The best small phone to buy in 2025
All phones on this list have been thoroughly tested by CNET’s Expert Reviews team. Use your phone in action, test features, play games, take photos. We value the marketing commitments that companies make about phone calls. And if we find something we don’t like, whether it’s battery life or building quality, we’ll tell you all about it.
Examine all aspects of the phone during the test.
- screen
- Design and feel
- Processor Performance
- Battery life
- Camera quality
- Features
Test all your phone cameras (both front and rear) in a variety of conditions. From outdoors to sunlight, indoor indoor locales and nighttime scenes (available night mode). We will also compare the findings with similar pricing models. There is a series of real-world battery tests to see how long your phone lasts daily usage.
Consider additional phone features such as 5G, fingerprints, facial readers, stylus, fast charging, foldable displays and other handy extras. And of course, we weigh against all experience and test prices, so you know if the phone represents a good value. See the description for more details How to test your mobile phone.