Best gaming phone in 2025 for setting high scores

From budget bargains and mid-range marvels to fabulous flagships, foldable friends and the best phones on sale overall, contenders for the title of best gaming smartphone come in all shapes and sizes.

Mobile tech has come on in leaps and bounds recently, meaning you can play preposterously popular 3D titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile while on the move. Sorry, Doodle Jump and Angry Birds – your time has passed. As you can imagine, a bang-up gaming phone needs a processor capable of pushing performance to the max, more RAM than a desktop computer, and a dazzling display. There’s also no shortage of accessories that can take your mobile gaming to the next level.

Even with that knowledge, separating the best from the rest in a market this crowded is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve taken the liberty of spotlighting some of the very best gaming phones we’ve encountered on our travels. Are you ready, player one?

Why you can trust Stuff: Our team of experts rigorously test each product and provide honest, unbiased reviews to help you make informed decisions. For more details, read how we test and rate products.

Quick list: what’s the best gaming phone?

The best smartphones for gaming you can buy today:

1. Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro

Screen	6.78in, 2400×1080, 185Hz AMOLED
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
Memory	16/24GB RAM
Cameras	50MP + 13MP ultrawide + 32MP telephoto w/ 3x optical zoom rear 32MP front
Storage	512GB/1TB on-board
Operating system	Android 15
Battery	5800mAh w/ 65W wired, 15W wireless charging
Dimensions	164x77x8.9mm, 227g

Asus’ top-tier Android gaming phone doesn’t actually look like one at first glance. The previous-gen release saw the firm majorly dial down the extreme styling used by older models with the aim of making it a more mainstream device, and that trend continued for 2024. The ROG Phone 9 Pro keeps its photography edge over just about any other gaming phone you’d care to mention.

It’s performance that matters most, of course, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset guarantees epic frame rates in any game you’d care to name. Depending on spec there’s either 16 or 24GB of RAM, and as much as 1TB of storage, so you’ll be able to download hundreds of games from the Google Play Store without worrying too much about running out of space.

The 6.78in screen takes the refresh rate all the way up to 185Hz, and it’s an AMOLED panel for vivid colours and excellent contrast. Air triggers built into the frame free your fingers from the touchscreen, too. If you opt for the top-tier ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition, there’s also an active cooling stand in the box; it plugs into the extra USB-C port halfway along the side of the phone to both support it on a table and, with its quietly whirring fan, dissipate some of the heat the phone produces and prevent it from slowing down.

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2. iPhone 16 Pro Max

Screen	6.9in 2868×1320 OLED HDR at 460ppi
CPU	Apple A18 Pro
Memory	8GB
Cameras	48MP ƒ/1.78 main, 48MP ƒ/2.2 ultra wide, 12MP ƒ/2.8 telephoto (5× optical zoom in) rear; 12MP ƒ/1.9 front
Storage	256GB/512GB/1TB on-board
Operating system	iOS 18
Battery	4685 mAh
Dimensions	163×77.6×8.25mm (6.42×3.06×0.32in), 227g (7.99oz)

The new iPhone is always the best iPhone, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the latest and greatest. It may be expensive, but if gaming on iPhones is your thing the Pro Max is the one to get.

It’s not just the larger, brighter screen that makes this a must. It’s the A18 Pro processor, which you won’t find on the baseline iPhone 16. This extra power makes the phone much faster than the competition, meaning you’ll have better frame rates and have to wait less time as games load, and unlocks extra antialiasing modes so your games look smoother.

There’s really more power in this phone than anyone really needs. But, after all, it’s the gamers who push their phones to the edge of their performance by demanding to play titles like Total War: Medieval 2 on the train. With an iPhone 16 Pro Max, that’s no problem.

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3. Nothing Phone 2

Screen	6.7in, 2410×1080 OLED w/ 120Hz
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 octa-core
Memory	8/12GB RAM
Cameras	50MP, f/1.9 w/ PDAF, OIS + 50MP, f/2.2 ultrawide w/autofocus rear 32MP, f/2.5 front
Storage	128/256/512GB on-board
Operating system	Android 13 w/ NothingOS 2.0 UI
Battery	4700mAh w/ wired, wireless charging
Dimensions	162x76x8.6mm, 201g

Phone 2 builds on what made Nothing’s first smartphone so unique, with more glyph lighting and a streamlined take on Android that might just be the best custom interface we’d used since the days of HTC Sense. It’s the larger 6.7in screen and Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU that make it a top choice for gamers, though.

It isn’t the very latest silicon, but a sensible display resolution means it doesn’t have to work overtime to play demanding titles, and is still potent enough to take advantage of the 120Hz refresh rate. That panel looks the business, too, with ample brightness, HDR support and skinny bezels on all four sides.

