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Finding a compact smartphone in 2024 is hard. But what’s even harder is finding compact smartphones under $500. Every smartphone manufacture has embraced larger screens as default and only a few still cater to users looking for compact smartphones. And even those make mostly compact smartphones for the premium end.
Now, it is even harder to find modern compact smartphones under $500. Extremely difficult. By compact, I mean smartphones with displays that are 6.2 inches or smaller. There are a handful of them, but most have such limited availability that they practically do not exist for the majority of mobile phone users.
- The Best Compact Smartphones Under $500
- Other Compact Smartphones Under $500
- The Cheapest Compact Smartphones Under $500
The Best Compact Smartphones Under $500
Easily the most popular modern compact smartphone under $500 is the Google Pixel 7a. It is a 2023 model but it is quite up-to-date and powerful. You are also getting a solid camera, IP67 dust/water resistance allowing it to be submerged for up to 1 meter and no more than 30 minutes. The display has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and there is a pair of stereo speakers, as well. Of course, you get Google’s timely software updates for 3 years.
Google Pixel 7a
Sony Xperia 10 V is less popular than the Pixel 7a, but the Sony brand is well known. Like the Pixel 7a, its 6.1-inch display makes it a compact smartphone. And with a $330 price tag, that makes it a compact smartphone under $500.
Xperia 10 V
It was released in 2023 and uses the now dated Snapdragon 695 chipset. But it has great battery life and is a solid all-round device. And there is stereo speakers, a side fingerprint scanner, and IP68 dust/water resistance, allowing you to keep it submerged for up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes.
The Xperia 10 V will also get 3 years of software updates. It is available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia.
Other Compact Smartphones Under $500
There are a few other phones that make the cut for compactness under the $500 mark. They include: TCL 403, TCL Ion X, Oukitel WP32, Ulefone Power Armour 16S, and BlackView BV5300 Pro. In most places, you have to order these from AliExpress, BangGood, and other online platforms, and have them shipped to you.
If you are in Japan, do check out the Sharp Aquos sense8 and Sharp Aquos sense7. Sharp phones are no longer found much elsewhere outside of Japan. Of course, if you want one badly, I imagine you can order it online and have it shipped to you, just as with the other models I mentioned above.
The Cheapest Compact Smartphones Under $500
If you are on a tight budget and want the cheapest conpact smartphones under $500, you have to be willing to pick a model that is a few years old.
For example, the Google Pixel 6A is available for $349. The Apple iPhone SE 2022 is available for $300. You will have to be able to deal with the dated design of the latter. Otherwise, it is a powerful compact smartphone that is worth the money.
Lovers of compact smartphones have it hard in today’s world in which the general direction of users and manufacturers is bigger devices. Clamshell foldable phones don’t meet the need either, because once you open them up to use them (when you actually want the convenience of a compact form factor), they transform into 6.9-inch, tablet sizes. And then, you have to stretch to reach the farthest ends of the display. See? I own one and it doesn’t meet the need for compactness during actual usage.
Note that there are more compact smartphones available at more expensive prices. Apple, Samsing, and Xiaomi, for example, all have premium flagship devices that are compact. Specifically, you should be looking at the Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24, and Xiaomi 14 (though with a 6.36-inch display, that is crawling outside of compactness). But you will have to fork out $1000 and above for those. If you can afford it, why not? Here is a list of the top small smartphones for you.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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Released in December 2023, the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G has turned out as one of the bestselling smartphones of Q1 2024 not just in the United States only, but globally. But does the Samsung Galaxy A15 5G have IR blaster? If the terminology is new to you, an IR blaster is the same thing as an infrared port.
Infra-red ports are no longer the rave they used to be years ago on mobile phones, but some manufacturers still use them. And some Samsung fans are bitter about it.
Back in the day, the most advanced mobile phones would have an infra-red port. It was used for data transfer, including internet sharing. Yes; those were the days before Wi-Fi became a thing. To share your phone’s internet, you used an old-school data cable or infra-red.
With the presence of Wi-Fi, the need and demand for infra-red blasters diminished. In recent years, Xiaomi has put an IR blaster in many of its phones. This time, these ports enable the phones to be used as TV controllers. Yes; mobile phones have taken over the roles of everything else; why not add TV controller to it?
It also enables the ability to control the DVD player, air conditioner, and some other household appliances. But a more accurate version of Face ID uses infra-red and, so, we are seeing an upsurge of IR ports in smartphones. So, perhaps, a new IR revolution may yet happen based on this.
I have owned or reviewed a number of phones with an infra-red blaster and enjoyed using the feature. However, I cannot say that I have missed it in all the other phones I have used that did not have it. It has never felt like an essential to me.
- Does Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Have IR Blaster?
- The Last Samsung Phones With IR Blaster
- Your Best Options For Phones With IR Blaster
- Deal-breaker?
Does Samsung Galaxy A15 5G Have IR Blaster?
The Samsung Galaxy A15 5G does not have an infrared port/IR blaster. The thing is, even brands like Xiaomi do not include an IR blaster in their entry-level models. The whole idea of entry-level is a balance between keeping costs low and features. Which means that features found in high-end smartphones often do not make it to lower models.
Of course, its 4G sibling, the Samsung Galaxy A15 does not have an IR blaster, either.
And some Samsung fans are bitter about this omission. Some have based their phone buying decision on this factor and moved on to other smartphone brands. Here is an example of one of such conversations on Samsung’s own community website.
There are scores of other online platforms where fans are griping about the matter. But I doubt that the answer to the simple question, “Does Samsung Galaxy A15 5G have IR blaster” will have any impact on Samsung’s sales in any way. There are no alternative models with the feature. In this price bracket, forget about infrared in smartphones. Of course, you can always buy an infrared dongle.
The Last Samsung Phones With IR Blaster
The last Samsung models that had an IR blaster were the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy Note 4. Since then, Samsung has ignored infra-red. And it does not look like the S10 range of phones will have this feature.
Your Best Options For Phones With IR Blaster
If you want a smartphone with an infra-red blaster, your best options are in the direction of Xiaomi and Huawei. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ and other models in the Note 13 range are extremely popular with young people and both have IR blaster built in. Others include Xiaomi 14 series. Huawei has a number of models with an IR blaster. These include P20 Pro, Mate 10 Pro, and Honor View 10, among others.
Gionee produced a few smartphone models with infra-red blaster. It is unfortunate that the company has declared bankruptcy. Some of their phones are still available in the market though. I have reviewed a few LG smartphones and enjoyed using their IR blaster to control the TV. But it looks like LG might be dropping the feature too.
Deal-breaker?
There is a vocal enough community of smartphone enthusiasts who are put off by higher Samsung smartphones not having an Infra-red blaster. I am not sure that it is a large enough community to make a big dent in the fortunes of these products.
Who knows, part of why Xiaomi and Huawei devices are selling so well (besides pricing) might be that those brands are now on the heels of Samsung? What are the chances that having an IR blaster in key models could be a factor? After all, so many people around the world watch TV, play videos and play music on infra-red controlled home systems.
As said already, entry-level smartphones just don’t get this feature. But wouldn’t it be sweet if one brand took up the challenge? And if there is any brand with the financial muscles to do it, Samsung is one.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
