Top 5 best gaming phone 2025

I would suggest these phones to avid mobile gamers out of all the ones I’ve tested.

Your app library is completely transformed by the top gaming phones. These gadgets can push your favorite thumb tappers even farther because to their incredibly strong processors, generous amounts of RAM, and excellent, high-refresh rate displays. There are several gaming phones available for the Play Store power user to pick from, since smaller screens are becoming even more popular due to the growth of Xbox Cloud gaming services.

Because of this, it can be challenging to determine exactly what you need from a smartphone and how much a gaming-specific device will cost. Fortunately, the most expensive gaming phones are becoming slightly less expensive as they get better. As a result, there are now solutions to suit every budget, and we’ve compiled our top picks below.

Our staff of professionals is available to recommend the top gaming phones available right now, along with the best deals. Before making that crucial choice, we’ve used our own first-hand knowledge of the newest and best releases to make sure you’re receiving a comprehensive picture of the market. Naturally, you won’t get the performance of a gaming laptop or even the greatest gaming tablets here, but these are the ones we’d suggest for a thumb twitcher that fits in your pocket.

• Best overall:Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro
• Best value:RedMagic 9S Pro
• Best budget:Samsung Galaxy A50
• Best controls:Black Shark 5 Pro
• Best Most comfortable:Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

How We Chose The best Gaming phones

The top gaming phones were chosen by carefully examining a number of crucial factors that guarantee optimal functionality, performance, and affordability. To provide a flawless gaming experience, we concentrated on key components including strong processors, sophisticated cooling systems, high refresh rate screens, and responsive touch sampling rates. In order to guarantee continuous gaming for prolonged periods, battery life and quick charging characteristics were also assessed. We also looked at build quality, taking into account components like sturdy aluminum frames, high-quality glass backs, and ergonomic designs for easy holding.

In addition to usefulness, design and aesthetics were important considerations. We chose gaming phones that offer superior performance along with svelte looks, RGB lighting that can be customized, and rich audio. In order to determine how well these devices function under demanding gaming loads, real-world performance was evaluated through user reviews and feedback. In order to guarantee that every gaming phone provides exceptional value for its cost, pricing was yet another crucial consideration. Lastly, brand reputation was taken into account, with an emphasis on producers who are renowned for their inventiveness, dependability, and robust customer service. With the exceptional performance that this list of gaming phones promises, every gaming session will be genuinely engaging and delightful.

Over Top Picks:

The best gaming phone overall

1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

The newest model in the industry-leading line of mobile thumb tappers from Asus is the ROG Phone 9 Pro. This is the gaming phone to beat in 2025 because it is loaded with incredibly quick processing technology, lots of storage, and a ton of RAM. It also has an 185Hz refresh rate display to keep everything looking nice.

When you turn that stunning AMOLED screen around, you’ll see a quite simple layout. Our review device was a 6.78-inch tablet with a sleek finish, a dash of red to indicate that it’s more than a mainstream flagship, and a darker black coloring. Until you adjust its AniMe Vision settings, that is. Here, a tiny group of LEDs come to life, providing a back-panel display like to that of the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro. Finding a mobile controller can be a bit challenging because the ROG Phone 9 Pro’s USB-C connector at the bottom of the device is still a little off-center. That’s not the only thing that has changed from its predecessor.

However, what’s inside is what matters most, and the ROG Phone 9 Pro has enough power to run demanding mobile games and stream content thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, up to 24GB of RAM, and 5,500mAh battery. An interesting feature for this year’s device is the ability to play games directly on the AniMe screen on the back panel. The brand’s Air Trigger controls, a touch-capable pair of bumper buttons that make controlling games like Call of Duty Mobile immensely simpler, are still included.

Armory Crate software, which has drank from the same AI tea as almost all other new gaming devices, is also included with the ROG Phone 9 Pro. Here, AI is being used to translate text, remove unwanted noise from your chat, and automatically capture important in-game events as they occur. Despite all of that, you still get the essential Asus experience, with Armory Crate serving as a central location for all of your installed games and providing a variety of overlays and performance modes.

