If you’re a dedicated PC or console gamer who wants to take that high-end gaming experience on the go, you should consider buying a gaming phone. But with so many available with varying specs, which are worth your hard-earned cash?
While the idea of high-end gaming on a phone was once a pipe dream, there are now phones that are dedicated to just that. This new wave of gaming phones brings a bevvy of gaming-focused features, from impressive cooling to enhanced screen tech, overclocked processors and even built-in gaming controls, to deliver the very best gaming experience possible – and we’ve hand-picked the very best.
Every phone we’ve included in this list has been thoroughly tested by one of our expert team members, using a combination of real-world use and synthetic benchmark tests to determine how each device stacks up against the competition.
We’ve also included a few recommendations that aren’t necessarily certified gaming phones, but still offer superb performance while also excelling in other areas, like battery life and camera tech. These are a solid alternative for those who like to game on a phone, but also want an all-round experience for everyday use.
If you’re after the best all-round phones that excel in a number of areas, we recommend checking out our best phones guide. If you’re on a tighter budget, then our best mid-range phones and best cheap phones articles provide a selection of more affordable handsets. Otherwise, keep on reading to find out about the best gaming phones available in 2024.
Best gaming phones at a glance
How we test
Learn more about how we test gaming phones Every phone we review goes through a series of uniform checks designed to gauge key things including build quality, screen accuracy, battery life, performance and camera prowess.These include formal synthetic benchmarks and scripted tests, plus a series of real-world checks, such as how much battery it loses per hour streaming video. For gaming phones, we pay particular attention as to how well they run some of the most popular mobile titles.We also make sure to use every phone we review as our primary handset for at least a week to ensure our review is as accurate as possible. You can see a more detailed breakdown of our testing methodology in our how we test phones guide.
RedMagic 9 Pro
Best overall gaming phone
Pros
The fastest Android phone we’ve tested to dateBeautiful, bright and uninterrupted displaySlick design with customisable lightingCompetitive pricing
Cons
The under-display camera is still terribleNo wireless chargingNo IP ratingMinor software bugs to iron out
If you want a proper gaming phone with all of the RGB glam, then the RedMagic 9 Pro is our top recommendation. Unlike most phones on this list, RedMagic isn’t afraid to show off its gaming identity, with a motherboard pattern on the rear and customisable bright lighting.
There are a number of excellent gaming features here that set this phone apart from Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy. Most notably, the RedMagic has integrated touch triggers, allowing you to use the rim of the phone as makeshift triggers rather than having to slap on a controller accessory.
This is also one of the most powerful gaming phones ever tested, going toe to toe with the excellent Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition. This means you’ll be able to play any mobile game with ease, with a huge battery ensuring you can keep gaming for hours.
The RedMagic 9 Pro does come with compromises beyond gaming. There’s no support for wireless charging, and the camera pales in comparison to other phones at this price point. But if gaming on the go is your priority, and you want a flashy design to show off, then there’s no better choice.
Reviewer: Luke BakerFull Review: Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro review
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
Most powerful gaming phone
Pros
Blazing fast gaming performanceSmaller design with improved waterproofingCamera has been upgraded with 3x optical zoom Still packed with excellent gaming features
Cons
Rear gets scratched very easilyDowngraded speakersCamera still not as good as the competition
When it comes to performance power, there’s no better option than the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition. It has the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip that you’ll find in most new handsets, but Asus has paired this model with a whopping 24GB of RAM as well as bundling it with a cooler accessory to eke out every drop of performance.
Like the RedMagic 9 Pro, this phone is brimming with gaming features such as the AirTriggers, key mapping and Macros. The software is excellent too, enabling you to make tweaks on the fly, even in the middle of an intense match.
Asus has made a controversial decision to dial down the gaming design elements. This means there’s very little RGB lighting here, while the rear looks plain. The light-up AniMe Matrix feature is a great addition though, using a Mini LED panel to display the likes of notifications, battery status and the time.
Despite the inclusion of a new Telephoto lens for improved zoomed-in shots, the camera still can’t compete with efforts from Apple and Samsung. But if you’re happy to make that sacrifice in the name of gaming performance, then this is a great option.
Reviewer: Ryan JonesFull Review: Asus ROG Phone 8 Ultimate review
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Best Apple gaming phone
Pros
It has USB-C (finally)5x zoom is welcomeMuch comfier to hold and use; so much lighter
Cons
The Action Button is welcome – but it could do moreNo 128GB option means higher price
Even though the iPhone 15 Pro Max isn’t designed specifically with mobile gaming in mind like some of the other handsets in this list, Apple has gone to great lengths to make the device an impressively powerful machine in this category.
What’s most jaw-dropping here is the raw power that the A17 Pro chip is able to achieve, allowing the 15 Pro Max to run triple-A games natively, without the need for any cloud software.
At the time of writing, titles like Resident Evil 4 Remake Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage are all available to download via the App Store. Typically, this is the type of gaming experience that wouldn’t be possible without cloud services like Game Pass and GeForce Now, so if you want to enjoy these games offline on a long journey, then you’re best investing in the 15 Pro Max.
