My friend was really busy recently. Do you know what he was doing? Let me tell you, it’s really interesting.
He told me he wanted to get the best gaming smartphone that’s able to play any game. I mean any kind of game you throw at it!
So after telling him the one I love and would prefer, he made more inquiries and got other alternatives.
It’s not like I didn’t give him the best gaming smartphone recommendation, I was looking at the best in terms of price too.
So after a whole week of going up and down the web, forums, Telegram channels, WhatsApp groups etc, he chose one super smartphone which is really the best or one of the best gaming smartphones you can get in 2019.
Would you like to know about the smartphone this gaming freak picked among the best gaming smartphones?
Verily, I am going to tell you. But not right now.
I love gaming with a smartphone, but I really can’t compare my love to the passion my friend has for games.
Seriously, his love for games is out of this Earth.
So, whether you love gaming like my friend or you are an addicted gamer who wants to get his/her hands on the best gaming smartphones currently trending in 2019, then, you are in the right place.
I and my friend GB(GameBoy) will help you pick the best gaming smartphones in 2019.
Before unleashing these gaming beasts, you should take some aspects of any smartphone seriously, especially the ones we could tag gaming smartphones.
- A good gaming smartphone should have a great battery capacity.
It doesn’t make sense to be charging your device every second when you are supposed to be having fun. 3,500, 4,000mAh or more is a good starting point for me.
- A gaming smartphone will and should definitely have a very high resolution. Yes, I said it!
With a high-resolution screen, every detail will come out with life.
- A good gaming smartphone should have a very good memory space. Most games are extremely large and if you love too many games, then more memory is needed.
With more memory, you will have more games to play and have fun. If possible, an expandable storage will really do.
And finally,
- Most gaming smartphones have a very good amount of RAM, and will also be optimized to stay cool even after intensive gaming moments.
Most of the devices on this list will have all these features and even more.
It’s time to see the coolest devices that can be termed strictly for gamers/the best gaming smartphones in 2019.
List of the Best Gaming Smartphones from 2018 to 2019
Gaming smartphones are cool. They have speeds that will wow you and their prices might not be so cheap. Just be ready to step up your budget if you want to get the best gaming smartphone in 2019.
This list isn’t going to be an orderly arrangement of the best gaming smartphones out there. All I and GB are doing is listing out the best smartphones you should definitely consider if gaming is your thing.
PUBG(Player Unknown Battle Ground), Fortnite or whatever is your favorite super game, just throw it at these super gaming smartphones and you will never miss any bit of the fun as intended by the game creators.
Ready player one?
Here is a list of the best gaming smartphones in 2019.
- Xiaomi Poco F1
- Google Pixel 2
- Google Pixel 2 XL
- Google Pixel 3
- Google Pixel 3 XL
- Asus ROG Phone
- Samsung Galaxy S7/Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
- Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+
- Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+
- Samsung Galaxy S10
- Samsung Galaxy Note 8
- Samsung Galaxy Note 9
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
- Asus Zenfone 4 Pro
- Asus Zenfone 5Z
- Asus Zenfone 5V
- Huawei Honor 10
- Huawei Honor Play
- Huawei Mate 10
- Huawei Mate 10 Pro
- Huawei Mate 20 Pro
- Huawei Nova 3
- Huawei P20
- Huawei P20 Pro
- LG G5
- LG G6
- LG G7 ThinQ
- LG V20
- LG V30
- LG V30+
- LG V40
- Nokia 8
- OnePlus 5
- OnePlus 5T
- OnePlus 6
- OnePlus 6T
- Razer Phone
- Razer Phone 2
- Xiaomi Blackshark
- Xiaomi Mi 5
- Xiaomi Mi 5S
- Xiaomi Mi 5S Plus
- Xiaomi Mi 6
- Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus
- Xiaomi Mi 8
- Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer
- Xiaomi Mi 8 SE
- Xiaomi Mi Note 2
- Xiaomi Mi Mix
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
- ZTE Axon 7
- ZTE Axon 7s
- ZTE Axon M
- ZTE Nubia Z17
- ZTE Nubia Z17s
- ZTE Nubia Z11
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- Red Hydrogen One
- Essential PH-1
Xiaomi Pocophone F1
The first device from Xiaomi in the Poco series, the Poco F1 is an all-rounder and a beast. The Poco F1 is one of the cheapest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 devices from a major smartphone maker.
It’s one of the best smartphones currently available with mind-blowing specs and a heart ripping price tag.
Check out UnboxTherapy’s video about the Xiaomi Pocophone F1.
The camera, sound, performance, speed, hardware, display, battery, OS and even the price is revolutionary.
If you are a game lover and would really need a device that will never disappoint you, the Pocophone is a great deal and it surely wouldn’t shake your budget.
Spare me some more time to tell you a little more about this powerful all-rounder.
