TechJunkie is a BOX20 Media Company

Home The Best Phones for Gaming in 2022

TechJunkie Expert Recommendations

The Best Phones for Gaming in 2022

TechJunkie is supported by our readers. When you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Read More.

The Best Phones for Gaming in 2022

These days, more and more people are into mobile gaming to kill time. It’s not quite a surprise, though, as using your phone for gaming is much easier to get access to entertainment no matter where you are.

With your phone as a gaming device, you don’t have to carry around a huge console with you, especially when you’re traveling. What’s good about it is that it doubles as a communication device that lets you connect with whomever you want across the globe. Of course, it also comes with other features that can make your routines a lot easier.

The best part of it is that you can connect other devices to it to make your mobile gaming experience a lot better. This includes Virtual reality headsets, earphones, smart Tv, and more.

If you visit the App Store (for iOS) or Play Store (for Android), you’ll find countless games that can entertain you as much as you want. There are also games where you can team up with your friends or other players online for a more fun gaming experience. However, not all phones are meant for gaming.

If your phone isn’t meant for mobile gaming, chances are, it could heat up too much, or you won’t get the best graphics that the game has to offer as your phone can’t meet the requirements of the game.

Fortunately, more and more phone brands are creating phones that can keep up with hardcore gamers. Some are made especially for such kind of entertainment, which can last for hours in spite of all the time you spend playing. Others, on the flip side, have better screens for better views and graphics. There are also phones that don’t heat too much despite long hours of use.

But, with so many phones on the market today, it’s quite hard to choose which ones are the best for gaming. If you’re looking for a new phone that’s meant for gaming, here are some of the best we’ve found on the market today that you should get your hands on.

01 Motorola Edge Plus (2022)

Even though Motorola’s newest flagship model has several drawbacks, gamers will still enjoy playing on it. The 144Hz refresh rate is higher than typical for Android phones, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip works well with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM, so performance is adequate. The short battery life of the Edge Plus is the major concern you’ll have when gaming. For any gaming marathons you may be doing, you might want to keep a plug nearby. As long as you don’t care too much about the lack of a telephoto camera or a glass back panel, it’s a fair balance between expensive well-rounded ordinary flagship phones and less expensive dedicated gaming smartphones. Fortunately, the bundled 30W charger gets you back up and running quickly.

Pros

  • 144 Hz refresh rate
  • Processor can match any leading Android phone

Cons

  • Subpar battery life

Specification

  • Price $698.28
  • RAM 8GB/12GB
  • Storage 512 GB
  • CPU Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
  • GPU Adreno 730
Motorola Edge Plus (2022)

02 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 might be the best gaming phone of all if you have a lot of money to burn. None of the other phones on this list come close to the Z Fold 3’s large 7.6-inch screen, which, together with the recently announced S Pen stylus compatibility, gives this device a genuinely immersive and useful experience. Of course, if you’re tight on room, you still have the small external display, which maintains the interior panel’s 120 Hz refresh rate for fluid frame rates.

This phone is by far the most expensive on the list, as well as the heaviest and chunkiest—especially when folded up. Moreover, it has a rather poor battery life, which isn’t ideal if you want to start a protracted multiplayer game. Although you shouldn’t purchase this phone on a whim, if you won’t accept anything less than the best display, it might be a good fit for you.

Pros

  • Huge internal display
  • 120 Hz refresh rate

Cons

  • Very expensive

Specification

  • Price $1,199.99
  • RAM 12 GB
  • Storage 256 GB
  • CPU Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
  • GPU Adreno 660
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

03 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is a wise pick if you want a well-rounded Android phone that can also tackle blockbuster games. Like all of this year’s top flagships, the S22 Plus boasts a 120 Hz panel and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. Despite having only 8 GB of RAM, it performs well. In every way, it continues to be quick. Additionally, it supports both sub-6GHz and millimeter-wave networks for 5G, giving you access to the fastest data speeds possible when playing online games away from home. The Galaxy S22 Plus is a terrific (though regrettably quite pricey) flagship phone that also happens to be one of the greatest gaming phones. But, it doesn’t provide much, specifically in the way of dedicated gaming capabilities, despite the fact that it supports Xbox Game Pass.

Pros

  • 120 Hz AMOLED display
  • Effective feature set for multi-purpose use

Cons

  • Below-average battery life

Specification

  • Price $799.99
  • RAM 8 GB
  • Storage 128 GB
  • CPU Exynos 2200 (4 nm) - Europe
  • GPU Adreno 730 - ROW
Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

04 RedMagic 7

The RedMagic 7 made this list of the best gaming phones since it is one of the most affordable options for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset currently available on the market. For only $750, you can have a gaming-friendly gadget with a premium CPU, up to 18 GB of RAM, and a flat, thin-bezel 6.8-inch 165 Hz AMOLED display. A fan inside also guarantees that the system can run demanding games ideally, which is crucial if you play video games for extended periods of time.  

The RedMagic 7 won’t be your best option, of course.If excellent software or camera performance are priorities for you, there are undoubtedly more well-rounded phones available. They are all more expensive, though, so people who value gaming and the power it requires but have a smaller budget would want to take that into account. Additionally, you now have the choice to use the RedMagic 7 Pro to its full potential. It includes an under-display selfie camera for uninterrupted gaming, which is possibly the best feature it has to offer. It also has even higher performance and better cooling than this model. One weakness, though, is its battery. Unfortunately, compared to the other gaming phones on this list, the RedMagic 7 is one of the phones that has the worst battery life, so you might want to take this into consideration.

