12+ best gaming phones in the world (April 2024)

• By Ramneek Singh -
Last Updated: April 9, 2024

Nearly every smartphone supports gaming, but not all provide a truly realistic gaming experience. In this article, we present a curated list of some of the top gaming-centric and all-rounder smartphones that can offer users an immersive and enjoyable gaming experience. The selection is based on the powerful processors, gaming features, maximum RAM and storage capacity, and battery capacity of the phones. Check it out:

Best gaming phones in 2024

PHONE	PROCESSOR	RAM AND STORAGE	BATTERY
ROG Phone 8 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	24GB RAM and 1TB ROM	5,500mAh
Red Magic 9 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Up to 16GB RAM and 512GB ROM	6,500mAh
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Up to 12GB RAM and 1TB ROM	5,000mAh
Vivo X100 Pro	MediaTek Dimensity 9300	Up to 16GB RAM and 512GB ROM	5,400mAh
Xiaomi 14 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Up to 16GB RAM and 1TB ROM	4,880mAh
Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1	Up to 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM	4,700mAh
iPhone 15 Pro Max	Apple A17 Pro	Up to 8GB RAM and 1TB ROM	4,441mAh
iQOO 12 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Up to 16GB RAM and 1TB ROM	5,100mAh
OnePlus 12	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3	Up to 16GB RAM and 512GB ROM	5,400mAh
iQOO Neo 9 Pro	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2	Up to 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM	5,160mAh
POCO X6 Pro	MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra	Up to 12GB RAM and 512GB ROM	5,000mAh
OnePlus Nord CE4	Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3	Up to 8GB RAM and 256GB ROM	5,500mAh

ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro

• One of the most powerful and feature-loaded gaming phones yet is the ASUS ROG Phone 8 Pro. Running at its core is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC which is accompanied by 24GB RAM and 1TB storage.
• The handset carries a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with up to 165Hz refresh rate and a 5,500mAh battery, that ensures long hours of smooth gaming experience.
• Key gaming features include dedicated air triggers that can be mapped to any in-game control, a large vapour cooling chamber, and a mini-LED on the rear for aesthetic purposes. Additionally, the AeroActive Cooler X is an external accessory that can be plugged directly into the phone for improved performance.

AnTuTu score - 2,359,969

Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro

• Next up is the Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro which not only comes with high-end specifications but also packs the latest chipset from Qualcomm, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 which makes the handset fly through any task thrown at it.
• With up to 16GB RAM and 512GB internal storage, the Red Magic 8S Pro+ carries a built-in cooling fan that leverages the most out of the processor and ensures throttle-free gaming.
• A couple of standout features of the smartphone include an under-display selfie camera for a true full-screen experience and a reliably fast 80W charging that juices up the huge 6,500mAh cell in under 35 minutes, per the company.

AnTuTu score - 2,290,773

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

• The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is one of the most premium phones you can get for gaming which also happens to excel in other crucial aspects like photography, software, and display.
• Packing in the exclusive Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chipset, the S24 Ultra can perform extremely well in running graphic-intensive games or multitasking between a couple of dozen apps.
• With up to 12GB RAM and 1TB of storage, the Galaxy S24 Ultra also packs a competent cooling system that results in flawless performance for long durations.

AnTuTu score - 2,044,067

PROS	CONS
Excellent cameras	Large and heavy
Solid performance and battery life	Slow charging speeds

Vivo X100 Pro

• While Vivo X100 Pro's primary focus is optics and top-of-the-line premium experience, the device is well capable of delivering some serious performance thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9300 SoC.
• Paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM, the phone should perform well at any task thrown at it without breaking a sweat which includes running graphic-intensive games and 4K video editing.
• The rest of the key specs of the Vivo X100 Pro include 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, 5,400mAh battery with 100W charging, IP68, and Android 14-based Funtouch 14.

AnTuTu score - 2,010,948

PROS	CONS
Excellent cameras	Large and heavy
Solid performance	Display resolution could've been higher

Xiaomi 14 Pro

• The Xiaomi 14 Pro is the world's first mobile phone to rock Qualcomm's latest and greatest, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor which makes it one of the most powerful smartphones ever!
• The said processor is aided by Xiaomi's Loop LiquidCool technology which helps the device run smoothly during long gaming sessions.
• Xiaomi 14 Pro uses a 120Hz-enabled 6.73-inch LTPO AMOLED display that should be more than capable of delivering a pleasurable gaming experience. Like its fast performance, the Xiaomi 14 Pro's 4,880mAh battery can be quickly juiced up using the in-box 120W adapter.

AnTuTu score - 1,997,427

Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming

• The Xiaomi Redmi K50 Gaming is one of the only phones from the brand to come with a dedicated pair of air triggers. These help you to get more control over complex and intensive games.
• Upfront, there's a 6.67-inch OLED 1080p display that comes with a 120Hz refresh rate for silky smooth operation. Running under the hood is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset which is coupled with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM.
• The 120W fast charging capabilities of Redmi K50 Gaming have got you covered in case you quickly run out of battery.

