Best gaming phone 2022: the top 10 mobile game performers TechRadar Skip to main content TechRadar is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's why you can trust us. Best gaming phone 2022 the top mobile game champions By James Peckham published 29 September 2022 The best gaming phones for Android and iOS Included in this guide:1Asus ROG Phone 6DView (opens in new tab)2XiaomiBlack Shark 5 ProCheck Price (opens in new tab)3AsusROG Phone 5Check Price (opens in new tab)4Nubia Red Magic 7View (opens in new tab)5XiaomiBlack Shark 4 ProCheck Price (opens in new tab)6SonyXperia 1 IVCheck Price (opens in new tab)7AppleiPhone 14 Pro MaxCheck Price (opens in new tab)8SamsungGalaxy S22 UltraCheck Price (opens in new tab)9OnePlus10TCheck Price (opens in new tab)10POCOF4 GTCheck Price (opens in new tab) (Image credit: Asus, Lenovo, Nubia) If you're an avid mobile gamer, you need one of the best gaming phones. Such phones are more than just the latest processor in a regular shell with designs that are specifically made with gamers in mind, while offering features you can't get elsewhere. Buying a gaming phone requires prioritizing different things to regular phones. You'll need to look for great performance, a large and high resolution screen with a high refresh rate and - ideally - good battery life. Phones like the Asus Rog Phone 6D can do this, which is why it's in the top spot. However, regular phones can also provide great performance. It can be useful to consider devices with dedicated shoulder triggers or improved cooling too. Whatever your intentions, below is our ranking of the best gaming phones. We've started out with ones specially designed for gaming, with more general smartphones further down. Once you've picked out your phone, check out our look at the best iPhone games and best Android games to know what to play. Best gaming phones 2022 (Image credit: Asus) 1 Asus ROG Phone 6D The ultimate gaming phone SpecificationsRelease date: September 2022Weight: 247gDimensions: 173 x 77 x 10.4mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.78-inchResolution: 1080 x 2448CPU: MediaTek Dimension 9000+RAM: 16GBStorage: 512GBBattery: 6,000mAhRear camera: 50MP + 13MP + 5MPFront camera: 12MP Reasons to buy+Great display+Loud speakers Reasons to avoid-Expensive-Not available in the US Asus knows how to make good gaming phones as demonstrated by the Asus Rog Phone 6D. It has a near identical design to the Asus Rog Phone 6 but with superior cooling so it's never going to overheat while you play. MediaTek's new Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset is a force to be reckoned with while it's paired up beautifully with a 6.78-inch full HD OLED display. A 165Hz refresh rate will delight gamers along with plenty of viewing modes to set. Speaker performance is excellent too while Asus's software includes extensive in-game tools. The only downside here is the camera which is fairly average, but if you're solely focused on gaming, the Asus Rog Phone 6D will delight. Read our full Asus Rog Phone 6D review. (Image credit: Future) 2 Black Shark 5 Pro Gaming for happy trigger fingers SpecificationsRelease date: April 2022Weight: 220gDimensions: 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.67-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1RAM: 8/12/16GBStorage: 256/512GBBattery: 4,650mAhRear camera: 108MP + 13MP + 5MPFront camera: 16MPspecificationsColourBlackConditionNewToday's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at Black Shark (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Powerful performance+Retractable triggers Reasons to avoid-Lackluster battery life-Gets hot The Black Shark 5 Pro offers some fantastic performance for the price, easily ensuring it's the best gaming phone around now. It can play top-end games at their highest graphics setting without a hitch thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 12GB of RAM. Further helping your gaming experience are a set of pop-up physical triggers that can be assigned a function for your game. It makes a big difference, effectively turning the phone into a gaming controller all-in-one. While it gets rather hot and battery life could be a little better, the Black Shark 5 Pro is a potent gaming system that's perfectly suited for gaming on the move. Read our review: Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro (Image credit: Future) 3 Asus ROG Phone 5 The best gaming phone that appeals to non-gamers too SpecificationsRelease date: April 2021Weight: 238gDimensions: 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.78-inchResolution: 1080 x 2448CPU: Snapdragon 888RAM: 8/12/16GBStorage: 128/256GBBattery: 6,000mAhRear camera: 64MP + 13MP + 5MPFront camera: 24MPspecificationsRAM8GB RAM - 16GB RAMStorage Size128GB - 512GBColourBlack, WhiteRead more ▼Today's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at Newegg (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Remarkable performance+Great display and speakers Reasons to avoid-No telephoto camera-Large, heavy and dense The Asus ROG Phone 5 is a remarkable gaming phone – even though it's a generation behind our number one pick, the Asus ROG Phone 6. Its highlights include power from the pairing of a Snapdragon 888 chipset and up to 16GB of RAM, plus a screen that has a refresh rate of 144Hz and a touch sampling rate of 300Hz – both