Finest gaming telephones in 2024

Since almost any of the very best Android telephones pack greater than sufficient energy to deal with even probably the most demanding video games, you might marvel what makes a “gaming” telephone stand out from the pack. Whereas the strains have gotten blurred, severe gaming nonetheless calls for issues that not each smartphone can ship. In any case, there’s extra to having fun with fashionable video games than simply uncooked efficiency.

Devoted gaming telephones embrace options like side-mounted contact controls, excessive refresh and contact response charges, built-in gaming optimization software program, and even cooling programs, which dramatically impression the gaming expertise.

Nonetheless, for those who’re planning on pairing your telephone with a recreation controller, you might not want fancy {hardware} options. Trendy general-purpose flagships additionally provide beautiful AMOLED screens with excessive refresh charges whereas additionally packing in wonderful digital camera programs and different on a regular basis options that can aid you be a productiveness machine by day and a gaming champion by night time. We have examined dozens of smartphones and the way effectively they play with the most recent recreation titles and rounded up our prime picks.

Prime gaming telephones out there

Nubia launches a brand new Redmagic gaming telephone worldwide in winter, then follows up in summer time with an upgraded mannequin for a similar value. Whereas we are able to actually criticize Nubia for a wasteful manufacturing technique that sees their telephones eliminated on the market months after their debut, there is no denying that the Redmagic 9S Professional is the very best gaming telephone you should purchase proper now. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Main Model chipset is simply the tip of the iceberg. This telephone affords a complete gaming platform with genuinely helpful options with out compromising on type.

The Redmagic 9S Professional is a superbly rectangular glass brick; there’s not even a digital camera bump. This provides the telephone a uniform and classy profile whereas nonetheless managing to pack in all of the options we wish in a gaming telephone. The aforementioned Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset is the powerhouse behind the telephone, nevertheless it’s supplemented by an AMOLED display screen with a 120Hz refresh fee, two contact triggers with a 520Hz touch-sample fee, and an inside fan to maintain all of it cool.

The battery is a powerful 6500mAh, so you possibly can recreation all day with no break. If all this appears too good to be true for $650, there are just a few notable drawbacks. The most important of those is the software program, which is each buggy and comes with a measly two years of software program help. The rear digital camera produces satisfactory photographs whereas taking selfies will produce hazy photographs at greatest. However for those who’re prepared to accommodate these shortcomings, the Redmagic 9S Professional will hold you gaming on the go for years.

Asus has made a few of the greatest gaming telephones for years now, and whereas the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional isn’t any exception, it is modified the formulation barely to provide a extra well-rounded flagship. Whereas we predict that detracts from a few of what made the corporate’s ROG lineup distinctive, it nonetheless has some robust {hardware} and software program options that can enchantment to avid gamers with out portray them into an excessive amount of of a nook in different areas.

For starters, you get Asus’ gaming-flavored Android 14 plus Armory Crate to launch your video games and handle settings and efficiency for each. The ROG Cellphone 8 Professional additionally nonetheless options ultrasonic Air Triggers for in-game management, plus the flexibility to energy the machine with out charging so that you just will not want to fret about extreme warmth placing a pressure in your battery throughout demanding gaming classes. Plus, for those who go for the 1TB configuration, Asus throws in its AeroActive Cooler X. A second USB-C port on the lengthy edge additionally allows you to keep away from having a cable awkwardly protruding the aspect whereas gaming.

Nonetheless, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional is not all sunshine and roses. We discovered Asus’ choice to place a gap within the display screen considerably off-putting for a telephone that is speculated to allow you to immerse your self in your video games. This was a essential compromise for Asus to get an edge-to-edge display screen with out eliminating the front-facing digital camera fully, however we predict some would have most popular to see Asus persist with the bezels of the ROG Cellphone 7 Final. It is price noting that Armory Crate might help you dial that out by pillarboxing your video games, which successfully provides the bezels again just about, so it isn’t an issue that is going to hassle everybody.

