If you’re looking to get into the mobile gaming world or just want to play games on your smartphone, you should have your hands on a suitable device.
Whether you’re looking for a device that lets you play the most demanding games with ease or one that will give you control over how your favorite game looks and sounds, then you need to know everything that your smartphone has to offer before you invest in it.
Gaming phones are becoming more and more advanced every day. With each new iteration of the leading smartphone OSes, developers have opportunities to create immersive experiences that push the envelope of what’s possible.
Any device with better memory and performance can work for you if you are an average gamer. However, if you take gaming seriously or want to stream or play to win at any cost, you definitely need a device that can make support your time and energy. When purchasing a gaming smartphone, you can look into its refresh rate, display type, CPU performance, single-core performance, Geekbench test, battery capabilities, graphics capabilities, and much more. If you plan to play high-end games like BGMI, FreeFire, Call of Duty, or Asphalt 9, you need a better device to handle them.
Don’t get confused; relax because we’ve done all the hard work for you. To prepare you for the future of gaming smartphones, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top gaming smartphones in 2024 that you can purchase.
List of 10 Best Gaming Smartphones in December 2024
Here’s our list of the 10 best gaming smartphones, along with our picks for each category! Check them out below, and let us know which ones you think will come out on top!
iPhone 13 Pro Max
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is a powerhouse with a 3D gaming design and a 4K retina screen. The phone has an 8-core A12 processor, 128GB storage, Bluetooth 5.0, and comes in black or white.
With these features in tow, it’s no surprise that the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max is one of the best Android phones on the market today. For gamers looking to get into mobile games and experience a new level of gaming like never before, this is your phone.
Pixel 3s: Equipped with an impressive 12 MP camera and powered by Google Assistant, the Pixel 3s is bound to be your next favorite thing. Whether you’re playing Pokémon GO, Fortnite, or League of Legends – the powerful quad-core processor guarantees fluid gameplay every time.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch OLED (2778 x 1284)
- Peak refresh rate: 120Hz
- CPU: A15 Bionic
- RAM: 6GB
- Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
- Cameras (back/front): 12MP main, ultrawide, telephoto / 12MP
- Weight: 8.5 ounces
- Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 12:16
OnePlus 10 Pro
The OnePlus 10 Pro features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display and sports a 90 Hz refresh rate. It also has an Adreno 640 GPU and 8 GB of RAM. The phone is water resistant and has a USB Type-C port.
Other specs include 128 GB of storage, two 12 MP rear cameras, two 16 MP front cameras, a 3200 mAh battery, and an Android 9 Pie. The Razer Phone 2priced at $800This handset looks similar to its predecessor but packs a lot more firepower.
For starters, it now runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipset that boasts eight cores clocked at 1.8GHz each and coupled with Adreno 630 graphics processor for a smoother gaming experience on high-end games like PUBG Mobile or Asphalt 9: Legends.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3216 x 1440)
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB, 12GB
- Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
- Rear cameras: 48MP (f/1.8) main, 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 8MP (f/2.4) 3.3x telephoto
- Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
- Weight: 7 ounces
- Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:52 (120Hz), 12:39 (60Hz)
iPhone 13
The iPhone 13 has a 5.8-inch OLED display and is powered by Apple’s A13 processor. The handset has three cameras (one on the front, one in the middle, and one on the back) that work together to provide excellent photo quality.
The device also features four speakers and supports Dolby Atmos 3D sound output. The phone has an all-glass design, which makes it more durable than past models. With its 12MP camera and the new A13 chip, iPhone 13 will surely be a game changer when it launches.
Specifications
- Release date: September 2021
- Display: 6.1-inch OLED, 60Hz
- Resolution: 1170 x 2532
- Processor: A15 Bionic
- RAM: 4GB
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
- Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP
- Front camera: 12MP
- Battery: 3,240 mAh
- OS: iOS 15
- Weight: 174 g
- Thickness: 7.7 mm
iQoo 9T
With so many different smartphones on the market, it can be challenging to find one that ticks all the boxes. That’s why we’re here! With this list, you’ll never have to worry about what phone is best for gaming again.
Of course, it is always essential to check out reviews and do your research before committing to a new device. But as far as pure power goes, these are some of the most potent gaming phones to date.
If you want more information on how these phones work in real life or other types of devices that might suit your needs better, feel free to ask us in the comments below!
Specifications
- Release date: August 2022
- Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 120Hz
- Resolution: 1080 x 2400
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Rear camera: 50MP + 13MP + 12MP
- Front camera: 16MP
- Battery: 4,700 mAh
- OS: Funtouch OS 12 based on Android 12
- Weight: 206 g
- Thickness: 8 mm
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro
Asus, a company known for its gaming laptops and peripherals, is released its first phone, the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro. The phone features a six-inch OLED display (1080×2160) with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR support.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 is powering this beast of a phone in addition to 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. It also comes pre-installed with Android 9 Pie which has improved performance and battery life.
The phone also has dual front-facing speakers powered by Dolby Atmos which will make your games that much more immersive. One downside to the device is that it does not have a headphone jack but does come with an adapter so you can still use your favorite headphones!
