Best gaming phone 2022: the top 5 mobile game performers

 

Best gaming phone 2022: the top 5 mobile game performers
    

1.ASUS ROG PHONE 5

      

      Release date: April 2021 | Weight: 238g | Dimensions: 172.8 x 77.3 x 10.3mm | OS: Android 11 | Screen size: 6.78-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2448 | CPU: Snapdragon 888 | RAM: 8/12/16GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 6,000mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 13MP + 5MP | Front camera: 24MP

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Remarkable performance

Great display and speakers

No telephoto camera

Large, heavy and dense

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is a remarkable gaming phone – one which improves on the already-impressive Asus ROG Phone 3.

Its highlights include class-leading 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.

That screen is big too, and it’s backed up by dual front-facing speakers, which are among the best you’ll find on a phone.

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.

It’s not quite an all-round flagship (its cameras don’t excel as much as the rest of the hardware for a start) but if gaming is your priority then this phone should be at or near the top of your list. 

2.Lenovo  Phone Duel

Release date: October 2020 | Weight: 239g | Dimensions: 169.2 x 78.6 x 9.9mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.65-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 Plus | RAM: 12/16GB | Storage: 256/512GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 16MP | Front camera: 20MP

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Super-fast charging

Lots of processing power

Pretty expensive for the specs

Software issues

The first gaming phone from Lenovo, the Legion Phone Duel, matches great gaming-dedicated features with some other top specs and features.

The phone supports 90W fast charging, and has a pop-up camera so the screen remains unbroken. It's also got a top processor and software optimized for use in landscape mode. All of these contribute to make it great for gaming.

Our issues with the phone don't touch its gaming prowess, though its high price, software issues and mediocre camera might affect some.

If you're looking for one of the best gaming phones right now, this is up there; if you're looking for a great smartphone that is also good for playing games, this is a good choice, though you should check the others on this order

3.Nubia red magic

Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 218g | Dimensions: 168.6 x 78 x 9.8mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.65-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 2340 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,500mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 8MP + 2MP | Front camera: 8MP

     

144hz display

Shoulder triggers are handy

Screen isn’t the most high-res

Software bugs

The Nubia Red Magic 5G has the world’s first 144Hz smartphone screen, which makes it ideal for gaming, as that’s a silky smooth refresh rate. We also found the display was bright and vibrant.

But that’s not the only thing that makes this ideal for gaming. In fact, it’s designed specifically for this pastime, with shoulder triggers to give you increased control, a fan and a liquid cooling system to keep the handset cool under pressure, a dedicated ‘Game Space’ to let you customize your gaming experience, and a ‘4D Shock’ feature that adds vibration to games.

IMAGE credit xiaomi.

4.BLACK SHARK 3

Release date: March 2020 | Weight: 222g | Dimensions: 168.7 x 77.3 x 10.4mm | OS: Android 10 | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 2080 x 2440 | CPU: Snapdragon 865 | RAM: 8/12GB | Storage: 128/256GB | Battery: 4,720mAh | Rear camera: 64MP + 13MP +5MP | Front camera: 20MP

The Black Shark 3 is the best gaming phone from the Xiaomi sub-brand, although it doesn't quite beat its contemporary gaming phones from a few other brands.

The phone is big, bold in design and has LED lights, and its specs are all what you'd expect from a gaming phone - in that they're top-end. The cameras were surprisingly effective too in our tests, especially in low-light settings, though sometimes the optimization could be overzealous.

The reason this phone isn't higher is thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate, which is lower than the other phones higher on this list, and that it doesn't have as  many dedicated gaming features as the others either.

5.RAZER PHONE 3

Release date: October 2018 | Weight: 205g | Dimensions: 158.5 x 78.9 x 8.5mm | OS: Android 9 Pie | Screen size: 5.72-inch | Resolution: 2560×1440 | CPU: Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 6/8GB | Storage: 64GB/128GB (up to 1TB with card) | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP | Front camera: 8MP

The first Razer Phone was a solid first effort to bring the gamer-specific brand to a mobile device, but it had a few shortcomings that dropped it further down our list. The second version has addressed some and come out with a stronger device for it, though it's still aimed primarily at gamers.

Image credit: Razer.