The world of gaming is continuously expanding, and now more than ever, gaming phones are becoming increasingly popular. Before, there was a conception that if you were a mobile gamer, you weren’t a serious player. However, with several high-quality games coming out and the hardware in the phones improving mobile gaming has become a serious platform.
Certain phones can even easily match the performance of some portable gaming devices while offering all the utility a smartphone in the generation provides. If you’re looking to make a jump to the gaming phones phenomenon here are some of the very best in the market.
Fair warning some Apple and Samsung fanboys might be offended by the ordering in this list, but our primary focus is gaming. Not everyone is willing to spend close to $1000 dollars on a gaming phone.
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7 Top Gaming Phones
Below, we will talk about seven the perfect mobile phones for gaming:
Taking the “editors pick” standing on android authority, the Razer Phone 2 also takes the top spot on our list. For years Razer has been one of the most legendary gaming accessory company in the market. The Razer Phone 2 is the latest version of their flagship phone and is quite a device.
When it comes to gaming for the price, you’re paying there’s hardly any other phone that can keep up. The design of the phone is incredibly reliable, and it fits very well in hand. The size is comparable to a portable gaming device, and you can play on it for hours on end without tiring.
When it comes to the specs, the Razer Phone 2 serves up 8gb of RAM and has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor. Furthermore, the screen is 5.7 inches in size, with a refresh rate of 120 HZ. The hardware ensures that you will be able to tear through any games on the market.
The phone rips through PUBG on Ultra settings without any hitches and will play the most demanding games on the market quickly. Furthermore, several Razer accessories significantly improve your gaming experience.
The ergonomic design and dedication to providing a seamless gaming experience are what earn the Razer Phone 2 the top spot on our list.
Specs
- Display: 5.72 inches, IGZO IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1440 x 2560.
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845
- Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.6, 1/3.1″, 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom - Storage: 64GB + microSD(1TB)
- RAM: 8 GB
- Sound: Voice 78dB/ Noise 78dB/ Ring 86dB
- OS: Android 8.1-9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-Po 4000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 158.5 x 79 x 8.5 mm
- Weight: 220 g
Pros
- Dedication to gaming
- 8gb of RAM
- 120HZ refresh rate
Cons
- Relatively high price
- Cameras aren’t as high quality as other phones
With a name like Black Shark, you can expect some pretty ferocious gaming performance. The Black Shark 2 takes the first spot on pocket-lint, and there’s a multitude of reasons why. Primarily, the phone is available for less than $700 and represents pretty good bang for your buck when it comes to hardware.
The phone is available in a 12GB RAM version which is the absolute highest possible in any phone on the market. Furthermore, the phone comes with the latest snapdragon processor as well. You can even turn on the gaming mode to get maximum performance. The screen is an OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate, while it may not be as flashy as some of the quality displays on the other phones on our list it’s still pretty solid.
The phone also feels really good to hold in the hand in spite of the unusual design. While the phone may look pretty standard from the front, it’s on the back where the magic happens.
The phone features the signature Black Shark logo which also lights up in gaming mode. If you’re going to buy a gaming phone on a budget, then the Xiaomi Black Shark 2 is incredibly hard to beat. The only drawback to the phone is the slightly unreliable software, apart from that you won’t have any complaints.
Regardless of which phone you decide to buy out of the ones on this list, it contains the best of the best in the market currently. Depending on your budget, and preference pick the phone that suits your style the most and start gaming!
Specs
- Display: 6.39 inches, AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2340
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM8150 Snapdragon 855
- Camera: 48 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
- 12 MP, f/2.2, 54mm (telephoto), 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoomStorage: 64GB + microSD(1TB)
- RAM: 8 GB
- Sound: Voice 67dB/ Noise 73dB/ Ring 82dB
- OS: Android 9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-ion 4000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 163.6 x 75 x 8.8 mm
- Weight: 205 g
Pros
- Effective gaming mode
- Budget pricing
Cons
- Android software not optimal
- 60Hz refresh rate
Similar to Razer, Asus had become an essential name in the PC industry, due to several excellent gaming hardware and accessories. Their flagship phone came out in late October and is one of the best pure gaming phones you can get on the market.
