Best gaming phone 2023

There are hundreds of fantastic mobile games out there, and having the best gaming phone will allow you to get the most from them. We’ve tried and tested the best smartphones you can get for mobile gaming, choosing devices with large, colorful screens, powerful processors, and impressive battery life.

In this guide, we’ll help you to narrow down the options and your buying decisions. Firstly, consider how much you’re willing to spend, what games you play, where you play – at home or on the go – and what you want your phone for. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Google Pixel 7 Pro are all excellent flagship devices capable of playing the best mobile games. They come with best-in-class cameras and operating systems, but they’re not specialist gaming phones like the Asus ROG 7 Ultimate in our top spot – so don’t feature cooling for long gaming sessions.

The best gaming phones in 2023 are now multifunctional devices and pocket computers. But unlike the best portable gaming consoles, we also use them for social media, for taking photos, for work, and in the case of gaming, for play. However, you don’t necessarily have to buy a manufacturer’s latest model to get the best gaming phone. If you don’t want to buy a phone outright, check out the best cell phone providers and compare their phone deals.

Here are the best gaming phones to buy right now:

• Asus ROG 7 Ultimate – best gaming phone
• iPhone 14 Pro Max – best gaming iPhone
• Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra – best Samsung gaming phone
• Google Pixel 7 Pro – best Pixel gaming phone
• Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G – best budget all-rounder
• RedMagic 7S Pro – best mid-range gaming phone
• OnePlus 10 Pro – great value high-refresh-rate gaming phone

1. Asus ROG 7 Ultimate

The best gaming phone overall.

Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate specs:

Pros:

• 6000 mAh battery for long gaming sessions
• Gamecool thermal system to prevent overheating
• Best screen available in a smartphone
• Air triggers for an excellent FPS experience

Cons:

• Cameras are very poor for the price
• Fingerprint sensor less responsive than competition

If you want the best there is when it comes to a gaming phone, we strongly suggest you take a look at the Asus ROG range, the most recent of which is the Asus ROG 7 Ultimate, a powerhouse of a smartphone that’s more than capable of running any mobile game that you can get your hands on.

The innovative device features the air trigger system to help with shooters, as well as a 6000 mAh battery, which ensures you can spend hours upon hours playing games on your phone. Not only that, but the built-in gamecool thermal system ensures overheating is unlikely to occur.

Read our Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate review.

2. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

The best iPhone for gaming.

iPhone 14 Pro Max specs:

Pros:

• Gorgeous 6.7-inch super retina XDR display
• Fast A16 bionic chip

Cons:

• Costs the same as the Asus ROG
• Insufficient cooling for marathon gaming

The iPhone 14 Pro is the most powerful iPhone on the market and is the only smartphone to feature Apple’s A16 bionic chip, which is more efficient than the previous A15 bionic chip found in iOS devices.

The chip is 40% faster than those that you find in competitive devices, which helps to ensure a smooth gaming experience. Of course, there’s also no denying that the super retina XDR display is sublime, bringing any mobile title to new heights.

The fact it has a decent battery life also helps, as it has up to 29 hours of playback before it runs out of juice. Finally, the size of the device ensures you have plenty of room to maneuver when you use touch controls.

3. Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The best Samsung gaming phone.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra specs:

Pros:

• Features 6.8-inch display
• Impressive camera array

Cons:

• No gaming-specific features

Yes, of course, there’s a Samsung device that’s capable of providing you with the ultimate mobile gaming experience. The Samsung Galaxy S23 features some impressive processing speeds with 2.8GHz, 2.5GHz, and 1.8GHz.

We all know how important this is – nobody wants to be stuck with a laggy phone. Better still, the 6.8-inch display ensures you have plenty of space to utilize touch controls.

However, while 22 hours of playback isn’t bad, it’s not quite as good as the previous two phones, which can impact your gaming experience should you be after a device that can cater to a marathon session.

4. Google Pixel 7 Pro

The best Google Pixel gaming phone.

Google Pixel 7 Pro specs:

Pros:

• Affordable for a flagship device
• Stunning camera quality
• Colorful 6.7-inch OLED screen

Cons:

• Battery life could be better

The Pixel 7 Pro is Google’s current flagship device, but it’s more affordable than the iPhone 14 Pro Max or Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. Although not designed for gaming specifically, it’s ideal for casual mobile gamers who also want a well-designed, high-specced Android phone. Couple the 6.7-inch display coupled with Google’s Tensor G2 chip which sets a powerful GPU benchmark, and you’ve got a pretty solid gaming device.

