The Best Gaming Phones of 2021

The best gaming phones that won't let you down in the heat of battle

With one of the best gaming phones in your pocket, do you really need a console? These phones a quality gaming experience while also giving you all the practicalities of a normal smartphone. They're armed with the best processors, RAM and displays on the market to make your mobile games look and feel great to play.

Companies like Razer and Asus — names that gamers are likely very well-acquainted with by now — have lent their expertise in the field to produce purpose-built, gaming-focused handsets. But recent flagships from Samsung, OnePlus and even Apple, with their class-leading specs, are also great for demanding titles. 

What are the best gaming phones?

The top of our best gaming phones list is the recently released Asus ROG Phone 5. The combination of 144Hz display, up to 16GB RAM, a Snapdragon 888 chipset and fantastic longevity courtesy of a 6,000 mAh battery means that if gaming's all you care about, there's no better option.

But what if you want something that delivers for gaming but is a better all-around device? In that case, we recommend the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, which is indeed pricey at $1,299 but still offers excellent performance, was one of the first phones to support Xbox Game Pass streaming and has an adaptive 120Hz refresh-rate display.

Another option is the OnePlus 9 Pro, which also packs a 120Hz panel, as well as excellent software courtesy of OnePlus' Oxygen OS front-end atop Android 11. And if you want the cheapest path to premium performance, the Red Magic 5G offers the best bang for your buck, with gaming-focused features and a screen as responsive as the ROG Phone 5's, starting at a price under the $600 mark.

What about iPhones? Well, Apple's handsets don't have a wealth of gaming-related features like most of the phones in this best gaming phones guide, like high refresh-rate displays and customization inputs, but they do have Cupertino's peerless silicon. The A14 Bionic chipset in the iPhone 12 Pro Max is faster than Qualcomm's best equivalent, which makes it ideal for the most demanding games.

The Galaxy S21 Plus is yet another well-rounded Samsung device for gaming, combining a phenomenal screen with a trio of great cameras and top tier performance. It's quite well priced too at $999, considering it's just as good a gaming phone as it is a flagship phone. The new Oppo Find X3 Pro fills a similar role, offering a lot more display, RAM and camera tech than the Samsung, but not beating it since it's not available for purchase in the U.S. 

1. Asus ROG Phone 5

The best gaming phone, period

Display size (Pixels): 6.78-inch AMOLED (2448 x 1080) | Peak refresh rate: 144Hz | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB,12GB, 16GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 64MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 5MP macro / 24MP | Weight: 8.4 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:27 (144Hz), 12:23 (60Hz)

Superb performance

·         Beautiful AMOLED display with 144Hz refresh rate

·         Excellent battery life

·         Powerful front-facing speakers

·         Disappointing night mode camera

·         Bulky and heavy

·         Gamer” aesthetic not for everyone

·         No wireless charging

Sporting a 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a variable refresh rate up to a max of 144Hz, the ROG Phone 5's screen is near flawless. Combined with a powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset and up to 16GB RAM, it'll take on any game you throw at it. There's also a large 6,000 mAh battery with 65W charging which will keep you playing for long periods without having to break to recharge.

2. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra

The best gaming phone for more than just gaming

Display: 6.9-inch AMOLED (3088x1440) | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus | RAM: 12GB | Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / Yes | Rear camera: 108MP wide (ƒ/1.8); 12MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom (ƒ/3.0); 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2) | Front camera: 10MP (ƒ/2.2) | Weight: 7.33 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:15

·         Dynamic 6.9-inch 120Hz display

·         Smoother S Pen performance 

·         Powerful 50x zoom camera and laser auto focus

·         Very good battery life

·         Expensive

 

The new Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra may not look much like a gaming phone, but rest assured — this is one of the best gaming phones on the market, with the most advanced display you'll find that can scale all the way up to a maximum of 120Hz or down to 30Hz or 60Hz to match the frame rate of on-screen content.

But the Note 20 Ultra is more than just a powerful flagship; it's optimized to stream Xbox titles, via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, and can even cast games to external displays via Samsung's DeX interface and Miracast. Whatever you play or however you play it, the Note 20 Ultra's Snapdragon 865 Plus and 12GB RAM will ensure a smooth experience — so long as you have a stable internet connection for streaming, of course.

