Per numerous reports, the Indian mobile gaming industry is expected to top five billion dollars in revenue by 2025. While that is a startling figure, it has been made possible – at least in parts – by affordable Android phones, which have paved the way for millions of budding gamers to showcase their expertise and passion. Therefore, it was only wise to include the best gaming phones in the affordable segment as part of the Indian Gadget Awards, India’s biggest tech awards judged by over 40 of the most well-known experts. The award for the Best Mainstream Gaming Phone of 2021 should only go to the device that offers the best gaming experience under the Rs 20,000 price bracket. Our experts tested all the nominees thoroughly to see which phone satisfied our criteria, and we have the winner. Read below to find out which phone won the Best Mainstream Gaming Phone of 2021 award.
Winner: POCO X3 Pro
Runner-up: iQOO Z3
Check out the full list of nominees for the Best Mainstream Gaming Phone of 2021.
The POCO X3 Pro is an excellent choice for gamers wanting a powerful smartphone that doesn’t burn a hole in their wallets. The device features a large 6.67-inch 120Hz LCD display with 240Hz touch sampling rate, ensuring the device picks up on a user’s swipes and gestures seamlessly. What’s more, the X3 Pro is backed by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 860 chipset which can comfortably push most, if not all demanding games at the highest graphics and FPS settings. A 5,160mAh battery ensures that there’s enough juice for non-stop gaming sessions.
The next nominee in this category is the iQOO Z3, which ships with the gaming-focused Snapdragon 768G at its heart. The chipset offers fast load times and snappy overall performance. Furthermore, the device can be specced with up to 8GB of RAM too, making it a solid option to tackle productivity-oriented tasks as well. The handset’s 4,400mAh battery charges at 55W, ensuring the device charges up to 50 percent in just 19 minutes. Gamers will also be pleased to know that the device ships with a 6.58-inch FHD+ display bearing a 120Hz refresh rate and a 180Hz touch sampling rate.
Affordable mid-rangers have come a long way and the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is a testament to the same. In fact, despite its affordable price tag, Xiaomi has managed to squeeze in a 120Hz Super AMOLED display, a 108MP quad-camera setup, and a 5,020mAh battery and a capable Snapdragon 732G processor too. The base model of the phone offers 6GB of RAM and paying just Rs 2,000 more can net you the 8GB RAM model. Add to that the phone’s balanced dual stereo speakers and the device will surely appeal to gamers and media buffs.
Equipped with the MediaTek Dimensity 800U chip, the Realme X7 delivers splendid gaming performance without any hiccups. What’s more, the phone’s copper-based liquid cooling system ensures that the heat levels are kept in check at all times. Interestingly, the device also ships with a beefy 4,310mAh cell which is complemented by the unit’s 50W SuperDart Charge technology, ensuring gamers don’t have to wait too long between boss fights. The device also ships with a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen with a 180Hz touch sampling rate, albeit the refresh rate is capped at 60Hz.
With its 6,000mAh cell, the Moto G60 has the biggest battery among all the other nominees. The device also has the biggest display of the bunch and the phone stands tall at 6.8-inches. This panel offers a 120Hz refresh rate and the phone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G chipset, making it a superb option for gamers to consider. The Moto G60 also appeals to non-gamers with its overall features, prime among them being its 108MP triple camera setup.
