What To Look For In A Gaming Phone

How do I choose a gaming phone?

Choosing the best gaming phone can be a complex task. However, this short guide will help you understand what specs and features to look for to give you the most immersive, super-speedy mobile gaming experience.

Which display is best for mobile gaming?

First up, when thinking about a gaming phone, you will want to consider the specifications of the display. There are three screen elements that we recommend you think about when it comes to choosing the best gaming phone: resolution, pixels per inch (PPI) and panel type.

Resolution is easy - the higher the better. Written as length x height, display resolution refers to the total number of pixels on your phone screen. For the best gaming experience, you’ll want a phone that has a minimum resolution of 1280 x 720. And with Samsung there’s no need to compromise. You'll find an epic 3,088 x 1,440 with the Galaxy S24 Ultra or an incredible 2,176 x 1,812 main screen resolution with the highly acclaimed Galaxy Z Fold5.

The best gaming phones will also have good screen size and high PPI or pixel density to give you infinitely better detail for anything displayed on your screen. A higher PPI is really important for gaming if you're looking for exceptional clarity and vibrancy in images and fonts. The size of your phone display, resolution and PPI are all closely linked and should be considered together when deciding on your gaming phone. If the size of the screen increases the PPI and resolution should too. The bigger the screen the better when it comes to mobile gaming.

Having a large screen phone means that your thumbs end up covering less of the screen, which is super useful when you can move the virtual joysticks and buttons to the very edges of the device. For the most immersive gaming experience opt for a display which is 6.2-inches or larger. With the awesome Galaxy Z Fold5 you get the best of both - a huge unfolded 7.6” main display and a 6.2” sub display both boasting Dynamic AMOLED 2x technology. But if you’re looking for a non-foldable smartphone, the incredible Galaxy S24 Ultra’s 6.8” screen is more than enough to give you a competitive edge while gaming.

Finally, the display technology is important for mobile gaming because for the best experience you need to interact with a lot of fast, action-packed content without worrying about washed out or grainy images. You’ll want the most up to date display technology if you’re an avid gamer and choosing a smartphone with an AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-emitting Diode) display will ensure you experience the most remarkable colours, deepest blacks and amazing contrast ratios. Flagship Samsung Galaxy smartphones take display technology to the next level with the Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. Why not try the Galaxy Z Flip5? It not only has a stunning 6.7-inch main screen but flips in half to create a compact phone ready to slip into your pocket. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display delivers vibrant colours and epic levels of brightness day and night - perfect for your gaming phone needs!

Processing power

For mobile gaming, you should also make sure that the main processing unit of the phone is up to scratch. The processors found in most Samsung Galaxy smartphones run on either Octa-core (2.3GHz Quad + 1.6GHz Quad) or Quad-core (2.15GHz + 1.6GHz) chipsets. However, the latest Samsung Galaxy S24 series boasts the fastest and most advanced processor yet; the Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy.

But what is a processor and why does it matter for a gaming phone? Processors found inside phones are responsible for carrying out advanced tasks such as handling graphic intensive games and creating high resolution videos. Outdated processors make devices slow, inefficient and are unable to run advanced games.

RAM

If you want the best gaming phone, you need to consider its RAM (Random Access Memory). RAM is essentially the amount of data your phone can have active and ready to go at any one time. The more RAM you have, the less your phone has to load from flash memory, and the more intensive your graphics can be. This makes RAM important for gaming because if your phone doesn’t have enough, you’ll experience glitchy, slow running games. If you love data intensive games, you’ll need more RAM (8GB or 12GB) to enjoy your games at their best. The processing unit also shares the same RAM pool as the rest of your phone so opting for more RAM is better for both data storage and the processing power of your phone.

Refresh Rate

Finally, when searching for the best gaming phone you also need to look out for smartphones with a high refresh rate. A refresh rate is measured in Hz (Hertz) and calculates the number of times a display updates the image you see every second. A standard refresh rate is around 60Hz - the screen refreshes 60 times every second. For a gaming phone opting for 120Hz will take your gaming to the next level.

What is a good refresh rate for gaming?

With a higher refresh rate, you’ll enjoy even more realistic animations, smoother scrolling and crystal-clear displays. This makes having a speedy refresh rate essential in mobile gaming to make movement between frames super smooth. Your phone will seem infinitely more responsive and reactive with 120Hz and it is what we recommend for elite gamers seeking super smooth graphics.

What does 120Hz mean?

A refresh rate of 120Hz means that the screen is updated an epic 120 times a second. Previously only available on top end gaming monitors, Samsung has brought this innovative technology to flagship Galaxy devices including the sensational Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5 and the Galaxy S24 series. So, you can now enjoy silky smooth scrolling and dynamic gaming in the palm of your hand.