The ROG Cellphone 8 Professional nonetheless has loads of energy to spare because it’s pushed by Qualcomm’s newest flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. In case you’re prepared to splurge, you may get the 1TB mannequin with a beneficiant 24GB of RAM. That beats almost all the pieces else in the marketplace and makes it greater than able to dealing with something you possibly can throw at it. You will additionally discover programmable LEDs on the again that can be utilized to point out animations and textual content, that are cute however largely beauty. They’ll do issues like present a countdown when taking selfies or change colours when charging, however they do not actually do a lot for the gaming expertise. Talking of charging, Asus continues to ship stellar battery life on the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional, which ought to simply get you thru two days, plus 65-watt wi-fi charging that will help you prime up extra shortly and commonplace Qi wi-fi charging for those who’d choose to only drop your telephone on a pad in a single day.

This yr, OnePlus stunned us with a really reasonably priced telephone that might simply move for a flagship, making it among the best picks for avid gamers on a funds. The OnePlus 12R packs in Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and whereas that is probably not the most recent and best, it is a confirmed workhorse that delivers greater than sufficient energy for even probably the most demanding video games. There’s additionally an expansive 6.78-inch show that rivals that discovered on telephones at twice the value, that includes vibrant colours, a 120Hz refresh fee, and an eyeball-searing 4,500 nits of peak brightness.

It additionally oozes the slick design that OnePlus is thought for, with a outstanding round digital camera array across the again that is offset in opposition to the Cool Blue or Iron Grey finishes. Plus, there’s the Genshin Impression version; that alone might make this telephone essential for severe followers of that specific title. There’s extra to that particular version than simply the pores and skin and pack-ins as OnePlus has additionally optimized its Trinity Engine for the sport with its HyperRendering and HyperBoosting know-how that kicks in routinely as quickly as you open it.

That is to not say that the OnePlus 12R Genshin Impression Version will not play good with different video games, however for those who’re not a Genshin Impression fan, you will most likely be effective with the usual OnePlus 12R, which nonetheless options OnePlus’ commonplace Trinity Engine and different buzzword-laden gaming applied sciences that ought to improve the expertise.

There’s additionally battery life to spare right here, due to the ability effectivity of the older Snapdragon chip and the 5,500mAh cell inside. You must have the ability to get effectively over a day with even heavy use, and it isn’t laborious to see it go two and even three days between prices. The 80W SuperVOOC charging within the field can even allow you to go from zero to full in about half-hour, so it is fairly laborious to run this factor dry until you go on an extended journey and neglect your charger at residence.

Though it isn’t the primary smartphone that involves thoughts once you consider “gaming” telephones, Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Extremely must be the go-to alternative for people who desire a premium smartphone that is nice at nearly all the pieces. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip is Samsung’s bespoke “for Galaxy” model which supplies it a efficiency edge over different similarly-equipped smartphones. It additionally continues to have the very best show you will discover on any smartphone at this time, since Samsung makes its personal AMOLED panels and naturally reserves the very best of these for its personal telephones.

What you will arguably be lacking on the Galaxy S24 Extremely in comparison with extra devoted gaming telephones are particular controls and gaming optimization modes, however with Qualcomm’s top-tier silicon having lengthy handed the purpose of diminishing returns, many of those particular modes aren’t that essential anymore. The Galaxy S24 Extremely would not have to do something particular to deal with the most recent video games at most settings; it simply does it flawlessly with out skipping a beat. You can too pair up nearly any recreation controller, so the shortage of gaming buttons should not actually be a deal-breaker.

The place the Galaxy S24 Extremely stands out is that it is nice at so many different issues. It is a strong gaming telephone that additionally packs highly effective cameras and superior productiveness options due to its S Pen. Samsung has even added some new generative AI options to the combo this yr with Galaxy AI. The brand new titanium body feels nice within the hand, and Gorilla Armor glass makes it extra sturdy than ever whereas additionally slicing the glare so your video games and all the pieces else can shine via.

The 200MP predominant digital camera additionally takes some unbelievable pictures underneath the correct situations, though we discovered it nonetheless disappointingly fails to deal with transferring topics in addition to it ought to. Nonetheless, it is among the many greatest you will discover amongst highly effective gaming telephones, and the 10X optical and 100X digital zooms will allow you to seize photographs that are not potential with most different telephones. The battery may also simply deal with a day of heavy gaming with juice to spare, and it isn’t laborious in any respect to get two full days of lighter use.

