New vivo Y02 is a slim, minimalist phone for under PhP 6K

Finding comfort in a small smartphone

Having lived for over 30 years, I’ve gone through a lot of technological evolutions. I experienced the tail end of the Walkman era before Discmans took over and then saw those get replaced by the ever-iconic iPod.

Digital cameras were introduced which led me to let go of my film cameras. Landlines evolved into cell phones and then, eventually, into smartphones.

But think about it and it’s funny, really, how things run in a cycle.

With phones for example, they were comically large to begin with because of limited technology and then, eventually, humans made them super super tiny just because we could. (remember the Nokia 8210?)

And then, along the way, we’re back to making them big (or modernizing old form factors like the flip phone)

The standard display of most smartphones these days is sized upwards of 6 inches which can be quite a handful for some (me included). And only a few, like Samsung or Apple, are still producing smaller-sized, full-featured devices.

Which was fine for me because, in all honesty, I was never a fan of the form factor.

So when I was handed the Samsung Galaxy S23 to try out, I wasn’t really looking forward to its tiny-ness since I do work on my phone and screen real estate is something I treasure.

But in having and holding this smartphone for a couple of weeks, I’ve come to realize its appeal.

There really is comfort in having a small phone and I’m glad to have found it.

It’s unassumingly worry-free

Okay maybe not totally unassumingly but it wasn’t one of the things I was expecting to appreciate.

In reviewing smartphones over the years, I’ve come to accept that, these days, most of them can’t or won’t fit in my pockets or smaller bags. I’ve long grown accustomed to seeing about a third of my phone peeking out of my pants pocket and it falling out when I try to sit or crouch.

And I’ve also come to accept that it was the modern flip phone that would appease my need for a phone that would fit.

Well, I was (a little bit) wrong.

While flip phones like the Samsung Z Flip4, Huawei P50 Pocket, or the more recent OPPO Find N2 Flip are probably the best when it comes to fitting basically anywhere, the Samsung Galaxy S23 offers a surprisingly comfortable size as well.

What convenience this brings (apart from better handling which I’ll talk about next) is the ability to be worry-free when it comes to bringing my phone.

Fancy dinner with a tiny bag? Phone fits in my pocket.
Out shooting on the field? Phone fits in my pocket (And doesn’t fall out despite movement).

And when I get a little careless, this device naturally fits in the palm of my hand making it less likely to slip away from me.

I honestly love the feeling of taking the Galaxy S23 anywhere without having to constantly worry about it getting damaged. And that ease of mind is rarely felt when handling a larger device.

Everything is within reach

While a fan of smartphones with large displays, I’m also clumsy and my hands aren’t that big — a formula for constantly dropped objects.

I’m also sure everybody is familiar with that graceless shuffle we do with one hand when we have to reach the upper half of the display and how it can cause a tiny heart attack if ever you lose grip.

I’ve had my fair share of dropping (sometimes cracking) bigger smartphones, so when I switched to the Samsung Galaxy S23, it was a like a breath of fresh air; like handling the smartphones of before.

With this base model, I could reach everything. Swiping down to check notifications didn’t require me to loosen my grip and outstretch out of my thumb. I could also freely navigate with little to no worry about the device slipping from my hands.

And when on the go, I find that having a small smartphone like the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a game changer for multitasking.

With its compact size, I can easily use it even when only one hand is available. This means I can quickly check my emails, send a text message, or make a phone call without having to put anything down.

And because the Samsung Galaxy S23 fits comfortably in the palm of my hand, I didn’t have to worry about straining my wrist or dropping the phone while I’m on the move, either.

Whether I’m running around during a shoot or just trying to get things done around the house, the Samsung Galaxy S23 and its tiny frame let me do my work worry-free.

Same flagship Galaxy performance for less

As technology advances, smartphones are becoming increasingly powerful and versatile. For many people, having flagship performance is a must-have feature, but not everyone wants a large phone like the S23+ or the Ultra variant.

That’s where this base Samsung Galaxy S23 comes in. You’re basically getting all the capabilities of the S23+ in a tinier frame.

One of the biggest benefits of having flagship performance in a small phone is speed which the S23 can happily provide.

With a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, there’s hardly anything this phone can’t handle. It was pretty much lightning-fast when it comes to loading apps, multitasking, gaming, and overall performance.

This helped me get things done quickly and efficiently without any lag or slowdown.

Whether I was working hard with news articles or editing photos on Lightroom, or just enjoying my screen time streaming or playing, there was basically no worrying about this phone’s capabilities.

Another benefit of the Samsung Galaxy S23 is its cameras. Though not as spec’d out as the top-of-the-line variant, the S23 is still equipped with a more than capable daily snapper.

Final thoughts

So have I changed my mind about smaller smartphones? To a certain extent, yes.

While I, again, might still get drawn to phones with larger displays and larger frames (except for flip phones, those are awesome), I now know the comforts of owning a small (and powerful) phone.

While not a popular size in the market, its appeal can’t be denied. And the Samsung Galaxy S23 is a fantastic choice for anyone looking for flagship performance in a compact package.