Top 3 Best Gaming Phones In 2024

Looking for the best gaming smartphone?

With so many options out there, it can be tough to pick the right one. That’s why in this guide, I’ve carefully selected the top gaming smartphones for every budget. Whether you’re after raw performance, battery life, or just the best value, I’ve got you covered.

Stick with me until the end, and you’ll walk away knowing exactly which gaming phone is right for you.

So let’s dive in!

Number 3. OnePlus 12R – Best Budget Gaming SmartPhone

OnePlus has always been popular with the enthusiast Android community, but a bit underrated when it comes to mainstream appeal. The OnePlus 12R is proof of that, as it’s a great value phone that goes unnoticed by a lot of people. It’s the smaller brother of the OnePlus 12, and while it may not be as impressive on paper, it’s easily the better value.

One of the major differences between the two OnePlus phones is the CPU. The 12R uses a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, while the 12 uses the newer Gen 3 chip. On the standard OnePlus 12, you get the new Adreno 750 GPU, while the 12R uses the Adreno 740. We’ll get to how that affects performance later, but it’s not as big of a gap as you’d expect.

Design-wise, this phone has a curved glass back, a thin aluminum frame, and an IP64 water resistance rating. These are elements you’d find on a high-end flagship, not on a budget phone. The circular camera module is huge, but this has become somewhat of a staple with OnePlus phones. It’s a massive phone that’s around the same size as a 15 Pro Max, but slightly lighter at 207g.

As for the display, we have a 6.78-inch 120Hz AMOLED with a resolution of 1264 by 2780px. It has a high pixel density and features LTPO4, meaning it can dynamically adjust the refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. This feature saves a lot of battery life. The phone also features support for 10-bit color and Dolby Vision. Games and media that support HDR will look great on this display, and the high brightness definitely helps.

Moving on to performance, the base model has 8 gigs of RAM, 128 gigs of storage, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip I mentioned earlier. Unfortunately, this is a slightly older chip, but it’s still last year’s flagship chip that’s very capable. It runs demanding gaming titles such as Genshin Impact, Fortnite, and Grid Autosport very well. These are all big-budget titles that are graphically intensive, so you could throw any game at this phone without worrying about performance.

However, it’s not just about raw performance. The stereo speakers and the stunning display add a lot of immersion to your games, and the automatic gaming mode feature optimizes the CPU and GPU for the best possible experience. This phone also features a robust cooling system that prevents the Snapdragon chip from overheating. On top of that, the 5500mAh battery gives this phone all-day battery life, and you can top it up in 30 minutes thanks to the 80W fast charger that comes in the box.

As for the software, both of these phones run Android 14 with the Oxygen OS interface on top of it. While this software skin is a bit different from the stock Android experience, there are no gimmicky features or bloatware that ruin the experience. Unfortunately, the downside is that you’ll only get three years of guaranteed software updates. Other phones such as the Pixel 8A give you 7 years of guaranteed support.

As for the camera system, you get a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultrawide, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. While the main sensor is great and competes with the likes of the Galaxy S24, the ultrawide and macro sensors aren’t all that sharp or detailed. It’s still a great phone for quick pictures, but other phones in this department do better.

The Nothing Phone 2A and Pixel 8A are fierce competitors to the 12R. The Pixel 8A has better software support, cameras, and AI features, while the Nothing Phone 2A is the most stylish (and cheapest of the bunch). However, the OnePlus has faster charging, better battery life, and louder speakers.

So, while the 12R could have a better camera system and longer software support, it’s still a great package. It might not be the all-around best phone, but it’s certainly the best gaming phone in this price category.

To sum up, what I like is…
Excellent performance for the price
Fantastic battery life and super fast charging
Premium fit and finish

On the downside
Lackluster software support
Ultrawide and macro cameras are disappointing

Ratings:
Design: 8/10
Performance: 8.5/10
Display: 8.5/10
Software: 7/10
Cameras: 7.5/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

Number 2. ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro – Best Premium Gaming Smartphone

If you’re a PC gamer and you think of gaming products, ROG is a word that just immediately comes to mind. It should be no surprise then that the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro is a fantastic gaming phone, but it is surprising just how ahead of the curve it is.

Compared to the ROG Phone 7, the 8 Pro has a slightly more mainstream design. It’s not as angular or aggressive, but still has some flashy elements here and there. In terms of specs and performance, it’s better in every way. It features a better display, faster performance, and improved cameras. There’s also the standard ROG Phone 8, which has a lower amount of storage and a complete lack of LEDs on the back.

Speaking of which, yes, this phone has a customizable LED matrix screen on the back. You can completely disable it if you don’t want the extra attention, but it’s a nice addition that adds some uniqueness to the design. You get the proud “ Republic of Gamers” badge at the back, Other than that, it’s a large phone, as big as the S24 Ultra. The camera bump is quite significant, but the overall phone is thinner and lighter than last year’s model.

Of course, as this is an ROG phone, you still get the headphone jack and dual USB-C ports. One of these USB ports is at the bottom, and the other is in the middle of the left side of the phone. This means that when you’re playing a game in landscape mode, you can just plug in a cable in that side port so that it’s out of your way while gaming.

As for the display, this is where things get a bit over the top. You get a 6.78-inch OLED with a 165Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 by 2400 pixels. On top of that, you get a ridiculous 2500 nits of peak brightness, support for HDR10, LTPO (meaning it can downclock to 1Hz), and a blazing-fast ultrasonic fingerprint sensor under the display. The punchy colors, high brightness, and the buttery smooth 165Hz refresh rate make it incredible for playing games or watching videos.