Xiaomi Poco F1 Specifications
| XIAOMI POCO F1 | SPECIFICATIONS |
|---|---|
| SOFTWARE | ANDROID 8.1 OREO WITH MIUI 9 (ANDROID PIE UPDATE BY Q4 2018) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (8x Kyro 385 cores – 4x modified Cortex-A75, 4x modified Cortex-A55). “LiquidCool” technology. |
| GPU | Adreno 630 |
| RAM and storage | 6GB LPDDR4x RAM and 64GB/128GB UFS 2.1 storage8GB LPDDR4x RAM and 256GB UFS 2.1 storage(microSD support up to 256GB) |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh with Quick Charge 3.0 support |
| Display |
|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 LE |
| Connectivity | Hybrid dual SIM slot (nano SIM + nano SIM/microSD). Dual 4G VoLTE, GPS, USB Type-C port. No NFC |
| Audio | 3.5mm headphone jack. Dirac HD sound. |
| Rear cameras |
|
| Front-facing cameras |
|
| Fingerprint scanner | Yes (rear-mounted) |
| In the box |
|
| Price and availability |
Available via Flipkart and Mi.com in India starting August 29th Will also be available in Hong Kong, Paris, and Jakarta starting August 27th |
| Colors | Steel Blue, Rosso Red, Graphite Black, Armoured Edition |
| Network bands |
|
The Snapdragon 845 is a performance behemoth and the accompanying Adreno 630 GPU means the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 will have no trouble handling all of the latest games.
6GB or 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM is enough to keep everything in memory as well, so you won’t have to worry about frequent app redraws.
With speedy UFS 2.1 storage, you’ll be loading up apps and games really quickly too. Xiaomi touts liquid cooling technology, dubbed “LiquidCool,” which should help the Poco F1 stay performant under load.
The Xiaomi Poco F1 has a 6.18-inch LCD IPS FHD+ panel. It comes in at an 18.7:9 aspect ratio with an exact resolution of 2246×1080. It’s also got a pretty large display notch, which you can, fortunately, hide via software.
With a 4,000mAh battery, you can comfortably play any kind of game for a long period and charge it super fast with the Qualcomm Quick charge 4.0.
Less I forget, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 in the Poco F1 comes with the Adreno 630 GPU that’s 30% faster and more power efficient than its predecessor.
With the Poco F1, you are covered on all grounds and if you are a smartphone gamer, then you will thank me for recommending this awesome $300 device.
Fianlly, the Poco F1 from Xiaomi is a flagship killer that kills other flagship killer devices from the pricey $1,000 smartphones to even a $400 smartphone.
If you really need to taste true smartphone power in all ramifications without breaking your budget, the Xiaomi Poco F1 should be considered.
Essential PH-1
The Essential Phone PH1 is one of the best bezel-less Snapdragon 835 Android smartphones with a clean UI that comes unlocked and ready to be explored. It’s unlocked and works with all network providers straight from the box.
Released in August 2017, it comes with Android 7.1 Nougat(upgradable to Android 8 Oreo and Android 9 Pie), 128 GB storage(No SD card support), 5.71 inches display with 1312×2560 pixels resolution and a 4 GB of RAM.
The Essential phone has a very clean user interface with no bloatware, has a great camera, superb sounds and a nice battery(3040mAh Li-Ion)
It’s has a very small notch and a great display to enjoy multimedia, web, and gaming anytime.
With the latest Android 9 Pie, you will enjoy PiP modes, great features, optimizations and overall user experience will be great.
And for the game lovers, the Essential PH1 supports whatever you will throw at it. Fortnite, PUBG or your favorite game wouldn’t be a problem.
At about $500, the Essential PH 1 isn’t really expensive but it got some really hot specs that will thrill any smartphone gamer.
Samsung Galaxy S7/Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
The Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge were flagship devices from Samsung that both had the Snapdragon 835 processor and a great display like most Samsung Galaxy devices.
With a very high-resolution
- Samsung Galaxy S7: 5.1-inch Super AMOLED, 2,560 x 1,440, 577 ppi, 5.1 inches
- Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: 5.5-inch Super AMOLED, 2,560 x 1,440, 534 ppi, 5.5 inches
the two Android devices have a very cool AMOLED display that will be suitable for any activity especially gaming at night.
It has expandable storage, IP68 certified, supports fast charging and also has NFC. When I had my Galaxy S7 Edge, I got the phone stocked with the best games in 2018 and each gameplay was a moment I always loved.
It’s a great phone, but the only downside is the battery capacity. Apart from that, everything is okay.
Samsung Galaxy S8 / S8+
When I first got my hands on these devices, I fell in love with the most outstanding physical attraction of the phone.
I mean the display. Oh my gosh, it’s out of this world.
Well, if you are ready to pick a smartphone to smash all your favorite games and never complain of lagging or whatever annoys you, the Samsung Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus is and will always be a great choice.
Why?
The Infinity Display on the Galaxy S8/S8 Plus has an incredible end-to-end screen that spills over the phone’s sides, forming a completely smooth, continuous surface with no bumps or angles.
The devices both use the flagship Snapdragon 845 processor with the Adreno 630 GPU for faster graphics processing. With such combo, you will find yourself looking for more 3D games and realistic adventures to dive in.
The Galaxy S8/S8 Plus isn’t just gaming devices, they are secured(Fingerprint, Face Unlock, Iris Scanner), supports AI(Bixby), looks and feels good and above all, it’s a flagship device.
