There has been a lot of growth in the market for Best Gaming Smartphones lately, with more and more companies choosing to get in by releasing one or more products. When it comes to functionality, gaming smartphones are more flexible than portable consoles like the Nintendo Switch. This makes them the perfect choice for people who want the “useful” aspects of a smartphone and the “fun” aspects of a console. Gaming smartphones are much more powerful than regular smartphones. They have a screen that moves and responds to touch, and the battery lasts a long time, so you can play games for hours on end.
The lateral buttons (only on some models), which are meant to look like the buttons on a traditional joystick, are another thing that makes these little gems stand out. Don’t worry, though; not all game smartphones look so much alike. There’s no denying that most of them look pretty bad, and some of them might even be scary. But the choices below are made to accommodate those who don’t like how aggressive the Black Shark is and want something nicer. If that sounds like you, have you ever thought about getting a smartphone that isn’t for gaming but still performs very well? Let’s stop talking and find out which smartphones are the best for games in 2023.
This guide will be updated from time to time, so if you’ve read it before, you might see some products that you already know about below. If not, you might also find some new products that are perfect for you. All of this being said, we hope you enjoy reading, and we’re sure you’ll find the product that meets your wants as a player the best!
How to choose the best gaming smartphone
Every time we want to buy a game smartphone, we have to make a tough choice. On one side are real Best Gaming Smartphones, which are phones that were made just for playing games. But there are also “classic” smartphones that are made to be used every day but have really powerful technology that can run even the hardest games.
There are also some other things we need to think about before we pick the right one for us. To give you an example, we can see if it works with extra devices like cooling fans, which can really make a difference in how well the smartphone works and how long it lasts. It’s a good idea to check to see if there are any extra buttons besides the normal phone buttons. These could be sensitive buttons or real buttons that you can touch.
You can also look at ways you can change the way the gadget you’re holding works. Some smartphones for gamers have RGB LEDs, which is something that real gamers usually like. Others, on the other hand, let you download software with themes from video games or other things that you can use to change the whole look of the screen. Of course, the screen, engine, RAM, and battery are some of the most important things to check before buying any smartphone, not just game devices.
Display
First, let us talk about the screen. One of the most important things to look at in a display for a game smartphone is its frame rate, which means how quickly the display panels can change what’s on the screen. One short answer is that more is better. When players are playing games quickly and furiously, this function is very useful.
The lowest frame rate is 60 Hz, but most real-game smartphones have speeds of 90 Hz, 120 Hz, or even 165 Hz. We shouldn’t just look at the frame rate, though. We should also pick the square size of the screen that works best for us. There isn’t a smartphone in this group that is less than 6 inches. Most of them are 6 to 7 inches long.
The screen quality, on the other hand, doesn’t matter much to us. At the very least, game smartphones have a FullHD display of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is plenty for a great Best Gaming Smartphones session. In this case too, of course, the higher it is, the better. Also, let’s look at the kind of screen that the smartphone has. Because these are mobile devices and you might have to play outside in bright light, we suggest that you look at an AMOLED screen. Not that the other kinds should be thrown away, but this is the type of panel that is used on the best game smartphones on the market.
Processor and RAM
The processor and RAM are the two things that really show how “powerful” a smartphone is for games. Should you be looking to buy the Best Gaming Smartphones, you don’t need to worry about checking these features because it has everything it need to play all kinds of games. On the other hand, if you want a basic smartphone that can also let you play games for a while, you should keep an eye on the subject.
There are many processors on the market, but not all of them are good enough for games. Qualcomm processors, especially Snapdragon processors, are the best, so you know you’re in good hands. One of the best processors on the market is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 or 8 Gen 3. Other processors, like the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3, are also pretty good. The chip in iPhones, on the other hand, is called Apple Bionic. These phones have a powerful chip called the Apple Bionic A17 Pro. They are the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.