of which are higher than most phones and we found this pairing beneficial to games. The Asus ROG Phone 5 also has a huge 6,000mAh battery, so you can game for longer, and with 65W charging you won't be out of action for long when it runs dry. Add to that responsive shoulder buttons, programmable RGB lights, and compatibility with a range of gaming-focused accessories, and the Asus ROG Phone 5 really is the complete package for gamers. Read our review: Asus ROG Phone 5 (Image credit: Basil Kronfli) 4 Nubia Red Magic 7 The best value gaming phone SpecificationsRelease date: February 2022Weight: 215gDimensions: 170.6 x 78.3 x 9.5 mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.8-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1RAM: 8/12/16GBStorage: 128/256/512GBBattery: 4,500mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 8MP Reasons to buy+Great screen+Powerful processing Reasons to avoid-Poor battery life-Bulky design The Nubia Red Magic 7 isn't shy in any way. Bold and brash and a little heavy and thick, it offers some great specs. There's a large-sized 6.8-inch AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 165Hz which means it can handle fast-moving action at every turn. Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor can play any top-end game you want with some fantastic benchmark scores. Like other gaming phones, it gets a tad hot but a fan helps cool things down fairly quickly. Elsewhere, its battery life might not get you through a day of gaming but fast 65W charging helps you get back up to speed faster at least. Ultimately, it's the screen that will keep you coming back to the Nubia Red Magic 7. Read our review: Nubia Red Magic 7 (Image credit: Future) 5 Black Shark 4 Pro The best gaming phone for battery life SpecificationsRelease date: March 2021Weight: 220gDimensions: 163.8 x 76.4 x 9.9 mmOS: Android 11Screen size: 6.67-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 888 5GRAM: 8/12/16GBStorage: 128/256/512GBBattery: 4,500mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 5MPFront camera: 20MPspecificationsColourBlackConditionNewToday's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at Black Shark (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Dedicated gaming features+Great battery life Reasons to avoid-Bulky-Mediocre camera Bulky it might be but the Black Shark 4 Pro has a lot to love here. As with other Black Shark phones, it has integrated gaming triggers that pop-out and can be customized to do what you need them to do. Sporting a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED screen, it's a great option for those that want to see their games shine too. A 144Hz refresh rate means the action is always silky smooth here, while a Snapdragon 888 processor keeps the action sailing at all times. A dedicated gaming app in the form of Shark Space rounds things off nicely, allowing you to focus on your gaming time. It even manages more than a day between charges. Read our review: Black Shark 4 Pro The best non-gaming phones for gaming We've suggested the best phones designed for gaming, but if you'd rather have a more mainstream device, here are all the phones we recommend that, among the rest of their strengths, are also very good phones to play games on. You'll find a lot of overlap with our best phones list, for good reason: these handsets have top-end specs and screens to give the best gaming experience possible outside of gaming-focused phones. It's worth noting also that there's now native Xbox and PlayStation controller support on both iOS and Android, so although the following phones don't - for the most part - have dedicated gaming peripherals from their makers, they do support some existing peripherals. (Image credit: Future) 1 Sony Xperia 1 IV Sony's ultimate phone right now SpecificationsRelease date: June 2022Weight: 185gDimensions: 165 x 71 x 8.2mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.5-inchResolution: 1644 x 3840CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1RAM: 12GBStorage: 256/512GBBattery: 5,000mAhRear camera: 12MP + 12MP + 12MP + 0.3MPFront camera: 12MPspecificationsStorage Size256GB - 512GBColourBlack, WhiteConditionNewToday's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at BHPhoto (opens in new tab)View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Continuous optical zoom+Can shoot 4K 120fps footage Reasons to avoid-Temperamental fingerprint scanner-Very expensive The Sony Xperia 1 IV is the gaming phone that isn't a gaming phone, by which we mean that while it isn't marketed as a gaming phone – and is a top all-round handset – it has a snap-on cooler accessory, which is basically designed for gamers. Plus, it also has features to help with mobile game streaming, and with its powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and incredibly sharp 4K screen, it has all the performance and display quality that gamers need. As such, it's a fantastic option for mobile gamers who want something like a gaming phone, but that doesn't, well, look like a gaming phone, and that also performs well for non-gaming things like photography – as the cameras here are excellent too. Typically for Sony you'll also enjoy respectable battery life from its 5,000mAh juice pack, so it can survive a sustained gaming session as well. Read our review: Sony Xperia 1 IVToday's best Sony Xperia 1 IV deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,598 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,598 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,599.