What Makes a Smartphone Good for Gaming?
Mobile gaming has come a long way. What was once associated with nerds and computer geeks is now a successful industry projected to reach a whopping $98.74 billion in global revenue in 2024. This is no surprise because developers keep releasing new games across genres, and people are finding more to enjoy in the virtual world.
One thing gamers will always agree about is that not all devices were built for gaming, and gaming with a non-gaming device is just a nightmare. Professional gamers and reviewers look for particular qualities in mobile phones before playing games on them. So, what are the qualities that make a smartphone a stellar choice for gaming?
A Flagship Processor
A good gaming phone must have a powerful, blazing-fast processor chip. This is one of the most basic requirements. The processor is like the brain that handles all the intense calculations and rapidly fires instructions to make games run smoothly.
Many great processors for gaming use the ARM architecture. They have high clock speeds and are typically either core 6, 8, or 10. A higher clock speed makes for a faster device and more cores allow the device to multitask better.
With flagship smartphone processor chips, like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Samsung's Exynos 2400, gamers can enjoy playing even the most advanced 3D games smoothly.
A Huge Amount of RAM
Along with a top-tier processor, gaming phones need a ton of high-speed RAM. Having lots of RAM helps smartphones run demanding games from start to finish without hitches or crashes. It acts like a short-term holding area for game data that the processor can access quickly. The more RAM capacity a phone has, the better it can handle big game files and keep everything running lag-free.
8GB of RAM should be sufficient for gamers who just want to enjoy casual mobile gaming. But for a bigger experience with more modern games, gamers should look for no less than 16GB of RAM or more.
Software Optimization for Gaming
Besides the core hardware specs, gaming smartphones need smart software optimizations too. Good gaming phones typically come with "Game Modes" that automatically change settings to maximize performance and block distracting notifications and calls.
Some gaming phones even come with specialized modes or features. For example, gamers who play casino games online may be able to access features like secure payment integration and access to virtual casino lobbies.
A Gorgeous High-Refresh Rate Display
The display is what determines how the game looks to you. For players seeking premium mobile gaming, bigger is most definitely better when it comes to screen size.
Displays of 6.5" or larger create a better visual experience that feels like you’re part of the action. And it's not just size, the resolution that counts too. Many gamers prefer displays with ultra-high resolutions like 1440p.
Advanced Cooling Abilities
Even the fastest processors and best graphics can't save a game if the phone gets too hot. And this is a great risk because long gaming sessions can easily cause smartphone chips to overheat.
That's why the best gaming phones have innovative cooling solutions. There are various ways manufacturers try to solve the overheating problem, like installing vapor chambers or graphite cooling pads.
Huge Battery Capacity with Speedy Charging
Gaming drains phones’ batteries a lot, so a gaming phone must have a massive battery size. The best gaming phones typically have batteries of 5,000mAh capacity or even larger. With batteries this size, you can expect six to eight hours of gameplay from a full charge for the most demanding games. And when that battery does run low, you'll want fast charging to quickly top off the battery without having to wait around for so long.
