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Gone are the days when gaming phones were exclusive to a privileged few, boasting eccentric designs and cumbersome software. Nowadays, you can easily find a phone that excels in gaming without compromising on style or performance. These devices are equipped with great hardware: bright displays featuring high refresh rates, and impressive speakers that are literally music for your ears.
Even if you're not a dedicated gamer, these phones offer a plethora of features. Moreover, as standard high-end phones continue to increase in power, they also deliver exceptional gaming experience.
Whether you're a hardcore gamer looking to elevate your multiplayer shooter skills or simply seeking a top-notch gaming phone, you've come to the right place! Here's the list of the best gaming phones you can get in 2025, including dedicated gaming models, as well as more popular and mainstream flagship phones.
Fantastic battery endurance and good charging speed
Design mixes fun with classy
What we don't like
A bit heavy
Camera is OK, but not on par with $1k competitors
Speakers still a downgrade from ROG 7, not as good as iPhone 16 Pro Max
The ROG line of phones sits at the top of the smartphone gaming food chain | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
The next chapter in Asus' gaming story has been written and its name is the ROG Phone 9 Pro. The long-awaited successor is finally here, and it's the first phone with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset. Boy oh boy, does it deliver.
The phone obliterated the competition in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test, stood neck-and-neck with the A18 Pro in single-core, and ate everyone else for breakfast in 3DMark without ever throttling. Seriously, the results stayed almost identical throughout the stress test.
The design of the phone is rather similar to what we had last year, and the camera system is not that different either. But you don't buy a gaming phone for those features. What the ROG Phone 9 Pro has up its sleeve is a bright AMOLED that can go up to 185Hz, a great battery and fast charging support (with a charger in the box), huge amounts of RAM on tap, and a very hip LED dot design on the back.
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The ultrasonic shoulder triggers are also present, so you can game with minimum display touching and maximum headshots. Overall this is the best gaming phone at the moment, and the only downside is that you have to pay a hefty sum for it.
Who's It For?
If you're into competitive mobile gaming, or gaming in general, you're familiar with the Republic of Gamers brand. I think there's no denying that the ROG brand gives the best gaming experience on a smartphone, with the only big drawback being the price.
If you don't care about RGB lights, capacitive shoulder triggers, or want a good camera system to complement your gaming hardware, you should reach for a more conventional smartphone.
Specs & configurations
Ultrasonic shoulder buttons
Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
24GB RAM
185Hz AMOLED screen
Better physical gimbal stabilization on the camera
Gorilla Armor is still excellent for its anti-reflective properties
Performance is great, even if stressing benchmarks can get it to throttle
What we don't like
New camera lenses and their "floating" style will gather gunk
Same old battery capacity, battery life, charging speeds
Speakers got a minor upgrade, but we wanted more
The Galaxy S25 Ultra in its full glory | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung's newest flagship smartphone and as such, it sports some of the best specs you can get on an Android phone right now. Even though some people might call Samsung out for slacking off, I think that the S25 Ultra does come with some meaningful upgrades.
The latest Qualcomm chipset is onboard and tuned "for Galaxy"—the" Snapdragon 8 Elite has proven to be very capable and on par with Apple's latest silicon. The design of the phone is flat, with a flat screen and back and also a flat titanium frame. There's also a new ultrawide camera with more megapixels, 50 million of them, to be precise, and new image processing algorithms using AI.
Now, about that slacking-off thing. Most of the other specs are pretty much the same as the predecessor, the same battery capacity, charging, and screen tech, and there are some downgrades as well. The S Pen now doesn't feature Bluetooth connectivity, so you can't use it as a remote camera shutter or to change slides on a presentation, etc.
But for gaming purposes, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is a real beast, thanks to the processor, the super-bright AMOLED screen, and the fast 120Hz refresh rate. The flat screen now features second-generation Gorilla Armor with improved anti-glare technology, which is a godsend when gaming in a brightly lit environment.
Who's It For
Overall, if you don't want to buy a dedicated gaming phone, but enjoy big screen devices and the latest Snapdragon powerhouse, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best Android phones you can get and it will tackle gaming no questions asked.
If you want dedicated gaming features on your phone, such as a super high refresh rate (144Hz, 165Hz), shoulder triggers, gaming software, you'd better look elsewhere. That said, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will tackle even the most demanding gaming titles and offer a great camera experience as well. So, it's worth considering.