And you know what that means.
You can check out an in-depth specification of the Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus here.
Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9+
The Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus looks a lot like the Galaxy S8/S8 Plus with just a little fix here and there that makes a little difference.
But, let’s talk about gaming and the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus.
- Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus (US) – Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core chipset (4x 2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4×1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver CPUs), Adreno 630 GPU
- Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9 Plus (Europe and Asia) – Exynos 9810 (4x 2.8 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A55 CPUs), Mali-G72 MP18 GPU
With both devices running at such speed with a powerful hardware, it’s gonna be a gamer’s choice and favorite.
Like most Samsung Galaxy flagship devices, they both have an expandable storage, super cool cameras, sound, powerful security options, and a lot more.
You can choose either the Galaxy S9 (4GB RAM) or the Galaxy S9 Plus(6GB RAM). Either of them will definitely perform well.
- Galaxy S9 – 3000 mAh (same as Galaxy S7, Galaxy S8)
- Galaxy S9 Plus – 3500 mAh (same as Galaxy S7 Edge, Galaxy S8 Plus)
If you want a premium feeling in your hand while you are killing that game, then the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus can be considered.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Most of the latest Samsung Galaxy devices are all suitable for playing almost all the best Android games available. With the Snapdragon 835 in the Galaxy Note 8, you can enjoy all your favorite awesome games and never feel a break.
The Note 8 powered is by an Exynos 8895 or a Snapdragon 835 processor, depending on geographic region, along with 6 GB of RAM. It has a 6.3-inch 1440p Super AMOLED display with curved edges similar to the Galaxy S8, but with a slightly more flat surface area.
With such a vibrant display, every single detail will come out with saturated colors that will stay accurate no matter the environment.
The Note 8 screen is one of the sweetest display you will find on any Android device.
With 6GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of storage, you can enjoy high definition gaming without fear of running out of storage or processing power.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is optimized for gaming and this makes it a great choice for a gaming smartphone in 2018. Level up your mobile gaming experience with the flagship Snapdragon 845 processor(Mali-G72 MP18 – EMEA,
Adreno 630 – USA/LATAM, China) paired with up to an 8GB of RAM.
It runs on Android 8.1 Oreo and has the biggest battery (4,000mAh) ever on a Galaxy phone.
With a screen size of 6.4 inches, there’s so much room to view and enjoy movies, gameplay and web browsing
The Galaxy Note 9 gives you high performance during game time with a cutting-edge processor that cuts down on lag, a water-carbon cooling system that helps prevent overheating, and an AI-based performance adjuster that ensures your game stays smooth, not sluggish.
The latest Galaxy Note from Samsung is a device you shouldn’t expect less from.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S3
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S3’s strongest suit is being an entertainment pleaser. If you’re looking for the best Android tablet for movies, music, and gaming, this is it.
Games on the Tab S3 get a boost from the bright Quad HD screen and extra speakers. With a modern Snapdragon 820 chipset and Vulkan API, this tablet is capable of running the best Android games available.
Game Launcher, first seen on the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, makes playing games on a tablet much easier. It lets you disable those touchy capacitive recent and back keys while playing.
You can also shut off alerts, take in-game screenshots and even record video, complete with a front-facing camera option for Let’s Play videos.
With a great display (9.7 inches Super AMOLED Display), Snapdragon 820, 4GB of RAM, Micro SD support and a 6,000mAh battery, the Galaxy Tab S3 will make a great gaming device as well as for entertainment.
Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 with a Snapdragon 835 chipset paired with 4/6GB of RAM is a great entertainment console.
With a fantastic high-resolution screen(10.5 inches Super AMOLED Display), day-long battery life(7,300mAh battery), great design, portable size, good performance, and a decent 2-in-1 solution, it’s surely going to leave you with awesome satisfaction.
It runs on the latest Android 8.1 Oreo which brings optimizations and new features.
The Galaxy Tab S4 is capable of running any game you throw at it including your favorite 3D games like Fortnite and PUBG.
Google Pixel 2
Most flagship devices usually have the Snapdragon 835 chipset which has a lot of performance improvements. The Google Pixel 2 runs using Qualcomm’s older Snapdragon 835 CPU and has 4GB of RAM.
With stock Android and an optimized UI, the Pixel 2 will be able to play graphics intensive games.
The basic model includes 64GB of storage, and there’s a 128GB version available too. The Google Pixel 2 has a 5.0 inches Super AMOLED display, great camera, and a 2,700mAh battery.
It comes with Android Oreo but can be upgraded to Android 9 Pie.
Google Pixel 2 XL
Like the Google Pixel 2, the Pixel 2 XL has one of the best cameras on a smartphone and a great display(6.0 inches P-OLED) which will produce vibrant colors for any content.
With a bigger battery(3,520mAh) than the Pixel 2(2,700mAh), it’s going to last longer.
It also features the Snapdragon 845 CPU paired with a 4GB of RAM. It’s upgradable to Android 9 Pie as well. You have either a 64 or 128GB of internal storage options without support for expanding the storage via a Micro SD card.
Asus ROG Phone
A smartphone that’s basically targetted at gamers. If you are looking for a device that can replace your gaming console completely.
