Gaming on phones has been a thing ever since we all first booted up our Nokia 3310s for hours on Snake, before our iPhones became clogged with hours of Candy Crush Saga. But increasingly smartphones are becoming viable gaming devices alongside home consoles and these are the best ones you can buy.
Such is the power of modern smartphones. Gaming sensations like Fortnite and Call of Duty Mobile can thank their mobile platform and portability for ridiculous run-away success. And it’s no wonder considering the power inside the best smartphones around.
While the latest Apple and Samsung phones are capable of running the most demanding mobile games, the market is so popular that there are also dedicated gaming phones like the Asus ROG Phone 5, Red Magic 6S and Black Shark 4. Since there are only a handful like this, we've also included the odd 'normal' phones that also offer a good gaming experience.
Do you need all the highest specs?
These phones often have specialised hardware or even sometimes clip-on controllers to help you game better. Internals often have boosts in RAM or the most powerful CPU or GPU to help the phone keep up, while high refresh rate displays are common to allow you to hit even higher frame rates while playing. A couple even have liquid cooling.
Specs are pretty important if you want to game to the highest level on a phone, but it does depend on which games you want to run smoothly. If you are more into arcade or puzzle games then you might not need to splash out on a high-end gaming phone.
Below are our recommended best phones for gaming. Take some time to consider which has the best features at the best price for you, for the games you want to be able to run.
1. Asus ROG Phone 5
- 144Hz AMOLED display
- Top-notch performance
- Gaming-focused features
Cons
- Gets hot quickly
- Tall and heavy design
- No cooler in the box
TBC
The Asus ROG Phone 5 is the ultimate gaming phone, hands down. It might not have mass appeal with a bulky, gamer-esque design, but that's not the aim here.
Gaming is the priority here, and Asus has taken things up a notch with a 144Hz AMOLED screen, two 3,000mAh batteries, the top-end Snapdragon 888 and up to an eye-watering 16GB of RAM. It can handle just about any game available on Android right now, with enough power left over to future-proof the phone for quite some time - all at a price cheaper than big-name flagships.
The gaming experience is further enhanced by haptic triggers built directly into the side of the ROG Phone 5, and if you want to take things a step further, the plethora of official accessories - including Nintendo Switch-esque Kunai 5 controllers and the fan-powered AeroActive Cooler 5 cooling system - should be right up your street.
They're not related to gaming, but even the cameras are decent, which is unusual for a gaming phone. We can only really complain about the size and weight, measuring in at 10.3mm thick and 238g, but that's not so applicable in the gaming sector.
Read our full Asus ROG Phone 5 review
2. Red Magic 7
- 6.8in 165Hz OLED display
- 720Hz touch sample rate
- Great performance
Cons
- Heavy build
- Hit-and-miss battery life
- Can't change default launcher
From $629 | Model reviewed $799
Nubia's Red Magic smartphones have a reputation as having some of the best gaming-focused displays around, and that's just as true with the latest in the collection, the Red Magic 7.
At its heart is a fast 6.8in 165Hz OLED panel with an impressive 720Hz touch sample rate that beats practically every other smartphone on the market. Though you might not notice much of a difference in real-world performance, it'll certainly satisfy the need for gamers to have the best of the best.
That's paired with the flagship specs including Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 12/16/18GB of RAM, 128/256GB of storage and an updated three-fan cooling system to keep things running smoothly during longer gaming sessions.
There's also a plethora of gaming features including side-mounted shoulder triggers, advanced haptic feedback and the ability to control performance on a per-game basis, and it's all presented in Red Magic's 'Game Space' mode.
The rear-facing triple camera setup remains unchanged from the Red Magic 6S, which in itself was the same as the Red Magic 5S, but software improvements mean it fares a little better this time around.
The only real disappointment is battery life; it's smaller than that of its predecessor at a rather average 4500mAh, and combined with a 165Hz display, it drains much more quickly.