The camera quality is also stunning, however, the brilliant screen and versatile processor come at the expense of battery life – which is a little disappointing when you’re away from power.

Read our Google Pixel 7 Pro review.

5. Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G

A good budget gaming phone.

Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G specs:

Pros:

• Good value
• High-refresh-rate screen

Cons:

• Lots of alternatives
• Software issues

The Redmi Note Pro 5G is a great option for someone looking for a gaming phone that can do everything else capably (without breaking the bank!). It has its issues, but with frequent price drops, it’s a tempting option if you’re on a tight budget.

While the MediaTek Dimensity 1080 is a little old, it’s still a decent mid-range chip, offering zippy gaming without decimating battery life. Casual games are a breeze, while any heftier titles on medium settings are generally smooth.

The best thing about the Redmi Note Pro 5G is that it’s a good all-rounder, so if you need a cheap handset that can handle gaming but still fit into your daily life, it fits the bill. Decent cameras, battery life, and build quality all come together to make an ace smartphone.

The main downside is that there isn’t really any standout feature. There are competitors with better processors, higher IPX ratings, and smoother OS. If you need a specific feature, maybe look elsewhere.

Read our Redmi Note Pro 5G review.

6. RedMagic 7S Pro

A great value gaming phone.

RedMagic 7S Pro specs:

Pros:

• Personalized gaming mode
• Reasonably priced

Cons:

• Cheaper materials than flagships
• Passable camera

Here we have another device designed specifically for mobile gaming. The RedMagic 7S Pro is one of the best on the market, and at $809, it’s one of the cheaper options too, within this spec range, at least.

It features a 5000 mAh battery to ensure you can have longer gaming sessions, though it also has 65W fast charging to ensure you can dive back in quickly after you run out of juice. Oh, and what sort of gaming phone would the RedMagic 7S Pro be if it didn’t have a cooling system?

Luckily it does, though the IVE 10.0 multidimensional cooling system isn’t quite as efficient as gamecool 6 thermal, but that doesn’t mean it can’t perform its job well. However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that it has a personalized gaming mode, a saving grace for those in this for the long haul.

7. OnePlus 10 Pro

A high-refresh-rate gaming phone.

OnePlus 10 Pro specs:

Pros:

• A great retail price
• Fantastic battery life
• A great 120Hz refresh rate

Cons:

• Lacks cool-down qualities
• Isn’t compatible with 5G

Here we have what we consider to be the king of Android gaming phones. Honestly, there’s a lot to love about the OnePlus 10 Pro, from its lovely 6.7” display to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip it utilizes.

Oh, and then there’s the 120Hz refresh rate it possesses, which just happens to go nicely with the nearly 13 hours of battery life it has. All of those qualities help to push this gaming phone to the front of the pack, and the fact it costs $699 USD also helps.

Yes, you read that right, it’s a good $200 USD cheaper than a lot of its competitors, yet it still has many qualities that help to ensure that you can enjoy long marathon gaming sessions on a responsive screen.

There you have it, what we consider to be the best gaming phones on the market right now. If it’s a standard smartphone that you’re after, our best iPhone and best Android phone guides can help you.

How to choose the best gaming phone

There are so many phones on the market – from flagship devices to older models – and that complicated things. In the old days, you could play most games on most phones, because they were all pretty simple. Mobile gaming has gotten way more advanced (and we’re glad it has), but that means you need a device that can keep up.

When you’re buying a gaming phone, there are certain features and specs you need for an enjoyable mobile gaming experience. The best phone for gaming should have a fast processor and an efficient chip for extended battery life. A phone for gaming should also offer a crisp, bright, and high-resolution screen with a high refresh rate so that gameplay looks smooth and sexy. All the phones in this guide have just that, but every brand will offer you something a little different.

What’s the best gaming phone brand?

Picking the right brand of gaming phone is important for several reasons. Some brands are focusing their efforts on camera technology or content creation features, while brands like Asus, Xiaomi, and even Sony are now making devices tailored specifically for gaming.

First up, do you want to access the best Android games or best iOS games? That will help you to choose between an Android or an Apple device. Next, ask yourself whether you’re a gaming generalist – someone who only really plays while traveling or during downtime – or a hardcore player who wants to run the latest and best games.

Aside from gaming specs and brand affinity, consider any other devices you already own. If you have a Mac computer or Apple Watch or just love the best iOS games, then an iPhone is the better choice.

When you’ve found the right gaming phone for you, check out our picks for the best iPhone games, Android games, fantasy games, games like Dark Souls, games like The Witcher, and best mobile RPGs to fill up that storage space and make use of your new device.