Specifications
- Display size: 6.8-inch AMOLED (2488 x 1080)
- Refresh rate: 165Hz
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
- RAM: 18GB
- Storage / Expandable: 512GB / No
- Cameras (back / front): 50MP main, 13MP ultrawide, macro / 12MP
- Weight: 8.4 ounces
- Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:30 (165Hz), 16:27 (60Hz)
Black Shark 5 Pro
Black Shark is a gaming phone that has been designed to take your gaming experience to the next level. With hardware and software designed specifically for gamers, Black Shark offers a device that is as close to console-quality graphics and performance as you can get on a mobile device.
It features 6GB RAM, 128 GB storage capacity, and a high-performance liquid cooling system. The 5 Pro also features Snapdragon 845 processor.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch OLED (2400 x 1080)
- CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB, 12GB, 16GB
- Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
- Rear cameras: 108MP (f/1.8), 13MP (f/2.4) ultrawide, 5MP macro
- Front camera: 16MP (f/2.5)
- Weight: 7.8 ounces (220 g)
- Battery life: 11:02 (Adaptive), 9:42 (144Hz), 9:53 (90Hz), 10:53 (60Hz)
OnePlus 10T
The OnePlus 10T is a great option if you’re looking to game on your phone. It has a 6.41 AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080×2340 and is powered by Snapdragon 855, making it one of the most powerful gaming smartphones available.
The battery can last up to 16 hours on heavy usage and has a 20MP + 16MP dual-lens camera. The only downside is that it doesn’t have wireless charging or IP certification.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7″ FHD+ AMOLED, 120Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- RAM: 8/16GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Rear camera: 50+8+2MP
- Front camera: 16MP
- Battery: 4800mAh
- Charging: 150W
- OS: Android 12
- Weight: 204g
- Thickness: 8.8mm
Rog Phone 5s
The Asus ROG phone 5 features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 144Hz refresh rate. This phone has an 8-core 2.96GHz processor and an Adreno 630 graphics card with 8GB of RAM.
It also has a 12MP + 13MP dual camera setup on the rear, with an 8MP lens on the front. It has 128GB of internal storage, and it supports microSD cards up to 512GB in size. Rog Phone 5 will have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner as well as an IPX4 water resistance rating.
The battery is 3700mAh, which Asus claims can last over 7 hours when streaming videos at maximum brightness. In addition to Android 9 Pie and the ROG Game Center app (which allows you to record your gameplay), Rog Phone 5 comes preloaded with ROG Power Saving mode that extends battery life by adjusting performance settings or going into standby mode when not in use.
Specifications
- Display: 6.78″ FHD+ AMOLED, 144Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 888+
- RAM: 8/12GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Rear camera: 64+13+5MP
- Front camera: 24MP
- Battery: 6000mAh
- Charging: 65W (supports 65W)
- OS: Android 11
- Weight: 238g
- Thickness: 9.9mm
Google Pixel 6 Pro
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is a one-of-a-kind phone that has been designed to be perfect for gaming. Unlike other phones, this device is only available in black. The design looks like something from 20 years ago but makes up for its unoriginal look with excellent performance.
It can offer a smooth and responsive experience thanks to its powerful Snapdragon processor and Adreno GPU. Plus, many gamers will appreciate that it has a large battery capacity of 3,800mAh.
Specifications
- Display: 6.7-inch OLED (3120 x 1440; 10-120Hz)
- CPU: Tensor
- RAM: 12GB
- Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
- Rear cameras: 50MP main (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (ƒ/3.5) with 4x optical zoom
- Front camera: 11.1MP (ƒ/2.2)
- Weight: 7.4 ounces
- Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 7:49
OnePlus 9 Pro
The OnePlus 9 is a great gaming phone, and this is primarily due to its Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. The device has four Kryo 460 cores clocked at 1.8GHz and four Kryo 460 cores clocked at 2.4GHz, making it one of the most powerful devices on the market.
The device also sports up to 12GB RAM, meaning you can run anything from old-school Nintendo games to newer, more graphic-intensive titles like PUBG Mobile.
Specifications
- Display: 6.5-inch display, 1080 x 2400 pixels, AMOLED, 120Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 888
- RAM: 8/12GB
- Storage: 128/256GB
- Battery: 4,500mAh, 66W wired, 15W wireless fast charging
- Rear camera: 48+50+2MP
- Front camera: 16MP
- OS: Android 11
- Weight: 183g
- Thickness: 8.1mm
Over to You
It’s never too early to start planning. With these best and most affordable gaming smartphones in 2024, you’ll be ready for any future developments and can get ahead of your gaming competitors. These smartphones can handle gaming and streaming apps at the same time because of the specification that they offer. So, if you are a YouTuber looking to stream games, you can definitely consider buying these smartphones.
These smartphones are not only best for gaming but also multitasking, photography, and regular day-to-day use.
I hope this list was helpful and gave you some ideas on which phones would best suit your needs. Let me know what you think! Do you have a favorite phone that didn’t make my list? Share it in the comments below!