Read our full Nubia Red Magic 7 review
3. Black Shark 4 Pro
- Affordable
- Pop-up magnetic triggers
- Fast 6.67in 144Hz AMOLED display
Cons
- 2021 specs
- Hit-and-miss battery life
From $579
The Black Shark 4 Pro is an interesting prospect because it was announced in March 2021, but didn't get an international debut until 2022. That means its specs, including a Snapdragon 888 and 8/12GB of RAM, can't quite compete with 2022 gaming phones like the Red Magic 7.
But, while it can't match other gaming phones in benchmarks, general performance is solid thanks to a combination of a 6.67in 144Hz AMOLED display (with the same 720Hz touch response as the Red Magic), an intricate cooling system and, most importantly, pop-up triggers.
Unlike the touch-based triggers of the Red Magic 7, the Black Shark 4 Pro has magnetic triggers that pop up from the body of the phone for a more traditional controller experience, making for a great portable gaming experience without the need to carry additional accessories.
While it doesn't boast the best battery life around with a 4,500mAh battery at its heart, the 120W fast charging tech provides 0-90% in just 15 minutes - and unlike rivals, there's a 120W fast charger included in the box.
So, while it's not quite the most powerful gaming phone on the market, there's still a lot to love about the Black Shark 4 Pro in 2022.
Read our full Black Shark 4 Pro review
4. iPhone 13 Pro Max
- Powerful A15 Bionic chipset
- Superb battery life
- 6.7in 120Hz display
Cons
- Expensive
- No charger in the box
$1,099 (128GB), $1,199 (256GB), $1,399 (512GB), $1,599 (1TB)
When it comes to gaming on iOS, the 6.7in iPhone 13 Pro Max is the one to beat. Apple’s 5nm A15 Bionic is one of the most powerful chipsets on the market right now and can handle just about anything you can throw at it without a hint of stutter or lag – and our benchmarks back that up too.
Importantly, the iPhone 13 Pro Max sports a gorgeous Super Retina XDR display that makes games look incredible on the iPhone, whether they're free-to-play titles or the latest Apple Arcade exclusives.
It's also one of the first iPhones to make the jump to a variable 120Hz refresh rate, offering the buttery-smooth refresh rate - and improved response time - that make Android rivals so strong.
There's also up to a whopping 1TB of storage available, so you can carry an entire library of mobile games in your pocket, and the battery life is the best of any iPhone to date for longer play sessions.
The catch? It's on the expensive side, and you don't even get a charger in the box.
Read our full Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max review
5. ZTE Axon 30 Ultra
- Svelte design
- Great performance
- 6.67in 144Hz AMOLED display
Cons
- Gets hot quickly
- No gaming-specific hardware
- No gaming accessories
From $749
Though the ZTE Axon 30 Ultra doesn't look like much of a gaming phone - in fact, at 8mm thick and 188g, it's lightweight compared to the likes of the ROG Phone 5 - but the svelte flagship has a surprise or two up its sleeves.
It's powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 with either 8GB or 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of storage, able to take on dedicated gaming phones in our benchmarks. There's also the 6.67in AMOLED display on offer, with a buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate and 300Hz touch sample rate, providing a responsive gameplay experience.
Gaming prowess aside, it has all the bells and whistles you'd expect including 65W fast charging and a quad-camera array comprised of three 64Mp cameras and a telescope lens, all at a price much cheaper than competing flagships from Samsung and OnePlus. What's not to like?
Read our full ZTE Axon 30 Ultra review
6. Red Magic 6R
Pros
- Impressive performance
- 144Hz AMOLED display
- Built-in triggers
Cons
- Disappointing battery life
- Red Magic OS
- Hit-and-miss cameras
From $499
The Red Magic 6R is one of the cheapest gaming-dedicated smartphones on the market right now, but that doesn't mean it skimps on features or performance.
