of the case are excellent - no fingerprints remain. The sensor is capable of responding to ten simultaneous touches. The model runs on the Android 7.1.1 operating system; there are not too many pre-installed applications, but there is nothing superfluous. The basis of the electronic filling of the product is the eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor with a clock frequency of up to 2 GHz. Adreno 506 is used as the graphics core. There is 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory, the smartphone can support microSDXC memory cards, the volume of which can be up to 2 TB. The interface is smooth, responds to touch instantly, the device works well with demanding applications, and plays video perfectly even in the highest quality.
Advantages:
- A decent amount of both built-in and RAM memory;
- The front camera is optimized for selfies;
- The electronic image stabilization system works very reliably;
- There is a fast charging function;
- Excellent display quality.
Flaws:
- The slot for the second SIM card and memory card are combined.
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro ZD552KL 4GB
1. Motorola Moto Z2 Play 64GB
Well, little by little we have reached first place in our ranking of the best thin smartphones of the year. This model became the leader, the developers of which always approached the design of the device wisely. This time the focus was on modularity, in other words, it was decided to expand the functionality of the device with the help of additional accessories. The new product turned out to be quite thin, the appearance is very original. The entire front panel is hidden behind the latest generation of Gorilla Glass. Below the display is a navigation button with a built-in fingerprint scanner. It works quite quickly and confidently recognizes the owner. Above the screen there is everything you need for comfortable use. The back panel is distinguished by an original design solution regarding the design of the main camera with flash. It is represented by a black eye, which will protrude somewhat beyond the body.
The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch display with decent bezels. Because of this, the device turned out to be quite wide; you can operate it with one hand, but this is not always convenient. One of the main advantages according to users is the small thickness of the device, which is only 5.9 mm. For the device, you can find special modules for this phone on sale - one turns it into a full-fledged camera, another allows it to be used as a projector, and so on. The display resolution is Full HD and is based on a Super AMOLED panel. The main working element here is the eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 processor, the highest frequency is 2.2 GHz. The processor, frankly, is average, it comes with 4 GB of RAM, and the internal storage capacity is 64 GB. The design works quite quickly - this was achieved largely due to the use of pure Android as the operating system, which is additionally optimized to work even with weak processors.
Advantages:
- Good battery life of the device;
- Provides fast charging function;
- There is a separate slot for installing a memory card;
- Additional modules are available for sale.
Flaws:
- High price.
Motorola Moto Z2 Play 64GB
Huawei P30 lite/ P30 lite New Edition - 7.4 mm
Slim mid-budget phone from Huawei
These are mid-budget phones. They are equipped with a Kirin 710 processor, and differ only in the amount of RAM and built-in memory. With a 6.15-inch screen and a 3340 mAh battery, the devices are only 7.4 mm thin. Huawei once again proves that it can make thin devices.
Apple iPhone 12 mini 128GB
Case thickness - 7.4 mm.
A fresh device from Apple, which continues to expand its line of smartphones. If the iPhone 12 received a 6.1-inch display, then the iPhone 12 mini has a 5.4-inch (OLED). The thickness of the case in both cases is the same, but the height of the device is very small - only 131.5 mm, this is one of the most compact smartphones on the market!
As for the main characteristics, they repeat those of the iPhone 12: Apple A14 Bionic processor, the same amount of memory, even the camera is the same - very good. And yes, there is no charger included either.
In short, if you want the latest iPhone, but smaller, the iPhone 12 mini is a great choice.
- Screen diagonal: 5.4 inches
- Screen resolution: 2340×1080
- Weight: 135 g
- Number of SIM cards: 2
- Processor: Apple A14 Bionic
- Memory capacity: 128 GB
- RAM capacity: 4 GB
- Battery capacity: 2227 mAh
- Rear camera: dual 12/12 MP
- Front camera: 12 MP
- Memory card support: no
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE – 7.5 mm
When Apple was surpassed
Well, the last model on the list is Mi 9 SE. The thickness of the phone case is only 7.5 mm. It received a 3070 mAh battery and a 5.97-inch superAMOLED screen. With the release of Mi 9 SE, Xiaomi tried to offer consumers a phone comparable in size to the iPhone X. And they succeeded. Additionally, the Apple phone has a thicker body at 7.7mm. The thinnest Apple device is still the iPhone 6 with a thickness of 6.9 millimeters.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro 128GB
Case thickness - 7.4 mm.
