www.gamesradar.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
199.232.194.114
Public Scan
URL:
https://www.gamesradar.com/best-phones-for-gaming/
Submission: On April 23 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Submission: On April 23 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOMGET https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/search/
<form class="search-box" action="https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/search/" method="GET" data-analytics-id="search-submit" data-before-rewrite-localise="/search/" data-component-tracked="19">
<label for="search-input" class="sr-only">Search GamesRadar+</label>
<input tabindex="0" type="search" name="searchTerm" placeholder="Search GamesRadar+" class="search-input" id="search-input">
<button type="submit" class="search-submit" aria-label="Search">
<span class="search-icon">
<svg class="icon-svg" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 1000 1000">
<path d="M720 124a422 422 0 1 0-73 654l221 222 132-131-222-222a422 422 0 0 0-58-523zm-92 504a291 291 0 1 1-412-412 291 291 0 0 1 412 411z"></path>
</svg> </span>
</button>
</form>
POST https://newsletter-subscribe.futureplc.com/v2/submission/submit
<form data-hydrate="true" class="newsletter-form__form newsletter-form__form--inbodyContent" method="POST" action="https://newsletter-subscribe.futureplc.com/v2/submission/submit"><input data-hydrate="true" type="hidden"
class="form__hidden-input form_input form__hidden-input form__hidden-input--inbodyContent" name="NAME"><input data-hydrate="true" type="email" class="form__email-input form_input form__email-input form__email-input--inbodyContent" name="MAIL"
required="" placeholder="Your Email Address"><input data-hydrate="true" type="hidden" class="form__hidden-input form_input form__hidden-input form__hidden-input--inbodyContent" name="NEWSLETTER_CODE" value="XGR-D"><input data-hydrate="true"
type="hidden" class="form__hidden-input form_input form__hidden-input form__hidden-input--inbodyContent" name="LANG" value="EN"><input data-hydrate="true" type="hidden"
class="form__hidden-input form_input form__hidden-input form__hidden-input--inbodyContent" name="SOURCE" value="60"><input data-hydrate="true" type="hidden"
class="form__hidden-input form_input form__hidden-input form__hidden-input--inbodyContent" name="COUNTRY"><label class="form__checkbox-label"><input data-hydrate="true" type="checkbox"
class="form__checkbox-input form_input form__checkbox-input form__checkbox-input--inbodyContent" name="CONTACT_OTHER_BRANDS">Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands</label><label class="form__checkbox-label"><input
data-hydrate="true" type="checkbox" class="form__checkbox-input form_input form__checkbox-input form__checkbox-input--inbodyContent" name="CONTACT_PARTNERS">Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors</label><input
data-hydrate="true" type="submit" class="form__submit-input form_input form__submit-input form__submit-input--inbodyContent" required="" value="Sign me up"></form>
Text Content
Skip to main content Open menu Close menu GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love Search Search GamesRadar+ Subscribe UK Edition UK US Canada Australia Gaming Magazines Why subscribe? * Subscribe from just £3 * Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love * Try a single issue or save on a subscription * Issues delivered straight to your door or device From€8 View * * Games * Platforms * Entertainment * Comics * More * Hardware * Gaming * Guides * Tabletop Gaming * Toys & Collectibles * Retro Gamer * Play * Total Film * Edge * SFX * About Us Newsarama Total Film Edge Trending * Future Games Show * Indiana Jones and the Great Circle * Helldivers 2 * GTA 6 When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. 1. Platforms 2. Mobile Gaming THE BEST GAMING PHONES 2024 Features By Tabitha Baker Contributions from Brendan Griffiths last updated 21 February 2024 Our picks of the best gaming phones for 2024, whether you're looking at Android or Apple, budget or premium * * * * * * * Comments Jump To: * Quick list * Best overall * Best value * Best budget * Most comfortable * Best controls Menu (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) 1. The Quick List 2. Best overall 3. Best value 4. Best budget 5. Most comfortable 6. Best controls The best gaming phones completely revolutionize your app library. Offering up seriously powerful processors, plenty of RAM and high quality, high refresh rate displays, these devices can push your favorite thumb tappers far further. With the rise of Xbox Cloud gaming services, smaller screens are becoming even bigger business, which means there are plenty of gaming phones out there for the Play Store power-user to choose from. That makes it difficult to work out exactly what you need from your smartphone, and how much you need to pay for a gaming-specific device. Thankfully, as gaming phones develop, we're seeing prices on the biggest and best falling slightly down the scale. That means there's now options for all budgets, and we're rounding up our favorites right here. Our team of experts is on hand to point out the best gaming phones currently gracing the market, not to mention the best prices. We've drawn on our own hands on experience with the latest and greatest releases to ensure you're getting an overview of the whole space before making that critical decision. Of course, you're not going to get the performance of a gaming laptop, or even the best gaming tablets, here - but for a pocket-sized thumb twitcher, these are the models we'd recommend. THE QUICK LIST Best overall 1. