Best gaming phones

Dedicated handsets and regular phones.

For almost as long as mobile phones have been around, mobile gaming has been popular. We’ve come a long way from the early days of Snake and Tetris, but sinking a few minutes (or hours) into a game on your phone is still a popular way to pass the time.

But for some demanding titles, a budget or mid-range phone simply isn’t up to the task. You might need something a little more powerful, but even some flagship phones won’t be suitable. That’s where this article comes in. Each of the phones below deliver a great mobile gaming experience, but they’re not all dedicated gaming handsets.

While you will find Asus ROG, Redmagic and Black Shark devices here, Samsung, Motorola and Poco all make phones that have made the grade. We’ve also tried to appeal to a range of different budgets.

WHAT IS A GAMING PHONE?

Put simply, a gaming phone is a phone designed for gaming. That usually means a focus on performance, with a powerful chipset and lots of RAM to ensure it can play the latest mobile games smoothly. Most gaming phones also have big, responsive displays and powerful speakers – or even a headphone jack.

Some go further than that though, with distinctive designs built for gaming. That can mean extra cooling and larger batteries to ensure performance in long gaming sessions, built-in buttons and triggers to supplement touch controls, and in some cases even tricks like side-mounting the selfie camera and charging port to better suit using the phone in landscape. The main downsides are that gaming phones tend to be bigger, bulkier, and heavier than most other options. They also usually have distinct ‘gamer’ designs, often including RGB lighting or extra displays, which may not be to your taste.

CAN I USE A ‘NORMAL’ PHONE FOR GAMING?

Absolutely. Dedicated gaming phones have their place, but the actual performance gap between a gaming phone and a top ‘regular’ flagship is pretty small. Gaming phones use the same chipsets as other high-end devices, they simply bolster them with improved cooling, bigger batteries, and usually more RAM. That can give a slight edge while gaming, but in practice any high-end iPhone or Android device will keep up. So if you don’t like the look of most gaming smartphones, or can’t imagine giving up your Pixel camera just for CoD, you don’t have to.

CAN’T I JUST STREAM GAMES OVER THE CLOUD?

Cloud gaming is better than ever, but it’s not there yet. While numerous cloud game streaming services are available, they’re really only suited to single-player gaming – and even then, only while you’re on Wi-Fi or reliable 5G.

Since many mobile gamers prefer to play competitive online titles, cloud gaming isn’t really an option, as it introduces too much lag. The cloud also won’t work for you if you don’t have reliable access to fast internet.

That’s why, for now at least, there’s still a space for dedicated gaming hardware that offers the power necessary to max out your performance.

WHAT SPECS DO I NEED FOR GAMING?

There are a few key specs to look out for in a modern gaming phone. The main

one is the core chipset.

Look for a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip that begins in ‘8’ – the latest are the 8 Gen 1 and 8+ Gen 1, but the previous 888 series will do great too – or a similarly powerful MediaTek Dimensity chip. You’ll also want at least 8GB of RAM to make the most of the chip – more is better, but there are diminishing returns beyond

12GB or so.

The display matters too. You’ll probably want a fairly large screen to game on – at least 6.5in – and look for one with a 120Hz refresh rate or higher, and the fastest touch response rate you can find. Spending more for AMOLED tech over LCD will deliver better contrast and colours, but don’t worry too much about resolution – gaming phones rarely go beyond Full HD.

WHICH GAMING PHONE ACCESSORIES SHOULD I BUY?

One extra perk of buying a gaming phone is that they usually offer a range of accessories to go with them. These vary by manufacturer, so there’s no hardand-fast rule on what to pick up.

Strap-on coolers and fans are a good way to maintain performance and reduce long-term damage to the phone’s chip from overheating. If you find it fiddly to play on the touchscreen, you might also want to grab a Bluetooth controller. As with any phone, a protective case and screen protector are always a good bet too.

1. BEST GAMING PHONE Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro

Price: £1,099 from fave.co/3HI2EFV Pros: Incredible performance; new lightweight design; stunning 165Hz OLED screen; very usable cameras Cons: Expensive; no improvement to battery life; only two operating system version updates

The ROG Phone 8 Pro is the best gaming phone you can buy, though it

looks a lot more like regular handsets than its predecessors.

Gone is the colourful, eye-catching aesthetic of the 2023’s ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, and replaced with a much more muted design. Not all mobile gamers will be a fan, but it does give the ROG Phone mainstream appeal for the first time. And don’t worry, you still get some customizable LED lights on the back.

Stellar performance is something that everyone will appreciate, and the combination of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and at least 16GB delivers incredible results. Alongside a class-leading 165Hz screen refresh rate and 720Hz touch sampling, this is one of the fastest and most responsive phones you can buy.

Even the cameras, something often overlooked on gaming phones are above average and very usable. It’s a shame to see the battery capacity reduced (battery life is still solid) and only two Android version updates (four years of security), though.

But that price tag will be the main sticking point for most people. With no obvious contract options, can you justify spending at least £1,099? Given how easily this could be a regular smartphone now, your answer might be yes.

