Choosing a gaming phone is not the same as choosing a regular phone. One with a large, high-resolution screen, a fast refresh rate, and enough of power is ideal. It also helps a lot if the battery life is good.
Phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and the iPhone 13 Pro Max fit those criteria, thus they’re listed below. Dedicated gaming phones, on the other hand, can go even further.
We’re talking about phones like the Asus ROG Phone 5 and Lenovo Legion Phone Duel, which include shoulder triggers, customized gaming settings, improved vibration, and superior cooling. The Red Magic 7 and Black Magic 4 Pro will be reviewed soon, thus this list may be shaken up.
For the time being, we’ve placed the best phones currently available and developed exclusively for gaming at the top of the list. Further down the page, you’ll find more general smartphones that are also excellent for gaming. New additions are on the way.
After you’ve chosen your phone, we’ve got you covered with our lists of the best iPhone games, best free iPhone games, best Android games, and best free Android games, all of which are updated on a regular basis.
1. Asus ROG Phone 5
The Asus ROG Phone 5 is the first of its kind.
The finest gaming phone that can also be used by non-gamers
Release date: April 2021 | Weight: 238g | Dimensions: 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.78″ | Resolution: 1080 x 2448 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8/12/16GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 6,000mAh
Exceptional performance
Excellent speakers and display.
There was no telephoto camera available.
Large, dense, and weighty
The Asus ROG Phone 5 is a fantastic gaming phone that builds on the success of the Asus ROG Phone 3.
Its strengths include class-leading power from a Snapdragon 888 chipset paired with up to 16GB of RAM, as well as a screen with a refresh rate of 144Hz and a touch sampling rate of 300Hz – both of which are higher than other phones and which we found useful to gaming.
That screen is also quite large, and it’s accompanied by twin front-facing speakers that are among the best on the market.
The Asus ROG Phone 5 also includes a large 6,000mAh battery, allowing you to game for extended periods of time, and with 65W charging, you won’t be out of action for long.
2. Lenovo Legion Phone Duel
The best gaming phone for charging quickly
Release date: October 2020 | Weight: 239g | Dimensions: 169.2 x 78.6 x 9.9mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.65-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus | RAM: 12/16GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 5,000mAh
Charges incredibly quickly
a large amount of processing power
For the specifications, it’s quite pricey.
Problems with software
The Legion Phone Duel, Lenovo’s first gaming phone, combines amazing gaming-specific capabilities with other top specs and features.
The phone supports 90W rapid charging and features a pop-up camera that keeps the screen intact. It also has a powerful processor and software that is designed to work in landscape mode. All of these factors combine to make it an excellent gaming environment.
Our difficulties with the phone have little bearing on its gaming abilities, though the phone’s exorbitant price, software troubles, and weak camera may sway some users.
This is an excellent pick if you’re searching for one of the greatest gaming phones right now; if you’re looking for a wonderful smartphone that can also play games, this is a nice choice, though you should check out the others on this list first.
3. Nubia Red Magic 5G
The greatest gaming phone for budget-conscious buyers
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 218g | Dimensions: 168.6 x 78 x 9.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.65-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,500mAh
Gaming on a 144Hz monitor is fantastic.
Shoulder triggers are really useful.
The screen isn’t the most high-resolution.
The Nubia Red Magic 5G features the world’s first 144Hz smartphone screen, which is great for gaming thanks to its silky smooth refresh rate. We also noticed that the exhibit was quite bright and colorful.
However, that isn’t the only feature that makes it excellent for gaming. In fact, it’s built expressly for gaming, with shoulder triggers for added control, a fan and liquid cooling system to keep the phone cool under duress, a dedicated ‘Game Space’ to tailor your gaming experience, and a ‘4D Shock’ feature that adds vibration to games.
At the time of writing, neither of these features, nor the 144Hz display, are supported by many games, but if game developers adopt them, this phone might be severely future-proofed.
It, of course, supports 5G and has plenty of power. It’s only slightly held down by a 1080 x 2340 screen that isn’t the sharpest on the market, as well as some software issues and a design that will divide opinion.
4. Black Shark 3
The greatest gaming phone for those looking for a phone with amazing photography as well.
Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 222g | Dimensions: 168.7 x 77.3 x 10.4mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 2080 x 2440 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,720mAh
Inexpensive in terms of specifications
Cameras have a surprising amount of power.
The way you look might be contentious.
The refresh rate lags below the competition.
The Xiaomi Black Shark 3 is the finest gaming phone from the Xiaomi sub-brand, albeit it falls short of a few other brands’ current gaming phones.
The phone is large, has a dramatic appearance, and LED lighting, and its features are exactly what you’d expect from a gaming phone – top-of-the-line. In our tests, the cameras were also surprisingly competent, especially in low-light situations, albeit the optimization could be a little too aggressive at times.
The reason this phone isn’t higher is because of its lower 90Hz refresh rate compared to the other phones on this list, as well as the fact that it doesn’t have as many specific gaming capabilities.
5. Razer Phone 2
The greatest gaming smartphone in its class
Release date: October 2018 | Weight: 205g | Dimensions: 158.5 x 78.9 x 8.5mm | OS: Android 9 Pie | Screen size: 5.72-inch | Resolution: 2560 1440 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB (up to 1TB with card) | Battery: 4,000mAh
High-end specifications and a display with a 120hz refresh rate
In millions of RGB hues, the backside logo shines.
For the pricing, the minimum storage is 64GB.
The screen is 5.72-inches in size, which is smaller than the previous model.
The initial Razer Phone was a good first attempt at bringing the gamer-focused brand to a mobile device, but it had a few flaws that pushed it down our list. Though it’s still aimed mostly at gamers, the second iteration has fixed some of the issues and introduced a more powerful device.
What exactly does this imply? The camera and display aren’t as good as other phones in this price range, so casual gamers should look elsewhere. This is a good option if you’re passionate about mobile gaming and can afford it.
The Razer Phone 2 looks similar to its predecessor on the outside, but it boasts a Snapdragon 845 processor and a glass back that allows for Qi wireless charging. A sleek vapor chamber has also been included to keep the gadget cool while you play.
Finally, the phone’s powerful chipset, 8GB RAM, fantastic speakers, 120hz refresh rate screen, and 4,000mAh battery, as well as extensive settings to tune battery life(opens in new tab) and performance, make this a great gaming phone.
