September is a busy month; with the release date for the new iPhone 15 set for the middle of the month, other mobile phone companies are hot on Apple’s heels, but is the iPhone the right mobile for gaming on the go? Probably not, so let’s look at what phone gamers should buy to keep up with their fantasy football league or play a quick game of Stormfall: Saga of Survival.
Choosing What’s Best For You
So, which phones are best for gaming, no matter whether you love a great Battle Royal, Sandbox simulation or UK online slot games? We have all the answers and interesting facts you might not have considered when buying your must-have gaming device.
To make the right choice of gaming phone, you must be clear on what you need to tick all the boxes and make the correct comparison. Gaming phones for portable play have priority battery life, a quick screen refresh rate, and hardworking performance features. The camera is less important, although a mobile that can also take care of business certainly has an edge.
We asked a team of gamers from 18–85 to test these phones, looking at performance benchmarks, including battery drains and recharge timing, real-time gaming ease, and combining this data with regular phone use. The results were fascinating; let’s take a look at each one.
Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate
Anyone who’s had an Asus ROG before knows this mobile is dazzling. If you had the Asus ROG Phone 3 in 2020, you would know that the seven has taken all the best bits of the three and supercharged it, making the phone water-resistant but still with no cordless charging capability.
Here’s the spec:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A (Up to 7CA), 5G |
| Dimensions and Weight | 6.81 x 3.03 x 0.41 in or 173 x 77 x 10.3 mm | 239 g (8.43 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 512GB 16GB RAM | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
Note that there’s no radio and the phone is the most expensive of our top 8. Otherwise, it’s a great piece of kit.
ZTE Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
Nubia has done it again with the RedMagic 8 Pro, a fantastic gaming phone offering the ultimate performance all wrapped up in an attractive outer case. The battery life is excellent, and the phone can sustain long sessions on COD.
The specs look like this:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A, 5G |
| Dimensions and Weight | 6.46 x 3.01 x 0.35 in or 164 x 76.4 x 8.9 mm | 228 g (8.04 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 512GB 16GB RAM | Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable |
We don’t love the camera; there are better camera options on other phones. But, overall, for half the price of the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate, you get a good phone, and once Nubia sorts out the software glitches, it could be a winner.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
We love the Galaxy range. We loved the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra back in 2021, and now Samsung has souped up the S23 Ultra with the blisteringly fast performance of any Android phone. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra has, without a doubt, the best camera and the large screen makes gaming more accessible, accompanied by an outstanding amount of processing power. Samsung has rung the bell on quality and performance.
The specs:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A (up to 7CA), 5G |
| Dimensions and Weight | 6.43 x 3.07 x 0.35 in or 163.4 x 78.1 x 8.9 mm | 234 g (8.25 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 1TB 12GB RAM | Li-Ion 5000 mAh, non-removable |
The Samsung doesn’t have a radio, but it has wireless and reverse wireless charging.
iPhone 15 Pro Max
The first thing to say is the iPhone 15 Pro Max isn’t out yet; there’s only the basic spec available, but we can tell you this:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Dimensions and Weight | 5.77 x 2.78 x 0.33 in or 146.6 x 70.6 x 8.3 mm | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 1TB 8GB RAM | Li-Ion, non-removable |
iPhone buffs say it’s all about the A16 chipset and higher processing power, and of course, we know the battery life is better. As for software, there are additional UI functions that feature Dynamic Island, all of which the 1Phone 14 Pro doesn’t have. If the iPhone is your thing, then the 15 is a better gaming phone than the 14, but it’s not your best option compared to the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate or the Samsung option.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
As gimmicks go, it’s not a bad gaming phone. It offers a new way of gaming, given the phone folds in half. There probably are better phones on the list for gaming, but this handset offers a refreshing twist and breaks the mould of a ‘normal’ gaming phone.
Here’s the spec:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A (CA), 5G |
| Dimensions and Weight | 154.9 x 129.9 x 6.1 mm Unfolded and 154.9 x 67.1 x 13.4 mm Folded | 253 g (8.92 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 1TB 12GB RAM | Li-Po 4400 mAh, non-removable |
It’s got a big screen, which is great for when you’re playing a game with excellent graphics. It can also make the controls easier to use for some games.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro
This Black Shark offers the best gaming experience. We were all in on the Black Shark 3, and they both have some of the best specs at the most affordable price. Black Shark 5 Pro has a decent camera and a bold design, including Ultra LED lights.
Here’s the spec:
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | Speed – HSPA, LTE-A, 5G |
| Dimensions and Weight | 6.45 x 3.01 x 0.37 in or 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mm | 220 g (7.76 oz) |
| Memory and Battery | 512GB 16GB RAM | Li-Po 4650 mAh, non-removable |
The price is significantly lower than any other gaming phone due to the 100Hz refresh rate but with physical pop-up gaming triggers and a whopping 83 hours of game time. We highly recommend it.
So there you have it. If money is not a problem, then the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate will match your garms, but if you’re going for something more affordable, you can’t go wrong with the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro.