With all that at its disposal, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro confidently beat both the previous 8 Pro and RedMagic 9S Pro in benchmark testing. I would be surprised if it didn’t considering the horsepower on offer, but you’ll struggle to really get these components sweating with most common mobile experiences these days. The battery kept us going for around five and a half hours of intensive gaming – a considerable uptick compared to cheaper models.

The best gaming phone overall at: Amazon, Best Buy, or Wallmart.

The best value gaming phone

2. RedMagic 9S Pro

The RedMagic 9S Pro is the most affordable gaming phone available right now, while being extremely comparable to the model that came before it. Even though this update is merely incremental in comparison to the processing power of the previous 9 Pro model, you’re still receiving an amazing price to performance ratio with amazing in-game effects. This is the place to go if you’re seeking for an Android gaming phone that’s affordable and still provides an improvement over a popular model.

The 9S Pro’s design is more relaxed than that of its predecessors, which is consistent with other industry developments. At first appearance, this block with flat sides and a very thin form only suggests that it was originally used for gaming. From the exterior, this might be any major flagship, but once those RGB fans come to life, things become a little more clear.

Therefore, even though we wished for speakers that weren’t covered while horizontal and a slightly curved rear for landscape gaming, this is a device that looks good and feels comfortable in the hand.

Naturally, all of the features unique to gaming phones are still available to you. In addition to the dedicated game launcher that enables rapid access to all of your programs and may provide system statistics and performance adjustments with an in-game overlay, the 9S Pro has two capacitive touch pads along the top that can read inputs at 560 Hz.

That show is something else, especially when you consider the money you’re spending. Any phone will look excellent with a highly crisp AMOLED, but this one’s screen ratio is amazing for its lower price point, and everything still looks sleek even with a refresh rate that’s less than Asus’s 120Hz.

The best value gaming phone at: Amazon, Best Buy, or Wallmart.

The best budget gaming phone

3. Samsung Galaxy A50

Purchasing a less expensive gaming phone does not need you to stick to match-three puzzle games or choose an unidentified brand. Even while the Samsung Galaxy A50 isn’t as expensive as its more ostentatious siblings, such as the S20 or Note series, it’s still a fantastic phone and a wonderful deal if you want to cut expenditures without sacrificing quality.

I nearly had to speak with it to convey that it needed to quit displaying the big boys when I was testing this for gaming versus some really pricey phones. Call of Duty Mobile with high frame rate and visual settings. Why not? Although it wasn’t nearly as slick or feature-rich as your flagship phones that cost $1000 or £1000, the A50 is still far superior at less than a third of the price.

The Samsung Galaxy A50’s camera is excellent for a daytime phone; the main issue is that it can lose detail in nighttime photos if there are too many artificial light sources. Remarkably for a phone of this cost, it features a dual-SIM slot, which is useful if you have separate SIMs for work and home or if you’re buying a cheap data card for a trip overseas. We’d stay with the A50 because it’s generally less expensive, but if you’re wondering, here are the most recent Galaxy A51 prices. The newer Galaxy A51 has the same internal specifications and display as the A50, with the exception of an upgrade to 48MP/32MP (front/back) camera lenses.

The budget gaming phone at: Amazon, Best Buy, or Wallmart.

The best controls on a gaming phone

4. Black Shark 5 Pro

It’s challenging to maintain the

for the best gaming phone. Indeed, this gadget must be among the most potent models available, but it must also be affordable. The Black Shark 5 Pro has a great price to performance ratio. Although this is by no means a cheap technology, the sensation of exorbitant expenditures is lacking. Additionally, a device must perform as well as a gaming machine as it does as a real smartphone in order to be deemed the greatest gaming phone overall. The Black Shark 5 Pro’s camera fills that need.

It’s uncommon to find a gaming phone with such high-end specifications and performance that also has a respectable selection of lenses. The photos we were able to take here really amazed us. Yes, you are giving up some smartphone features, the most significant of which is the inability to wirelessly charge, but this is still a useful gadget with a battery.

However, the Black Shark 5 Pro will truly shine when you load up some games. On that stunning OLED screen, everything is clear and fluid, and there are actual pop-up trigger buttons to keep all of your actions accurate and quick. These days, most phones include touch-capacitive buttons along the top instead of these physical clickers. But we were especially appreciative of these minor improvements, which made the whole experience much more interesting.