Though it could be a non-starter for people who’re firmly entrenched within the Android world, Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional Max is price a severe search for hardcore console avid gamers. This yr, Apple has raised the bar considerably due to a strong new A17 Professional chip that is designed to deal with full-on console video games like Resident Evil Village, Dying Stranding, and Murderer’s Creed: Mirage. Whereas it is all the time difficult to check Apple’s silicon to Qualcomm’s flagship chips, it is truthful to say the A17 Professional is in a category of its personal, remaining forward of even the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 discovered on this yr’s flagships, due to options like hardware-accelerated ray tracing in its overhauled six-core GPU.

The console video games right here aren’t scaled-down ports however quite the identical model you would be operating on a PS5. The one modifications are optimizations to controls to accommodate the iPhone touchscreen. That may make some video games a bit cumbersome to play, however fortuitously, the iPhone helps a variety of {hardware} controllers, together with ones out of your Sony PlayStation or Microsoft Xbox.

The draw back right here is that you just’re coming into Apple’s walled backyard. Except you reside within the European Union, your number of recreation titles might be restricted to what might be discovered on Apple’s App Retailer. That is a fairly expansive catalog, together with the aforementioned AAA console video games, nevertheless it does have just a few notable omissions, equivalent to Fortnite, which has been “appa non grata” since Epic picked a struggle with Apple 4 years in the past.

Leaving the App Retailer apart, you will should determine if residing within the Apple ecosystem is price having probably the most highly effective gaming telephone in the marketplace proper now, particularly since there’s little doubt Qualcomm is engaged on catching up in that space — the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 theoretically has the chops to deal with console video games, however now we have but to see any AAA recreation builders embrace it.

Nonetheless, for those who’re prepared to make the leap, the iPhone 15 Professional Max has quite a lot of different nice issues going for it. The brand new titanium body lets it shed important weight over its predecessors, which used heavier stainless-steel. The match and end additionally rivals the very best telephones from Samsung and the cameras seize nice photographs, even when they really feel a bit uninspired typically. Additionally, Apple has lastly left its proprietary Lightning port behind and wholeheartedly embraced USB-C.

The OnePlus 12 is one other versatile smartphone that is able to deal with all the pieces from the most recent video games to your day by day productiveness, pictures, and social media wants. Like the opposite strongest telephones on this record, you are getting the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip that can allow you to slice via probably the most demanding video games with aplomb. The OnePlus 12 pairs this with an extremely shiny 4,500-nit LTPO AMOLED show that sports activities a 120Hz refresh fee and all the same old HDR modes. This implies your video games will look nice, even when taking part in outdoors on shiny days, however OnePlus has one other trick up its sleeve with 2,160Hz pulse width modulation (PWM) dimming. That is an order of magnitude higher than different smartphones, which are likely to peak just below 500Hz, and will make this the telephone to purchase for those who get eye pressure or complications from lengthy gaming classes.

You can too get the OnePlus 12 in configurations of as much as 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, which ought to provide loads of headroom for gaming, and we discovered that it dealt with all the pieces we threw at it with out stuttering or slowing down within the slightest. OnePlus additionally has its Trinity Engine in play right here to offer it an additional increase by optimizing efficiency and energy necessities. The consequence is not essentially quicker gaming, nevertheless it positively reduces the load on the battery and, extra importantly, retains issues operating cool.

The cameras listed below are additionally wonderful by gaming telephone requirements, due to its partnership with Hasselblad which gives tuning algorithms for correct colour steadiness and saturation, in addition to pure bokeh results that simulate photographs taken from Hasselblad cameras. Whereas they do not beat out pricier flagships in each manner, they positively maintain their very own.

Nonetheless, the place the OnePlus 12 actually leads the pack is in battery life and charging speeds. It has the identical skill to get via a full day of heavy use as different flagships, however it could possibly additionally cost up from zero to 100% in about half-hour, due to its bundled 80W charger. It additionally affords 50W wi-fi charging speeds for those who go for the AirVOOC wi-fi charger. These charging speeds will change the best way you concentrate on utilizing your smartphone, as you will by no means really want to put aside time for charging and even fear about plugging it in at night time. Even within the unlikely occasion you overdraw the telephone throughout a heavy gaming session, you might be again up and operating in just a few minutes.

