6 of the best phones for gaming

Smartphones haven't ever really been synonymous with gaming. The power in consoles and gaming computers is huge and a teeny tiny little smartphone wouldn't be able to handle the strain of what a real gamer would need from the graphics and in-play styles.

However, a couple of phones make the transition between smartphone and gaming device pretty smoothly. We dig into some of the best smartphones to get your gaming fix!


iPhone XS Max

Whilst iPhones and gaming aren't often used in the same sentence (not since Flappy Bird was a thing, right?), the power in the latest iPhone makes gaming a dream. The iPhone XS Max stands tall with a 6.5inch screen and a 3,179mAh battery so you can game for longer.

Tucked inside is an A12 Bionic processor which is up to 50% more powerful than its predecessor. The improvements in efficiency make playing games like PUBG much more enjoyable but there is of course the issue of the hefty price tag for the phone. The starting price for the iPhone XS Max is £1,099 but if you buy a refurbished model with musicMagpie you could pay as little as £779.99!


Samsung Galaxy S10

The latest devices have some serious advantages when it comes to technology so it will be no surprise to see the Samsung flagship on this list! The S10 is the first Galaxy smartphone to use the latest Qualcomm chipset, Snapdragon 855, which packs a pretty big punch!

The AMOLED display is crystal clear so your enjoyment of gaming isn't hindered in any way, as it may have been in the past with lower quality devices. Not only that, Samsung have mastered the edge-to-edge display that Apple hasn't yet, with a hole punch camera. One of the things gamers might still want, to have the full experience, is the headphone jack. Samsung still have them which can give them a bit of an edge!


Razer Phone 2

When the original Razer phone was released, it served a purpose to fill the gap left by every other smartphone manufacturer "" to create a phone to suit serious gamers to. Second time around, they have knocked it out of the park once again!

The updated device is apparently 50% brighter than the original and there isn't any lag when you're playing those graphics heavy games. It uses the Qualcomm 845 Snapdragon processor which performs 30% better. It's got 8GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, which you can bump up thanks to the micro SD slot. Don't worry about the device getting warm in your hand after a serious gaming session "" it's got a vapor chamber cooling system to help regulate the temperature so your gaming won't be disturbed.


Sony Xperia XZ2

The manufacturer behind the beloved PlayStation consoles will probably know a thing or two about gaming. The Sony Xperia XZ2 is home to the Snapdragon 845 processor that many of the best gaming phones have as well as 5.7inch HDR display. A nice added touch for this device is the Dynamic Vibration System so you can feel each move you make "" it's kind of like the DualShock Controller that is used for the PS4.

If you like to be immersed in your games, the Xperia XZ2 has amazing surround sound speakers that set it apart from the rest of this list. It's got space for a microSD card to expand your memory and uses a 3,180 mAh battery so your gaming will be uninterrupted.


Huawei P30 Pro

Huawei have met their ambitions of becoming one of the best-selling phone manufacturers in the world "" so next, they're blurring the lines between smartphones and gaming consoles. Their P30 Pro handset is not only a top of the range smartphone, but it has capabilities to deal with serious game play.

Inside the phone is the Kirin 980 chipset (rather than the Snapdragon set favoured by the other devices listed) and 8GB of RAM to ensure smooth gaming and multitasking. Ahead of the curve is the cooling chamber so your phone won't overheat while you're playing, but arguably the biggest selling point of all is the huge 4,200 mAh battery this Huawei device is boasting!


Honor Play

It is easily one of the more affordable options on this list. In case you didn't know, Honor is a sub-brand of Chinese manufacturer, Huawei. The Honor Play can tackle some of the most popular games with ease. It uses the Kirin 970 chipset and Android 8.1 out of the box. The large screen (6.3inch) will make gaming much more enjoyable "" especially as you won't have any issues with performance.

The phone has a headphone jack despite many other manufacturers getting rid of them. You will get 4GB of RAM paired with 64GB of storage inside the device. You truly get a lot more bang for your buck with this phone "" it's a great option for gamers!


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