Of course, this isn’t to say that Apple’s latest flagship doesn’t boast the classic mobile gaming experience that we’re more familiar with, far from it. The phone can run hits like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact with ease, and that’s before mentioning the value proposition that Apple Arcade brings to the table.
If you’re the type of person who spends a great deal of time playing mobile games then you’ll get tons of use out of the Apple Arcade library thanks to titles from big-name companies like Sega, Konami and Disney.
While the iPhone 15 Pro features the same gaming prowess, having the extra real estate of the 15 Pro Max’s 6.7-inch OLED display is a real treat, showing off games in their best light.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that, outside of gaming, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the best handsets on the market. With terrific cameras, great software and tremendous battery life, there’s very little to leave you wanting here.
Reviewer: Max ParkerFull Review: Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Review
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Best Android flagship for gaming
Pros
Genuinely useful AI featuresVersatile camera setupAll-day battery life and then someSeven years of OS upgrades
Cons
Very expensiveAverage ultrawide camera
If you want a flagship smartphone that boasts excellent gaming performance as just one of its many accomplishments, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the smartphone to go for.
It can easily deliver some of the best performance around using the exclusive Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy, with benchmarks not too far from what you’ll see from the ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition, while not skimping on the rest of the smartphone experience.
That means you get a truly high-end 6.82-inch Super AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate, LTPO tech, a maximum brightness of 2500nits and a pixel-packed QHD+ resolution. It’s arguably one of the best screens around, gaming phone or not, made even better by the inclusion of an S Pen for note-taking and doodling. There’s also a whopping 5000mAh cell that could go all day and then some in testing, making it an ideal option for long gameplay sessions.
You won’t get some purist gaming enhancements, such as shoulder trigger buttons, but you will get some advantages that other gaming phones may miss out on. That includes a guaranteed seven years of OS upgrades, a brilliant camera system with a suite of lenses that includes a primary 200MP sensor and, of course, all the benefits of the GenAI-powered Galaxy AI too.
If you’re looking for a top-end Android device that can handle games without breaking a sweat and much more to boot, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an easy recommendation.
Reviewer: Lewis PainterFull Review: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review
Poco X6 Pro
Best budget gaming phone
Pros
Powerful MediaTek processorBright 120Hz OLED displayGreat main and selfie cameras
Cons
BloatwareAdvertisements in some system appsWeak ultrawide and macro cameras
Most gaming phones cost upwards of £1000/$1000 outright, which may well feel excessive considering that’s even more expensive than a PS5 and Xbox Series X. The Poco X6 Pro is an outstanding solution to this problem, offering incredible performance and a slew of gaming features at a very reasonable price.
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8300-Ultra, it’s one of the fastest chips you can find at this price point. Our testing showed the phone is capable of running the likes of Genshin Impact at 60fps, ensuring a smooth performance while keeping temperatures reasonable.
It also has a few gaming-focused features to improve the experience, including software that will automatically optimise performance for gaming workloads, and a 120Hz refresh rate to keep on-screen motion smooth on that lovely 6.67-inch AMOLED panel.
Of course, bagging this phone at a cheaper price than the competition does come with compromises. The performance isn’t quite as good as the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition, while the ultrawide and macro cameras will likely disappoint photographers. There’s also a lot of bloatware and in-app adverts that cheapen the experience. Nevertheless, those flaws are easy to forgive when you’re getting such an excellent gaming experience at a budget-friendly price.
Reviewer: Luke BakerFull Review: Poco X6 Pro review
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
Best foldable phone for gaming
Pros
Large 7.6-inch foldable displayMost powerful foldable phone aroundBetter app support than other book-style foldables
Cons
Very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4£100/$150 price increaseIdentical camera setup
If you want something totally different for your gaming experience, look no further than the foldable Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. The foldable nature of the book-style smartphone means you’ve got access to a large, high-res 7.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED display when you want to play games on a big screen while still folding down to a size resembling a standard smartphone.
It’s not just the sheer size of the foldable display that makes the Z Fold 5 the best foldable for gaming either; it also boasts Qualcomm’s custom Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, just like the S23 Ultra. It’s more than capable of powering high-end AAA gaming experiences with high-level graphics enabled and consistent gameplay even over longer periods of use.
Elsewhere, a 4,400mAh battery should be enough to get you through even demanding gaming sessions, a triple rear camera setup offers more versatility than a regular gaming phone and it has four OS upgrades and five years of security patches to look forward to.
Reviewer: Lewis PainterFull Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review
We also considered…
RedMagic 8S Pro
One of the best value gaming phones on the market in 2023, with no compromise on power.
FAQs
What is the best gaming phone? Overall, we’d pick the RedMagic 9 Pro as the best overall gaming phone you can buy. Which iPhone should I buy if I like gaming? We’d recommend the iPhone 15 Pro Max if you love gaming but want to stick with an iPhone.