AnTuTu score (v9) - 9,25,994

iPhone 15 Pro Max

• Moving on, the iPhone 15 Pro Max along with the 15 Pro are the first smartphones that can natively run console and PC-level AAA games.
• Several AAA games that will be made available for the iPhone 15 Pro series include Resident Evil 4, Assassin's Creed Mirage, Resident Evil Village, and Death Stranding.
• As far as the specifications are concerned, the iPhone 15 Pro Max features a 6.7-inch TPO Super Retina XDR OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, the 3nm-based Apple A17 Pro SoC, and a 4,441mAh battery unit.

AnTuTu score - 1,545,034

iQOO 12 Pro

• Right after the launch of Xiaomi 12 Pro, Vivo's sub-brand, iQOO was quick to announce the iQOO 12 Pro which makes it the second phone in the world to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
• Right on the front, there's a large 6.78-inch 1440 x 3200 pixels resolution AMOLED display with a 144Hz high refresh rate. The device features up to 16GB RAM and 1TB ROM for storing all your high-end games without any worry.
• Providing power to the iQOO 12 Pro is a 5,100mAh cell that supports up to 120W fast charging.

AnTuTu score - 2,220,241

PROS	CONS
One of the most powerful phones in the world	May not be available widely
Large 5,100mAh capacity battery

OnePlus 12

• Moving on, the OnePlus 12 is yet another great phone for smoothly running high-end games. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC which is paired with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 512GB storage.
• The Dolby Atmos stereo speaker setup ensures an immersive experience while gaming or watching movies. OnePlus has baked in several under-the-hood optimisations such as 'Trinity Engine' that enhance the overall performance of the device.
• The OnePlus 12 also constitute a massively large vapour chamber cooling system to dissipate heat when the handset reaches its peak performance.

AnTuTu score - 1,781,842

PROS	CONS
Great set of cameras	No IP rating
Capable performance

iQOO Neo 9 Pro

• With the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 at its helm, the iQOO Neo 9 Pro is a valiant performer when it comes to playing games at the absolute high settings.
• While it may not carry any distinct features such as a dedicated cooling fan, physical triggers, or RGB lighting, iQOO makes the most out of its software to optimise the Neo 9 Pro for all the important tasks.
• You get a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate, up to 12GB RAM and 256GB ROM, and a large 5,160mAh with 120W fast charging support.

AnTuTu score - 1,611,015

PROS	CONS
Solid performance	Bland design (black colour shade)
Good primary camera	Bloatware

POCO X6 Pro

• If you're on the lookout for a gaming phone on a budget, the POCO X6 Pro is worth checking out. It carries a large 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display on the front that features ultra-slim bezels.
• On the hardware front, the phone runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 Ultra processor which is paired with up to 12GB RAM. There's a large vapour chamber along with software optimisations that ensure an immersive gaming experience.
  
• The POCO X6 Pro is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that can be juiced up using the 67W bundled charger.

AnTuTu score - 1,464,228

PROS	CONS
Good and reliable performance	Cameras require improvement
Great looking display	Battery life could be better

OnePlus Nord CE4

• The OnePlus Nord CE4 packs in Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 processor which is fairly decent for running various demanding games at up to 60FPS such as BGMI and Call of Duty Mobile.
• What sets the Nord CE4 apart from others is the segment's only 5,500mAh battery which is something most mobile gamers will appreciate for uninterrupted long gaming sessions. Then there's 100W fasting charging in tow that juices up the large battery in a matter of minutes.
• The phone features stereo speakers that allow users to have an immersive experience when watching content or playing games on the 6.7-inch FullHD+ display. A micro SD card slot also makes the cut on the OnePlus Nord CE4.

AnTuTu score - 8,19,347

PROS	CONS
Beefy 5,500mAh battery	No 3.5mm headphone jack
Efficient processor	Misses out on NFC

Factors to consider when choosing the best gaming phone

• Processor - One of the most crucial aspects to look out for in a gaming phone is the processor. If you wish to prioritise gaming on your phone, then make sure to go for phones with high-end chipsets such as Snapdragon 8 series or MediaTek 9000 series.
• Cooling system - Smartphones tend to get warm when stressed. This is where cooling systems in the form of heat pipes or vapour chambers come into play that keep the heat at bay.
• Software optimisation - While a gaming phone may carry a very capable processor, it doesn't always translate to a great gaming output due to poor optimisation. Therefore, when looking for a gaming phone, always go through its real-life performance by watching YouTube videos.
• Gaming-oriented features - What makes a gaming phone stand out from the rest is the addition of gaming features like physical triggers, a dedicated cooling fan, and attachable accessories such as a gaming pad.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using a gaming phone?

Gaming phones carry high-end mobile chipsets which ensure smooth, lag-free, performance on the highest game settings possible. Apart from that, these phones also tend to have a high touch sampling rate compared to conventional phones which makes the screen more responsive to user's touches. Cooling fans and physical triggers are added bonuses on a gaming phone.

What are the best gaming accessories to enhance the gaming experience on a smartphone?

External cooling pads and gaming triggers are the most sought-after mobile accessories among gamers. The former offers the handset cooling through a small-sized fan while the latter lets users map out in-game controls of their choice.