(Pocket-lint) – The mobile gaming community continues to grow, with hot new titles hitting download stores and an ever-expanding fanbase of dedicated gamers. Manufacturers have noticed this as well and are making handsets specifically designed for gamers.
It’s not a brand new concept, but with a number of brands now in production of their fifth or sixth generation devices, we take a look at what’s out there in the gaming phone market worth considering. , alongside special features that might be worth it. buy one device over another.
Best gaming phones in 2022
- Asus ROG 5S Phone
- Red Magic 6S Pro
- Black Shark 4 Pro
- Red Magic 6R
- Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
Our top pick: Best gaming phone
Asus ROG 5S Phone
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For
- Excellent stereo speakers
- Fast performance
- Large, bright and responsive display
Versus
- Battery doesn’t last as long as you’d hope
- It’s a big piece
The ROG Phone 5 impressed us not just by being a great gaming phone, but by being a great phone in every way. The 5S takes this winning formula and improves it even further by increasing processor specs and increasing touch response rate.
It has a sleek and futuristic finish, excellent performance and a large, bright display. The included cooler adds triggers and a kickstand to the back of the device when attached – an ingenious design. We think this is one of the best gaming phones money can buy.
Gaming phones we also recommend
While we think the Asus ROG Phone 5S is one of the best gaming phones on the market, it won’t suit everyone, or everyone’s wallet. So with that in mind, here are four more gaming phones to consider.
Red Magic 6S Pro
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For
- Great battery life
- fast performer
- Superb speakers
Versus
- software quirks
- Cameras aren’t great
The Red Magic 6S Pro offers a comparable experience to the ROG Phone 5, but it does so at a significantly lower price. It’s blazing fast, has an impressive display, and offers excellent battery life. The aesthetics are also top-notch, with a transparent panel revealing an RGB-lit fan inside, very cool.
Some software quirks and disappointing camera performance keep it from taking the top spot, but at this price it’s a great choice.
Black Shark 4 Pro
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For
- Gorgeous display
- Ejectable trigger buttons
- Good price
Versus
- Uses an old processor
- Battery life could be improved
The killer feature of the Black Shark 4 Pro is the pop-out trigger buttons which give you a tactical advantage when in use and can be hidden flush with the phone frame when you’re done playing. It’s a really smart and practical design, and that functionality continues throughout the rest of the device as well.
The screen is big and bright and the speakers are impressive. The only downsides are the cameras and battery life. Still, it comes at an attractive price and is a great choice for mobile gamers.
Red Magic 6R
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For
- Excellent performance
- Thin for a gaming phone
- Subtle styling
Versus
- It’s quite warm
- Cameras aren’t too impressive
If you’re looking for a slightly more subtle gaming phone, the Red Magic 6R should be at the top of your list. It has a sleek design that doesn’t scream gamer, but retains many of the software features that make gaming phones so popular.
It packs a powerful processor to handle the most demanding games and its price is surprisingly low. However, the downside to this slim chassis is that it can’t cool as well as some of our other options, so those looking for the best performance may want to look elsewhere.
Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max
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For
- Massive screen
- Smoothness ProMotion 120Hz
- High end cameras
Versus
- Only one Lightning port is limited for gamers
- No headphone jack
This one might not be aimed specifically at gamers, but that doesn’t mean it can’t play. There are tons of iOS exclusive games out there, some of them really great, and we think the best device to enjoy them is the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
It has a gorgeous, gigantic display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate and plenty of power to run games. Battery life is excellent too, so you can get a good long session before needing to recharge.
Other products we considered
In trying to figure out what we think are the best gaming phones currently available, we’ve spent hours testing and researching. We consider a range of factors when it comes to recommending devices – and also when a new device makes it into our top five picks. It’s not just our own testing, but also consumer reviews, quality and brand value.
In all of our roundups, there are also many products that we test that don’t make the final cut. As they may be suitable for some people, we have listed them below.
How to choose a gaming phone
There are tons of options out there when it comes to gaming phones, and considering that the majority of flagships are also pretty adept at gaming, it can be hard to know where to start. So, in an effort to help you find your perfect match, here are some things to consider before buying your next phone.
What kind of games do you play?
This is probably the most important factor when choosing a phone for gaming. If you’re trying to hit the maximum frames per second in Genshin Impact, you’ll get advanced features like CPU overclocking and the ability to suspend background processes. On the other hand, if you’re a competitive CoD Mobile player, the physical triggers and increased touch response time could be invaluable.
If you primarily play 2D games that aren’t very graphics intensive, you may be better served by a non-gaming specific phone as they tend to offer better general purpose features like longer battery life. longer battery and more advanced camera systems.
Thinking about the type of games you play will help you highlight important features.
Do you normally play at home or on the go?
Gaming phones tend to aim for the highest possible performance alongside the most powerful cooling, but this tends to come at the expense of battery life and portability. It’s important to think about where you play most often, as this should factor into your purchasing decision.
If you’re gaming at home, battery life won’t be your biggest concern. Instead, we recommend looking for devices with multiple USB-C inputs, so that one can be used for power while the other can connect to peripherals like a controller or system. external cooling.
If you’re gaming on the go, battery life, as well as size and weight, are things to think about more carefully. Maybe opting for a slightly less powerful handset with longer battery life would be more practical, or maybe you’re happy to always have a power bank handy.
Learn more about this story
Every product on this list has been tested in real-life situations, like you would use it in your day-to-day life.
A phone is something you use all day, every day, so we’ve used all the options on this list extensively to see how they hold up in the real world. We’ve tested battery life, gaming performance, connectivity, camera performance, and everything else you might need to know. Then we’ve provided you with all the data you need to help you with your buying decisions.
As with any roundup, it’s not possible to provide a list that works for every type of user, but we rely on the experiences and opinions of the wider Pocket-lint team – as well as on a thorough assessment of the above areas – in order to do our best in this regard.
What we always tend to avoid when compiling these picks are unnecessary spec comparisons and marketing lines; we just want to provide an easy-to-understand summary that gives you an idea of what each product looks like. Our verdicts are concise, but that’s only in the interest of brevity. Rest assured that all things on this list have been fully tested.
Written by Luke Baker.
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