Smartphones are essential equipment for our daily lives. No matter what your needs and interests are, you can find a phone with the extra features and software that works for you.
All phones can make calls and keep you connected to your emails and messaging services, but photographers may choose smartphones with expert-level cameras, fitness nuts may have extra biometric measures included, and the business-minded may have phones with extra processors for improved efficiency.
And of course, there are also smartphones optimized for gamers. Playing mobile games has become one of the most popular types of gaming in recent years, competing with console and PC gaming. Mobile games appeal to all demographics and most are fairly simple. Online casino games are among the most popular gaming apps, though their popularity also rests on being able to be played app-free online in a similar fashion to the old Flash games.
Playing online casino games doesn’t necessarily require the same processing power or optimization as the top video games for mobile do. Yet even these simpler games look better and play more smoothly on gaming phones.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the leading smartphones for gaming in 2023. We’ve included options from either end of the cost scale because everyone should be able to afford a phone that does what they need it to do.
Asus ROG Phone 7 and 7 Ultimate
Asus has long been a trusted gaming brand – their laptops and phones are highly respected by gamers. Their latest gaming phones, the ROG Phone 7 and 7 Ultimate, both include the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. These phones have the GameCool 7 thermal system so you can play for longer without burning out.
This is one of the more expensive phones on our list but for hardcore mobile gamers with a bit of extra cash to spend, it’s an unbeatable choice.
Poco F4 GT
The Poco F4 GT was launched in 2022 but it’s stayed on our list because it remains a great affordable choice for gamers. Its specs might not all be as flashy as some of the others, but it still plays everything you’ll need it to.
The display might not have high enough resolution for purists but the 120HZ and HDR10+ display makes it possible to play for longer without overheating or burning through a battery charge.
Black Shark 5 Pro
The Black Shark 5 Pro is our top choice for best general gaming phone. It might not have crazy high specs in every area but it’s an overall great phone for gaming. Thanks to its gorgeous display, the 6.67-inch OLED screen is one of the main selling features.
If you want a phone that can compete with a console, consider the Black Shark 5 Pro – it has 16GB of RAM, which happens to be the same as what the PlayStation 5 has!
Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro
If you love epic gaming sessions then consider the Nubia RedMagic 8 Pro. It has the best battery life on the market and once it does finally die, it charges quickly too. The standard model has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage while the upgraded version gets you 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
If you don’t want a chunky phone that screams “I’m a gamer!”, this smartphone’s sleek design will appeal to you. The primary issue with the RedMagic 8 Pro unfortunately is still the user interface. It’s a definite improvement over earlier phone versions but can still be a little wonky.
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Since many people feel very strong brand loyalty when it comes to Apple products, we’ve decided to include the latest iPhone on our list. Apple computers are notorious for not being as good for gaming as PCs are.
The same isn’t necessarily true for smartphones. The iPhone has often led the way in terms of specs and this iPhone is fully capable of handling any games you can play on it.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Sometimes you want to stick with a mainstream brand, maybe because it’s an option for an upgrade on your phone plan or maybe just because you like to stick with the same brand over the years. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is the best option in the category.
It features a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 500ppi, which is hard to beat. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset makes another appearance here and the base model’s 8GB of RAM can be upgraded to 12GB.
