Mobile gaming has come a long way since the days of Snake. You can now play some of the biggest and best gaming titles on your mobile device, from Call of Duty to Fortnite, Hearthstone, and a ton more.
However, if you want to play these great games or dabble in an online casino or two, you will need a device that can keep up. Here are the best gaming smartphones you can buy right now.
iPhone 13 Pro Max
The newest iPhone will always feature on a list like this, and the 13 Pro Max is no different. It comes with an A15 Bionic CPU, which is more powerful than the competition, and 128GB of storage right out the box.
While this phone will allow you to play almost any game, you will have to pay for it. Like most Apple devices, the 13 Pro Max is more expensive than most other phones, and you may find yourself questioning if all the features beyond the capability are worth the money.
Asus ROG 5
Asus has dived into the gaming smartphone world as well. Their ROG 5 is purpose-built for gaming and has a beautiful 6.78 inch AMOLED display with a very impressive refresh rate and a powerful chip that gives you incredible performance.
While it does allow you to game at an unexpected level, the phone is big and bulky. The cameras aren’t great, and its look may be off-putting to those who still want a phone, as it screams “gamer chic.”
Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Google Pixel 6 is one of the phones on this list that has a very long list of positives and a very short list of negatives. It has a crisp 6.7 inch OLED display, comes in multiple storage sizes, and has a speedy and powerful Tensor CPU.
On the other hand, the battery is weak compared to competitors. You will spend a lot of time waiting for the phone to charge. Besides that, it plays the part of a gaming smartphone and a regular smartphone incredibly well.
OnePlus 9 Pro
If you are in the market for a brand new Samsung device, you will find they can be pretty pricey. However, the OnePlus 9 Pro is an excellent alternative to the Galaxy Note 20 and gives you a brilliant Snapdragon 888 CPU, big 128GB and 256GB storage options, and a big battery that will last over 10 hours.
While this is an alternative to the Galaxy Note and can be cheaper, it is still relatively expensive compared to other phones on this list. The curved display also leads to many accidental taps that can become annoying if it keeps happening.
RedMagic 6S Pro
Another purpose-built gaming phone is the RedMagic 6S Pro. Coming standard with a Snapdragon 888 Plus CPU, it has a big battery that will last you 12 hours. It doesn’t have expandable memory, but you do get two storage options, 128GB and 256GB.
Like the Asus model earlier on this list, the RedMagic is stellar as a gaming phone but struggles to do everyday smartphone things. It has a disappointing camera and could also look much better.
Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus
When it comes to a flagship phone that is built to handle gaming, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is one of the premier devices. While the phone doesn’t have any gaming-specific features, it has a Snapdragon 888 CPU, a 6.7-inch display, and a 120Hz peak refresh rate.
On the downside, the S21 is very expensive, as it is a much higher-end model. The battery life also leaves much to be desired, as you will have the best time gaming, but you will be plugged into a charger for a lot of it.
Black Shark 3
The Black Shark is advertised as a gaming phone that can also do smartphone tasks well. It is fitted with a great camera, a big 4720mAh battery, a Snapdragon 865 CPU, and more than enough storage for all your games.
On the downside, it isn’t the best-looking phone. It looks like a hybrid of a gaming mouse and keyboard transformed into a phone. It also has a pretty slow refresh rate. However, it is one of the best bang-for-your-buck gaming phones you can find on the market.