Apparently, the entire line of the latest iPhones received the same body thickness - 7.4 mm.
Compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 12 Pro has new sides of the case - in the style of the iPhone 5. A new Apple A14 Bionic chip has appeared, and the amount of RAM has increased to 6 GB, which provides a truly huge reserve of power.
The main camera has changed somewhat and now shoots even better: the changes concern primarily night shots.
As is the case with other recent models from the company, there is no charger included.
- Screen diagonal: 6.1 inches
- Screen resolution: 2532×1170
- Weight: 187 g
- Number of SIM cards: 2
- Processor: Apple A14 Bionic
- Memory capacity: 128 GB
- RAM capacity: 6 GB
- Battery capacity: 2815 mAh
- Rear camera: triple 12/12/12 MP
- Front camera: 12 MP
- Memory card support: no
What do we end up with?
From the list above, the most interesting is, of course, Huawei Mate X. The phone, even when folded, has a body thickness of only 11 millimeters. At the same time, the Galaxy Fold in the same condition has a thickness of 15.5 millimeters. When folded, the Razr is 14mm thick and fits between the Mate X and Fold.
Having studied modern devices, we came to the conclusion that it is Huawei and Samsung that focus on the thickness of the body of their devices. The Galaxy A line offers smartphones with a body thickness of less than 8 mm, and the Galaxy S20, even taking into account the modern camera, is only 7.8 mm thick.
The worst devices in this parameter are Nokia and Xiaomi. Almost all phones from these companies have a body thickness of 8-9 mm. In the case of Xiaomi, this is due to capacious batteries, but we don’t yet know how to justify Nokia phones.
Which phone would you add to the list? Share it in the comments and read us on Yandex Zen.
Samsung Galaxy A51
- H×W×T – 158.5×73.6×7.9 mm; weight – 172 g.
- Screen 6.5″, sAMOLED, 2400×1080, 405 ppi, 20:9, 60 Hz, AOD.
- Samsung Exynos 9611 processor, 10nm.
- CPU – 8 Cortex cores, A73 (4×2.3 GHz) + A53 (4×1.7 GHz).
- GPU – ARM Mali-G72 MP3, 850 MHz.
- Android 10 (Q) OS, One UI 2.5 interface.
- RAM 4/6 GB (LPDDR4x), ROM 64/128 GB (UFS 2.0).
- Triple slot, 2 nanoSIM + 1 microSD up to 512 GB.
- Main quad AI camera 48 MP (f/2.0, PDAF, 80°).
- Additional sensors 12 MP (f/2.2, 123°) + 5 MP (f/2.4, F=4 cm) + 5 MP (f/2.2).
- Video recording – up to 2160p/30fps, slow-mo 240fps, 8x digital zoom.
- Front camera 32 MP (f/2.2).
- Built-in 4000mAh battery, 15W fast charging.
- USB Type-C 2.0, 3.5 mm minijack, USB OTG.
- Conversational + 1 music speakers, 2 microphones.
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, 4G LTE, FM radio.
- NFC (with support for Samsung Pay and Google Pay), MST.
- In-screen fingerprint + face unlock.
- 4 colors, back panel and side frame - plastic.
- Front is Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
The next line is occupied by the mid-budget Samsung Galaxy A51. It weighs 172g and is 7.9mm thick. In the thin plastic case of the gadget, the developers managed to cram a good 4000 mAh battery with support for 15 W fast charging, a mid-range Exynos 9611 processor, an NFC chip, a triple slot for 2 SIM cards and one microSD memory card up to 512 GB, as well as 5 cameras - 4- modular main camera and a 32 MP front camera built into the screen. The main quad camera includes a 48 MP main sensor, a 12 MP ultra-wide sensor and a 5 MP depth sensor and macro sensor. The rectangular block with lenses protrudes above the body no more than 1 mm. There was room for both a minijack and a modern USB Type-C connector.
Among other things, the smartphone has a bright and colorful 6.5-inch Super AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution, support for AOD mode and a built-in fingerprint sensor. In terms of memory capacity, the model is presented in different configurations and can have 4 or 6 GB of RAM and 64 or 128 GB of internal storage.
