In search of the best mid-sized compact LTE smartphone

Looking at the best LTE smartphones in the market, the Samsung Galaxy S4, it feels just a bit too big. It feels great in hand. The size of the display is not a problem. But at nearly 137 mm tall and 70 mm wide, I will have a hard time keeping it in a belt pouch or my pocket when wearing my suits and the slim jeans I am fond off. 

The Sony Xperia Z is a lovely phone, but that is even taller and wider, and with its blocky body, feels much larger than that Galaxy S4 in hand. The HTC One is narrower than the Galaxy S4, Xperia Z or Xperia ZL, but is a tall 137.4 mm. 

One step below the flagships you have the Xperia ZL. The Xperia ZL is shorter 131.6 mm length, so it does fit a bit better in a belt pouch. The plastic case also feels better in the hand than the glass case of the Xperia Z. Overall, at 131.6 x 69.3 x 9.8 mm, the Xperia ZL is looking like one a good option for a 5-inch smartphone. LG's Optimus G is just about the same size as the Xperia ZL.

Scaling down in size does not really result in a more compact smartphone. The Xperia ZL really is not all that much bigger than the 4.6-inch Xperia ZR and the Xperia SP. The 4.3-inch Xperia V is much narrower at 65 mm, as compared to the Xperia ZL, but only a bit shorter at 129 mm. The length really bothers me more than the width.

Going on the other extreme, the 4-inch iPhone has a display 10% smaller than what I have been using for the last three years. Still, it is a nice compact 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm.

On the Windows side of things, the 4.3-inch Nokia Lumia 820 looks nice at 123.8 x 68.5 x 9.9 mm, although I am not sure I want a phone with a WVGA resolution. 

From RIM... the 4.2-inch BlackBerry Z10 is all 130 mm tall. 

Did I miss out anything? 

Sitting in between the tall 137 mm Android's and the 123.8 mm, the 131.6 mm Xperia Z is looking like the best all around choice. Would appreciate any input before forking out my hard earned money.