The Asus Zenfone 11 Extremely is virtually similar to its gamer sibling, the ROG Cellphone 8 Professional. What units it aside from its gamer-oriented counterpart is the design and extra minimalist tackle the consumer interface. The Zenfone 11 Extremely is sort of inventory Android, that includes just a few further options from Asus that provide the entire package deal in a nonetheless comparatively compact type issue.

The telephone sports activities a big 6.78-inch LTPO Amoled show with a 120Hz refresh fee that may attain 144Hz whereas gaming, offering a fair higher and extra responsive expertise. Looking the online, social media apps, and chatting with associates is a breeze, and the colours and brightness look good, whether or not you’re indoors or outdoors within the solar.

The efficiency is superb too, due to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and 12GB of reminiscence. All graphics-intensive video games run with no hitch, they usually can maintain demanding video games for lengthy classes with out throttling or heating up. There are additionally just a few further gamer-focused settings, serving to customers add crosshair, and arrange some macros for a extra elevated gaming expertise.

Photographs are effective, although, they’re nothing to brag about. And the battery can final greater than a day on a single cost. Whenever you do ultimately have to prime up, the 65W wired, or 15W wi-fi charging choices will provide sufficient versatility to maintain you going. A full cost takes lower than 45 minutes, making the Zenfone 11 Extremely a super companion for informal avid gamers in search of a extra reasonably priced, high-end machine with loads of capabilities.

Even the biggest phablet telephones cannot compete with a foldable with regards to display screen actual property, and final yr, OnePlus stunned us by hitting a house run with its first foldable, the OnePlus Open. It is modified the sport by bringing a much-needed new entry into the area, and whereas there’s all the time room for enchancment, OnePlus acquired quite a lot of issues proper right here. Even OxygenOS, though nonetheless in want of some polish, has nailed the necessary facet of navigating via the multitasking wants of a foldable.

What makes the OnePlus Open a super foldable for gaming isn’t solely the expansive 7.82-inch AMOLED display screen, but additionally the truth that OnePlus has managed to work a near-miracle by hiding the crease as a lot as potential; it is the least obtrusive of any book-like foldable we have used, and positively will not distract out of your gaming expertise. Naturally, you get a 120Hz refresh fee, and it is also loads shiny at a 2,800-nit peak degree. Plus, for those who really feel like conserving it closed whilst you play, the outer 6.3-inch show has the identical refresh fee and brightness with a facet ratio that works so effectively that you would nearly neglect you are utilizing a foldable.

Mix all that with a superb digital camera system — by foldable requirements, at the least — together with OnePlus’ signature Hasselblad tuning, plus battery life to spare, and the OnePlus Open is the clear gaming winner in order for you the most important display screen potential on a smartphone. You get OnePlus’ typical quick charging for fast top-ups, and whereas this one looks like a throwback to the OnePlus 11 in omitting wi-fi charging, we actually do not suppose you will miss it because the battery is so laborious to kill that you do not want the form of informal top-ups that many different smartphones appear to demand.

Gaming telephones aren’t funds units, however some, just like the Nubia RedMagic 9S Professional, present that you just needn’t break the $1,000 mark to play the very best Android video games. Flagship telephones work simply in addition to gaming units; the Samsung Galaxy S24 Extremely has all the pieces it is advisable to play the very best video games whereas additionally working as your day by day driver, and for those who’re contemplating moving into the fruit backyard, Apple’s iPhone 15 Professional Max can truly play full-on console titles.

For the very best gaming expertise, the Asus ROG Cellphone 8 Professional stands head and shoulders above the competitors. It has stellar battery life, beneficiant RAM allowance, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, and a battery that ought to get you thru two days of use. In contrast to Redmagic’s telephones, its software program is straightforward to make use of and filled with helpful options.

Nonetheless, you additionally needn’t splurge to get top-notch efficiency. The $500 OnePlus 12R delivers improbable worth for the value, with a vibrant show and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip that is greater than able to dealing with any of the most recent Android video games you possibly can throw at it, and its Genshin Impression Version is a critically cool decide for followers of that style.