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro View at Alternate DE View at Computeruniverse DE View at cyberport DE Best overall The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro packs the latest and greatest components into a super slick chassis with a whole wad of extra gaming features to boot. Read more below Best value 2. RedMagic 8S Pro Best value The RedMagic 8S Pro offers a fantastic price tag for its high performance components and luxury display. It's an older CPU, but there's still plenty of power under the hood and a slimline chassis to enjoy it all in as well. Read more below Best budget 3. Samsung Galaxy A50 View at Amazon View at Amazon Best budget If you don't want to break the bank and just want a phone that will run your favorite games without a hitch, we'd recommend the Samsung Galaxy A50. It's a solid budget-friendly, no-frills phone. Read more below Most comfortable 4. Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate Most comfortable While gaming phones are now moving towards a flatter, skinnier form factor the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is one of the last to offer a more comfortable curved back. Read more below Best controls 5. Black Shark 5 Pro Best controls The BlackShark 5 Pro packs physical pop up triggers along the top of the device, allowing for a fantastic level of control on the battlefield. That plus the actually decent cameras makes it a must-see. Read more below THE BEST GAMING PHONE OVERALL Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton) 1. ASUS ROG PHONE 8 PRO The best gaming phone overall Our expert review: SPECIFICATIONS Screen: 6.78-inch AMOLED Resolution: 2448 x 1080 Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Cameras: 32MP front, 50MP main rear, 13MP ultra-wide Storage: Up to 1TB Water resistance: IP54 Dimensions: 163.8x76.8x8.9mm Weight: 225g Today's Best Deals View at Alternate DE View at Computeruniverse DE View at cyberport DE REASONS TO BUY + New sleek design + Rear dot matrix screen + Cutting edge performance + Surprisingly great camera + Touch triggers REASONS TO AVOID - Monstrously expensive - Offset USB-C port makes using mobile controllers awkward With Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor at the helm and a sleek new chassis to house it all in, the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro stormed the shelves last year. Between its edge to edge display and fantastic in-game performance, this is the gaming phone to beat right now. A slimmer form factor means the ROG Phone 8 Pro doesn't stand out too far from the crowd of mainstream smartphones - but the fun LED matrix display on the rear certainly does. A matte black surface keeps things classy, though, even if we didn't particularly enjoy the off-center USB-C port in testing. Of course, those touch capacitive trigger buttons are back, with super sensitive pads offering a more gamepad oriented play style for the titles that support them. In the box, the Aero Active cooler allows for a more sophisticated set of bumper buttons while also boosting your phone's performance to boot. Throw in Asus's Armory Crate software and the sheer power of that Gen 3 Snapdragon chip and it's clear this svelt device is hiding some serious gaming chops. All that comes with a super crisp display running at a massive 165Hz (most gaming phones will cap you at 120Hz) to offer up super fluid motion whether you're gaming or browsing the web. Blitzing performance, a wad of extra gaming focused features, a gorgeous display and even a decent camera setup make the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro the best gaming phone on the market right now. Read more: Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro review THE BEST VALUE GAMING PHONE Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) 2. REDMAGIC 8S PRO The best value gaming phone Our expert review: SPECIFICATIONS Screen: 6.8-inch AMOLED, 120Hz Resolution: 1116 x 2480 Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Cameras: 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 16MP front Storage: Up to 512GB Water resistance: NA Dimensions: 164 x 76 x 9mm Weight: 228g REASONS TO BUY + Excellent value for money + Slick aesthetic + Crisp display + Long battery life REASONS TO AVOID - Very similar to previous model - Awful selfie camera - A lot of setup required While it's very similar to the model before it, the RedMagic 8S Pro is the best value gaming phone on the market today. It may be dropping back a step from the Snapdragon Gen 3 processors we're seeing in 2024, but you're getting an incredible price to performance ratio here with stunning results in-game. If you're after an Android