It features are:
- The latest Snapdragon 845 CPU & Adreno 630 GPU
- A whopping 8GB of RAM
- 6.0 inches gorgeous AMOLED display
- ROG Gaming X mode UI
- 108.6% DCI-P3 color gamut
- Wide Colour Gamut
- HDR display
- 90 Hz (1ms pixel response time)
- ROG Gaming UI
- Always-on display
- UFS2.1 128/512 GB of storage
- 4,000mAh battery
-
2.5D AND 3D Curved Front Corning Gorilla Glass 6
It’s a smartphone that will flog out other devices when it comes to gaming.
If you are a core die-hard gamer that can spare some bucks out, the Asus ROG phone should be on your most wanted/must-have list.
To spice things really hot, it has a
- World-class World-beating 2.96GHz speed-binned Qualcomm SDM845 CPU
- Ultra-responsive AirTriggers
- Advanced haptics
- Innovative GameCool vapor-chamber cooling system to keep the device temperature balanced when playing graphics-intensive games for long periods.
- Unique handling design with side-mounted port
ROG Phone also packs ultrafast wireless connectivity in its inventory, including Cat 18 LTE and the latest 802.11ad gigabit-class Wi-Fi.
It also provides great sound to accompany the visuals with:
- Dual front-facing stereo speakers
- Dual smart amplifiers, the latest NXP 9874 amplifiers
- 24-bit/192KHz Hi-Res Audio
- DTS 7.1-channel surround sound
- Qualcomm aptX High-definition Bluetooth® wireless audio
Asus Zenfone 4 Pro
For taking awesome photos and videos on a smartphone, the Asus Zenfone 4 is a great smartphone to buy. It features a Dual 12MP Sony IMX 362 sensor, Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 CPU, Qualcomm Adreno 540 and a 6GB of RAM.
This device can handle all the latest Android games effectively and also has enough storage space(UFS 2.1 64GB / 128GB) that can be expanded up to 2 Terabytes via a Micro SD card.
The Asus Zenfone 4 Pro has a 3,600 mAh battery that’s sure going to have enough juice to satisfy you.
Asus Zenfone 5Z
Using the flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset/Adreno 630 paired with an 8GB of RAM, the Asus Zenfone 5Z is a great gaming device that can work around any game you throw at it.
The Asus Zenfone 5Z features a 6.2 inches IPS screen with an 18.7:9 ratio.
The battery capacity is 3,300mAh which is quite good and should keep up with all your needs.
It runs on Android 8.0 Oreo and has a – 24-bit/192kHz audio with dual speakers.
It has AI features that will help improve the battery usage.
Asus Zenfone 5V
The Asus Zenfone 5V is among the first smartphones to use the Snapdragon 636 processor. It’s paired with a 6GB of RAM and supports up to 512 GB via Micro SD card.
It has a great camera, audio and a 3,300mAh battery that will power the device effectively.
You also have the Android 8.0 Oreo as the stock firmware on the Asus Zenfone 5V.
The new Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 with Adreno 501 is optimized for gaming and overall performance. So this device is surely not going to disappoint you if you throw some cool 3D games at it.
Huawei Honor 10
The Huawei Honor 10 is powered by a powerful Kirin 970 CPU paired with up to 8 GB of RAM. The device sports a 5.84 inches HD screen and runs on the Android 8.1 Oreo.
Apart from making a great gaming smartphone, the Honor 10 is a superb camera smartphone. It also has a nice 3400mAh Li-Po battery.
Huawei Honor Play
The Honor Play brings Huawei’s flagship Kirin 970 SoC down to the $300 segment.
Although its chipset might be a little bit aged, the Honor Play has what it takes to keep up with its rivals.
The phone is powered by Huawei’s proprietary GPU Turbo tech. There’s also 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage to go along with it, all packed in a smooth metal body with a 6.3-inch IPS LCD notched display on top.
The Honor Play is a real player and can also do a very good job running all your best 3D games without any noticeable lag.
Huawei Mate 10
The phone comes with a 5.90-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1440 pixels by 2560 pixels at a PPI of 499 pixels per inch.
The Huawei Mate 10 is powered by 1.8GHz octa-core processor and it comes with 4GB of RAM.
With 4GB of RAM paired with the HiSilicon Kirin 970, the Mate 10 can achieve the impossible.
It also has an outstanding 4,000mAh battery which is very okay for a smartphone with a great camera and other hardware specifications.
Huawei Mate 10 Pro
The Huawei Mate 10 Pro is powered by 1.8GHz octa-core processor and it comes with 4GB of RAM. The phone packs 64GB of internal storage that cannot be expanded.
As far as the cameras are concerned, the Huawei Mate 10 Pro packs a 20-megapixel primary camera on the rear and an 8-megapixel front shooter for selfies.
The Huawei Mate 10 Pro runs Android 8.0 and is powered by a 4000mAh non-removable battery. With a 6.0 inches HD AMOLED display, it’s going to have good color reproduction than other devices with just an IPS screen.
Great device for gaming right?