Meaningful camera upgrades, especially front camera
Brighter screen, now with anti-glare
What we don't like
The camera plateau will be a contentious topic
Scratchable aluminum body, not titanium and not stainless steel
The best Apple has to offer is also a great gaming device | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
If you're leaning towards iOS gaming and the Apple Arcade subscription service, the most powerful phone for gaming from Apple you can get right now is the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The recently launched flagship has it all - new hardware gimmicks, a fast refresh rate display, the Dynamic Isle feature to enhance your gaming experience, and an aluminum unibody that makes it lighter and more comfortable during prolonged gaming sessions.
The new anti-glare coating on the screen, in my opinion, is a great gaming quality of life improvement, as it filters glare and reflections which can sway your match in the wrong direction.
Its high performance, thanks to the latest and greatest A19 Pro chipset, will crush any games at their highest settings without breaking a sweat, while its solid battery life will ensure that you'll be comfortable playing for hours on end without needing to recharge.
It also sports the largest display ever put on an iPhone, and if you enjoy other activities beyond gaming, the state-of-the-art tetraprism zoom lens will allow you to snap close-up pictures with great quality.
Who's It For?
Everyone in the Apple ecosystem with aspiration for competitive gaming should in my opinion go for the iPhone 17 Pro Max. There's the iPad Pro, of course as a gaming option, but with the iPhone 17 Pro Max, you're getting the best iPhone that you can use as a phone.
Logically, if you're not into gaming, or prefer Android phones, there are better options out there. In the Android realm, you have dedicated gaming phones with great features, such as dedicated gaming buttons, special software, high touch sampling rate, high-performance cooling, etc.
Liquid cooling and dedicated gaming features on a budget - the RedMagic 11 Pro | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
The RedMagic 11 Pro currently occupies the top spot in our phone rating list, which speaks volumes. A dedicated gaming phone that beats the iPhone 17 Pro Max and the Galaxy S25 Ultra? There's a lot going on with the RedMagic 11 Pro, starting with the liquid cooling system and finishing at the huge 7,500 mAh battery. And the most important thing? You can get the base model for as low as $749, so in my opinion, it's the best budget gaming phone out there.
Even as a daily driver, this phone excels in so many areas. But as a gaming phone, you'll be hard-pressed to find anything better. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 tops the benchmark charts and stays cool under load thanks to the sophisticated cooling system, including the aforementioned liquid cooling, a 24,000 RPM active fan, and a big vapor chamber.
The RPG lights are also there but are pretty stylish and understated. You've got a fast touch sampling rate, capacitive shoulder triggers, a 144 Hz screen, a dedicated gaming mode button, and an uninterrupted front display with an under-screen selfie camera.
The RedMagic 11 Pro is almost perfect; the only drawback is the main camera system, consisting of just wide and ultrawide cameras, which, while getting the job done, are lagging behind other flagships. But if you want the absolute best in terms of raw power with all the gaming tools, the RedMagic 11 Pro is one of the best choices out there at the moment.
Who's It For?
I think everyone could benefit from the great hardware inside the RedMagic 11 Pro, not just gamers. Of course, if you game competitively on mobile, the 144 Hz screen, the capacitive shoulder triggers, and the dedicated gaming software are gonna make a huge difference.
If you're into mobile photography, though, there are better phones out there that will give you a lot of the pros of the RedMagic 11 Pro but without the camera system drawbacks. That said, there's no other model on the market currently that offers liquid cooling, so in my opinion this fact alone is worth swaying you into considering this phone.
The Galaxy Z Fold 7 offers a tablet-like gaming experience but at a price | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
To put it simply, I think the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the best foldable Samsung has ever made, and this extends to the gaming capabilities of the device. The ultrathin and light design of the Z Fold 7 won't burden you throughout your gaming sessions and what you get in return is a tablet-like gaming experience.
The 8-inch Super AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120 Hz is just gorgeous for gaming, and it is coupled with the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. This chip is now one year old, but it's very potent and can tackle everything you throw at it.
At to this the long support cycle that Samsung has been offering for the past couple of generations, the OneUI interface and the polished flagship experience, and you'll end up with an absolute winner.