gaming phone that won't break the bank but still offers an upgrade over a mainstream device, this is where you need to be looking. Inline with other industry trends, the 8S Pro is more laid back in its aesethetic than previous entries. A flat sided block with a particularly skinny silhouette, the 8S Pro only hints at its gaming origins at first glance. Of course, things become a little more obvious once that RGB fans whirs to life, but from the outside this could be any mainstream flagship. That means this is a device that looks good and feels comfortable in the hand, even if we did wish for a slightly curved back during landscape play. Not only that, but there are some handy small design features that speak to Nubia's attention to detail; two USB-C ports allow for charging no matter how you're holding the device, for example. Of course, you're still getting all those gaming phone specific features. The 8S Pro offers two capacitive touch pads along the top which can read inputs at 560Hz, meanwhile the dedicated game launcher provides quick access to all your apps and can provide system information and performance controls with an in-game overlay as well. Considering the cash you're spending, that display is something else. A super crisp AMOLED with a max 1,300 nit brightness is going to look good on any phone, but the screen ratio in here is fantastic considering its lower price point and everything still looks slick despite the lower-than-Asus 120Hz refresh rate. Read more: RedMagic 8S Pro review THE BEST BUDGET GAMING PHONE Image 1 of 3 3. SAMSUNG GALAXY A50 The best budget gaming phone Average Amazon review: ☆☆☆☆☆ SPECIFICATIONS Screen size: 6.4" Super AMOLED Reslution: 1080 x 2340 Processor: Octa-core Cameras: 25 MP wide - 8 MP ultra wide - 5 MP depth - 25MP front Storage: 128GB Water resistance: IP68 (up to 2 meters) Dimensions: 158.5mm x 74.7mm x 7.7mm Weight: 5.86 oz (166g) Today's Best Deals View at Amazon View at Amazon REASONS TO BUY + Near-fullscreen display + Holds its own on high settings + The best budget Android phone REASONS TO AVOID - Higher game settings can drain the battery faster Picking up a cheaper gaming phone doesn't mean limiting yourself to match-three puzzlers or go with an unknown brand. The Samsung Galaxy A50 costs a small fraction of its flashier siblings like the S20 or Note series, but this is still a great phone and a stone-cold bargain if you want to spend less, but get a phone that won't let you down. I was testing this for gaming against some very expensive phones and I almost had to have a word with it and explain how it needed to stop showing up the big boys. Call of Duty Mobile on high settings for graphics and frame rate. Why not? Sure, it wasn't quite as smooth or detailed as your $1000/£1000 flagship phones, but at less than a third of the price, the A50 is way better than it should be. As a day to day phone, the Samsung Galaxy A50 has a very good camera, with only the night pictures being prone to a loss of detail if there are too many artificial light sources. Amazingly for a phone at this price, it has a dual-SIM slot, making it handy if you have separate work/home SIMs or if you're picking up a cheap data card when traveling abroad. There's a newer Galaxy A51 out there now, which aside from an upgrade to 48MP/32MP (back/front) camera lenses, carries the same internal spec and display, so we'd stick with the A50 for the generally cheaper cost, but if you're curious, here are the latest Galaxy A51 prices. THE MOST COMFORTABLE GAMING PHONE Image 1 of 5 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) 4. ASUS ROG PHONE 7 ULTIMATE The most comfortable gaming phone Our expert review: SPECIFICATIONS Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 165Hz Resolution: 2448 x 1080 Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Cameras: 32MP front, 50MP main rear, 13MP ultra-wide, 8MP macro Storage: 512GB Water resistance: IP54 Dimensions (HxWxD): 173 x 77 x 10.3mm Weight: 239g REASONS TO BUY + Design isn't too gamerfied + Excellent AMOLED display + Touch-sensitive triggers feel great + Armoury Crate software is just right + Powerful audio + Top-spec internal components + Better camera than average gaming phones REASONS TO AVOID - Off-centre USB-C port means controllers are limited - At the top end of the price range The latest ROG phone certainly doesn't rip up the rulebook. Sporting an almost identical design to the previous generation, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate is a familiar sight with the chunky form factor and bezels of a much older device. However, with newer releases opting for a harsh flat design this is a golden age of comfort we're keen to keep alive. A Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset runs this show, offering some incredible performance and the cooling to back it up. Without the dedicated AeroCooler system (sold separately), things can get a little heated when pushed to max, but we were never uncomfortable during standard everyday gaming. That's not something we can say for the majority of gaming phones out there. Pair that with a gorgeous screen (working particularly hard for you