Smartphones may not be a traditional platform for gaming but we’re currently witnessing a surge of popular games that are specially developed for phones. It might not seem like it, but a phone could be one of the best game consoles you can get your hands on, even if it’s not marketed as such.
However, there is still the argument of which phone is the best for gaming? There are just so many smartphones on the market now and even more planned for release in the future, so choosing one that can keep up with you and your games will be a little difficult. In this article, we’ve listed the top 5 gaming phones that are equipped with incredible specs that help you win in any game.
How did we decide on these phones? Well, we looked at what aspects are the most important to gamers and their performances. We’ve decided that a good gaming phone needs to have a high-performing processer and chipset, a good-sized brilliant display, and a large RAM size and storage space. These aspects will determine if you end up with a good gaming session or not. Let’s look at which phones made the cut.
Quick Look:
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
- ASUS ROG Phone 3
- Apple iPhone 11
- Samsung Galaxy S20
Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra
Screen size: 6.9″ Super AMOLED (120Hz refresh) | Resolution: 1440 x 3088 | Processor: Octa-Core (2.73GHz, 2.5GHz, 2GHz) | Chipset: Exynos 990 (7 nm+) | Cameras: 108MP wide, 12MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP front | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB (expandable)| Dimensions: 164.8 x 77.2 x 8.1mm | Weight: 7.3 oz (208g)
Samsung phones are considered one of the best in the industry right now and they have every reason to be. The South Korean tech giant is constantly putting out amazing smartphones with over-the-top specs and their Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra might just be one for the hall of fame.
Not only does the phone come with an intelligent Octa-Core processor with an Exynos 990 chipset, but the beautiful 6.9-inch Super AMOLED display also has a refresh rate of 120Hz, so you know you’ll get smooth visuals with your games. The full-screen display is definitely one to praise on, especially for those first-person shooter (FPS) games.
When it comes to storage, the Galaxy Note 20 Ultra doesn’t disappoint. The phone is equipped with 12GB of RAM and internal storage of up to 512GB. Also, storage space is expandable so if you ever need more, you’ll never have to worry. Another plus to this phone is the connectivity options. The phone can support Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi Optimizer which can keep you connected fast with low latency, so you’ll never have to worry about the internet speed slowing you down.
ASUS ROG Phone 3
Screen size: 6.59-inch AMOLED (144Hz refresh) | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | Processor: Octa-Core | Chipset: Snapdragon 865+ | Cameras: 64MP wide, 13MP ultra wide, 5MP macro | RAM: 12GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Dimensions: 171 x 78 x 9.9 mm | Weight: 8.47oz (240g)
ASUS created the ROG series for gamers which is why the ASUS ROG Phone 3 comes equipped with a plethora of specs and features that are specific to creating a better gaming experience. First off, the phone has got the Snapdragon 856+ chipset which is Qualcomm’s most powerful chipset to date. The phone also has a brilliant 6.59-inch AMOLED display and a refresh rate of 144Hz.
The ROG Phone 3 is also offering a lot of storage space with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. For connectivity, you’ll be happy to know that the phone can support Wi-Fi 6 so there are no issues with a slow internet connection. Like we mentioned before, ASUS has also equipped the phone with some cool features that’ll make for a better gaming experience.
One of these features is the unique side-charging design which will help you maintain a comfortable grip of your phone in horizontal mode, even while the phone is charging. This side port can also be used to power a range of modular accessories that ASUS has developed for the phone. Another feature is the phone’s unique Air Triggers that sit on top of the phone when you hold it sideways. This feature provides a full suite of shoulder buttons for a more console-like experience and according to many users, will definitely improve your gaming performance and experience.
Apple iPhone 11
Screen size: 6.1″ Liquid Retina HD | Resolution: 1792 x 828 | Processor: A13 Bionic | Cameras: 12MP ultra wide, 12MP wide, 7MP front camera | Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | Water resistance: IP68 (up to 2 meters) | Dimensions: 144mm x 71.4mm x 8.1mm | Weight: 6.8oz (194g)
Surely, we wouldn’t want to leave out an Apple iPhone in a list of good phones. When it comes to games, Apple is always at the forefront, and they’ve even got the Apple Arcade to prove it. Amongst their wide range of phones, we’ve determined that the Apple iPhone 11 to be the best gaming device from Apple. The phone is powered with the A13 Bionic processor, which is one of the world’s fastest chipset for phones so there’s no doubt that the phone can keep up with any games you put it through. Add to that the vivid and smooth Liquid Retina display and you’re in for a satisfying gaming session.
The storage space for the iPhone 11 might not be able to compare to the previous two but the 256GB storage is still very impressive and will be more than enough to store all your games, as well as handle all the upcoming updates. The phone can support Wi-Fi 6, 4G, and LTE connectivity so you can play your games anywhere. Also, there’s fast charging support of 50% power in 30 minutes, if you ever need a quick boost of energy before another round of your game.
Samsung Galaxy S20
Screen size: 6.2″ Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED (120Hz refresh) | Resolution: 3040 x 1440 | Processor: Octa-Core (2.73GHz, 2.5GHz, 2GHz) | Chipset: Exynos 990 (7 nm+) | Cameras: 12MP ultra wide, 12MP wide, 64MP telephoto, 10MP front | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | Water resistance: IP68 (up to 2 meters) | Dimensions: 151.7mm x 69.1mm x 7.9mm | Weight: 5.74oz (163g)
Another Samsung on the list and this time it’s the Samsung Galaxy S20. Starting off, we can see that the phone comes with an Octa-Core processor and an Exynos 990 chipset, like the one in the Note 20 Ultra. For display, the phone offers a 6.2-inch Quad HD+ Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate so you’re guaranteed amazing visuals when you’re gaming. Also, the phone is equipped with 240Hz of touch sensitivity for more responsive gaming, so you won’t get frustrated over slow touch response.
Storage on the Galaxy S20 doesn’t disappoint either because it comes with 8GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. If you get the 5G variant of the phone, you’re promised 12GB of RAM and that’s more than enough to handle any game you put it through. Connectivity-wise, the phone can support up to 4G LTE and obviously, 5G if you get the 5G variant of the phone.
Apple iPhone SE
Screen size: 4.7″ Retina HD | Resolution: 1334 x 750 | Processor: A13 Bionic | Cameras: 12MP wide, 7MP front camera | Storage: 64GB / 128GB / 256GB | Water resistance: IP67 (up to 1 meter) | Dimensions: 150.9mm x 75.7mm x 8.3mm | Weight: 5.2oz (148g)
Concluding this list is the Apple iPhone SE, which we consider the best budget gaming phone from Apple. This phone was initially pitched as an entry-level alternative to Apple’s flagship phone models but that doesn’t mean they skimped on the specs. The processor on the iPhone SE is the A13 Bionic, which is the same as in the previously mentioned iPhone 11. The display is the smallest in the list at 4.7-inches, but the Retina HD resolution can still make up for it.
Storage space is also the same as the iPhone 11 but as we mentioned before, it’s still more than enough for your games and the subsequent updates. When you look at the connectivity, you’ll see that the iPhone SE can support Wi-Fi 6, 4G, and LTE which ensures that you’ll never lose a game because of a bad connection. The phone is also equipped with fast charging capabilities, which will always be a plus.