Are gaming phones worth it? If you want to play titles like COD Mobile, PubG and Fortnite on the go, then you've likely been asking yourself the same thing.
Initially, you may glance at some of the best gaming phones on the market and think, what's the point? We wouldn't blame you either, especially as many of the phones available today can 'handle' some of the best mobile games.
But that's just it...why have something that can 'handle' them, when you can get a device that's tailor-made for gaming performance both in design and under the hood?
Here, we'll take a look at some of the areas you may not have initially considered, so you can decide for yourself as to whether that epic gaming phone is worth the upgrade.
Are Gaming Phones Worth It?
So let's break this down a little, as there are more than a few things to consider. We'll start with one of the most important considerations - price.
Gaming phones aren't as expensive as you'd think
We've become accustomed to the big players in the smartphone space and their pretty weighty price tags. Some of the best smartphones available today are upwards of $1000 easily, for instance.
Interestingly, gaming phones can be found at more 'affordable' price ranges, but they also pack a real punch when it comes to performance.
click to enlargeCase in point, right now you can grab the Nubia Red Magic 6s for around £600 / $800, and that's the latest in its line (until the Nubia Red Magic 7 that is).
With that, you're getting a 165hz refresh rate, an AMOLED screen, 5G, and a 720hz touch sampling rate. It's even got 3 cameras and support for 4K at 60fps filming (and 8K at 30fps)...not too bad at all for the price.
They have uniquely gamer-orientated features
Gaming phones can't get away with just great screens nowadays, they have to double up as wireless controllers too.
To that end, what you'll find with many of the gaming phones on the market are features like triggers and non-slip coatings for enhanced grip.
The shoulder triggers can offer a much more tactile gaming experience, especially when playing first-person shooters.
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On top of that, they usually have advanced cooling features, much like gaming laptops, to help keep the device running optimally even under a heavy workload.
And when it comes to design, while most everyday smartphones are seemingly made as 'vertical first' when it comes to how you would hold them, gaming phones are made with landscape orientation in mind.
This means that gaming phones can feel far more comfortable in the hand when held horizontally, than some other smartphones on the market.
Gaming phones have super high touch sampling rates
What is a touch sampling rate? Well, it's basically how many touch inputs a screen can pick up on per second, and it's measured in Hz (much in the same way refresh rates are).
The higher the touch sampling rate, the more responsive the display will feel, and the more control you will have when gaming.
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Gaming phones typically boast massive 720hz touch sampling rates, seemingly as standard nowadays.
That means that if you're playing to win, you won't have to worry about your hardware letting you down.
They pack the latest chipsets
As with anything made to take on some of the most challenging tasks, gaming phones are built with seriously powerful chips and more often than not they're the best of the best.
Upcoming phones, such as the Lenovo Legion Y90, have Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset for instance, which is the most powerful to date from the company.
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Even the Nubia Red Magic 6S has a Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888+, another incredibly impressive chipset.
One thing's for sure, that if you're getting a gaming phone, you're getting some serious power under the hood.
Verdict
So are gaming phones worth it? We think they are, and here's why.
Gaming phones may not feel as familiar as some of the more mainstream choices, but they are absolute powerhouses that have a ton of features dedicated to making your mobile gaming experience just that bit better.
Ranging from powerful chipsets to huge amounts of RAM, all the way to the best AMOLED screens and highest touch sampling rates, these gaming phones give you a responsive, accurate, and super smooth gaming experience that can give you the competitive edge.
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The additions of triggers, horizontal design considerations, advanced cooling, and much more all come together in meaningful ways that put gamers first.
And let's not forget, these are still smartphones at the end of the day, and thanks to their powerful design everyday usage should be a complete breeze.
If you're after a phone that doubles up as a mini-console, we'd say check out some of the best gaming phones around and keep an eye out on some of the upcoming releases heading our way soon!
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