The phones design makes it look like a prop out of a sci-fi film. One feature that’ll bring delight to gamers along the world is the LED logo on the back, a signature on most gaming devices.
Moving on to the hardware the phone features an overclocked Snapdragon 845 processor capable of producing 2.96Ghz, 8 Gb of ram, and AMOLED display. The AMOLED display is locked at a refresh rate of 90Hz, which may not be up to the standard of Razer but is still enough to produce a very smooth performance.
One of the best gaming features is the addition of triggers on the top of the phone. The triggers are called the AirTriggers and are much better to use for gaming. Additionally, Rog has an X-mode that will bring delight to games around the world. When you turn on X-mode, your phone frees up memory and dedicates itself towards gaming. Before the X-mode activates the phone will vibrate, and the logo in the back will shift colors.
There may not be a significant difference in gaming performance; however, the fact that the phone vibrates to build your anticipation is a very nice feature.
The limited refresh rate and the fact that the phone lacks feature outside of the gaming is what holds the Asus Rog back. If you’re looking for a pure gaming phone, then the Rog is an excellent option for you.
Specs
- Display: 6.00 inches, AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2160
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM8450 Snapdragon 845
- Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, 4-axis OIS
8 MP, 12mm (ultrawide), no AF - Storage: 128GB-512GB
- RAM: 8 GB
- Sound: Voice 79dB/ Noise 77dB/ Ring 84dB
- OS: Android 8.1-9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-ion 4000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 158.8 x 76.2 x 8.3 mm
- Weight: 200 g
Pros
- Nominal price
- Air Triggers
- Asus gaming mode
Cons
- Limited refresh rate
- Slightly slow hardware
TechadvisorUK took a rather unusual option for their choice as the top pick for the best gaming phone. They choose Red Magic 3 as the top phone for its combination of price and high-end gaming performance.
Quite you won’t find any phone on the market capable of performing at the same level for the same price. The amount of modern hardware on the mobile is quite staggering. It features the newest Snapdragon processor and massive display.
Similar to the Asus Rog the display has a refresh rate of 90Hz which ensures smooth performance all round. The phone performs brilliantly even when playing demanding games like PUBG and Fortnite. Furthermore, the phone also has pressure-sensitive triggers that you can use in landscape mode.
However, due to the incredibly nominal price, the phone lacks several key features. Apart from gaming, the phone performs poorly and lacks several critical Android features. If you’re on a budget and are looking for a phone purely for gaming, the Red Magic 3 is easily the highest performance gaming phone on the market.
Specs
- Display: 6.65 inches, AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2340
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM8150 Snapdragon 855
- Camera: 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
- Storage: 64GB-256GB
- RAM: 8-12GB
- Sound: Voice 66dB/ Noise 73dB/ Ring 86dB
- OS: Android 9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-ion 5000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm
- Weight: 215 g
Pros
- Super low price
- Great screen
Cons
- Pure gaming phone
- Hard to find
Arguably the only real competitor to the iPhone XS Max is Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S10 Plus. The phone takes the top spot on tomsguide gaming lists, and it’s understandable why. The screen on this phone is stunning, and the dynamic AMOLED display will easily outperform other phones on the market.
Furthermore, the phone is packing with the latest hardware, meaning that it will blaze through modern games. Even the most demanding mobile games like PubG and Fortnite are no match for the S10 plus device.
The phone costs a lot, but you also get the assurance that you’re getting a high-quality device. Samsung is perhaps only behind apple when it comes to finish and build quality. The phone feels super comfortable in hand meaning you can easily play for hours without worrying.
If you’re a Samsung fan and are looking to buy a gaming phone, then the S10 plus is your best option. However, there are several other Android phones that offer better gaming performance at a lower price.