The 128GB model can be snapped up for $599/£599, but with no microSD card expansion, we’d recommend shelling out for the 256GB model. At $629/£629 it’s still a whole lot cheaper than a Google Pixel 8 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24 or OnePlus 12.

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4. Google Pixel 9 Pro

Screen	6.3in, 1280×2856, 1-120Hz AMOLED
CPU	Tensor G4
Memory	16GB RAM
Cameras	50MP, f/1.7 w/ dual pixel PDAF, OIS, laser AF + 48MP, f/2.8 periscope telephoto w/ 5x zoom, OIS, dual pixel PDAF + 48MP, f/1.7 ultrawide w/ dual pixel PDAF rear 42MP, f/2.2 w/ PDAF front
Storage	128/256/512GB/1TB
Operating system	Android 14
Battery	4700mAh w/ 27W wired, 21W wireless charging
Dimensions	152.8x72x8.5mm, 199g

Google did a good job with the Pixel 7 and 8 series, but the Pixel 9, with its sleeker design, and faster and AI-assisted CPU, built upon those foundations to become an excellent gaming phone. The Pro version isn’t actually top of the range any more (that’ll be the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL), but at 6.3in screen, it’s a more portable powerhouse than many rivals.

The new G4 Tensor chip is great at things like voice recognition and anything that requires crunching an algorithm. It’s no slouch for gaming, thanks to a decent helping of RAM, meaning performance is up there with other flagship phones. The 4700mAh battery will keep you playing all day if you need to.

Best of all is the Google Pixel 9 Pro’s picture-taking capabilities. With a triple rear camera system and a 42 MP front camera, this is a photography powerhouse. The rear cameras include a 50 MP main camera, a 48 MP ultrawide camera, and a 48 MP telephoto camera. Want a gaming phone that can also take amazing pictures? This is the phone for you.

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5. Samsung Galaxy S25

Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones have always been capable gamers, and the S25 picks up that mantle. The vanilla S25 makes this list because it’s the smallest of the bunch, and one of very few compact Android flagships still doing the rounds. That 6.2in screen is palm-friendly, yet packs in a colourful AMOLED panel with a better-than-Full HD resolution and 120Hz refresh rate that’s ideal for gaming.

Inside you’ll either find a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset, which is a monster performer able to handle the latest titles at high frame rates, with ray tracing thrown in for good measure. 12GB of RAM is plenty, and there’s a handful of different storage options.

You give up a bit of battery capacity by going small, but this is still an all-day phone when you’re not hammering games. It has a fantastic set of cameras, too – maybe not the very best of all the phone world, but still up there with Apple and Google’s top efforts. Add in some effective AI-enhanced software and this is a superb all-rounder at a sensible price.

What to consider when buying a gaming phone

So you’re looking to buy the best gaming smartphone but you don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, we’re here to breakdown everything you need to look out for…

Starting with the processor and GPU. These are very important – look for phones with the latest chipsets either from Qualcomm, MediaTek, or Apple etc. A powerful GPU is essential for handling high-end games, so ensure it comes equipped with a high-performing GPU like Adreno (Qualcomm) or Mali (MediaTek).

RAM and storage are also important. A minimum of 8GB of RAM in a smartphone is recommended for gaming, with higher-end models offering 12GB or even 16GB for smoother multitasking and gaming performance. In terms of storage, consider at least 128GB of internal space, as games are becoming increasingly large Of course, additional space is needed for all of your other apps and pictures etc). Expandable storage could be useful here.

The display is another key component. High refresh rates (90Hz, 120Hz, or even 144Hz) provide smoother visuals, while lower response times reduce lag and improve gaming responsiveness. A minimum of Full HD+ (1080p) resolution is recommended, though some high-end models offer QHD (1440p) displays for better clarity.

Want long play sessions without worrying about your phone dying? A larger battery (4000mAh or higher) ensures longer gaming sessions, while fast charging capabilities (at least 30W) allow for quick recharges.

Software and game optimization features are important too. Gaming modes or game optimization features that prioritize game apps, block notifications, and manage resources can enhance the overall experience.

If you’re playing multiplayer games, good connectivity is important. Ensure the phone supports the latest standards like 5G and Wi-Fi 6 for lower latency and faster download speeds. If you use gaming accessories like controllers and headphones, look for the latest Bluetooth version.

Finally, the design and ergonomics of the phone are also important. A comfortable design is crucial for long gaming sessions, and some gaming phones feature additional shoulder buttons or touch-sensitive areas for enhanced control.

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