I finally found the phone of my dreams that challenges mainstream devices

I want nothing to do with Nothing’s designs anymore, which is why Enough might be enough for me. Small, simple, and with a single camera lens that reminds me of my favorite phone, the Enough Phone shows how a little can be enough for everyone.

But enough with the jokes; the Enough Phone is here. Designed to be small, powerful, and simple, it’s the smartphone of my dreams.

The Enough Phone is a compact phone with plenty of power

The prototype looks simple but promising

What is the Enough Phone? While still in early development (the prototype has been shown off), the company has a clear idea of what the final device will look like and can share a full spec sheet.

Notable features include:

• MediaTek Dimensity 7500 chipset
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• 5.3″ 1520×720 LCD display
• 50MP rear camera that sits flush with the back of the phone
• User-replaceable 3,500mAh-4,000mAh battery
• Android 17 and OdysseyOS
• Fingerprint reader and face unlock
• 5G connectivity and eSIM support
• No wireless charging
• Removable back plate

Because the phone is still in the prototyping stage, some specs are unannounced. These include waterproofing, durability ratings, and battery capacity.

This spec sheet has some fascinating elements. 8GB RAM indicates that AI presence will be minimal (the company has not announced details regarding AI features).

A user-replaceable battery and removable back plate suggest the Enough Phone will rank high on repairability scores, and support for OdysseyOS shows the Enough Phone will compete with minimalist phones.

The Enough Phone is trying to tick a lot of boxes. It’s trying to compete with the well-established mid-range phone market, attract dumbphone and minimalist phone users, and show that repairability is still viable for a premium Android phone.

I love the idea. I’ve discussed how small phones need to make a return, and the Enough Phone is exactly the kind of device I’m looking for.

But more established manufacturers have tried similar tricks, and they’ve all failed.

The Enough Phone feels dated, but in a good way

It reminds me of a more optimistic time

Remember the Essential phone? The 2017 smartphone that was stylish, modern, and a complete failure.

I never owned one, but a friend did, and next to my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge it looked like the future of smartphones. Unfortunately, sales never took off, and the brand was eventually folded into Carl Pei’s Nothing startup.

The Enough Phone’s journey feels like the early days of Essential and Nothing. And may I quickly mention how annoying this trend of adjective-based phone names is becoming?

But where the Essential phone was too early for its time (a phone without a headphone jack would have generated less controversy a few years later), it still offered something unique and special.

The original Nothing phone made a bigger splash thanks to its Glyph lights, proving that, yes, smartphones could still be fun.

Unfortunately for the Enough Phone, it’s neither futuristic nor unique. That shouldn’t be a problem, but I think it’s enough to damn the company.

The Enough Phone echoes an earlier compact phone story

It feels like a reincarnation of my most-wanted compact phone

In 2023, ASUS launched the Zenfone 10. This compact smartphone was, on paper, everything we wanted from a smartphone.

Unfortunately, poor software support and a lack of investment led ASUS to exit the smartphone space.

While the Enough Phone’s marketing echoes Essential’s and Nothing’s early days, the smartphone echoes the Zenfone 10.

But if ASUS couldn’t make the compact smartphone work, what chance does Enough have?

I’ll be supporting the Enough Phone, but who else will?

Support for compact phones has been underwhelming in the past

The Enough Phone isn’t even at the crowdfunding stage yet. It’s currently targeting an interest list of 20,000 people, of which 4,500 have signed up since July.

Then there’s the lengthy crowdfunding process and shipping, which Enough needs to perform above expectations to secure the company’s future.

The Enough Phone is my dream smartphone. It’s made all the compromises I like to see in a smartphone, and I’ve missed the compact size since I gave up my iPhone 13 mini.

But consumers have repeatedly shown that the interest in small phones isn’t there. If Apple can’t make the compact smartphone idea work, what chance does Enough have?

The Enough Phone has a long way to go, but I wish it the best

The Enough Phone is everything I want in a smartphone, so I’ll be keeping a close eye on its journey. If it makes it to the crowdfunding stage, you can bet I’ll help it achieve its goal of making my perfect smartphone.

You can register interest in the Enough Phone on its website and sign up to be notified when it launches on Kickstarter. Fingers crossed that it will break the trend of failed compact phones.