Huawei Nova 3
The Huawei Nova 3 smartphone was launched in July 2018. The phone comes with a 6.30-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 1080 pixels by 2340 pixels.
The Huawei Nova 3 is powered by 1.8GHz octa-core processor and it comes with a whopping 6GB of RAM. The phone packs 128GB of internal storage that can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card.
The Huawei Nova 3 packs a 16-megapixel primary camera on the rear and a 24-megapixel front shooter for selfies. It runs on Android 8.1 and is powered by a 3750mAh non-removable battery.
Huawei P20
Mostly known for their camera prowess, the P20 series are awesome devices for taking photographs and videos in the most professional ways possible on a smartphone.
It features a 6.1 inches HD AMOLED display, 4000mAh battery, 8GB RAM, 40MP camera and up to 256 GB of storage.
With the flagship Kirin 970, the Huawei P20 is capable of running graphics intensive games without issues or noticeable drawbacks.
Huawei P20 Pro
One of the extremely wicked camera combinations(Tripple camera: 40MP, 20MP, and 8MP) ever in a smartphone can be traced to the Huawei P20 Pro. It also has a 24MP selfie camera all co-engineered with Leica optics.
Apart from taking stunning photographs and amazing lowlight shots on this device, it’s also a great device to power all your gaming needs.
The Huawei P20 Pro sports a gorgeous 6.1 inches AMOLED display which should bring the life out of every color. It is powered by Huawei’s in-house Hisilicon Kirin 970 AI chipset with a massive 8GB of RAM to do all those jobs you will throw at it.
With the Android 8.1 Oreo on top, great CPU, wonderful display, stereo speakers, a massive 4,000mAh battery and up to 256GB of storage, the Huawei P20 Pro can be a gaming device and a professional camera if you want it to.
LG G5
With 4GB RAM paired with the Snapdragon 820, the LG G5 is ready to play. It has a quick reload battery and modular functionality.
It has a 5.3 inches high-resolution display, a 2800mAh battery and runs on the Android 7.0 Nougat. With the SD820 chipset on the LG G5, you can comfortably play games like Fortnite, PUBG, and others.
LG G6
The LG G6 smartphone features a 5.7″ 18:9 FullVision and Dolby Vision™ QHD+ Display, wide-angle cameras and more.
The new LG G6 packs serious innovation with an, bringing images and videos to life, in a durable, easy-to-hold design and a very durable battery.
Feature list:
- 4GB RAM
- 32/64/128 GB
- Snapdragon 821
- 3300mAh Li-Po battery
- 5.7″ Quad HD + FullVision (2880 x 1440) 18:9 Aspect Ratio w/ 564 ppi Display
- 13MP Dual Rear Cameras with sensors on wide & normal angles + 5MP Front Facing Camera
- IP68 Water and Dust Resistant
- Rear Key with Fingerprint Sensor
- USB Type-C Charging Port with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 – reversible design for easier plug-in; fast charging and data transfer.
- Dolby Vision
- Shock Resistant
- Hi-Fi Audi Recorder – capture high-quality sound on the go with the ability to record over a separate audio track.
- Android Beam/Near Field Communication (NFC)
LG G7 ThinQ
The LG G7 features include:
- 4/6GB RAM
- Snapdragon 845/Adreno 630
- 16MP Camera
- 6.1″ inches IPS LCD 1440 x 3120 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~564 ppi density)
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Android 8.0 (Oreo), planned upgrade to Android 9.0 (P)
- 64/128 GB ROM
- 3000mAh
LG V20
The LG V20 could also run modern games like PUBG and Fortnite very well because of its hardware. The features include:
- 4GB RAM
- Snapdragon 820/Adreno 530
- 16MP Camera
- 5.7 inches 1440 x 2560 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~513 ppi density)
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) – Korea only
- 32/64 GB ROM
- 3,200mAh
LG V30
The LG V30 could also run modern games like PUBG and Fortnite very well because of its hardware. The features include:
- 4GB RAM
- Snapdragon 835/Adreno 540
- 16MP Camera
- P-OLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
- 6.0 inches, 92.9 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~537 ppi density)
- Corning Gorilla Glass 5
- Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo)
- 64/128 GB ROM
- 3,300mAh
- USB Type-C 1.0 reversible connector
LG V30+
With a P-OLED screen that stretches 6.0 inches and a resolution of 1440×2880 pixels, the LG V30+ has one of the sweetest display you can find on a smartphone. It’s also protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Powered by the older Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 and Adreno 540, the LG V30+ will run all your favorite games without hassles.
It has a 3,300mAh battery, a 4 GB RAM and either a 6 GB or 128 GB ROM model.
With so much hardware to immersive entertainment and fun, the LG V30+ could be your favorite Android gaming smartphone.
LG V40
Nokia 8
Nokia HMD’s return to the smartphone race adds a super powerful Android smartphone with cutting-edge photography features. The Nokia 8 features a 5.3 inches Cornin Gorilla Glass 5 screen with a 1440 x 2560 pixels resolution.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835/Adreno 540, the Nokia 8 was able to run all of the modern games thrown at it. With either a
OnePlus 5
OnePlus smartphones are mostly known for being very fast and stable. The OnePlus 5 is one of the best Android smartphones with the Snapdragon 835 chipset. Paired with the SD835 is a 6/8 GB of RAM which gives it plenty of room for performance.