Sporting a 6.67.in AMOLED display slightly smaller than that of the flagship Red Magic 6, you'll find the same 1080 x 2400 resolution and 400Hz touch sampling rate. The 144Hz refresh rate may be slightly slower, but it's still safely in gamer territory and the difference is negligible in real-world use.
Under the display you'll find the powerful Snapdragon 888 with either 6GB, 8GB or 12GB of RAM depending on the variant you opt for. It's capable of keeping up with flagship gaming phones in the performance department, but the lack of an active fan cooling system means it gets hot much quicker than premium alternatives.
The only real disappointment is battery life, with a 4200mAh battery only able to provide all-day usage if you drop the refresh rate from 144Hz to 90Hz.
Still, if you can look past battery life issues, the Red Magic 6R offers a premium mobile gaming experience at an affordable price.
Read our full Nubia Red Magic 6R review
7. Poco X3 Pro
- Great performance
- Very affordable
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- No 5G
- Bulky design
- Average camera performance
From £229 (around $320)
Xiaomi's Poco X3 Pro may not be a dedicated gaming phone, but it has built on the success of the popular Poco X3 NFC to provide fast performance without the price tag.
The headline feature is the inclusion of the Snapdragon 860, an impressive feat when you consider the budget nature of the X3 Pro. That's coupled with 6- or 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage, and the 6.67in LCD panel offers a boosted 120Hz refresh rate and a 240Hz touch response rate.
The whopping 5160mAh battery is more than enough to get you through an intense gaming session or two, and while 33W wired charging isn't the quickest available, it's still pretty nippy.
The Poco X3 Pro might not be quite as capable as some of the dedicated gaming options in our chart, but it certainly offers bang for your buck when compared to similarly priced smartphones available right now.
Read our full Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro review
8. Motorola Moto G200
Pros
- 144Hz display
- Flagship performance
- Looks like a standard smartphone
Cons
- LCD display
- No gamer software/accessories
Unavailable
It's not often you'll see a Motorola smartphone featured in a gaming chart, but the company's Moto G200 is too tempting to ignore, with specs that put it in line with some of the gaming-focused phones we've featured here.
Those premium specs include a 6.8in display with an impressive 144Hz refresh rate, Qualcomm's top-end (but not the latest) Snapdragon 888 Plus and a whopping 5,000mAh battery to keep you gaming for longer - all for an astonishingly mid-range price.
Of course, it's not the perfect gaming experience; there aren't any game-related software features or accessories available for the Moto G200 and the display uses LCD tech in place of OLED favoured by many rivals.
But, the flip side is that the Moto G200 looks 'normal' - ideal if you're not a fan of the gaming aesthetic on offer from the likes of Black Shark - and you're treated to near-stock Android 11 too.
Read our full Motorola Moto G200 review
9. Oppo Find X3 Pro
- 6.7in 120Hz AMOLED display
- Great performance
- Excellent battery
Cons
- Performance throttling
- Very expensive
- No gaming-specific features
£1,099 (about $1,500)
The Oppo Find X3 Pro is a phenomenal phone that somehow manages to outshine 2020's equally impressive X2 Pro. The 6.7in, 10-bit, 120Hz, QHD+ panel is certainly the best display in any phone right now, perfect for mobile gaming, and Oppo backs it up with the fastest wired charging around at 65W to get you back in the game quicker.
Though it may not have the gamer aesthetic of other options, the mirror-like finish and curved glass camera housing will certainly catch the eye, and at 193g, it's relatively lightweight compared to the competition too.
In terms of performance, the Find X3 Pro is well equipped to handle even the most intense gaming sessions, with all of the above plus a Snapdragon 888, 256GB storage and 12GB RAM to boot, and the rear-facing quad-camera setup is among the best around - you just have to be willing to pay the price, as it doesn't come cheap.
And unlike dedicated gaming phones in our chart, there is wireless charging available on the Find X3 Pro - a big plus compared to last year's model too.
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