You have a secret weapon in your pocket when you combine all of that with a design and feel that pushes the Black Shark series closer to the mainstream smartphone market. This is the phone of dreams that doesn’t top the price charts.

The best controls on a gaming phone at: Amazon, Best Buy, or Wallmart.

The most comfortable gaming phone

5. Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate

To be sure, the newest ROG phone does not break the rules. With its hefty form size and bezels reminiscent of a much older handset, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has a design that is nearly comparable to the previous model. However, with newer releases opting for a harsh flat design this is a golden age of comfort we’re keen to keep alive.

This is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which provides amazing performance and cooling support. Without the dedicated AeroCooler system (sold separately), things can get a little heated when pushed to max, but we were never uncomfortable during standard everyday gaming. That’s not something we can say for the majority of gaming phones out there.

When you combine that with a stunning screen (which is especially hard on you because its resolution is just 2448 x 1080) and a powerful pair of front-firing speakers, the whole experience is unmatched. The AMOLED display, which operates at 165 Hz, makes everything clear and fast, and the touch-sensitive triggers ensure that every shot is taken with exceptional accuracy.

Even the greatest gaming phones occasionally have software bugs that the ROG Phone 7 Ultimate has managed to avoid. All of your games are neatly unified by the Armoury Crate program, which also acts as a central location for screen captures, framerate limits, and performance settings. This sparsity is a pleasant relief because it’s not uncommon to find similar functions dispersed across multiple programs filling up a gaming phone.

All of it makes the expensive price point even more alluring, especially if you’re willing to spend money on a high-end gadget. You might be stopped in your tracks by one drawback, though. The phone’s USB-C charging port is positioned off-center. This implies that most mobile controllers, which frequently connect directly via this USB-C connector, will not work with the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate. It won’t affect Bluetooth gamepads, but you’ll have to seek elsewhere if you want to use something like the Razer Kishi V2.

All of this adds to the allure of the price point, particularly if you are prepared to shell out cash for a high-end device. Yet there is one disadvantage that could stop you cold. The USB-C charging port on the phone is angled. This suggests that the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate will not be compatible with the majority of mobile controllers, which often connect directly via this USB-C port. Bluetooth gamepads will not be impacted, however if you want to use a device like the Razer Kishi V2, you will need to go elsewhere.

The most comfortable gaming phone at: Amazon, Best Buy, or Wallmart.

How we test gaming phones

Every phone that makes it through our testing process is evaluated to determine whether it qualifies as one of the top gaming phones available. But above all, we utilize these gadgets to see how well their screens, cameras, form factors, and—most importantly—battery lives withstand daily use. For this reason, we take each model as our own during the testing phase, testing each phone in both everyday situations and intense gaming sessions.

Following that, we test each gaming phone’s performance and battery life by putting it through a number of games. Our main games include Fortnite (on Android), Magic the Gathering: Arena, PUBG, and Call of Duty Mobile.

Read our complete GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy to learn more about how we formulate our recommendations.

Which companies produce gaming phones?

As of this writing, only two companies consistently release new gaming phones specifically for mobile users, despite the fact that Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and numerous more are all competitors in the smartphone market. Both Nubia and Asus have their own product lines, and both get yearly (and occasionally more frequent) updates with the newest cooling and processor technologies. These are the brands of gaming phones you will have to choose from if you are serious about a specialized gadget. But if you want an all-around experience, it’s always worth keeping those bigger players in mind.

Which phones are best for gaming?

According to our tests, the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro is presently the greatest phone for gaming. However, we would advise looking for the significantly soldered RedMagic 9S Pro if you’re looking for value for your money.

Are gaming phones worth it?

Investing in a gadget that can keep up with your interests is always worthwhile if you’re interested in the vast and amazing world of mobile gaming. You’ll benefit from a more powerful CPU, a quicker screen, more RAM and storage, and more gaming features like performance modes and frames per second.

However, we would advise looking for a phone that can support your mobile gameplay without sacrificing other features if you occasionally play PUBG or tinker with Apple Arcade. The best gaming phones can be expensive and frequently lack camera and advanced networking features, so it’s best to consider whether you’ll really use them before making the purchase.