The best phone for games in 2025 depends on what kind of games you play. Look for phones with the latest chipset, a bright display and useful gaming features.
Dedicated gaming models have extra hardware gimmicks like cooling systems, shoulder buttons and high refresh rate displays. But you can also get solid performance on a mainstream smartphone.
When choosing the best phone for games in 2025, consider factors such as performance, display quality, battery life, and budget to find the best fit for your needs.
Samsung Galaxy S24
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 series is a solid option for anyone who wants a reliable phone that can handle gaming and productivity. All three models have powerful internals and stunningly bright Dynamic AMOLED displays. They also feature great cameras and generous storage options. Plus, they come with a seven-year update promise that’s unmatched in the industry save for Google’s Pixel phones.
Samsung is putting a big emphasis on artificial intelligence this year, and it’s baked into every app in the Galaxy S24 lineup. Its suite of AI tools, called Galaxy AI, aims to make life easier by automating tasks.
The Galaxy S24 is a little bigger than last year’s model, but it’s still easy to hold one-handed and use in landscape mode. It’s also slightly lighter thanks to a titanium skeleton.
Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro
Last year's Asus ROG Phone had an interesting look that was designed to stand out as a gaming device. With its frosted glass back and angular camera bump, it avoided most of the usual gamer smartphone stereotypes while still sporting plenty of mecha-inspired graphics.
The phone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and offers up to 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM. Asus claims that it's capable of beating Apple and Samsung phones when run in "X Mode," which optimizes the device for performance-heavy apps and games.
It has a 185Hz refresh rate, which should feel nice and fluid in most games. It also has a fingerprint scanner that's quick and accurate. It supports Google's Gemini large language models and features AI call translation and auto-transcribing, as well as semantic search for photos and wallpaper generation.
iPhone 16 Pro Max
Apple continues to offer top-tier hardware and software capabilities for iPhone users. Its latest Pro series phones are a good upgrade from the previous generation, and its A18 Pro chip built on second-generation 3-namoeter technology blows away Android competition in CPU performance (though not graphics). iOS 18 brings cool new functionality like Clean Up in Photos and RCS messaging support. Apple's still-proprietary 48MP ultrawide camera is a nice upgrade, too, and it can now record stereo audio with a studio quality four-mic array.
The new displays are brighter and sharper than last year's models, and the Pro Max boasts the largest screen ever fitted to an iPhone. It also supports 1 nit minimum brightness, so it can use less power in low light. That's helpful for gaming.
Poco X7 Pro
The Poco X7 Pro is a powerhouse for gamers, boasting an impressive processor and display. The device also has a massive battery that offers exceptional endurance and fast charging.
It has a stunning 120Hz AMOLED display and offers a wide color gamut, so you can enjoy games in vivid detail. The display supports HDR content, and the phone also has a Dolby Vision HDR feature that improves video quality on platforms like YouTube.
It has a powerful MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra chipset, which is one of the top gaming processors available in this price range. The chip is built on a 4nm fabrication process and offers a significant performance boost compared to older flagships. It is paired with RAM and storage that vary depending on the variant you choose. The Pro version has a 256GB UFS 4.0 SSD and 12GB of RAM.
Nothing Phone 2
Despite a relatively modest price tag, the Nothing Phone 2 can compete with most flagship phones in terms of performance. In fact, it’s able to run demanding games like Genshin Impact and PUBG Mobile at max settings with no noticeable slowdown.
The display has also been upgraded to a 6.7-inch OLED screen that offers an impressive 1080p resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. It also supports a variable refresh rate, which helps keep the battery usage low even when the screen is on continuously.
On the software front, Nothing’s bespoke Android UI has seen some major improvements with Phone 2. Its always-on display is now useful for at-a-glance info and shortcuts, while its Glyph lighting feature has been expanded to include more addressable zones and new functionality such as showing a progress bar on apps.