considering its resolution sits at just 2448 x 1080) and a beastly set of front firing speakers and the overall experience is unlike anything we've experienced before. Everything is crisp and snappy thanks to the AMOLED display running at 165Hz, meanwhile the touch sensitive triggers make sure you're taking every shot with excellent precision. > The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate sports some of the most capable components on > the market right now, with a luxury finish and a well-recognized pedigree in > the mobile gaming space. > > Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review The ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has even avoided software pitfalls that sometimes plague even the best gaming phones. The Armoury Crate software neatly pulls all your games together while also serving as a hub for performance settings, framerate limits, and screen recordings. It's not unusual to find these features split across several different programs clogging up a gaming phone, so this sparsity is a welcome relief. All of that makes the lofty price point all the more enticing, particularly if you're happy to invest in a high-end device. However, there is one flaw that may well stop you in your tracks. The charging USB-C port to the bottom of the phone is off-centre. That means you won't be able to use the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate with the majority of mobile controllers which often connect directly via this USB-C port. Bluetooth gamepads won't be effected but if you're looking to use something like the Razer Kishi V2, you'll need to look elsewhere. Overall, though, this is a serious piece of kit with the serious price tag to match. If you want the best of the best, Asus is a good place to start, but there are some sacrifices you can make (and likely won't notice) if you do want to keep the cost down. Read more: Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review THE BEST CONTROLS ON A GAMING PHONE Image 1 of 4 (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) (Image credit: Future) 5. BLACK SHARK 5 PRO The best controls on a gaming phone Our expert review: SPECIFICATIONS Screen size: 6.67-inch OLED Resolution: 1080p Processor: Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Cameras: 108MP Wide, 12MP Ultra-Wide, 5MP Macro (rear), 16MP Wide (front) Storage: 256GB / 512GB Water resistance: NA Dimensions (HxWxD): 16.3 x 76.5 x 9.5mm Weight: 220g REASONS TO BUY + Extreme performance + Gorgeous OLED panel + An actually decent camera system + Physical pop-up triggers REASONS TO AVOID - Only minor battery upgrades - No audio jack - No wireless charging Balancing the top spot for best gaming phone is tricky business. Yes, this device needs to be one of the most powerful models on the market, but it also needs to be within reach. The price to performance ratio of the Black Shark 5 Pro is excellent. It's no cheap device by any means, but there's little sense of inflated costs here. Plus, for a device to truly be considered the best gaming phone overall it needs to function just as well as an actual smartphone as it does a gaming machine. That's where the camera of the Black Shark 5 Pro comes in. > From the outstanding performance from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip to the split > storage system, Xiaomi has positioned the Black Shark 5 Pro as an all-in-one > powerhouse. > > Black Shark 5 Pro review It's rare to find a gaming phone offering such top-line specs and performance while still carrying a decent set of lenses in its corner. We were particularly impressed by the shots we were able to take here. Yes, you are making some smartphone sacrifices - the lack of wireless charging being the biggest here - however this is still an everyday device with the battery to back it up. Load up some games, though, and you'll really see the Black Shark 5 Pro shine. Everything is smooth and crisp on that gorgeous OLED display, and with physical pop up trigger buttons to keep all your movements precise and snappy as well. Few phones offer these physical clickers these days, opting for the more svelt touch-capacitive buttons along the top. However, we were particularly thankful for these small additions, making for a far more engaging experience overall. Add to all that a design and feel that brings the Black Shark line more into the realm of the everyday smartphone market and you've got yourself a secret weapon in your pocket. This is a dream of a phone without topping the price charts. Read more: Black Shark 5 Pro review -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Back to top HOW WE TEST GAMING PHONES Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy. Each handset that passes our pockets goes through a series of tests to see if it's worthy of being listed as one of the best gaming phones on the market. First and foremost, though, we live with these devices to see just how well their form factors, cameras, screens, and - crucially - battery lives hold up under every day use. That's why we adopt each model as our own throughout the testing period, putting each phone through its paces in both standard use and