Who's It For
I think people who are into foldables in general and like to game from time to time, are the perfect target group for this phone. You don't need to be an avid gamer to take advantage of that huge 8-inch screen.
On the flip side, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is quite an expensive phone, and if you just want the best gaming phone, there are better choices at lower prices too. That said, if you're prepared to pay the premium price, you can game on this phone and it will feel amazing.
Speakers are loud and meaty (but not as good as before)
Fast and buttery performance
What we don't like
Speakers are no longer front-firing
Gripping the device for gaming is a bit less comfy (lack of bezels)
The camera is OK, but not as great as the big bump suggests
The ROG Phone 8 Pro is still a very powerful phone that you can get on a deal | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
The Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro is last year's greatest in the dedicated gaming phone category. The Taiwanese company kind of departed from the normal flashy LED models, and adopted a more understated approach, aiming to attract a broader audience.
The phone features a discreet design for a gaming device, showcasing a stealthy LED matrix on the back, rounded corners, and a contemporary-looking camera bump. Underneath the surface, it maintains high-quality specs, including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, up to 24GB of RAM, a huge 6,000mAh battery, and a very bright 165Hz display in line with current trends.
Who's It For
Well, given how gaming phones depreciate, the ROG Phone 8 Pro launched at nearly $1,500 but now can be found on a deal under a grand. This makes it a great deal for people who don't need the latest and greatest but still want a solid gaming phone on a good deal.
Specs & configurations
New design with slimmer bezels, thinner body
Ultrasonic shoulder buttons
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
24GB RAM
New camera system with physical gimbal stabilization
The Zenfone 12 Ultra is just a gaming phone in disguise | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
Asus decided to join the "Ultra" race and launched the Zenfone 11 Ultra last year, and this experiment evolved into a full-fledged model lineup. The Asus Zenfone 12 Ultra is here and it's an evolution of the big mainstream flagship (that's really an understated gaming phone for the masses).
The phone comes with a brighter display, the fastest Qualcomm chipsets available at the time - the Snapdragon 8 Elite, and one of the best stereo speakers in the industry. The overall design hasn't changed that much, giving people the option to get a gaming phone in disguise, without flashing RBG LED lights, gaming triggers and other game-centric stuff.
Sadly, the camera system being largely the same as the one inside the ROG Phone 9 Pro. There's a neat gimbal-like stabilization tech on board but overall, the camera quality in not on par with regular flagships.
And then there's the price. The Zenfone 12 Ultra starts at €1,099 which is not cheap.
Who's It For
Simply put, I think the Zenfone 12 Ultra will appeal to people who're actually into gaming phones but want something a tad more understated. No flashy RGB lights, no active fans, gaming decals and aggressive looks. You can think of the Zenfone 12 Ultra as a toned down ROG phone.
The OnePlus 15 is a surprisingly powerful phone | Image by PhoneArena
Why I Picked It
Modern smartphones have the processing power to launch space shuttles (if only shuttles weren’t grounded), and this power is largely attributed to the main chipset of the device. The latest such super-powerful silicon is found inside the OnePlus 15, the recently launched flagship from the Chinese brand.
Mobile games have come a long way, with some AAA console-grade titles now capable of taking full advantage of the raw power offered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3. However, the OnePlus 15 isn’t just about fancy, fast silicon. It’s a true flagship phone, boasting a super-bright OLED screen and a versatile camera system. Additionally, it features an exceptionally bright display that offers adaptive refresh rates ranging from 1Hz to 120Hz.
The phone is equipped with a massive 7,300 mAh battery, comparable to those found in dedicated gaming phones—minus the added bulk. This feat is achieved using silicon-carbon battery technology, which incorporates silicon into the graphene anode to boost capacity. Combined with super-fast charging that takes the phone from 0 to 100% in about 40 minutes, the OnePlus 15 is a very good gaming choice that will take you through 12 hours of non-stop gaming easily.
When you factor in its starting price of $899, the OnePlus 15 start looking as a very good phone for gaming and a very good flagship phone.
Who's It For
If you wanna stray away from your popular flagship phones from Samsung, Apple, and Google, the OnePlus 15 is a great undercover gaming phone. No flashy lights, no gaming decals, and yet - one of the fastest chipsets out there, one of the brightest screens, and one of the best battery life figures too. You can't go wrong with this phone, and the only drawback is again the price.