Is 5G good for gaming?

5G connectivity is also an extra bonus for many new phones especially when it comes to mobile gaming. 5G offers much lower latency and faster downloads than 4G, meaning you can game just about anywhere without sacrificing on speed. Read more about the advantages of 5G in our article What Is 5G and Do I Need It?

Which Samsung phone is best for gamers?

There are a number of Samsung phones that are designed with gaming in mind. We’ve included some of the best Galaxy gaming phones below:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5

Samsung’s epic fifth generation folding phone, the Galaxy Z Fold5 combines the functionality of a smartphone and a tablet into one awesome package. You get a full screen experience both inside and out. The cover screen comes in at a generous 6.2-inches with a 2316 x 904 display resolution, while the internal display measures an impressive 7.6-inches with 2176 x 1812 resolution. Meaning the Galaxy Z Fold5 is perfect for on the go gaming with plenty of screen space to see all action.

Even more impressively, the Galaxy Z Fold5 can produce a 120Hz refresh rate without having to bring down the screen resolution! Playing games with an extremely smooth frame rate feels great on a regular phone, and it’s even better when converted into a tablet device as the bigger screen means that you can fully appreciate the smooth movement.

The Samsung Z Fold5’s underlying 4nm processor has no trouble at all keeping up with demanding mobile games, capable of playing games whilst also allowing you to browse the internet and watch YouTube videos, making it a fabulous option if you’re looking for a superb gaming phone that’s great for multitasking.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5

The Galaxy Z Flip5 opens up new experiences with a hands-free, any angle hinge; letting you do even more of what you love. A compact alternative to the Galaxy Z Fold5, this future ready phone is also a very capable and impressive gaming smartphone. With a boosted 4nm processor the Galaxy Z Flip5 has the most powerful chip within the Samsung Galaxy Z foldables range. The intelligent processor brings laptop-like performance to the palm of your hand. It is designed to keep up with your gaming, work and entertainment demands day and night, making it a superb choice if you’re seeking smooth, seamless, action-packed gaming.

It opens up to reveal a stunning 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED 2X (2,640 x 1,080) FHD+ Infinity Flex display that’s optimised for high energy content. And with a rapid refresh rate of 120Hz it is super vibrant and fluid, capable of delivering gaming graphics at high speeds. You can be sure to enjoy mobile gaming in full detail without delays or lags. And with a super-bright display, you’ll enjoy next level viewing every time, so you can be sure you’re always experiencing your game at its best.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

The latest Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is a brilliant contender as Samsung’s best-performing gaming phone. Boasting a stunning 6.8-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with pixel packing 3,120 x 1,440 resolution (505ppi), the Samsung S24 Ultra offers the perfect large screen experience to make the most of any game. Combined with Adaptive Vision Booster technology, a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate and a whopping 2600 nits of brightness – that’s the brightest in any Galaxy series - you’ll find yourself lost in eye-widening, super sharp, colour-popping gaming content.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra features the fastest chipset ever on a Galaxy S series smartphone; the Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy. The latest iteration promises dynamic gaming so even the most demanding online multiplayer marathons will feel like a breeze. And with a huge 5,000mAh (typical)¹ battery and super-fast charging², you don’t need to worry about running out of power at the crucial moment.

You get 12GB of RAM as standard, with the option of 256GB, 512GB or even 1TB of storage, so it can easily handle any game. Plus, with an incredible quad-lens camera setup and cinematic 8K video capabilities it’s hard not to love the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

When it's time to turn the games off and get back to work the Galaxy S24 Ultra also comes with an embedded S Pen, so you can take advantage of a real pen-like writing experience on the highly responsive screen, perfect for both work and play.

Find out more about the exception Galaxy S24 series in our ‘Introducing the Samsung Galaxy S24 series’ smartphone guide.

¹Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Rated minimum capacity is 4,855mAh.
²45W Travel Adaptor sold separately.

¹Typical value tested under third-party laboratory condition. Rated minimum capacity is 4,855mAh.
²45W Travel Adaptor sold separately.

And that's not all…

If you are looking for an amazing gaming phone but want a phone that’s slightly more affordable, the highly popular Galaxy A series has some fantastic options. You can’t go wrong with the awesome Galaxy A54 5G, brimming with incredible features at a price you’ll love. You’ll find the advanced Octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB internal storage with the option to add more with a 1TB microSD card. There’s no need to worry about running out of power, the massive 5,000mAh (typical) battery gives you more time to game, stream and share.