To say a few things about RAM, we can say that you need at least 8 GB of RAM to get the best game experience. To real gamers, though, this doesn’t matter at all because most of them have 12 or 16 GB of RAM built-in.
Drums
The battery is another important feature that lets you play games for hours without any noise. It would be a shame if the phone’s battery died at the worst possible time! For this reason, we suggest that you look for a battery that has a lot of space, at least 5,000 mAh. Even gaming smartphones don’t have a lot of trouble with this because they usually have at least 6,000 mAh and sometimes even more.
It is a good idea to check the battery to see if it has a fast or ultra-fast charge added to it. This tool could help you save a lot of time. In order to quickly charge these big cells, the power range is usually between 45W and 65W, but sometimes it can go up to 120W. Keep in mind that the charging speed will go up as the power number goes up. However, this number isn’t just based on the smartphone; it’s also based on other factors, like the power from the wall charger and the wire you’re using to charge.
Presence of additional keys
Now, let’s talk about something that only real game smartphones have: extra buttons. As was already said, Best Gaming Smartphones often have extra buttons, either physical or sensitive touch, that let the player have more control and not need the gamepad. It’s possible that these buttons will be on the back or side of the phone.
When it comes to the touch buttons we talked about above, you should check the touch sample rate. In other words, this is how quickly the smartphone responds to touch. This is true for all touch screens and buttons as well. A great deal for the touch sample rate, like the 720 Hz found in the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro, which lets you respond right away. It doesn’t matter what the numbers are, as long as they’re not too different from each other. Differences of only a few thousandths of a second could make the difference for the most competitive players.
Personalisation
Coloured LED lights and the freedom to change themes, backgrounds, and other things are things that all gamers love. That’s why customising your smartphone might be something to look at. Some game smartphones have RGB LEDs on the back or side to create the right kind of mood that is now unique to the Best Gaming Smartphones world.
Also, everyone now likes the fact that they can change the system screen or settings on their smartphone. So, we can see if there are any apps that can do this or, in some cases, if the smartphone already has a built-in function that can do it.
How to connect
Since most games are now played online, it’s also important to check how well the game connects. Especially 4G+/LTE/5G and Wi-Fi.
What about Wi-Fi? You can check out the Wi-Fi protocols that the smartphone in question supports. Wireless LAN 7 is now something that almost all high-tech smartphones have. This is always written in the product info sheet, and the words “IEEE 801.11” are sometimes used.
As we continue to talk about connection, we also need to talk about cell connectivity. In fact, 5G is a nice feature to have on a smartphone for games, but almost all of these phones already have it. It’s true that 5G service isn’t offered everywhere in our country, so we’ll have to “make do” with our 4G+/LTE link.
Other Things
Last but not least, make sure that any external devices are present and work with the smartphone. What are they? To answer your question, most Gaming Smartphones let you add controllers to turn them into full-fledged handheld consoles. You can get traditional controls like the ones used on PlayStation or Xbox, but you can also get some that connect to the ends of your phone and turn it into a Nintendo Switch-like device. These are, without a doubt, more interesting.
When we talk about extras, there are also cooling fans out there. You can connect these small fans to the back of your phone to keep it from getting too hot and the screen from dropping. However, it is possible for the smartphone to get pretty hot after an hour or more of playing games that are pretty hard. The smartphone will not only work less well, but it will also be less durable and last less time.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The gaming iPhone
For Apple fans, this is the best pick. Titanium makes it stronger, and the USB-C port makes it more useful. It has a 6.7-inch Super XDR screen, great photos, and a battery life that really blows my mind.
The best iPhone ever
It costs a lot to get the Best Gaming Smartphones (or you need Apple Arcade). That being said, pretty much any top-of-the-line phone can be used for gaming. The reason we chose the iPhone 15 Pro Max was because iOS gaming could be better for some users.
After the first 30 days, you can use Apple Arcade for free, but after that, it costs 4.99 euros a month. When you play, you can actually use more than one device. Apple Arcade works on multiple devices, so you can quickly switch between your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Along with that, you can use a controller for some games, which you can buy from the Apple Store.
