The best gaming smartphone on the market 【2020】 ⭐️

In the last three months, we have observed a trend that few expected, such as that of smartphone gaming. Various models have arrived in this market segment and it seems that there will be more in the near future. As its name suggests, these are phones designed to play, as if they were a portable console, but maintaining the characteristics of a smartphone.

Index of contents

Gaming smartphones are here to stay. This already seems clear. Therefore, next we are going to talk about the best models that we are currently available in this segment. In addition, we will first mention the most important aspects of these phones. The ones that make the difference and define a good gaming smartphone.

Features of a gaming smartphone

As we have said, there are some aspects that determine the proper functioning of a phone of this type. Therefore, if we are looking to buy a smartphone to play, it is good that we consult these characteristics since this way, we will be able to know more easily if they are powerful devices and that they will give us good performance.

Processor

An essential part in these phones is the processor. Playing is a resource-consuming activity. So it is essential that you have a powerful processor, the most powerful on the market if possible. So you will be able to respond to the demand that these games require. Thus, you will be able to play and get the most out of your phone and avoid it from crashing or slowing down. You should always check the processor that the phone has.

If we look for the most powerful processor on the market, today it would be Snapdragon 845. It is the best in the Qualcomm range and the one we see in high-end phones. The somewhat inferior Snapdragon 835 is last year's processor. It is also an option to take into account, and that we see in phones launched in 2017 to the market.

Graphic card

Closely related to the processor is the smartphone's graphics card. Again, playing is an activity that demands a lot from the phone, also in the graphic area. Therefore, we need the device to have a good graphics card. Since, in this way, the smooth operation and a good experience while we play are guaranteed.

Most brands tend to bet on Adreno graphics cards. They are the best options we have, plus they are a good match with Snapdragon processors. So the user is going to get the best experience and a phone with a lot of power.

Refrigeration

Surely most of you know, based on the experience of playing with your own smartphone. But if we play for a while on the phone, you will notice that the phone gets hot. In some cases it is a little, and in others, the increase in temperature is noticeable. This same situation occurs in a gaming smartphone, where we are going to play with greater frequency and intensity. Therefore, there needs to be a good cooling system in it.

With this, the phone is prevented from overheating, and we get rid of the negative consequences of having a device with such high temperatures that its components degrade over time. The various brands that have launched a gaming phone to the market have incorporated cooling systems. Their operation is different, depending on the model, but the objective of all of them is clear. All these systems seek to reduce the temperature of the smartphone. The important thing in this regard is that they work well, so the way they do it is not so important.

Battery duration

If you have ever played on your phone, you will have noticed that it is an activity that consumes a lot of battery. So, it is essential that a gaming smartphone has a battery with great autonomy. In this case, the size of the battery is important, although it is not a determining aspect. Since, the combination with the processor can make its energy efficiency better or worse.

Although a battery of more than 3, 500 mAh is undoubtedly something necessary, you will see that these phones are usually located at 4, 000 mAh, which should give us sufficient autonomy for the whole day. Also, having some additional features is of great importance in this case.

We refer to functions as fast charging. It is a function of enormous utility, and that can save us on more than one occasion, because in a matter of minutes, the phone will be fully charged. This is very comfortable and easy for the user. Check that it has fast charge if you want to buy a gaming device. Wireless charging is also a useful function, but not as essential as the previous one.

Therefore, when choosing a gaming smartphone, in addition to the battery capacity, it is good that we check the autonomy it gives us. Since capacity is a number, but it does not tell us so much. But being able to know the autonomy it gives, the hours we can use it, is of enormous help to us.

Can I play with a cheap smartphone?

Of course yes, depending on the game you will do better or worse. It should be noted that this range of smartphone was born to meet the needs of the most demanding users. And that they need to play PUBG Mobile or Fortnite while they are going to their work or dead moments of their day to day. Brands such as Samsung, LG, iPhone or Xiaomi offer terminals at a good price and with great features to play.

Best gaming smartphone

First of all, we leave you with a table where you can see the most important specifications of each of these models. Thus, you can already get a clear idea about them:

