
For those not in the know, gaming on a mobile phone may seem a little strange. Surely a big screen and a console are needed? Well, not anymore. More users are turning to their phones for high-quality gaming these days and the manufacturers have stepped up their own game to provide the best handsets possible.
With esports such a big business that even the best US sportsbooks offer betting markets on events, everyone wants to play games whenever they like – and wherever they like. So, with that in mind, here are some of the best mobiles on the market for gaming and what to look out for when you are thinking of upgrading your device.
Mobile Gaming Features
Mobile phones will obviously have a smaller screen than if you are playing at home on a console. So screen resolution is crucial for an optimum experience. Anything over 1280 x 720 is needed for gaming and a larger screen size will always help as well. Also, AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-emitting Diode) display will give you the best colors, blacks and contrasts.
Processing power is also crucial, to allow for the fastest games – and a good deal of RAM will mean that you won’t have to put up with the dreaded glitching of inferior phones. As high a refresh rate as possible will also mean that you can enjoy super smooth graphics.
ASUS ROG Phone 6D
If you are really serious about gaming on a mobile phone then there are devices specifically designed with that in mind. The ASUS ROG Phone 6D is essentially the same as the 6 model, in case you were wondering. But it has superior cooling to allow you to play for even longer.
The 165Hz refresh rate goes well beyond our absolute limit of 120Hz, meaning games will be effortlessly smooth to play. The speaker software means that your games will sound fantastic too – and a 6.78-inch screen, with a fully HD OLED display provides a crystal clear picture.
Nubia Red Magic 7
In some ways this device looks like a handheld console more than a mobile phone – and the 6.8-inch screen size certainly means that you won’t be straining to see what is going on when you are gaming. Add to that a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and this phone can handle just about any game you want to play.
The cooling function may not be quite as good as some of its competitors but the AMOLED screen and 165Hz refresh rate more than makes up for that. With a screen like that, the best games will look even better and the front and rear cameras are good enough to capture all your best moves.
Black Shark 5 Pro
Gaming phones have come a long way and the Black Shark Pro 5 is definitely one of the best on the market. But the biggest reason why we have included it here is the retractable triggers that can be assigned functions in a whole host of games. That extra control means everything.
But it’s not just the controls that help this phone stand out. The 12GB of RAM and its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor means that even the fastest pace game runs smoothly. You can usually find one of these for a good price for a gaming device – and it also works well as a normal phone!

iPhone 14 Pro Max
We thought we would also profile a really good non-gaming phone here as well for new gamers or people who look for other features to help them make their purchasing decisions. Unsurprisingly, it is an iPhone that heads up this ‘best of the rest’, with an A16 Bionic chipset that provides excellent graphics.
As with most non-gaming phones, the battery life is better, meaning that you can play for longer between charges. Also, the choice of games in the App Store means that you will be able to play all the best titles as well. It just goes to show that anyone can experience the best games on their mobile phones these days.
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