That’s not where the madness ends though. To power that excellent screen, you get a whopping 24 gigabytes of RAM, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 512 gigs of fast UFS 4.0 storage, and some sweet stereo speakers to further improve the experience. Needless to say, this phone is very snappy and reactive. It can play Genshin Impact at max settings with 60FPS and can handle just about any game you throw at it.

As for battery life, the 5500mAh cell is a bit smaller than the ROG Phone 7’s 6000mAh capacity, but it manages to outperform its predecessor because of better optimization. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is surprisingly efficient, and ASUS’ internal cooling system keeps it at cool temperatures. This allows the phone to outperform the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in terms of battery life. The cherry on top is that it comes with a 65W charger out of the box.

Now, the software experience on this phone is a bit of a mixed bag. You do get extra features such as Game Mode, the Armory Crate app that allows you to adjust CPU and GPU performance, and a host of different AI features. Unfortunately, you only get two years of full Android updates and four years of security updates. Other flagship phones are much better in this regard.

The cameras are another department where the ROG Phone 8 Pro falls short in comparison with flagships from Apple, Samsung, and Google. Its main 50-megapixel sensor produces colorful and vibrant images, but the detail is a bit softer than something like a Pixel 9 Pro. The ultrawide and telephoto sensors don’t do much better either.

So, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is easily the best gaming phone on the market, as if the 24 gigs of RAM weren’t enough to convince you of that. However, at around the same price, you can get the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the Pixel 9 Pro. Both of those phones will have better cameras and longer software support. With that said, neither of them has a headphone jack or the exceptional battery life and performance seen on the 8 Pro.

To sum it up, if you want the best gaming smartphone out there, the ROG Phone 8 Pro is the right choice. It’s expensive, but for those who prioritize performance, battery life, and a headphone jack over camera or software updates, it’s a fantastic choice.

To sum up, what I like is…
Top-tier performance
Phenomenal battery life
Unique design with LED matrix
Jaw-dropping 165Hz OLED display

On the downside
Very expensive
Weak camera system compared to other flagships
Lackluster software support

Ratings:
Design: 9/10
Performance: 10/10
Display: 10/10
Software: 7/10
Cameras: 7.5/10
Value: 7/10
Overall Rating: 8.5/10

Number 1. RedMagic 9S Pro – Our Top Choice

RedMagic has been giving ASUS consistent competition in the gaming phone segment, and their Pro line is synonymous with the best gaming phones out there. The Nubia 9S Pro is no exception. While it’s largely just an iterative update over its predecessor, the 9 Pro, it has a slightly improved design, even better performance, and a few extra bells and whistles.

Design-wise, the 9S Pro has that unmistakable gamer aesthetic. It’s got aggressive lines, RGB lighting, and very flat sides. It’s a big phone with a gigantic screen, which is partly what makes it great for gaming. The back is made of glass, which is prone to smudges, but it looks premium. The capacitive RedMagic trigger buttons are still present, which work similarly to shoulder buttons seen on every gaming controller.

For the display, you get a 6.8-inch AMOLED panel with a 165HZ refresh rate, similar to the ROG Phone 8 Pro. It’s incredibly bright, with vibrant colors and deep blacks. The touch sampling rate is also top-notch, which means you do not miss any inputs while gaming. It has a peak brightness of 1600 nits and very thin bezels. Unfortunately, the razor-thin bezels and completely flat sides mean that it is less ergonomic than other phones.

Under the hood, you get the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 12 gigs of RAM, and 256 gigs of storage with the base model. The RAM and storage are much lower than the ROG Phone 8 Pro, but considering the RedMagic is considerably cheaper, this isn’t a big issue. Frankly, 12 gigabytes of RAM is still more than enough for almost any game out there. The phone has a decent vapor chamber cooling inside, and even a small fan that keeps temperatures at bay.

While it might be slightly slower than ASUS’ offering, it’s not a massive difference at all. Both phones play all the latest games at high framerates, and you can’t ask for more out of any gaming phone.

Battery life is another very strong point of the 9S Pro. With a capacity of 6500mAh, you’re looking at almost two-day battery life. It even comes with a blazing-fast 80W charger in the box, meaning you can charge it from 0 to 100 in under 40 minutes.

The software experience, however, leaves a lot to be desired. This phone is running Android 14 but with a very heavy RedMagic OS 9 skin on top of it. The browser app has terrible UI, it comes with a lot of bloatware, and a lot of the AI-style features are more gimmicky than anything. It’s certainly useable, but the software experience on other phones is miles better.

Surprisingly, the camera is not bad at all. It features a 50-megapixel main camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide sensor. Both of these cameras produce good images if the lighting is decent, but the 2-megapixel macro camera is too soft to be useable. Gaming is the main focus of this phone, as camera systems from OnePlus, Google, and Samsung all outperform it.

In terms of the competition, the ROG Phone 8 Pro has a better software experience and more RAM. However, strictly from a gaming standpoint, the RedMagic is a better value as it is considerably cheaper. If they work on their software and maintain this pricing, you wouldn’t need to consider any other gaming phone again.

Considering this phone is made by a smaller company, it’s surprising how good it is. If you can put up with the software, it’s a very capable phone with strong performance and battery life. For the price, it’s a great overall value.

To sum up, what I like is…
Excellent flagship-level performance
Exceptional battery life and charging speeds
Fantastic 165Hz screen
Retains the headphone jack

On the downside…
Weak camera system
and the RedMagic OS is a bit ugly

Ratings:
Design: 8/10
Performance: 9/10
Display: 9.5/10
Software: 6.5/10
Cameras: 7.5/10
Value: 9/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

So what do you think? Which of these is the best smartphone for you?

Or do you think another gaming smartphone is better?

Tell us in the comments below.