It has a very nice 5.5 inches HD Optic AMOLED screen and a 3,300mAh battery to power all those cameras, sound, and other hardware.
Unfortunately, it’s like an Apple phone which doesn’t have an expandable storage. But, you have to choose between a 64 GB or 128 GB ROM variant.
OnePlus 5T
A step forward for the OnePlus 5 is the OnePlus 5T. With a lovely 6.01 inches 18:9 Corning Gorilla Glass 5 AMOLED display, you will enjoy the vibrant color reproduction from the screen at all times.
Also powered by the Snapdragon 835 CPU, the OnePlus 5T has a 3,300mAh battery and has up to 8 GB of RAM.
Like its predecessor, the OnePlus 5T has no memory card slot but there’s also a 64 GB or 128 GB internal memory options to pick.
With such a big RAM and powerful hardware tied to an optimized software, the OnePlus 5T can deliver great results when it comes to gaming and other performance related tasks.
One Plus 6
And here comes the OnePlus 6, the speedy machine that can outrun so many other Android smartphones in 2018.
It’s the phone that comes to mind when you think of a flagship killer. It’s one of the blazing fastest Android phones with an all-around finish.
It also packs the powerful Snapdragon 845 SoC coupled with up to 8GB RAM and 256GB storage. It also looks the most premium out of the lot with a glass-sandwich design and it even has a 6.28-inch AMOLED display.
The One Plus 6 will comfortably run all your favorite 3D games like PUBG, FortNite, Injustice 2, Dead Trigger 2 and others as well.
When you want to talk about an Android smartphone that’s as fast as Usain Bolt, got a great camera, premium and superb build quality, great battery and whatever you need, the One Plus 6 is always among the list.
Never settle for less, seriously.
Razer Phone
The Razer phone, a gaming smartphone for the strict gamers. It features a 5.7 inches IGZO IPS LCD display with a very high resolution at 1440×2560 pixels. With a Wide Colour Gamut and 120 Hz refresh rate, the display will always add more life to those sweet gaming moments.
Although it’s powered by the older Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, it should perform really well against the new tyrants with its 8GB of RAM combo.
Running on Android 7.1.1 Nougat which can be upgraded to 8.1 Oreo, the Razer phone can be your perfect gaming smartphone in 2018 if you want.
Apart from other cool stuff, it has a 4,000 mAh battery but lacks a 3.5mm audio jack.
Xiaomi Blackshark
Apart from the new Poco F1 phone from Xiaomi which is actually a death threat to the big guys, the Xiaomi BlackShark is a dedicated gaming smartphone.
Just like the ASUS ROG Phone, the Xiaomi BlackShark features the flagship Qualcomm SD845 CPU with the powerful Adreno 630 GPU.
With a 5.99 inches IPS display with high resolution, content will always be pleasant. The BlackShark from Xiaomi is paired with either a 6GB RAM/64GB ROM or an 8GB/128GB ROM to store whatever you need.
Unfortunately, there’s no support for a Micro SD card. Apart from that, there’s also a 4,000mAh battery to keep the device powered up as long as possible.
Xiaomi Mi 5
Most of Xiaomi smartphones always have a decent battery which is a great deal for a gaming smartphone. The Mi 5 has a 3000mAh battery, 4GB RAM paired with a Snapdragon 820 processor.
The device packs some good hardware for photography and also a strong build quality.
Although there’s no MicroSD card support, you can get up to 128 GB internal storage option if you go for the Pro version.
Xiaomi Mi 5S
The Xiaomi Mi 5s takes the processor on the Mi 5 a step forward with the Snapdragon 821 CPU and Adreno 530 GPU. Like the Mi 5, there’s no SD card slot, so you will either pick a 128 GB, 4 GB RAM or 64 GB, 3 GB RAM variant.
It is powered by a 3,200mAh battery and sports a 5.15 inches HD screen.
The Mi 5 and 5S are great smartphones with enough power to drive any game because of their hardware/CPU.
Xiaomi Mi 5S Plus
The Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus Android smartphone features a 5.7″ IPS LCD display, Snapdragon 821 chipset, 3,800mAh battery and up to 6 GB of RAM.
Like other smartphones in this league, you aren’t going to get a Micro SD card support but will be limited to a 128 GB, 6 GB RAM or 64 GB, 4 GB RAM alternative.
With such hardware and RAM, the Mi 5S Plus is able to take care of games like PUBG and Fortnite without breaking too many rules.
Xiaomi Mi 6
For those who love more performance, the Xiaomi Mi 6 pushes the CPU a bit higher by using the Snapdragon 835 SoC paired with a 64/128 GB, 6 GB RAM or 64 GB, 4 GB RAM.
There’s also no space to slot in a memory card but you have got enough space to store your favorite contents or games.
The screen on the Xiaomi Mi 6 is 5.15 inches and has a powerhouse of 3,350mAh to keep it running as long as possible.
Most flagship devices use the Snapdragon 835 CPU which really performs well and is able to comfortably run modern games with little or no lags.
Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus
If the Mi 6 isn’t your choice for a gaming smartphone, maybe the 5.7 inches screen on the Mi 6 Plus will interest you a bit.
The Xiaomi Mi 6 Plus has a bigger screen than the Mi 6(5.7 inches), a bigger battery(4500mAh), 6 GB of RAM and the flagship Snapdragon 835 CPU.
The device has a better camera and just two storage options, 64/128 GB. Playing cool 3D games on devices with the Snapdragon 835 CPU doesn’t really have much difference unless you just care about the whole details when it comes to performance.
Xiaomi Mi 8
Like all good flagship devices, there are always some surprises to look out for. The Xiaomi Mi 8 packs the flagship Snapdragon 845 chipset with its Adreno 630 GPU that brings more performance and less power to the chip.
The Mi 8 has a lovely notch, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and a 6.21 inches Super AMOLED display with a 1080×2248 pixels resolution.
Unfortunately, there’s no SD Card slot/support but the storage options are quite interesting: 64/128/256 GB, 6 GB RAM or 128 GB, 8 GB RAM.
The battery is 3,00mAh and it runs on MIUI 9.5 but should get the MIUI 10 soon.
Although it also lacks an audio jack, playing games and taking great shots via the cameraare a few things you shouldn’t miss on this device.
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer
Apart from the Xiaomi POCO F1, the Mi 8 Explorer is one of my favorite Mi devices. The Mi 8 Explorer shows you a glimpse into the powerhouse of the smartphone through its Gorilla Glass 5 transparent back.
Aside from its beautiful looks, it also produces super lovely photographs via its top-notch dual camera system. The Mi 8 Explorer has a 6.21inches Super AMOLED screen, 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage to complement the absence of a memory card slot.
Well, with so much hardware, security, software optimizations, and overall look, the Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer can help you truly explore mobile gaming in full and give you a balanced performance.
The 3,000mAh battery on the Mi 8 Explorer should never be a reason to worry. Trust Xiaomi, when it comes to battery, they are right most times.
Xiaomi Mi 8 SE
The Xiaomi Mi 8 SE brings in some more interesting surprises to the table. With a gorgeous notch in a 5.88 inches Super AMOLED screen and Corning Gorilla 5 protection, the Xiaomi Mi 8 SE is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 CPU with AI and performance improvements.
Just like the other devices in the Mi 8series, the Mi 8 SE fails to have a slot for Micro SD. But, it has a 128 GB, 6 GB RAM or 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM variants to choose.
With a 3,120mAh battery, you will surely be able to enjoy your Mi 8 SE with less charging cycles.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
A Bezel-less smartphone will definitely make a worthy gaming device and a home for full entertainment. The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 brings the world of going Bezel-less to a smartphone.
The Mi Mix 2 features a 5.99 inches bezel-less display with a 1080×2160 pixels resolution screen. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 835 CPU and is paired with up to 128 GB, 8 GB RAM or 64/128/256 GB, 6 GB RAM.
Powering the Mi Mix 2 is a 3,00mAh battery. Although this device skips the expandable storage option, it is a great deal for smartphone gaming.
Xiaomi Mi Mix
The Xiaomi Mi MIX is an Android phablet manufactured by Xiaomi. It is the world’s 2nd bezel-less phonecategory inspired by Sharp Aquos Crystal series. It was succeeded by the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 which we have taken into consideration above.
The Mi Mix has a 6. inches screen, has a bigger battery(4400mAh) but also underestimate the usefulness of the Micro SD card support.
For storage/RAM options, you have 256 GB, 6 GB RAM or 128 GB, 4 GB RAM.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S looks like the Mi Mix with its bezel-less display. It features a 5.99″ IPS LCD display, Snapdragon 845 chipset, Dual cameras, and a 256 GB, 8 GB RAM or 64/128 GB, 6 GB RAM storage options.
If you really care, unfortunately, the Mi Mix 2S doesn’t have expandable storage.
Playing games on a large and almost bezel-less screen is more fun than the struggle on small displays with unnecessary bezels.
With up to 8 GB RAM paired with thee flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 845+Adreno 630 GPU, you can not find yourself complaining about gaming or general performance.
To keep this phone up and running, there’s a 3,400mAh battery.
Xiaomi Mi Note 2
The Mi Note 2 walks around with a 5.7″ flexible OLED display, front 3D glass and back 3D glass that makes it look really stunning.
You also get a 22.56MP high-resolution camera, Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Processor, 6GB + 128GB ultra-fast, high capacity memory options and a 4070 mAh Battery with Fast Charging support.
Playing games on most Snapdragon devices is dun especially if your devices uses one of its flagship SoCs like SD 820, 821, 835, 845 or the soon to come 855.
ZTE Axon 7
The ZTE Axon 7 has a 5.5″ AMOLED display with a good resolution of 1440×2560 pixels.
Powerful enough with the Snapdragon 820 paired with 4 GB of RAM and a 3,250mAh battery, the Axon 7 is surely going to keep you entertained whether through gaming, movies, photographs, music playback or just what keeps you going.