	Xiaomi Black Shark 2 Pro	Nubia Red Magic 3S	RAZER PHONE II	ASUS ROG PHONE II
screen	AMOLED 6.39 ”resolution 2, 340 × 1, 080p 60 Hz	AMOLED 6, 65 ”resolution 2, 340 × 1, 080p 90 Hz	IZGO 5.7 ”QHD 120Hz resolution	AMOLED 6.59 ”resolution 2, 340 × 1, 080p
Processor	Snapdragon 855+	Snapdragon 835+	Snapdragon 835	Snapdragon 855+
RAM	8/12 GB	8/12 GB.	8 GB	8/12 GB
Cameras	Rear: 48 + 13 MP Front: 20.1MP	Rear: 48 MP Front: 16 MP	Back: 12 + 12 MP Front: 8 MP	Back: 48, + 12 MP Front: 24 MP
Storage	128/256 GB	128/256 GB	64 GB	128/512/1024 GB
Battery	4, 000 mAh	5, 000 mAh.	4, 000 mAh	6, 000 mAh.
OS	Android 9 Pie	Android 9 Pie	Android 8.0 Oreo	Android 9 Pie
Other features	Screen fingerprint sensor, liquid cooling system, dual HiFi speaker	Quick charge, on-screen fingerprint sensor, touch triggers, accessory connector, dual speaker	Fingerprint sensor, dual Dolby Atmos speaker	Fingerprint sensor, liquid cooling, touch triggers, accessory connector, dual speaker
Price	548.98 EUR Buy on Amazon	Price not available Buy on Amazon	203, 18 EUR Buy on Amazon	Price not available Buy on Amazon

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Asus ROG Phone 2

The Asus ROG Phone II is one of the fastest Android smartphones ever built, which is designed and created almost exclusively for gaming. Its design is far from what we are used to, with a gamer look in aluminum and glass along with a ROG logo that has lighting compatible with AURA Sync. Also on one side we have a small ventilation grille for your steam chamber system. At least in this new version it looks a bit more like the general consumer smartphone, measuring 171 × 77.6 × 9.48 mm and weighing no less than 240 g.

The terminal is designed to be used in landscape or laying mode, obviously for a better gaming experience. Therefore we have no type of notch or a useful surface too well used in the upper and lower edges. In fact, this has a reason for being, and that is to be able to reach the entire screen more comfortably. We can also interact with the two side buttons AirTrigger II in true PSP style and other portable consoles. These buttons will function as the L and R on the console, and are tactile and pressure sensitive.

The physical connectivity in this case is also differential, since we have a dedicated port for ROG accessories such as the TwinView Dock II or the AeroActive Cooler II, made up of a custom 48-pin USB-C connector that will also serve to charge it as the USB- C lower.

Let's focus now on the hardware, because inside we have of course the Snapdragon 855 Plus, with 8 cores and working at 2.96 GHz along with Adreno 640 under a steam chamber that keeps temperatures under control. 12 GB of RAM memory of type LPDDR4X at 2133 MHz complete and a storage of 256, 512 and 1024 GB of type UFS 3.0, complete the configuration. We see an impressive technical section practically without rival. As for that steam chamber, we do not know if it really brings advantages in terms of temperatures, since for example the Red Magic 3S fan system does make a difference.

Another of its main gaming features is the screen which seems to be ahead of what we will see this 2020. It is a 6.59 ”AMOLED panel with 2340x1080p and a refresh rate of no less than 120 Hz, the highest in today. We have spectacular Delta E <1 calibration and 111.8% DCI-P3 coverage thanks to its 10-bit depth with HDR 600. All this is powered by a battery of no less than 6000 mAh that ensure fun and autonomy for many hours at maximum performance. The sound system is composed of two stereo speakers, and TDS: X Ultra 7.1 support in the audio output by Jack, giving a spectacular quality.

In this case the photo section is relegated to the background as expected, although we do have gross power. Consisting of a dual rear sensor, 48MP for the main and 13MP for the 125 ° wide angle, along with a 24MP front sensor with facial recognition.

• 6.59-inch AMOLED screen 2, 340 x 1, 080 pixels with 120 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response Snapdragon 855+ processor along with 12 GB of RAM 256/512/1024 GB UFS 3.0 storage Optimized design to play with two AirTrigger II buttons on the sides Incredible sound quality 6000 mAh battery Wide connectivity also with NFC

• Powerful but poorly tuned cameras Large, heavy mobile Less versatile in everyday life

ASUS ROG Phone II ZS660KL-1A050EU 16.7 cm (6.59 ") 8GB 128GB SIM Dual Black 6000mAh ROG Phone II ZS660KL-1A050EU, 16.7cm (6.59"), 8GB, 128GB, 48MP, Android 9.0, Black

Black Shark 2 Pro

This is a new update or refresh of one of the most powerful terminals built for gaming. The Black Shark 2 Pro does not change its design but it does change its internal hardware, putting a little more wood to place it among the first performance places. We analyze the first version with Snapdragon 855, so we will leave it for those who want to know more about these phones.

On the front we continue with a 6.39-inch screen with Super AMOLED panel and 2340 x 1080p FHD + resolution with a normal brightness of 430 nits and in HDR mode of up to 600 nits. A large diagonal with 2.5D edges but no notch, making the screen ratio 81%. The tactile response to 240 Hz has also been improved, although the refresh rate remains at around 60 Hz and we already consider it a disadvantage compared to the competition, which even mounts 120 Hz displays such as the ROG Phone 2. The fingerprint sensor we have it placed on the screen as in the previous version.