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff) 2 iPhone 14 Pro Max The best Apple iPhone SpecificationsWeight: 240gDimensions: 160.7 x 77.6 x 7.9mmOS: iOS 16Screen size: 6.7-inchResolution: 1290 x 2796CPU: A16 BionicRAM: 6GBStorage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TBBattery: 4,323mAhRear camera: 48MP+12MP+12MPFront camera: 12MPspecificationsRAM6GB RAMStorage Size128GB - 1TBColourBlack, Gold, Purple, SilverRead more ▼Today's Best DealsView at AT&T Mobility (opens in new tab)View at Newegg (opens in new tab)Check Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Bold new camera upgrades+Excellent battery life Reasons to avoid-Longevity can vary wildly-3x zoom is now lagging behind the market The iPhone 14 Pro Max is one of the very best conventional smartphones for gaming, as while it might lack gaming-specific features like physical triggers, it has something no dedicated gaming phone has access to – the A16 Bionic chipset. Benchmarks suggest this is more powerful than anything Qualcomm, Samsung or MediaTek can muster, so for sheer power the iPhone 14 Pro Max is a top choice. That power can translate to better quality graphics and improved frame rates. Plus, more games will be well optimized for this phone than a lot of the Android competition, since it's such a popular handset. Add to that the wealth of games available on the App Store – not to mention the Apple Arcade subscription service – and this is a clear winner on the gaming front. Its 6.7-inch 120Hz screen is large and high quality too, so games will look good, and its battery life exceeds that of most non-gaming phones, so you won't need to plug it in too often. Read our review: iPhone 14 Pro MaxToday's best Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,099.99 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,689 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)No price information (opens in new tab)Check Amazon (opens in new tab)Show More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices (Image credit: Future) 3 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Amazing cameras, also plays games SpecificationsRelease date: February 2022Weight: 228gDimensions: 163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.8-inchResolution: 1440 x 3088CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 / Exynos 2200RAM: 8GB / 12GBStorage: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TBBattery: 5,000mAhRear camera: 108MP + 10MP + 10MP + 12MPFront camera: 40MPspecificationsStorage Size128GB - 512GBColourBlack, Green, Red, WhiteConditionNew, RefurbishedToday's Best DealsView at Samsung (opens in new tab)View at Amazon (opens in new tab)View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Powerful performance+Gorgeous screen Reasons to avoid-Expensive-Battery life could be better The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is almost the ultimate Android gaming phone for someone who also wants all the benefits of a regular smartphone. It has a gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate depending on the situation. Thanks to exceptional brightness, it even works well in direct sunlight. Elsewhere, you get powerful cameras including features like 100x Space Zoom, but the highlight for the gamer is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor which means it can deal with any game you like without a hiccup. Battery life could be a little better for such a sizeable phone but other than that, this is a mature and professional phone that also happens to play games wonderfully. Read our review: Samsung Galaxy S22 UltraPrice comparison: Find the best deal for your next phonePlansUnlockedSee all prices (7 found)FilterGet $50 off this p...Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Installments (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)No contractdata4GBCalls: Calls to MX & CA includedTexts: Messaging to MX & CA includedData: (slowed to 128kbps speeds)Free (opens in new tab) upfrontMonthly$60.79/mth (opens in new tab)Free (opens in new tab) upfront$60.79/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)at Mint Mobile (opens in new tab)Get $50 off this p...Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Installments (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)No contractdata10GBCalls: Calls to MX & CA includedTexts: Messaging to MX & CA includedData: (slowed to 128kbps speeds)Free (opens in new tab) upfrontMonthly$65.79/mth (opens in new tab)Free (opens in new tab) upfront$65.79/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)at Mint Mobile (opens in new tab)Get $50 off this p...Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Installments (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)No contractdata15GBCalls: Calls to MX & CA includedTexts: Messaging to MX & CA includedData: (slowed to 128kbps speeds)Free (opens in new tab) upfrontMonthly$70.79/mth (opens in new tab)Free (opens in new tab) upfront$70.79/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)at Mint Mobile (opens in new tab)Show More Dealspowered by in association with (opens in new tab) The OnePlus 10T in a hand. (Image credit: Future) 4 OnePlus 10T A flagship-killer price for gaming SpecificationsRelease date: August 2022Weight: 204gDimensions: 163 x 75.4 x 8.8mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.7-inchResolution: 1080 x 2412CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1RAM: 8/12/16GBStorage: 128/256GBBattery: 4,800mAhRear camera: 50MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 16MPspecificationsColourBlackConditionNewToday's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Fastest processor+Super-fast charging Reasons to avoid-Cameras not good as OnePlus 10 Pro-Slower charging speed in US The OnePlus 10T uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, currently the top of the line mobile platform from Qualcomm, making it one of the fastest phones you can buy. That alone should set its gaming bona fides in stone, but the phone has plenty more to recommend it, including super-fast charging that gets you back in the game quickly. The display can refresh up to 120Hz, making it prime for fast-moving games. OnePlus even sells a special case for the phone that it says dissipates heat, making it especially useful for long-term gaming sessions, in case you doubted this phone's gaming power. Read our review: OnePlus 10TToday's best OnePlus 10T deals (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$1,005 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices (Image credit: Future) 5 Poco F4 GT Smartly designed for gaming SpecificationsRelease date: April 2022Weight: 210gDimensions: 162.5 x 76.7 x 8.5 mmOS: Android 12Screen size: 6.67-inchResolution: 1080 x 2400CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1RAM: 8/12GBStorage: 128/256GBBattery: 4,700mAhRear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MPFront camera: 20MPToday's Best DealsView at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy+Great gaming triggers+120W charging Reasons to avoid-Poor camera-No waterproofing The Poco F4 GT is a great phone that also happens to be ideal for gaming. It has two triggers built-in and held in place by a magnetic lock, allowing you to use them as needed. Continuing the gaming prowess, the 6.67-inch AMOLED display looks great, with a 120Hz ideally suited for fluid gaming sessions. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor flies as expected with a battery life of about a day doing well enough. Fast charging certainly helps here. Just don't count on it being a good phone for regular purposes like photography. Read our review: Poco F4 GTToday's best Poco F4 GT dealsReduced Price (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)$588.98 (opens in new tab)$559 (opens in new tab)View (opens in new tab)We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices How to choose the best gaming phone for you When you're choosing a gaming phone, you need to think about which games you like to play. If your games benefit from extra controls, you might consider a phone with shoulder buttons. If you play a lot on the go and need amazing battery life and fast charging, look for a phone with a big battery and high wattage charging. If you're looking for a serious gaming powerhouse with the fastest display and coolest look for gamers, that's going to be the top phone on our list. Whatever you want in a gaming phone, we have a pick for all of your priorities. How we tested We only include phones on this list once we've put them through a full review and passed a final verdict on them, so we know exactly how good they are. We then compare and rank them, factoring in their review scores, prices and specs - with a particular focus on the aspects important to gaming. What is the best gaming phone That depends on whether you want a phone specifically built for gaming, or a great all-round handset that also excels for gaming, but we've got picks for both. What should I look for when buying a gaming phone The three main factors to consider are screen (particularly size, resolution and refresh rate), battery life, and processing power. Beyond that, look to extra features that might be useful when gaming, such as triggers or fans, and look to the library of available games, as it differs between Android and iOS.The best Android gamesRound up of today's best dealsPlansUnlockedGet $50 off this p... (opens in new tab)Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)No contractUnlimited minsUnlimitedtexts4GBdataCalls: Calls to MX & CA includedTexts: Messaging to MX & CA includedData: (slowed to 128kbps speeds)Free (opens in new tab) upfront$60.79/mth (opens in new tab)View Deal (opens in new tab)at Mint Mobile (opens in new tab)See all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best pricespowered by James PeckhamJames is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over. See more Mobile phones news TechRadar Newsletter Sign up to get breaking news, reviews, opinion, analysis and more, plus the hottest tech deals! Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. You will receive a verification email shortly. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. MOST POPULARMOST SHARED1The iPhone 14 Pro is made of the wrong stuff; the Pixel 7 proves that to me27 new movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and more this weekend (October 7)3Stop saying Mario doesn't have an accent in The Super Mario Bros. 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