2020 is a great year for gamers. The release of state-of-the-art consoles such as the PS5 and the Xbox X has caused great excitement, and the gaming community is thriving with international competitions.
The mobile gaming market is also expanding rapidly. Game developers, from those who develop hit titles such as Fortnite to the providers behind the latest online casino games, are keen to take full advantage of this — which is why we are now seeing such amazing mobile games.
Quite simply, you don’t need consoles or PCs to have an immersive gaming experience any more. Mobile gaming may not be as sophisticated just yet, but the gap appears to be getting smaller.
So, if you’re passionate about mobile gaming, here is a selection of the Best Phones For Gaming to play on to your heart’s content.
Do Read Open-Back Headphones for Gaming.
Best Phones For Gaming 2020
Asus Rog Phone II
Let’s start with a phone that does the important things right.
If you’re a gamer, you’re looking for a battery that supports mammoth gaming sessions: the Asus Rog II boasts a huge 6,000mAH power unit. You’re looking for a great quality screen that can showcase the best graphics around. The Asus Rog II offers a 6.59-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen to do just that.
It’s obvious that Asus had gamers in mind when they designed this handset; it is part of the Republic of Gamers series, after all; which is why you get some cool accessories to enhance your experience. The phone’s Air Triggers, for example, are located at each of the top corners when you hold it in landscape and act as touch-sensitive pads in much the same way as shoulder buttons on a console pad. You’ll also get a clip-on AeroActive Cooler II fan for when those sessions get a little too heated.
It’s true that there are some downsides: the lack of wireless charging can be inconvenient and you’ll have to be careful to keep liquids away as it isn’t waterproof. But its heavy focus on gameplay makes it a popular choice for gamers.
Apple iPhone 11 (Pro Max)
The iPhone 11 Pro is one of the most expensive on the market for a reason. It’s one of the best.
Its bigger brother, the Pro Max, provides a 6.5-inch screen, compared to the Pr0’s 5.7, so the gaming visuals really hit home, and you’ll also benefit from the brand new A13 processor.
It means a faster-than-ever gaming speed: classics like Clash Royale load up in no time, and the phone’s streamlined look makes it a pleasure to hold as you do so.
The Pro Max also stands out from the regular Pro by providing the best iPhone battery out there, so you’re less likely to lose power when you’re about to advance to the next stage in your favourite game, for example.
Throw some wonderful stereo speakers into the deal and you’re ready for an incredibly immersive gaming experience. Just remember you have a real world to come back to.
Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
While the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus and S20 are not designed specifically for gaming, they possess some jaw-dropping features that might just make them the best choices on the market.
Sitting proudly at the top of their list of attributes are their remarkable processing power. The Exynos 990, which has often been compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865, is a leading smartphone chipset that will give you the brute force to run the most sophisticated mobile games seamlessly. This is backed up by up to 12GB of Ram, giving you the capacity to lock up to five in-play games at once, so you can pick up where you left off.
Its screen is another highlight, an AMOLEATED 6.2 to 6.7-inch beauty (depending on the model) that powers up game graphics while also being easy on your eyes.
People who are looking for accessories thrown into the deal might be disappointed. The phone’s high price doesn’t include any, unless you consider its superb Game Booster mode that optimizes your phone’s usage to suit the game you’re playing.
That aside, many consider the phone’s high price to be worth it for the incredible quality that it offers — an Android leader.
Nubia Red Magic 5G
If you’re looking for outstanding features, then the Nubia Red Magic 5G offers the world’s first 144Hz screen — a huge plus for gaming with its fantastic refresh rate. While not all games are supported on this, there are many developers who are rushing to make their titles compatible, so this handset could be very useful in the future.
Shoulder triggers, a ‘4D Shock feature’ (introduced recently by Huawei), and a liquid cooling system also contribute to making this an ideal gaming phone.
It supports 5G, as you might have guessed, and uses the same processor as the US versions of the Samsung S20, the Qualcomm SnapdraGON 865 – a beast of a machine.
Some downsides to be aware of include its vulnerability to certain glitches, and its handset design is a little bulky, and might not be as enjoyable to hold as other models.
That said, its range of top features makes its cost of around $600 a great value-for-money deal.
Razer Phone II
Razor Phone II has been on the market for a while now, but it still offers some great specs to keep it among the best gaming phones on the market.
Built by gamers for gamers, the phone boasts a 4,000mAh battery, a Snapdragon 845 processor and a 120hz refresh rate display. It also has great speakers so you’ll get those cool audio features in pristine quality.
Despite its gamer-heavy focus, it also functions extremely well as a day-to-day smartphone. It has a neat dual-lens 12MP+12MP rear-facing camera, so you can take some beautiful snaps, and its IP67 water resistance shields it from many of life’s hazards.
While there aren’t too many add-ons, and its 5.72-inch screen is a little on the small side, the phone does an excellent job of keeping gamers happy.
