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Even though 4-inches was considered to be a good screen size through 2015, 2016 changed that. In 2017, we expect limited launches in the 4 inch screen category, though iPhone SE was launched by Apple last year. Personally, I am a big fan of smaller screen phones as my primary internet device is my laptop. The smaller screen suits perfectly for the occasionally chatting and getting notifications. The smaller sizes are also generally high on battery life and easy to lug around.

It should become increasingly harder to get the latest hardware at a 4-inch size - as it should be. If you are really looking into some of the best out there you should would need to upgrade over to the super-4 inch size in 2017. There will still be offerings at the 4-inch mark, but expect them to be mostly models released earlier to 2016.

Browse All Top 4 inch Cell Phones - 2017 »

Apple iPhone SE

Apple iPhone SE


Apple iPhone SE: We looked at around 16 expert reviews for Apple iPhone SE from sites like PhoneArena.com, TechRadar.com and GsmArena.com based on which Apple iPhone SE was ranked as the #1 top 4 inch cell phone.

Comparison of the Top 5 4 inch Cell Phones - 2017

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Apple iPhone SE
Microsoft Lumia 532
Apple iPhone 5s
Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM
Asus Zenfone 4
Apple iPhone SE
Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual SIM
Apple iPhone 5s 16GB (Space Gray) - Unlocked
Nokia Lumia 530 Dual SIM
Asus Zenfone 4 A400CG
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Release Date
Apr 2016
May 2015
Sep 2013
Aug 2014
May 2014
Screen Size(Diagonal)
4.0 inch
4.0 inch
4.0 inch
4.0 inch
4.0 inch
Digital Camera Resolution
12.0 MP
5.0 MP
8.0 MP
5.0 MP
5.0 MP
Installed RAM (GB)
2.0 GB
1.0 GB
1.0 GB
1.0 GB
Front Webcam Resolution
1.2 MP
Processor Type
Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister, A9
Quad-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7
Dual-core 1.3 GHz Cyclone, Dual-core 1.3 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based), Apple A7
Quad-core 1.2 GHz
Dual-core 1.2 GHz, Intel Atom Z2520
Battery Capacity
1624.0 mAh
1560.0 mAh
1560.0 mAh
1430.0 mAh
1600.0 mAh
Operating System
iOS 9.3, iOSĀ 9.3, iOS 9.3.2
Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1
iOS 7.0.1, iOS 7, upgradable to iOS 7.1.2, upgradable to iOS 8.1.2
Microsoft Windows Phone 8.1
Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Carrier
Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT-T
AT-T, Sprint

The iPhone SE is a great smartphone that brings plenty of power in a small package.

  • Rating Unavailable

This is a plain budget phone, so don't expect more than the basics.

While you'll almost certainly love the phone itself, it's extremely expensive for recent converts.

Competition now stronger.

The screen is a 4-inch 480x800-pixel panel which really isn't very bright and has poor viewing angles.