Best Gaming Phones: Specifications Comparison
‹
UK RRP
USA RRP
EU RRP
CA RRP
AUD RRP
Manufacturer
Screen Size
Storage Capacity
Rear Camera
Front Camera
Video Recording
IP rating
Battery
Wireless charging
Fast Charging
Size (Dimensions)
Weight
ASIN
Operating System
Release Date
First Reviewed Date
Resolution
HDR
Refresh Rate
Ports
Chipset
RAM
Colours
Stated Power
RedMagic 9 Pro
£579
$649
€644
–
–
Nubia
6.8 inches
256GB, 512GB
50MP + 50MP + 2MP
16MP
Yes
No
6500 mAh
–
Yes
76.4 x 8.9 x 164 MM
229 G
–
Android 14 (RedMagic OS 9)
2023
18/12/2023
1116 x 2480
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C, 3.5mm headphone port
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
12GB, 16GB, 8GB
Sleet, Snowfall, Cyclone
80 W
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
£1299.99
–
–
–
–
Asus
6.78 inches
1TB
50MP + 13MP + 32MP
32MP
Yes
IP68
5500 mAh
Yes
Yes
76.8 x 8.9 x 163.8 MM
225 G
B0CQ42P6HF
Android
2024
16/01/2024
1080 x 2440
–
165 Hz
2x USB-C and headphone jack
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
–
Phamtom Black
–
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
£1199
$1199
€1489
CA$1749
AU$2199
Apple
6.7 inches
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
48 + 12 + 12MP
12MP
Yes
IP68
–
Yes
Yes
76.7 x 8.25 x 159.9 MM
221 G
B0CHX96JDY
iOS 17
2023
05/10/2023
2796 x 1290
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C
A17 Pro
8GB
Black Titanium, Blue Titanium, White Titanium and Natural Titanium
–
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
£1249
$1299
–
–
–
Samsung
6.82 inches
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
50MP + 50MP + 12MP + 10MP
12MP
Yes
IP68
5000 mAh
Yes
Yes
79 x 8.6 x 162.3 MM
232 G
B0CNTS55YP
Android 14 (OneUI)
2024
31/01/2024
1440 x 3120
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy
12GB
Yellow, Violet, Gray, Blue, Orange, Green
45 W
Poco X6 Pro
£369
–
–
–
–
Poco
6.67 inches
256GB
64MP + 8MP + 2MP
16MP
Yes
IP54
5000 mAh
–
Yes
74.3 x 8.3 x 160.5 MM
186 G
B0CNKJ56XZ
Android 14 (HyperOS)
2024
24/01/2024
1220 x 2712
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C
MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra
12GB, 8GB
Black, Yellow, Grey
67 W
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
£1749
–
–
–
–
Samsung
7.6 inches
256GB, 512GB, 1TB
50MP + 12MP + 10MP
10MP/4MP
Yes
IPX8
4400 mAh
–
Yes
67.1 x 13.4 x 154.9 MM
252 G
B0C826932Y
Android 13 (Samsung OneUI 5.1)
2023
26/07/2023
2176 x 1812
Yes
119 Hz
USB-C
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
12GB
–
–
›
Best Gaming Phones: Benchmark Comparison
‹
Geekbench 6 single core
Geekbench 6 multi core
Max brightness
1 hour video playback (Netflix, HDR)
Battery drain 60-min (music streaming online)
Battery drain 60-min (music streaming offline)
30 minute gaming (intensive)
30 minute gaming (light)
1 hour music streaming (online)
1 hour music streaming (offline)
Time from 0-100% charge
Time from 0-50% charge
60-min recharge (included charger)
30-min recharge (included charger)
15-min recharge (included charger)
30-min recharge (no charger included)
15-min recharge (no charger included)
3D Mark – Wild Life
GFXBench – Aztec Ruins
GFXBench – Car Chase
RedMagic 9 Pro
2291
7133
–
5 %
–
–
–
6 %
–
–
45 min
17 Min
–
78 %
42 %
–
–
5199
60 fps
60 fps
Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro Edition
2256
6955
–
–
–
–
9 %
9 %
–
–
45 min
16 Min
100 %
79 %
46 %
–
–
5181
106 fps
123 fps
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
2900
7131
–
8 %
1 %
1 %
11 %
9 %
2 %
2 %
91 min
30 Min
–
50 %
37 %
–
–
–
60 fps
60 fps
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
2229
6853
2600 nits
6 %
–
–
–
7 %
–
–
71 min
26 Min
–
–
–
59 %
29 %
2829
63 fps
65 fps
Poco X6 Pro
1424
4403
–
8 %
–
–
–
10 %
–
–
45 min
17 Min
–
78 %
44 %
–
–
2989
57 fps
69 fps
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5
1982
5154
1750 nits
9 %
–
–
–
9 %
–
–
84 min
32 Min
–
–
–
48 %
24 %
3525
52 fps
62 fps
›