As for the rest, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a number of features that make it a great phone for games. For starters, it has a 6.7-inch Super XDR screen with ProMotion, which is a dynamic frame rate that ranges from 1Hz to 120Hz, and a 4,441mAh battery.
There is no doubt about the performance: the A17 Pro chip promises blazing-fast performance in all situations, even the most demanding ones, like “extreme” Best Gaming Smartphones sessions.
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Best Gaming Smartphones
Powerful and discreet as never before.
It has amazing speed thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 engine. It has LED lights that can be programmed to show pictures and text. It comes with a 5.500mAh battery, a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen that can go up to 165Hz, and a 65W fast charge.
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Powerful, gaming-focused, yet discreet
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It has lost originality compared to previous models.
The front screen is a 6.78-inch Samsung AMOLED with 1080 x 2400 pixels and a frame rate of 165 Hz. We can’t help but talk about it now that we’ve talked about the back screen. The 5,500mAh battery fully meets the requirements of game apps. Plus, this Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro doesn’t even miss having 65W fast charging, since speed is important to players.
There are two extra buttons, or six if you connect the external Asus AeroActive Cooler cooling fan to the phone, which comes free with some models of the phone. It’s true that the device has four real buttons that make it feel a lot like a real machine.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Smartphones are not for gaming but are very powerful.
It has cutting-edge cameras, a brand-new engine, and AI features that make it stand out. It’s a great choice because it comes with an S-Pen and improvements are promised for 7 years.
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Great smartphone, not just for gaming
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There are no additional buttons or accessories dedicated to gamers.
Feature | Description |
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Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy |
RAM | 12 GB |
Battery | 5,000 mAh |
Cooling System | Very large vapor cooling chamber |
Gaming Performance | Capable of running the most demanding games smoothly |
Notable Characteristics | Designed for general use but excels in gaming performance due to the powerful processor, ample RAM, and advanced cooling system. |
The size of the battery is another thing that is like game apps. Indeed, the S24 Ultra has a 5,000 mAh battery that isn’t too far behind that of real-world smartphones.
The last thing that makes this little gem from Samsung stand out is the very large vapour cooling chamber. With this feature, the smartphone can get rid of heat so that it doesn’t slow down games. This will let players play games without having to worry about quick crashes or drops in frame rate.
OnePlus 12
Speed is something you can always count on.
It keeps up the history of the brand’s most famous products. The most important changes are IP approval, wireless charging, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. It’s a good choice because the screen is so bright and the cameras are new. It charges quickly with 100 W.
OnePlus hasn’t joined the AI trend. Instead, it’s focused on its Trinity Engine, which improves speed and makes sure the processor, memory, and storage stay in great shape for as long as possible. HyperTouch and other tools can make games more responsive, and the screen on this device is beautiful and bright in general.
Unfortunately, it feels a lot like models from years ago, which makes it less appealing to people who want the newest and best things.
FAQs on Best Gaming Smartphones
1. Why choose a gaming smartphone? For superior gaming performance and specialized features.
2. Key features to look for? High-end processor, ample RAM, high refresh rate display, large battery, and efficient cooling.
3. Are gaming smartphones compatible with accessories? Yes, they support gaming accessories like cooling fans and controllers.
4. Can non-gaming smartphones be good for gaming? Yes, high-end non-gaming phones can also handle games well.
5. What makes a good gaming display? High refresh rates (90 Hz, 120 Hz, 165 Hz) and AMOLED screens.
6. Why is cooling important in gaming phones? To prevent overheating and maintain performance.
7. What battery capacity is ideal? At least 5,000 mAh with fast charging.
8. Do gaming phones have customizable features? Yes, including customizable buttons and RGB lighting.
9. Which processors are best for gaming phones? Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and similar high-end processors.
10. Are additional gaming buttons necessary? They enhance control and gaming experience.