Specs & configurations
Screen: 6.82-inch AMOLED, 1440 x 3168 pixels, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 165Hz in gaming mode
What to consider when choosing the Best Gaming Phone?
The first factor is pure raw performance. Your gaming experience depends on the fast chipset - the better the performance, the faster the game will run and the better the graphics will be. Next I would put the quality of the screen. This includes the resolution, color accuracy, brightness and refresh rate as well. You perceive the game through the screen of your phone, so having a bright, fast and color accurate one is paramount.
Then it comes battery life - there's no point in having an amazing phone that dies after 2 or 3 hours of gaming, and turns into a paperweight. You should aim for at least 10 hours of non stop gaming, and our battery benchmark can help you with that.
Dedicated gaming features are also important - shoulder triggers can give you a competitive advantage, dedicated gaming software with crosshairs, high contrast modes to see your enemies, etc. Finally, a good stereo speaker system can also elevate your gaming experience, although most people use headphones for gaming, especially in public and crowded places.
How we rate phones
We have a brand-new phone rating in place and it takes into account 12 different aspects of the smartphone experience, such as Battery Life, Photo Quality, Design, Performance, etc.
We tried to make it as objective as possible, so the weight of each category is different, for example, battery life is more important than design, and so on. When we talk about gaming phones, however, there are other considerations in play.
You will find dedicated gaming models occupying the first few spots on this list, even though their rating may be lower than the other "normal" flagship phones included. That's because when gaming on a phone, there are other things that matter, such as touch sampling rate and latency, capacitive trigger buttons, screen refresh rate, and so on. Of course, you can game on almost any flagship phone in 2025, but the experience will be different.
FAQ
What makes a phone a gaming phone?
If I have to put my finger on one thing - it would be performance. This is the most important feature, as it ties to your gaming experience directly. Yes, things such as gaming software, capacitive triggers, and other specific gaming aids are important, but if your device isn't fast enough, lags and can't run the latest games at their highest settings, your gaming experience will suffer.
Do I need a gaming phone to play games?
Absolutely not. You can play all the latest and greatest mobile games on almost every modern smartphone. It actually doesn't have to be a flagship even. The faster it is, though, the better your game will look and feel.
Dedicated gaming phones have other benefits, such as specific software tailored toward gaming, hardware buttons you can assign for additional control and precision in your mobile games, sophisticated cooling systems to alleviate thermal throttling, and so on. But you can game on a good high-end phone with no problems.
Do I need a controller for my gaming phone?
The short answer is no. You can game using screen controls or the dedicated capacitive shoulder triggers if the phone has those. Getting a controller, though, can help with precision and in specific situations where you need more control over the input.
Before for lag, though, as many Bluetooth devices can introduce lag and make gaming really hard, especially in fast-paced games. Be sure to check the specifications of the controller, its interface, and its input lag in milliseconds.
Is the iPhone a good gaming phone?
It is with a caveat. You can play games smoothly and with great graphics details, provided there's an iOS version of the said game. Apple Arcade is a great subscription service for iOS that can get you into the world of gaming on your iPhone (and iPad for that matter), but Android has more flexibility when it comes to emulators, game ports, etc.
Which phone is best for gaming?
This is a complicated question. To put it simply, dedicated gaming phones will always have an edge over conventional flagships when it comes to pure gaming. They have additional features and controls that are designed to boost the gaming experience.
On most gaming phones you get dedicated buttons to map for additional gaming controls, and this alone can give you a competitive advantage. Then there are different gaming modes, crosshairs on the screen, high contrast modes, better cooling, etc. If gaming and only gaming is your goal, then search for a dedicated gaming device.
What is the best gaming chipset?
Most modern chipsets will tackle gaming pretty well, with flagship Qualcomm silicon and also Apple's A-series chips being the benchmark. You can game on older silicon and also on midrange chips, but for the best experience, you should aim for the latest flagship chips from Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek. Prime examples of the above are the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3, the Apple A19 Pro, and the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chipsets.
Is the iPhone the best gaming phone?
I've been through this already; it's hard to say that the iPhone is the best gaming phone, as things are more complicated. The A-series chipsets inside iPhone devices are mighty and very powerful, but the list of games for iOS is somewhat limited. You can get an Apple Arcade subscription and play a lot of cool games, but I still think that Android is more flexible with game titles than iOS.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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