Regular flagship smartphones are excellent for gaming, but specialized gaming phones like the latestNubia RedMagic 10 ProandAsus ROG Phone 9go the extra mile to provide a top-tier experience. They use the same premiumSnapdragon chipswith as much power as flagships likeSamsung’s Galaxy S25 line, but add several enhancements to improve gaming performance.
Thebest gaming phonesare built differently because they must support resource-hungry titles while staying cool and maintaining high display refresh rates over extended periods. They also need sufficient battery life for long gaming sessions and everyday practicality. I’ll examine some unique features that make gaming phones stand out and explain why they’re important to players.
Think phones can’t handle real gaming? The ROG Phone 9 says otherwise
Asus emphasizes that the ROG Phone 9 is a gameplay beast.
1Shoulder triggers are more useful than you think
Use your phone like a gamepad
Some gaming phones set themselves apart from regular flagships by including shoulder triggers to improve usability. The triggers are usually located along the right side of the phone’s frame and become accessible when the device is turned horizontally. You get different types of shoulder triggers depending on the brand. Some phones offer physical buttons with a more controller-like feel, while others include discrete, low-profile, touch-sensitive triggers.
Some gaming phones set themselves apart from regular flagships by including shoulder triggers to improve usability.
Either way, shoulder triggers provide extra configurable buttons that transform the mobile gaming experience. In shooting games, they can be mapped to aiming and firing, freeing your thumbs for movement. In racing games, they can also be configured for braking and acceleration. Some phones let you divide each button into two, adjust their sensitivity, or configure them for swiping instead of pressing.
With its flagship Magic 7 Pro, Honor flirts with Android greatness
Honor’s latest flagship smartphone, the Magic 7 Pro, is an absolute powerhouse – it’s software is the only thing holding it back from true greatness.
2High refresh-rate displays make everything feel snappy
Smoother graphics for the best experience
Current flagship phones, like theGalaxy S25 UltraandPixel 9 Pro, have variable refresh rates of up to 120Hz to ensure smooth scrolling and graphics. The high frame rates make the phone’s display feel more fluid and are great for watching movies and other daily tasks. However, demanding gamers prefer something faster to eliminate motion blur and gain an edge in fast-paced competitive titles.
The latest gaming phones have higher refresh rates than most flagships. Nubia’s RedMagic 10 Pro goes up to 144Hz, while the Asus ROG 9 Pro offers a fantastic 185Hz for the smoothest visuals possible. That said, the only way to benefit from these high refresh rates is to play compatible titles that support them, like Minecraft, Alto’s Odyssey, and Dead Cells, to name a few.
Has Samsung dropped the ball by pushing back One UI 7? Kind of, but I understand the delay
One UI 7 arrives months after Android 15’s release. Is it fair to users, and was it a good move for Samsung?
33.5mm audio remains a convenient headphone option
Headphone jacks are still alive
Apple ditched the headphone jack back in 2016 with the iPhone 7, and other brands quickly followed suit (I’m looking at you, Samsung). The decision seemed controversial then, but most users moved on to Bluetooth, and few looked back because they were happier with the wireless experience.
While Bluetooth is ideal for playing music or watching content, it has some disadvantages for gaming. Bluetooth connections are prone to latency, creating a noticeable delay between what’s happening on screen and the audio output from your earbuds. Most current gaming phones are packed with the latest tech, but retain the 3.5mm port for lossless audio. Players can connect their wired headphones for instant communication with teammates or attach speakers to enjoy gunshots and explosions with superb clarity.
Current gaming phones are packed with the latest tech but retain the 3.5mm port for lossless audio.
The Galaxy S25 series is very similar to the S24 - unless you’re into AI
As far as smartphone updates go, Samsung’s Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra are incredibly incremental.
4Advanced cooling features keep your phone chilled
Keeping things running smoothly
Most regular phones overheat or throttle performance if you play demanding games with intense graphics and high frame rates for extended periods. On the other hand, gaming phones can easily handle the required processing power without issues because they have advanced cooling mechanisms for thermal efficiency.
The cooling systems vary depending on the phone, but many have multiple graphite sheets paired with vapor chambers on the inside to help dissipate heat. Others, like the RedMagic lineup, include extra vents to take in cool air and a built-in fan to expel warm air after it passes through the phone. Most gaming phone brands also offer clip-on external cooling fans to manage the temperature as add-on accessories.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has arrived, but there aren’t many changes
Samsung has officially revealed the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but there only a few differences compared to last year’s S24 Ultra.
5Bigger batteries mean you can play for longer
Uninterrupted play for hours
Sustained gaming can suck the life out of your battery in no time because of its high energy requirements. Gaming phones combat this problem by including high-capacity batteries larger than most flagships. This means you may enjoy your favorite titles and still use your phone for daily tasks like browsing and checking emails.
To put things in perspective, the Galaxy S24 Ultra has a 4,855 mAh battery, while the Pixel 9 Pro offers 5,060 mAh. On the other hand, the ROG Phone 9 Pro features a larger 5,800 mAh cell. Nubia’s RedMagic 10 Pro takes things to another level with a 7,050 mAh battery that offers around two days of standby and 14 hours of gaming.
Google’s Pixel 9 Pro has one of the best smartphone cameras I’ve ever used
If you’re an avid smartphone photographer, the Pixel 9 Pro is the device you need in your life.
6Fast charging gets you back in the game quicker
Get back up to speed in no time
Large-capacity batteries wouldn’t be practical if they took ages to charge after you’ve finished playing. That’s why the best gaming phones offer fast-charging capabilities, so you can top them off quickly after they run out of juice.
Mainstream flagship phones, like the latest Galaxy S25 Ultra, offer 45W wired charging – this isn’t bad, but it could be better. The RedMagic 10s Pro blows it away with an included 80W charger and blistering 100W top charging speed, which can top up its massive battery in around 30 minutes. The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro offers an impressive 65-watt fast charging speed and provides additional practicality with a second USB-C port for charging the phone in landscape mode.
Uh-oh, someone’s Pixel 9 Pro camera bar fell off
The Pixel 9 Pro’s camera bar is back in the spotlight again after a user on Reddit reported it had detached.
7High memory capacity ensures a smooth experience
More RAM for demanding games
Gaming phones handle the immense processing power and graphics requirements of resource-hungry titles while running other apps in the background. They do this without freezing and provide smooth performance under heavy loads because they have more RAM than most flagship phones.
Google’s top-of-the-range Pixel 9 Pro XL is a high-performance phone with 16GB of RAM, while the Galaxy S25 Ultra tops out at 12GB. On the other hand, the standard Asus ROG Phone 9 starts at 16GB, and the Pro Edition goes up to 24GB of RAM. The same goes for the RedMagic 10 Pro, which starts at 12GB for the entry-level model and includes 16 and 24GB variants if you want more performance.