In this pro version they have opted for a Snapdragon 855 Plus processor, the most powerful Qualcomm with permission from the 865 that is to come. This refreshment raises the frequency to 2.96 GHz at maximum performance. That together with an Adreno 640 GPU and versions in 8 or 12 GB of LPDDR4X RAM, put the terminal very high in the performance positions. This is also thanks to incorporating a completely clean Android 9.0 Pie together with an independent App called Shark Space, exclusively designed to play.

It comes with an integrated liquid cooling system for the processor, which will take care of keeping the phone at a good temperature at all times, even when we play for a long time. Storage remains the same, with versions in 128 or 256 GB UFS 3.0 and a 4000 mAh battery with 27W fast charge. The autonomy in this case will be slightly reduced compared to the normal version due to its higher performance, but it is very similar.

Note that the photographic section has also improved at least in gross power, although it will not be as refined as in general consumption terminals, and this is something to always work on this type of phone. Now we have a dual rear camera with a 48 MP Sony IMX586 sensor and a 13 MP Samsung S5K3M5 telephoto lens, we imagine that with a x2 zoom, along with a 20 MP front. The good thing is that being Snapdragon the processor is compatible with GCAM. Finally the audio consists of two front speakers, compatible with excellent quality A2DP.

• Liquid-cooled Snapdragon 855+ processor 2340x1080p Super AMOLED display and 600 nits brightness Upgraded 48 + 13 MP rear camera 128 or 256 GB UFS 3.0 internal storage 4000 mAh battery Additional gamepad for gaming Improved performance

• No microSD slot Still no NFC or 3.5mm Jack Screen is 60Hz

We leave the review of the Black Shark 2 terminal for more information about its design

Black Shark 2 Pro 12GB + 256GB Blue - Double SIM, AMOLED 6.39 pouces, Snapdragon 855 Plus, GPU Adreno 640, Refroidissement par Liquide 3.0+, Double Camra Arrire 48MP + 12MP + Flash Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC 2.96GHz CPU processor, Adreno 640 GPU.; 12GB (2133MHz) Dual Channel LPDDR4x | 256GB of internal memory UFS3.0 649.00 EUR Black Shark 2 Pro 12GB + 256GB Gray - Dual SIM, 6.39 Inch AMOLED, Snapdragon 855 Plus, Adreno 640 GPU, Liquid Cooling 3.0, Dual Rear Camera 48MP + 12MP + Flash, and Front 20MP - Spanish Version Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC 2.96GHz CPU processor, Adreno 640 GPU.; 12GB (2133MHz) Dual Channel LPDDR4x | 256 GB of internal memory UFS3.0 594.42 EUR Black Shark 2 Pro 12GB + 256GB Black - Dual SIM, 6.39 Inch AMOLED, Snapdragon 855 Plus, Adreno 640 GPU, Liquid Cooling 3.0, Dual Rear Camera 48MP + 12MP + Flash, and Front 20MP - Spanish Version Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC 2.96GHz CPU processor, Adreno 640 GPU.; 12GB (2133MHz) Dual Channel LPDDR4x | 256 GB of internal memory UFS3.0 594.42 EUR Black Shark 2 Pro 8GB + 128GB Gray - Dual SIM, 6.39 Inch AMOLED, Snapdragon 855 Plus, Adreno 640 GPU, Liquid Cooling 3.0, Dual Rear Camera 48MP + 12MP + Flash, and Front 20MP - Spanish Version Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC 2.96GHz CPU processor, Adreno 640 GPU.; LPDDR4x Dual Channel 8GB (2133MHz) | 128 GB of internal memory UFS3.0 548.98 EUR Black Shark 2 Pro 8GB + 128GB Black - Dual SIM, 6.39 Inch AMOLED, Snapdragon 855 Plus, Adreno 640 GPU, Liquid Cooling 3.0, Dual Rear Camera 48MP + 12MP + Flash, and Front 20MP - Spanish Version Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 Plus SoC 2.96GHz CPU processor, Adreno 640 GPU.; LPDDR4x Dual Channel 8GB (2133MHz) | 128 GB of internal memory UFS3.0 549.00 EUR

Nubia Red Magic 3S

Another of the terminals that we have been able to analyze in the past 2019 is from the Nubia gaming division, the Red Magic 3S. And starting with its appearance we believe that it does not leave anyone indifferent if we talk about its version in blue and red gradient. Fortunately for those who are not followed by Barcelona FC we have other two versions in very light and dark gray, but be careful, with 8G of RAM and 128 GB of storage. All of them made of aluminum at the back and on the sides with Gorilla Glass on the screen.