Pros

  • Great value
  • Excellent 165Hz display

Cons

  • Battery life

Specification

  • Price $749.99
  • RAM 12 GB/16 GB/18 GB
  • Storage 128 GB
  • CPU Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
  • GPU Adreno 730
RedMagic 7

05 Google Pixel 6 Pro

You wouldn’t expect a Google phone to appear on a list of the greatest gaming phones, but the Pixel 6 Pro delivered. The Pixel 6 Pro is unquestionably a terrific option for your next gaming phone because of the stunning display and unexpectedly effective performance from the new Tensor chip. That’s not all, though. The Pixel 6 Pro succeeds at being a typical phone in addition to performing well in games and benchmarks. Even if it doesn’t have some of the glitzy features that other gaming phones do, it still has one of the greatest Android phones’ cameras. After all, you likely want your phone to perform other tasks efficiently as well. The Pixel 6 Pro’s low battery life would be our one and only complaint. The phone’s battery is undoubtedly big enough to last for hours. Yet, for some reason, it performed poorly in our tests of battery life. However, the phone works perfectly for our daily needs, even with demanding games like Xbox Game Pass.

Pros

  • Tensor performs well
  • Beautiful new design

Cons

  • Shorter battery life than competitors

Specification

  • Price $679.50
  • RAM 12 GB
  • Storage 128 GB
  • CPU Google Tensor (5 nm)
  • GPU Mali-G78 MP20
Google Pixel 6 Pro

06 Black Shark 5 Pro

The first specifically designed gaming phone that we can sincerely suggest is the Black Shark 5 Pro. It offers distinct gaming features that we appreciate, in addition to having strong hardware, a lovely display, and long battery life. Not to mention how impressively fantastic the primary and ultrawide cameras are. The actual shoulder buttons on the Black Shark 5 Pro, however, are its best feature. When you need them, these magnetic triggers appear, providing in-game feedback that is haptic and lifelike. These might appeal to you if you’ve had trouble with ultrasonic triggers in the past. The Black Shark 5 Pro is the greatest dedicated gaming phone, with the base 8 GB/128 GB variant costing $649 in the United States. This phone is for you if playing games on your phone is your only concern.

Specification

  • Price $649.00
  • RAM 8 GB/12 GB/16 GB
  • Storage 128 GB
  • CPU Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
  • GPU Adreno 730
Black Shark 5 Pro

07 Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro

If you want the best gaming phone on the market, look no further than the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro. The latest Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chipset, a monstrous 18 GB of RAM, a massive 6,000 mAh battery, new and improved AirTriggers, and improved cooling solutions are all included in this monster. In our testing, it nearly matches Apple’s A15 Bionic, making the ROG Phone 6 Pro the most potent gaming phone to date. 18 GB of RAM is overkill, yet it is something to be proud of. Additionally, this device features the finest software we’ve ever seen on a gaming phone. The battery life is also impressive. The ROG Phone 6 Pro has the best battery life that we’ve ever tested. In fact, it can last an astounding 15 hours and 30 minutes at 165 Hz mode. You gain an hour if you reduce it to 60 Hz. The ROG Phone 6 Pro performs all the essential functions of a gaming phone and more. However, it’s not for those who are on a limited budget. Apparently, the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro comes with a whopping price tag of $950. But, hey, it’s still a great deal, considering its features for gaming.

Pros

  • Excellent performance
  • Incredible battery life

Cons

  • Price

Specification

  • Price $950
  • RAM 18 GB
  • Storage 512 GB
  • CPU Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
  • GPU Adreno 730
Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro

08 iPhone 13 Pro Max

One of the finest gaming phones available is Apple’s newest iPhone 13 Pro Max. The most recent large iPhone is superior to even the best Android devices. This phone can handle any mobile game available, and then some, thanks to the A15 Bionic chip’s incredible power, the 120 Hz display, and the greatly increased battery life. The iPhone 13 Pro Max is not only the best phone for gaming but also the best phone you can buy in general. Fantastic cameras, a stunning 6.7-inch OLED display, and a variety of features make it a delight to use on a daily basis.

Additionally, it has a storage capacity of up to 1 TB, so you’ll never run out of room for the top iOS apps. Sadly, the App Store forbids the use of gaming emulators, so anyone hoping to play old-school games may be out of luck. The most well-known games from the SNES and PS2 eras have, however, been adapted to the iPhone. It’s interesting to note that esports players from outside prefer to practice and play iPhone games like PUBG Mobile and Garena FreeFire. This is due to the efficiency of Apple’s CPUs, which results in less heat dissipation and a more comfortable gaming experience over extended periods of time. 

Pros

  • A15 Bionic CPU more powerful than competition
  • Bright and colorful 120 Hz display

Cons

  • Expensive compared to rivals

Specification

  • Price $1,099
  • RAM 6 GB
  • Storage 128 GB/256 GB/512 GB/1 TB
  • CPU Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
  • GPU Apple GPU (5-core graphics)
iPhone 13 Pro Max

Carla Mesina

Oct 31, 2022

As a tech writer with over 5 years of experience and a background in broadcasting, Carla brings a unique take to the world of technology. She uses her skills, which she has developed through a passion for both communication and technology, to write educational how-tos and guides related to smartphones and PCs that are easily understandable by people of all backgrounds. Carla's work has been featured in many popular publications including GameNGuide and SportsAdrenaline.

91 Articles Published

Our Process & Method

We're not just tech junkies, but we're also tech experts. Each and every "Best of.." list on TechJunkie is curated by our content-area subject matter experts to provide a well-rounded, unbiased perspective to help and inform you, our reader. Our lists are constantly reviewed and updated, so you can be sure you're reading relevant and up to date information.

The Best Openback Headphones

Read More

More