More people than ever are using their smartphones to play games on the go, and the mobile gaming industry is now making billions of dollars every year. Due to that rise in popularity, many of the leading smartphone manufacturers are designing and releasing dedicated gaming phones. With multi-core processors and UHD screens, smartphones are now competing with some of the most advanced gaming systems and consoles.
If you have recently decided that you are ready to upgrade your smartphone, then it might be time to carry out a little bit of research. Just because a phone has a dedicated GPU or a crisp screen doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to play all of your favorite titles. In order to find the best smartphone for gaming, you will need to consider a wide variety of variables including battery life, operating system compatibility, screen brightness, RAM, and general ergonomics. Here is a quick look at five of the top five smartphones for mobile gaming.
Although mobile gaming is highly attractive, you might not feel like moving away from consoles or desktops. In that case, we recommend going through Game Gavel’s list of best budget PCs for gaming. These rigs will let you enjoy gaming while being cheaper than most phones. They are also going to give you much more versatility when it comes to AAA titles that might not be optimized for mobile devices.
1. Samsung Galaxy S10+
There are quite a few reasons why many people believe that the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is one of the best mobile gaming devices on the market. In addition to its incredible specs, this flagship phone also very affordable, and you might be able to pick it up at a great price if you wait for one of Samsung’s popular sales events.
This smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 855 processor, and it has plenty of power for popular titles such as Fortnite, Hearthstone, PUBG Mobile, and Call of Duty: Mobile. Another standout feature of the Galaxy S10+ is the beautiful AMOLED display that provides vibrant colors and deep blacks. Once you have the Galaxy S10+ in your hands, you won’t ever have to worry about pixelated graphics, screen tearing, or any other display issues.
2. Red Magic 3S
With some mobile games now boasting over 100 million downloads, it should come as no surprise to anyone that many manufacturers are now producing dedicated gaming phones like the Red Magic 3S. This device was created by the Chinese firm Nubia, and it was built on the success of its predecessor the Red Magic 3. From the moment that this smartphone is taken out of the box, you are going to realize that it is unlike any other mobile device on the market.
Nubia’s team of engineers designed the Red Magic 3S to be as powerful and ergonomic as possible without breaking the bank. The thin frame houses a robust Snapdragon 855+ process with either 8 or 12GB of RAM. This phone’s display is impressive as well with a 90Hz refresh rate that smooths out rapid movements.
3. Asus ROG Phone 2
The Asus ROG Phone 2 might not be the best overall phone on the market, but it will be tough to find any mobile devices that can stand up to this phone’s gaming capabilities. Asus’s design team has specifically created this phone to be a gaming powerhouse with its rich 120Hz screen that won’t tear or stutter while playing any of the leading titles. Much like the Red Magic 3S, the ROG Phone 2 is powered by the Snapdragon 855+, and that processor is going to handle almost anything you throw at it.
Another amazing feature of the ROG Phone 2 is its astounding 6000mAh battery, and that power supply will allow you to game for hours without having to plug your phone in. The biggest drawback of the ROG Phone 2 is the built-in speaker system which seems to be muffled when the phone is gripped with both hands. Luckily, you can easily avoid that issue by using a pair of high-quality Bluetooth earbuds.
4. Razer Phone 2
The initial Razer Phone didn’t break any sales records, but it did help Razer get its foot in the door. Now that the Razer Phone 2 is out, it is clear that this company was able to learn from its mistakes and make some major improvements. The 5.7-inch 16:9 display is almost identical to its predecessor, but almost everything else has changed. This smartphone now has the Snapdragon 845 processor with 8GB of RAM, and the MicroSD slot will accept cards up to 2TB.
As an added bonus, the company has transitioned from a matte black plastic frame to a Gorilla Glass frame. With the new frame, the Razer Phone 2 can now be charged wirelessly, and that is going to make it much easier to game on this phone for long periods of time. Overall, Razer Phone 2 is a solid gaming device at a fair price.
5. Xiaomi Black Shark 2
Even though Xiaomi might not be as popular as some of the other manufacturers on this list, this company is quickly making a name for itself in the gaming community. The Black Shark 2 was clearly designed for avid gamers who want a quick and ergonomic mobile device. Even though this phone’s refresh rate is capped at 60Hz, it is going to feel as if you are playing on a high-end gaming system.
The internal hardware is impressive, but the Black Shark 2’s gaming features are where this device truly stands out. Xiaomi has included Master Touch technology that measures how much pressure is being applied to the screen, and that means you can keep your hand on the display without pressing any buttons until you push down a little harder. You also have the option of switching on the Ludicrous mode that overclocks the processor to just over 2.80Ghz
Conclusion
While there are more than just a few differences between the five phones we reviewed, it’s guaranteed that your mobile gaming experience will be flawless whichever option you choose. Still, the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is undeniably the best smartphone for gaming at this moment if you’re looking at all-around gaming performance.
With a powerful smartphone and a budget gaming PC, you can rest assured that you will be able to play all of your favorite games at home and on the go.