3. iPhone 12 Pro Max

The best gaming phone for iPhone users

Display (Pixels): 6.7-inch OLED (2778 x 1284) | Peak refresh rate: 60Hz | CPU: A14 Bionic | RAM: 6GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 12MP wide, telephoto and ultrawide / 12 MP | Weight: 8.03 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:53

Bright and colorful display

·         A14 Bionic CPU more powerful than competition

·         Strong battery life

·         Excellent photography abilities

·         Only 60Hz refresh rate

·         128GB of storage on entry model

·         Expensive compared to rivals

With a 60Hz screen and just 6GB of RAM, you might initially recoil from gaming on an iPhone. However, the iPhone 12 Pro Max offers incomparable power among the best gaming phones. That's thanks to Apple's A14 Bionic chipset, which still outpaces the Snapdragon 888 in the ROG Phone 5 even with half of the RAM.

4. OnePlus 9 Pro

An excellent Galaxy Note 20 Ultra alternative

Display size (Pixels): 6.7-inch AMOLED (3168x1440) | Peak refresh rate: 120Hz | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB, 12GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 48MP wide, 80MP ultrawide, 8MP telephoto, 2MP monochrome sensor / 16MP | Weight: 6.95 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:40

·         Bright and beautiful 120Hz display

·         Strong performance

·         Solid quad cameras

·         Super fast wired and wireless charging

·         Curved display could cause accidental taps

·         Expensive

The OLED display on OnePlus' latest flagship measures 6.7 inches and packs a 1440p resolution, making the screen sharp as well as colorful. But the OnePlus 9 Pro rises toward the top of our best gaming phones list because of its dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, which makes for a remarkably smooth experience for the games that support it, like Fortnite. Even the touch sampling rate is boosted to 360Hz, thanks to OnePlus' new Hyper Touch technology, giving you the instant response, you need to claim victory.

5. Red Magic 5G

Best gaming phone value

Display size (Pixels): 6.65-inch AMOLED (2340x1080) | Peak refresh rate: 144Hz | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8GB, 12GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 64MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro / 8MP | Weight: 7.68 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:23

·         Class-leading 144Hz display

·         Strong performance

·         Long battery life and fast charging

·         Reasonably priced

·         Weak photography

The Red Magic 5G is one of the cheapest pathways to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 865 processor on the market right now, earning it a mention on this list of the best gaming phones. For just $579, you can have a device with a high-end chipset, up to 12GB of RAM and a 6.65-inch 144Hz AMOLED display with a flat design and slim bezels that are conducive to gaming. A fan inside also ensures the device can run demanding titles optimally, which is extremely important if you're gaming for long stretches of time.

6. Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus

A well-rounded Android gaming phone

Display (Pixels): 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED (2400 x 1080) | Peak refresh rate: 120Hz  CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 12MP wide, 64MP telephoto, 12MP ultrawide / 10MP Weight: 7.05 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:41

·         Gorgeous 120Hz AMOLED display

·         Effective feature set for multi-purpose use

·         Expensive

·         Below-average battery life

·         No specific game-enhancing features

The S20 Plus has a 120Hz panel and a Snapdragon 888 processor like all of this year's top flagships. It may only have 8GB of RAM, but that doesn't hold it back. It's still fast in every sense of the world. Plus, its 5G support extends to millimeter-wave networks as well as sub-6 GHz ones, which allows for the quickest data speeds on the planet for when you're gaming online away from home.

7. Oppo Find X3 Pro

Great for gaming — if you can get a hold of it

Display (Pixels): 6.7-inch OLED (3216 x 1440) | Peak refresh rate: 120Hz | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 12GB | Storage/Expandable: 256GB / No | Cameras (Back/Front): 50MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 13MP telephoto, 3MP microlens | Weight: 6.81 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): Not tested

·         Stunning dynamic 120Hz display

·         Attractive unibody design

·         Snapdragon 888 performance

·         Flexible and powerful cameras

·         Shiny finish is a fingerprint magnet

·         Microscope lens is a bit of a gimmick

·         Not available in the U.S.

The 6.7-inch display on the Oppo offers a QHD panel, while its 5Hz-120Hz refresh rate means you'll only get smooth performance when it's needed. That means you'll get the best of the phone while gaming but save power when you're idly scrolling through menus or looking at photos.

8. OnePlus 9

An all-rounder with strong specs for the price

Display (Pixels): 6.65 inches (2400 x 1080) | Peak refresh rate: 120Hz | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8GB, 12GB | Storage/Expandable: 128GB, 256GB/No | Cameras (Back/Front): 48MP main (f/1.8); 50MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 2MP monochrome/16MP Weight: 6.77 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:51

·         Ridiculously fast charging

·         Leading performance

·         Solid battery life

·         120Hz screen-refresh rate

·         Some color inconsistencies remain with cameras

·             No IP water resistance rating

·         Minimal gaming features

The display offers the high refresh rate essential for smooth gaming, and a decent battery life to keep you playing without fear of the phone shutting down. You get the best silicon available in the form of the Snapdragon 888, which also offers you 5G compatibility for when you're gaming on the move.