The ZTE Axon 7 has a built-in 64 GB storage and supports MicroSD, up to 512 GB.
ZTE Axon 7s
For those who want just a little more, the ZTE Axon 7S takes the specs of the Axon 7 a little step forward.
The ZTE Axon 7S features a 5.5″ AMOLED display with a good resolution of 1440×2560 pixels and a Dual 12+20MP camera.
It uses the more powerful and optimized Snapdragon 821 SoC paired with 6 GB of RAM and a 3,400mAh battery.
The Axon 7S is surely going to keep you entertained whether through gaming, movies, photographs, music playback or just what keeps you going.
The ZTE Axon 7S packs 128GB of storage and also supports MicroSD, up to 512 GB.
ZTE Axon M
One of the first smartphones to feature a dual screen/flexible display is the ZTE Axon M. The dual display makes this smartphone really outstanding.
For the gamer, its worth knowing that beneath those foldable displays, you will find enough power to drive great games and enjoy more performance during entertaining moments.
The ZTE Axon M features a dual 5.2 inches display with a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. It sports a 2pMP camera, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB ROM, 3,180mAh battery and a Snapdragon 821 SoC under the hood.
With a dual display, multitasking and entertainment in a grand style and a powerful hardware, the Axon M is able to run games like Fortnight, PUBG and your favourite collections.
ZTE Nubia Z17
Not all smartphones retain more connectivity options, but the ZTE Nubia Z17 leaves you with Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, Infrared, USB Type C but skips the 3.5mm audio jack and no MicroSD card support.
Well, you still got the powerful Snapdragon 835 processor paired with a 64/128 GB, 8 GB RAM or 64/128 GB, 6 GB RAM storage.
To power this smartphone is a 3,200mAh battery. Like with most smartphones using the SD835 CPU, playing modern games will never be a problem unless something isn’t right somewhere.
ZTE Nubia Z17s
The ZTE Nubia Z17s has a really cool bezel-less display and a powerful dual 12+and 23MP camera setup.
The Z17S has a 5.73″ LTPS IPS LCD display with a 1080×2040 pixels resolution. It also kicks out the headphone jack and Micro SD card support but leaves you with a 128 GB, 8 GB RAM (Aurora Blue) or 64 GB, 6 GB RAM (Black Gold) model to choose.
Powering the ZTE Nubia Z17S is a 3,100mAh battery and a Snapdragon 835 CPU to run all your favourite games without no or less lag.
ZTE Nubia Z11
The ZTE Nubia Z11 packs in more necessary stuffs than the Z17 like Micro SD support, 3.5mm earphone jack, Bluetooth, NFC, Infrared, USB Type C and a 3000mAh battery.
It comes with a Snapdragon 820 Chip and a storage of 64 GB, with 4/6 GB RAM options.
iPhone X
The Apple iPhone X is just the fastest smartphone that’s currently hitting other Android flagship devices off the stage. Thanks to its A11 Bionic CPU, its a no regret when it comes to performance.
The iPhone X is backed by Apple’s new A11 Bionic processor, a hexa-core chip with two performance cores that are 25 percent faster than the A10, and four high-efficiency cores that the company says are 70 percent faster than the old model.
There’s also a new Apple-designed GPU that’s 30 percent faster, with the same performance as the A10, but only consumes half the power.
With Android devices, acquiring more RAM, the iPhone X might be proving that mobile devices don’t need so much RAM. With just 3GB of RAM, the iPhone X pulls every Android smartphone phone in benchmarks(Sunspider Javascript, Antutu, Basemark OS II, 3DMark Sling Shot, GFXBench Manhattan) below it.
Mobile games also tend to be optimized to only require 1 or 2GB of RAM, which is why phones with huge amounts of RAM like the 8GB OnePlus 5 might not perform so well because of the increase in RAM.
With a 5.8 inches OLED display, the iPhone X has a very vibrant and charming screen that will attract any gamer. Every single content on the screen is extremely colorful.
If you can push out some dollars, the iPhone X is one of the best gaming smartphones with a top-notch hardware that performs beyond the future.
Apart from gaming or performance, the iPhone X is one of the best smartphones with a remarkable camera, great sound, gorgeous display, build quality, great battery and security.
What are you waiting for?
iPhone 8 Plus
The iPhone 8 Plus has the same CPU like the iPhone X, the A11 Bionic CPU. It’s the fastest chipset on a smartphone and it makes it a go to source if you love high-end performance at all costs.
There’s also a dual camera setup that produces stunning images and videos, a great battery, security is great and above all, an optimized OS that can run any game extremely well.
Verdict
The list has a lot of smartphones to choose from that can comfortably play all the best Android games available in 2018 and still counting, but let’s cut it down to the very best of the gaming smartphones.
So, what Android devices can play Fortnite, PUBG Mobile, Injustice 2 or any of the coolest 3D Android games in 2018?
Below are the best smartphones for gaming in 2018 according to real life tests and comparisons:
- Apple iPhone X
- Xiaomi Pocophone F1
- Asus ROG Phone
- Huawei Honor Play
- OnePlus 6
- Xiaomi BlackShark
- Samsung Galaxy Note 9
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