The gaming landscape is shifting. According to Newzoo 2023, mobile gaming boasts a staggering 2.67 billion players worldwide, surpassing 2.3 billion PC and console gamers combined.
This explosive growth translates to immense career potential within the mobile gaming industry. But wait, what good is a gamer without a social media presence?
In today’s social media-driven world, “Photography & Videography” reign supreme. So, why not merge your passion for gaming with the power of captivating content creation?
Finding the perfect smartphone that balances top-notch gaming performance with premium photo and video capabilities can be daunting.
Most manufacturers prioritize one over the other, making gamers a problematic choice. But fear not, for we’ve embarked on a quest to find the ideal gaming device that empowers you to dominate both the virtual battlefield and the social media.
Before diving in, let’s explore the key factors to consider when choosing your ultimate gaming and content-creation companion.
1. Quick Guide
1.1. What Specifications Make A Good Gaming Smartphone?
SoC
It’s commonly known as the chipset or, interchangeably, the CPU. SoC is the brain and heart of your gaming smartphone. It single-handedly works to provide graphics and processing of games.
The performance of SoC depends on its generation, number of cores, GPU, and lithography.
Popular SoCs include MediaTek Dimensity, Qualcomm Snapdragon, Apple, Samsung Exynos, HiSilicon Kirin, and MediaTek Helio.
Cooling System
Gaming without a proper cooling system is causing performance degradation and heating issues.
A cooling system doesn’t change the performance of the SoC but keeps it cool to keep operating at its maximum frequencies. High-heat generation can make SoC reduce its performance.
Display
Responsive touch and smooth movements depend on the display’s quality. Here are the top factors to look for in a gaming smartphone display:
- Touch Sampling Rate: It is the number of times your mobile display checks for user touch. A higher rate means a better touch response, which is crucial in competitive gaming.
- Refresh Rate: The typical smartphone screen changes around 60 times in a second. Meanwhile, a gaming phone can change more than 144 times per second. It improves the smoothness during movement.
- PPI: The amount of detail observable on a small screen largely depends on its pixels per inch (PPI). The more pixels packed in an inch means a crisp display and more details within your view.
1.2. What Makes A Good Camera Smartphone?
Sensor Size
A larger sensor size means more light-capturing capability and better night-time performance. 1/2.9” is smaller than 1/1.55”.
Lens System
If you are into portrait, wide-angle, or point-and-shoot photography, you need a combination of lenses to do the job.
A modern gaming smartphone camera can have three different lenses dedicated to the purpose mentioned earlier.
Pixel Size
Typically, manufacturers write it in microns. The bigger pixel size means better low-light performance. However, it does reduce the resolution. So, there is always a trade-off.
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS)
Stabilization is vital in videography, where constant movements or jerks are highly possible. Optical image stabilizations are included in high-end phones to ensure the video is smooth and focused.
Digital stabilization leads to lower video quality, whereas optical image stabilization does not compromise quality.
1.3. Are Flagship Phones Good For Gaming And Photography?
Heating Issues
Flagship gaming smartphones have good-quality cameras, but they usually lack a decent cooling system, leading to heating issues and eventually causing the SoC to reduce its operating frequency to avoid failure. So, it’s essential to address the heat transfer capability when using flagship phones for gaming.
Display Quality
Non-gaming smartphones do not have a display that refreshes 144 times in a second or takes 200+ scans to check for a touch.
They usually have lower specs as they target brightness, HDR, and color gamut for typical smartphone users. So you might face a little jitter or lower sensitivity to touch or delay in such phones while gaming.
2. Top 5 Gaming Smartphones For Photos In 2024
2.1. ROG PHONE 8 PRO
Specifications
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm)
- Cooling System: 360 ° SoC Cooling System Gen 2
- Refresh Rate: 165 Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: 720 Hz
- Pixel Density: 388 PPI
- Primary Camera: 50 MP, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, gimbal OIS
Top Gaming & Camera Features
- Dedicated AirTriggers and Controller for Gaming
- Sony IMX890 Main Camera with Hybrid Gimbal Stabilizer
- Dual Batteries, Vapor Chamber, and Active Cooler
- IP68 Dust/Water Resistant Rating
Description
It’s hard to fit in the comprehensive gaming-oriented features of the ROG PHONE 8 PRO smartphone in bullet points.