The terminal is not completely flat in the back, something that makes it easier for example to grip in landscape mode. But another reason for this choice is that we have a fan cooling system inside. This is activated in gaming mode, and its acoustic presence is noticeable, but it is also true that the temperatures are much lower than normal systems and even those based on steam or liquid. The measurements of the terminal are 171.7 × 78.5 × 9.7 mm weighing 215 g, which we consider to be well adjusted for its size.

The screen it mounts is AMOLED technology with 6.65 inches and 2340x1080p resolution. Refresh rate is 90Hz and has support for 430-nit HDR with 100% NTSC coverage. We would say that it closely resembles that of the OnePlus 7 Pro, not to say that it is the same. Of course, its frames are quite noticeable and without notch, aimed at playing with the terminal laid. In fact we also have two tactile triggers on the edge equal to the ROG Phone II and below an advanced 7-contact connector for expansion accessories such as the base with RJ45 port, USB-C charging port and headphone jack. There is no lack of facial recognition and a very fast rear fingerprint sensor.

The hardware we have inside consists of a Snapdragon 855+ processor with Adreno 940 GPU and a RAM configuration of 8 and 12 GB LPDDR4X at 2133 MHz. The storage remains at 128 and 256 GB UFS 3.0 without the possibility of expansion with MicroSD, so we recommend 8/12 + 256 GB almost without hesitation. Saving the distances with the CPU of the IPhone 11, it is the fastest Android terminal we have tested, very much on par with Asus' ROG Phone II. In it we have a 5000 mAh battery with 27W fast charge that reached us for about 7 hours of gaming at maximum performance and with the brightness at 50%.

For the rest, we have installed in the back a single rear sensor Sony IMX586 48 MP and a sensor 16 MP in the front. A priori they are high-performance sensors, but the application leaves something to be desired in terms of image processing. We also have a very complete and intuitive game mode application that shows us a lot of hardware data.

• 6.65-inch AMOLED screen 2, 340 x 1, 080 pixels with 90 Hz refresh rate Snapdragon 855+ processor along with 8/12 GB of RAM Storage 128/256 GB UFS 3.0 Design optimized to play in landscape mode Incredible sound quality 5000 mAh battery charging 27W fast Wide connectivity with special accessory port Side touch triggers and air cooling

• Powerful but poorly tuned cameras Aggressive design and not for everyone No memory expansion or NFC Upgradable customization layer

For more information visit our review of Red Magic 3S

Nubia Red Magic 3S Gaming Phone Duty Free + DHL EXPRESS shipping for European customers. Nubia Red Magic 3S Gaming Phone Duty Free + DHL EXPRESS shipping for European customers. Nubia Red Magic 3S Gaming Phone Duty Free + DHL EXPRESS shipping for European customers. 799.00 EUR

Razer Phone 2

A few months ago, Razer became the first brand to launch a gaming smartphone on the market. A brand with extensive experience in the gaming sector, so it somehow seems like a logical step for the firm. A phone that has surprised and generated many comments. In addition to having opened the ban for other brands to also launch their models.

The Razer Phone features a 5.7-inch screen with QHD resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It has been specifically designed to be able to play so everything is designed to give a better experience, from the quality, the colors or the refresh rate. As a processor, we find Snapdragon 835, the best from last year on the market. So we will not have problems, it is a processor with great power.

We also have 8GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. Although it is not too much, we have the possibility of expanding them to a maximum of 2 TB of capacity. We can store everything we want in this way. As for the cameras, the back has a dual 12 + 12 MP lens while in the front, a single 8 MP lens awaits us.

Battery is a key aspect of the Razer Phone, and they don't disappoint in this regard, with a 4, 000 mAh battery, which also comes with fast charging. An element of importance in a gaming smartphone like this. Since it will be of enormous help to us. It also has a fingerprint sensor and NFC to make mobile payments.

It is what many consider the original gaming smartphone l. A powerful, quality and well-designed phone, clearly thinking about the market segment it reaches. It has managed to capture the most important elements that a telephone of this type must have. A success for the brand in the international market.

• 8 GB RAM memoryDisplay 5.7 ″ IPS 2560 x 1440 pxSound qualityFast charge

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor Display useful surface: 72% No water or dust resistance No wireless charging

Razer Phone - Smartphone with UltraMotion Screen 120 Hz (64 GB expandable, Dolby Atmos technology, 4G and battery with 4000 mAh) With Dolby ATMOS technology; THX certified; cinema-quality realistic audio; Two 12 MP cameras With a f 1.7 wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens 203.18 EUR

These are the most important gaming phones on the market, and the guidelines to keep in mind when buying one. We hope they are of help to you. For you, what is the best gaming smartphone on the market? We want to know your opinion!