The mobile gaming community continues to grow, with hot new titles hitting download stores and an ever-expanding fanbase of dedicated players. Manufacturers have noticed this too, and are crafting handsets specifically tailored for mobile players.

  • Best smartphones: The top mobile phones available to buy today

It’s not a brand new concept, but with a number of big brands now in production of their seventh or eighth-generation devices, we run down what’s out there in the gaming phone market that’s worth considering, alongside which special features might make it worth buying one device over another.

Our Top Pick: Best Gaming Phone

For

  • Massively powerful Superb speakers Excellent screen

Against

  • Only IPX4 rated It’s a big phone

The ROG Phone 6 impressed us by not only being an excellent gaming phone but by being a great phone for daily living, too. With a powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 at its core, a massive battery pack and some excellent accessories - this is probably the most well-designed gaming phone on the market today.

It’s got a stylish, futuristic finish and excellent performance with a big, speedy display. The included cooler adds triggers and a kickstand to the rear of the device when attached - a brilliant design.

  • The best speakers we’ve heard on a phone Top-notch performance Satisfying physical triggers

  • No headphone socket or wireless charging Advertisements in the system apps

The Black Shark 5 Pro is one of the most well-rounded gaming phones that money can buy. Its pop-up physical triggers are both satisfying to use and a competitive advantage when it comes to shooter games. Combine this with a large and bright OLED display and the most impressive speakers we’ve tested on a smartphone, and you’re on to a winner.

  • Super-powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor Bright uninterrupted display Great battery life and speakers

  • Software bugs and translation quirks UPC and auxiliary cameras are pretty awful

If you’re looking for the fastest gaming phone money can buy, look no further. The RedMagic 8 Pro uses Qualcomm’s latest and greatest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, and it’s actively cooled, unleashing the chip’s full potential.

It’s not just about power, though, the eighth-generation gaming phone also has a much brighter display with a peak output of 1300 nits, along with some very impressive new speakers. Add to this a stylish new design and excellent battery life, and you’ve got a formidable contender on your hands.

  • Actively cooled Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor Uninterrupted full-screen gaming Improved thermal design

  • The under-panel camera is pretty terrible No wireless charging or expandable storage

It may have been succeeded by the RedMagic 8 Pro, but that doesn’t mean that the RedMagic 7S Pro is irrelevant. It has a smooth curved design that some will prefer and still features a similarly impressive display. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is a serious performer, too.

The use of an under-panel camera allows for a near bezel-free and notch-less design that looks gorgeous. Unfortunately, this cutting-edge camera tech results in a pretty awful selfie camera and you still pay a premium for it.

  • Massive bright screen 120Hz ProMotion smoothness Top-notch cameras

  • A single Lightning port is limiting for gamers No headphone socket

This one might not be targeted specifically at gamers, but that doesn’t mean it can’t game. There are tonnes of iOS-exclusive games, some of which are truly excellent, and we reckon the best device to enjoy them on is the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

It’s got a gorgeous and gigantic display with a speedy 120Hz refresh rate and plenty of power to run games with. Battery life is excellent, too, so you can get a good long session in before you’ll need to top it up.

How to choose a gaming phone

There is a wealth of options when it comes to gaming phones, and when you consider that the majority of flagships are also rather adept at gaming, it can be hard to know where to start. So, in an effort to help you find your perfect match, here are a couple of things worth considering before you buy your next phone.

What kind of games do you play?

This is probably the most important factor when deciding on a phone for gaming. If you’re trying to achieve the maximum frames per second on Genshin Impact you’d benefit from advanced features like CPU overclocking and the ability to pause background processes. On the other hand, if you’re a competitive CoD Mobile player, then physical triggers and an increased touch response time could be invaluable.

If you mainly play 2D games that aren’t very graphically intensive, you might be better served by a non-gaming-specific phone as they tend to offer some better general-purpose features like longer battery life and more advanced camera systems.

Thinking about the type of games you play will help to make the important features stand out.

Do you normally play at home or on the go?

Gaming phones tend to aim for the highest performance possible alongside the most powerful cooling, but this tends to come at the cost of battery life and portability. It’s important to think about where you most frequently game, as this should factor into your buying decision.

If you game at home, then battery life won’t be your biggest concern. Instead, we’d recommend looking out for devices that have multiple USB-C inputs, so that one can be used for power while the other can connect to peripherals like a controller or external cooling system.

If you game on the go, then battery life, as well as the size and weight, are something to think about more carefully. Maybe opting for a slightly less powerful handset with longer battery life would be more convenient, or maybe you’re happy to always have a power bank at the ready.