2. BEST REGULAR GAMING PHONE Motorola Edge 40 Pro

Price: £695 from fave.co/4c3QiGd

Pros: 165Hz OLED display; fantastic performance; IP68 rating; phenomenal battery life

Cons: No gaming-specific hardware; not the best cameras

It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 512GB of storage, making it an impressive device able to take on dedicated gaming phones. There’s also the 6.7

inch AMOLED display to consider, with a gaminggrade 165Hz refresh rate

– pretty much the only non-gaming phone to go that fast.

Gaming prowess aside, it also boasts absurdly fast 125-watt charging that’ll get you a full charge in well under 30 minutes, and a triple rear camera that’s better than any you’ll find on a gaming phone. Oh, and did we mention that the battery lasts for two full days of typical use? So, while you might not get built-in triggers or cool gaming-focused software enhancements, you’ll certainly get all the benefits of a flagship smartphone, plus the power you need to play.

3. BEST CHEAP PHONE FOR GAMING Poco X6 Pro

Price: £369 from fave.co/3TvxdW2 Pros: Impressive performance; high-end 120Hz OLED display; premium design; 67-watt charging with charger included Cons: Hit-and-miss cameras; polarising Xiaomi software

The Poco X6 Pro costs just £369, making it truly excellent value for money. If you want to take your first steps into the world of mobile gaming, this is a great place to start.

While performance can’t quite rival the phones above, it’s still a key strength of the X6 Pro. MediaTek’s Dimensity 8300 Ultra combines with 8- or 12GB of RAM for impressive gaming performance, running the likes of Genshin Impact on the highest graphical settings without issue.

The 120Hz OLED display is also a joy to use, while subtle design improvements make it feel just that bit more like a premium phone. Battery life is solid, but fast 67-watt charging (with adaptor in the box) means you won’t have to stay connected for too long.

Inevitable compromises come in the form of inconsistent cameras and

Xiaomi’s new HyperOS Android skin, which still bears many resembles to MIUI, its polarizing predecessor.

But at this price, you won’t find another phone that’s better suited to gaming. If you’d like to save a bit of money, the cheaper regular Poco X6 is also worth considering.

4. BEST GAMER AESTHETIC Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

Price: £1,199 from fave.co/4a4Pe31 Pros: Great performance; excellent battery life; stunning display; impressive cooling system

Cons: Expensive; big and bulky; unusual design

If you’re frustrated by Asus’ decision to move away from the classic gamer aesthetic on the ROG Phone 8 Pro, the earlier 7 Ultimate is the phone for you.

It was only released in 2023, so remains a great choice in 2024. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset combines with 16GB of RAM for superb performance. A 6.78-inch AMOLED display packs a market-leading 165Hz refresh rate, while built-in vapour cooling is supplemented by an optional clip-on cooler with its own built-in subwoofer to amplify audio too.

What makes the Ultimate stand out from the crowd is a small ‘ROG Vision’ display on the back for notifications and custom animations, plus the ‘AeroActive Portal’ cooling flap, which activates to improve airflow even further when the cooler is clipped on.

If you can find the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate with a discount and are a fan of the design, it’s well worth considering.

5. BEST SAMSUNG PHONE FOR GAMING Samsung Galaxy S23+

Price: £1,049 from fave.co/3IuvaLN

Pros: Bright, sharp, flat screen; great battery life; five years of software support; Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 power

Cons: Expensive; 45-watt charging a little slow; software takes some tweaking

The Samsung Galaxy S23+ a great choice for gaming, especially since it and the other S23 models in fact use a very slightly overclocked version of the 8 Gen 2 chip that gives it a slight boost in single-core performance compared to rivals.

That makes this one of the fastest Android phones around, and as a top-tier flagship it also benefits from a great display, long-term software support, and fantastic cameras.

You might also like the regular S23, but the bigger display of the Plus model is more naturally suited to gaming. The S23 Ultra is bigger still, but much more expensive – and you’re mostly paying for enhanced camera features and S Pen stylus support, making the Plus the sweet spot for most gamers.

The main downside is the sluggish wired charging, which just means that if you burn through the battery in a long play session, it’ll take a little longer to top it back up.

However, you may now prefer to go for one of the newer Galaxy S24 phones.

6. BEST FOLDABLE FOR GAMING OnePlus Open

Price: £1,599 from fave.co/3TuypJ9 Pros: Impressive displays; Strong performance; premium, durable design; good rear cameras

Cons: Battery life could be better; few apps optimized for big screen; only splash resistant

The OnePlus Open is the best bookstyle foldable you can buy. And while few games are optimized, the option to play on that larger 7.82-inch internal display makes it a great choice for gaming.

Even the 6.31-inch cover screen can hold its own, especially with both panels being 120Hz and OLED. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers very good performance, while a durable hinge still leaves a barely noticeable crease.

With cameras among the best you’ll find on any foldable and thoughtful Android software tweaks, there’s a lot to like here.

It’s just a shame about the battery, which struggles to make it through a full day sometimes. Alongside that high price tag, it means most gamers will be better off elsewhere.