5 Best Smartphones For Gaming in 2024

Android when it was first introduced to the world came with some pretty simple games that you could download from Google Play — these didn’t require much processing power at all, and they looked fine on what was at the time some pretty decent displays. However, gaming on Android has advanced quite a bit over the years, with developers making increasingly demanding games for the mobile platform. Now, games on Android are seeing intense graphics that are similar to many PC or console games. Not only that, but they’re getting more complicated, with increasingly difficult controls to manage.

Ordinary smartphones just aren’t able to handle these games anymore — either the screens aren’t large or detailed enough, or they aren’t able to output the processing power required to provide a smooth experience. That’s exactly why many companies are starting to design phones for those that want to game on Android.

Not sure what the best smartphone for gaming in 2018 is, or even what is considered a gaming smartphone? Then follow along below, as we show you the best smartphones designed for these purposes. Here are our top picks.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9

Coming in as number five on our list is the Galaxy Note 9. Samsung advertises this one for average everyday professionals, but it’s still got some serious power packed inside of it. You get a massive 6.4-inch Infinity Display — it’s perfect for gaming because of its detailed resolution, allowing you to see all of the little details in the world you’re playing in. It’s also featuring a Snapdragon 845 processor, one of the best for handling demanding tasks like high-end Android gaming. Not only that, but built inside that chip is pretty sweet graphics processor, so you shouldn’t have any trouble running your favorite Android games with this one.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is a device that works well with Bluetooth gaming controllers, so you can easily gain some better precision and control over the more complicated games.

Buy it now: Amazon

iPhone XS Max

Our fourth contender on our list for the best smartphone for gaming is the iPhone XS Max. This is an excellent choice for those that like to game a lot on Android, as the iPhone XS Max is equipped with a massive 6.5-inch OLED display. OLED is one of the best technologies that you can get for things like gaming and media watching, so you’ll get to see all of the crisp details in your favorite high-end games. In addition, the iPhone XS Max is sporting the A12 Bionic chip — one of the fastest processors on the market right now. You’ll have no problem playing games on the iPhone XS Max, that’s for sure.

One of the more unique aspects of the iPhone XS Max is that it runs iOS, which is actually where many of the high-end exclusive smartphone games end up on. On top of that, the iPhone XS Max works quite well with Bluetooth gaming controllers, making gaming on iOS even easier.

Buy it now: Amazon

Samsung Galaxy S9

The third contender on our list is the Samsung Galaxy S9. This is similar in a lot of ways to the Galaxy Note 9 — it actually features the same Snapdragon 845 processing package. The only real difference is the the Galaxy S9 has a slightly smaller display, coming in at only 5.8-inches. You’ll get some excellent views with the Samsung Galaxy S9 thanks to its display, and the Snapdragon 845 processor will be able to handle demanding games without a hitch.

Buy it now: Amazon

ROG Phone Gaming Smartphone

Coming in as our second contender for the best smartphone for gaming, we have the ROG Phone. It might not have the most attractive name, but ASUS has built this one directly for games. Suffice to say, it has a massive processing package in it — you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor for only the best CPU speeds. On top of that, there’s 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage to house as many games as you want. With a setup like this, you’ll have no trouble playing even the most graphic intensive game on the market right now. The ROG Phone also has a beautiful display so that you only get the best views — a 6-inch screen with a detailed resolution of 2,160 x 1080. It’s a Full HD IPS+ panel, and then there’s a massive 6,000mAh battery keeping all of this powered.

It’s got some amazing specs inside of it, but the ROG Phone is actually extremely unique looking as well — it’s got a serious Sci-Fi aspect to it.

Buy it now: Amazon

Razer Phone 2

The first and favorite smartphone for gaming on our list is without a doubt the Razer Phone 2. The Razer Phone had some excellent specs and software features for gaming on Android, but Razer has improved upon all of that to provide the ultimate gaming experience in the Razer Phone 2.

This one is equipped with the Snapdragon 845 processing package, and there’s even a whole 8GB of RAM inside of this one. Where the Razer Phone 2 really shines is in its screen — you get a massive 5.7-inch 120Hz Quad HD display, giving you only the best views for your games with the Razer Phone 2. It only has 64GB of storage inside of it, but there’s a microSD card that you can expand your storage with up to 1TB.

There’s a ton of processing power in the Razer Phone 2, and that means that the device will eat through the battery in no time. But that’s why Razer has packed in a massive 4,000mAh unit to keep you powered all day long.

Verdict

As you can see, there are a lot of excellent smartphones for gaming, some that are designed gaming, and others that aren’t, but work fine with gaming. However, if you’re looking for the best smartphone for gaming, you cannot go wrong with the Razer Phone 2. There’s few phones that you’ll find out there with a 120Hz Quad HD display and a high-end processing package. Not only that, but the phone works well with Bluetooth gaming controllers, making gaming on Android a complete breeze.

Do you have a favorite smartphone for gaming? Let us know what it is in the comments section below!