When buying a smartphone for gaming you’ll need one with a high-resolution screen, a high refresh rate, plenty of power, and decent battery life.
While the latest Samsung and iPhone offerings tick many of these boxes, a gaming-dedicated smartphone can give you a lot more bang for your buck.
For the modern mobile gamer looking to buy the ultimate gaming smartphone, we recommend the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro.
This smartphone will run top-end games at their highest graphics setting without a hitch thanks to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and an Adreno 730 GPU.
The Black Shark 5 Pro also features retractable gaming triggers, 15-minute fast-charging capability, and a 108MP rear camera.
If refresh rate and screen size are what count, then the Nubia Red Magic 7 is the smartphone for you.
It features the biggest screen and highest refresh rate on this list, with a 6.8-inch display and a refresh rate of 165Hz.
The Magic 7 also has Gorilla Glass 5 protection, a built-in cooling fan, and responsive touch-sensitive triggers.
Alternatively, for those looking for a cheaper device that is still regarded as a contender in the mobile gaming space, then the Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro and Asus ROG Phone 5 are really good options.
Both of these devices offer all the same specs as the Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro, but with a Snapdragon 888 processor and Adreno 660 GPU.
Additionally, the Asus ROG Phone 5 offers Gorilla Glass Victus and Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the front and rear respectively for optimal drop and scratch resistance.
The best smartphones for mobile gaming in 2022 and their specifications are listed below.
Note: These devices are listed at their starting price, as the price varies based on the configuration options available to you.
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro — starting from R19,800
| Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro specifications | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 12 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 8/12/16 GB of LPDDR5 |
| Graphics | Adreno 730 |
| Storage | 256/512 GB |
| Display | 6.67-inch, 2400 x 1080 OLED (144Hz) |
| Front camera | 16MP |
| Rear cameras | 108MP + 13MP + 5MP |
| Battery | 4650mAh |
| Ports | USB 3.0 Type-C | Dual nano-SIM slot |
Nubia Red Magic 7 — starting from R15,450
| ZTE Nubia Red Magic 7 specifications | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 12 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| RAM | 12/16/18 GB of LPDDR5 |
| Graphics | Adreno 730 |
| Storage | 128/256/512 GB |
| Display | 6.8-inch, 2400 x 1080 OLED (165Hz) |
| Front camera | 8MP |
| Rear cameras | 64MP + 8MP + 2MP |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| Ports | USB 3.0 Type-C | Dual nano-SIM slot | 3.5mm jack |
Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro — starting from R14,900
| Xiaomi Black Shark 4S Pro specifications | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 5G |
| RAM | 8/12/16 GB of LPDDR5 |
| Graphics | Adreno 660 |
| Storage | 128/256/512 GB |
| Display | 6.67-inch, 2400 x 1080 OLED (144Hz) |
| Front camera | 20MP |
| Rear cameras | 64MP + 8MP + 5MP |
| Battery | 4500mAh |
| Ports | USB 3.0 Type-C | Dual nano-SIM slot | 3.5mm jack |
Asus ROG Phone 5 — starting from R14,000
| Asus ROG Phone 5 specifications | |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 11 |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 5G |
| RAM | 8/12/16 GB of LPDDR5 |
| Graphics | Adreno 660 |
| Storage | 128/256 GB |
| Display | 6.78-inch, 2448 x 1080 OLED (144Hz) |
| Front camera | 24MP |
| Rear cameras | 64MP + 13MP + 5MP |
| Battery | 6,000mAh |
| Ports | USB 3.0 Type-C | Dual nano-SIM slot | 3.5mm jack |
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