through heavy gaming sessions. After that, we run each gaming phone through a series of titles to determine their performance as well as how much battery they consume. Call of Duty Mobile, PUBG, Magic The Gathering: Arena, and Fortnite (on Android) are our primary titles. You can find out more about how we make our recommendations in our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy. WHICH PHONES ARE BEST FOR GAMING? In our testing, the best phone for gaming is currently the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. However, if you're after value for money we'd recommend checking out the slightly solder RedMagic 8S Pro. ARE GAMING PHONES WORTH IT? If you're invested in the wide and wonderful world of mobile gaming, sinking some cash into a device that can keep up with your pursuits will always be worth it. You'll enjoy a faster screen, more RAM and storage, a more powerful processor, and additional gaming features like fps caps and performance modes. However, if you tinker with Apple Arcade every now and then or jump into the odd PUBG session, we'd recommend aiming for a phone that can support your mobile gameplay, but not at the sacrifice of other features. The best gaming phones often drop camera and high-end networking features, and can cost a pretty penny to boot, so it's worth working out whether you'll actually be using those additional gadgets before investing. * Back to top Now that you're kitted out, you'll find all the best iPhone games and the best Android games ranked. We're also rounding up all the best gaming earbuds available as well. Round up of today's best deals Samsung Galaxy A50 €279.90 €241.36 View See all prices ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro €1,199 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by SIGN UP TO THE GAMESRADAR+ NEWSLETTER Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Tabitha Baker Social Links Navigation Managing Editor - Hardware Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector. With contributions from * Brendan Griffiths See more Mobile Gaming Features More about mobile gaming Fortnite Windmill and The Other Windmill: Where to Air Jump Fortnite Coastal Columns: Where to visit it Latest In a one-in-a-million clip, Helldivers 2 fan-favorite Eagle-1 gets gruesome payback for the safety measures we cut to buff our Stratagems See more latest ► See comments TOPICS Asus Google Samsung MOST POPULAR The best D&D module right now isn't even on D&D Beyond, and it was written by the creator of Baldur's Gate Botany Manor is a beautiful puzzle game about making flowers bloom in the most unexpected ways possible Rebel Moon Part 2 ending explained: your biggest questions answered about the Zack Snyder Netflix movie Spider-Man, X-Men, Avengers, and all of Marvel's July 2024 solicitations revealed Star Wars Outlaws being sandwiched between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi is a stronger pull than the Force 20 years later, I'm rediscovering the best PS2-era Sims spinoff and now I don't even need The Sims 5 Hades 2 already plays like a perfectly ambitious follow-up to one of the greatest-ever roguelikes X-Men '97: All the Easter eggs, cameos, and references The 32 top twist movie endings After 5 years away from the MMO, here's why I'll be returning to World of Warcraft for The War Within Here's how "the best Friday the 13th film" inspired a scrapped Dead Island 2 mechanic in a game that's re-flipping the script on zombie fiction Load Comments GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1. 1 Harold Halibut review: "A charming and ambitious handmade sci-fi adventure" 2. 2 Broken Roads review: "Systems that sound good on paper don't work as intended" 3. 3 Open Roads review: "A cozy, nostalgic road trip that can't quite get into gear" 4. 4 Dragon's Dogma 2 review: "Embrace the chaos and there's nothing quite like it" 5. 5 Rise of the Ronin review: "A decent PS5 exclusive action RPG that's driven and hamstrung by its ambition" 1. 1 Boy Kills World review: "A gleefully bonkers blend of The Hunger Games and The Raid" 2. 2 Rebel Moon Part Two – The Scargiver review: "Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic stumbles towards the finish line" 3. 3 Abigail review: "A blood-bomb of fun that needs more narrative meat" 4. 4 Sometimes I Think About Dying review: "Daisy Ridley demonstrates her star power" 5. 5 Challengers review: "A pulsating tale that's sure to get deuces flowing" 1. 1 Knuckles review: "A confident trial run for Sonic 3" 2. 2 Alien RPG Building Better Worlds review: "Carrying on the quiet momentum of one of the best TTRPGs out there" 3. 3 X-Men '97 episode 6 review: "The heart of the X-Men has triumphantly returned, but at what cost?" 4. 4 X-Men '97 episode 5 review: "Heartbreaking at the most catastrophic level" 5. 5 Fallout review: "A big Vault Boy-style thumbs up" GamesRadar+ is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. * About Us * Contact Future's experts * Terms and conditions * Privacy policy * Cookies policy * Advertise with us * Review guidelines * Write for us * Accessibility Statement * Careers © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.