Specs
- Display: 6.65 inches, AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2340
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM8150 Snapdragon 855
- Camera: 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
- Storage: 64GB-256GB
- RAM: 8-12GB
- Sound: Voice 66dB/ Noise 73dB/ Ring 86dB
- OS: Android 9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-ion 5000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 171.7 x 78.5 x 9.7 mm
- Weight: 215 g
Pros
- Incredibly build quality
- Great screen
- Amazing overall phone
Cons
- Expensive
- Samsung bloatware
Gamesradar chooses a slightly left-field option for the best gaming phone on their list. The Honor View 20 isn’t a flagship phone or a phone designed for gaming. The phone is simply a mid-level Android device; however, it has certain features that are any gamers dream.
The 4000 mAh battery ensures that your long gaming sessions are not interrupted. The 6.4-inch screen is perfect for gamers, it’s resolution 1080×2310 is amazing for experiencing games.
The powerful processor and internal specs mean that you can run Fortnite at 60fps, and that’s enough for today’s gamers. The CPU Kirin and 6 or 8 GB ram is amazing for this phones price.
The storage space is efficient as it comes with two options 128GB and 256GB. However, it offers no SD card support, meaning that once the memory is full, you won’t be able to expand it. That’s one of the drawbacks of the phone; however, the internal storage that comes standard is plenty.
The drawbacks of the phone are minor, and with a price like this, the honor view 20 is an excellent gaming phone. The phone is a major fingerprint magnet, as the finish is very glossy. The glossy finish means that it’ll be tough keeping this phone clean after intense gaming sessions.
Another drawback, as I mentioned before, is the lack of an SD card slot; the storage of this phone us not expandable. The internal storage itself is sufficient. However, it is nice to know that you can increase if it ever gets full.
Apart from these tiny problems, another problem is that this phone is not native in the US. Making it very tough to buy in the US; however, in today’s day and age, everything can be ordered online. All in all, this phone is perfect if you are on a budget and don’t want to sacrifice on any features.
Specs
- Display: 6.4 inches, IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1080 x 2310
- Processor: HiSilicon Kirin 980
- Camera: 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF
- Storage: 128GB-256GB
- RAM: 8GB
- Sound: Voice 68dB/ Noise 74dB/ Ring 82dB
- OS: Android 9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-ion 4000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 156.9 x 75.4 x 8.1 mm
- Weight: 180 g
Pros
- Decent screen size
- Large battery
Cons
- Screen isn’t as high res as other phones
- Glossy finish-attracts fingerprints
According to TechRadar, the iPhone XS Max is the number one gaming phone on the market. We would wholeheartedly agree if it just weren’t for the top of the line price. The pricing means that not all people can easily afford this phone and if you’re looking for a phone primarily for gaming, you’re overpaying for the iPhone XS Max.
In spite of the price, in terms of performance and quality, very few phones can compete with Apple’s flagship phone. In recent years’ other companies have made leaps and bounds in attempting to catch Apple. However, when it comes to the finish and build quality, Apple still reigns supreme. The phone is gorgeous to look at, and when you hold it in your hand, you’ll truly understand why it costs so much.
Apart from that, the hardware in the phone is second to none. The A12 Bionic processor is quite simply the fastest in the market. There’s no need even to mention Apple’s displays because very few phones can compete. The combination of hardware ensures that the iPhone maxes out performances in all games.
Furthermore, with the iPhone, you get access to the Apple app store. While the app store may not contain the same amount of games as the android market place, it has more high-quality mobile games. Additionally, android phones can’t compete with iOS when it comes to malware protection and consistency.
Its pricing is the only thing that holds the phone back from topping more lists.
Specs
- Display: 5.72 inches, IGZO IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 1440 x 2560.
- Processor: Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845
- Camera: 12 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.6, 1/3.1″, 1.0µm, 2x optical zoom - Storage: 64GB + microSD(1TB)
- RAM: 8 GB
- Sound: Voice 78dB/ Noise 78dB/ Ring 86dB
- OS: Android 8.1-9.0
- Battery: Non-removable Li-Po 4000 mAh battery
- Dimensions: 158.5 x 79 x 8.5 mm
- Weight: 220 g
Pros
- The fastest processor in the market
- Incredible high-quality display
- iStore
Cons
- $1000 dollar plus price
- Prone to breakage