The phone carries 341 Mini-LED Programmable Matrix and AirTriggers, making it nothing short of a gaming console.
Asus took the step to include a powerful camera sensor for superior photography. The phone has yet to receive a DXOMARK rating, but it slays all its competition by a significant margin for video and photo quality.
2.2. OnePlus 12R
Specifications
- Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
- Cooling System: Dual Cryo-velocity VC
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: 360 Hz
- Pixel Density: 450 PPI
- Primary Camera: 50 MP, 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, Laser AF, OIS
Top Gaming & Camera Features
- Elite 4nm SoC for Gaming Performance
- Vacuum Chamber Cooling System
- High Pixel Density of 450 PPI
- WiFi-7 with 360-degree Gaming Antenna
Description
Despite its elegant design, the OnePlus 12R packs a punch for gaming performance. It features a dual-chamber cooling system and a 4500-nit bright display that enables playing in plain sunlight.
The phone comes with Trinity Engine, taking the phone into the S-Tier category. It features the Sony IMX355 camera sensor with ProXDR, enabling vivid color in photography.
Its laser AF and OIS make videography easier. Overall, it’s a great phone that still awaits a DXOMARK rating.
2.3. Xiaomi 13T
Specifications
- Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 8200 Ultra (4 nm)
- Cooling System: 5000mm2 Stainless Steel VC + Multi-Layer Graphite Sheets
- Refresh Rate: 144 Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: 480 Hz
- Pixel Density: 446 PPI
- Primary Camera: 50 MP, 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, OIS
Top Gaming & Camera Features
- Large Sensor Size 1/1.28”
- High 480 Hz Touch Sampling Rate for Gaming
- IP68 Rating for the Sweat and Outdoors
- Leica Summicron Lens for Balance Photography
Description
The phone features a large 6.67” display that is ideal for gaming. Whether you are playing Animal Crossing to gather Bells or buying Animal Crossing: New Horizons Bells through a gaming marketplace like Eldorado.
The phone can run your games at 120 FPS and browse the internet at lightning speeds. It features a Leica lens system that perfectly balances optical performance, lens size, and durability.
The phone secures a DXOMARK camera score of 123, which is decent compared to other phones within a similar price range.
2.4. Google Pixel 8 Pro
Specifications
- Chipset: Google Tensor G3 (4 nm)
- Cooling System: 60% Graphite Pad on Battery
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: 240 Hz
- Pixel Density: 489 PPI
- Primary Camera: 50 MP, 1/1.31″, 1.2µm, multi-zone Laser AF, OIS
Top Gaming & Camera Features
- DXOMARK Camera Score of 153
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Screen Protection
- UFS 3.1 Memory Technology
- Thermometer Measurement Sensor (skin temperature)
Description
There is no doubt that Google Pixel leads in image processing technology. The Google Pixel 8 Pro is no exception.
It scores decent in various camera tests. YouTubers have conducted a blind test with a tremendous amount of participants.
The top 3 phones in the results were all Google Pixel phones. Another advantage of Google Pixel is software stability and upgrades.
The latest Android is always released on Pixel devices first. The phone lacks cooling, and some users have reported it being hot due to a simple passive cooling system based on graphite pads.
Overall, the UFS 3.1’s rapid loading speeds and fast Google Tensor G3 SoC make it an excellent choice for gamers.
2.5. Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
Specifications
- Chipset: Apple A17 Pro (3 nm)
- Cooling System: Graphite Layer with Thermal Paste
- Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
- Touch Sampling Rate: NA
- Pixel Density: 460 PPI
- Primary Camera: 48 MP, 1/1.28″, 1.22µm, sensor-shift OIS
Top Gaming & Camera Features
- Rare 3nm SoC Technology
- iOS Game Optimization Advantage
- Fastest Storage Speed with NVMe
- DXOMARK Camera Score of 154
Description
If, as a gamer, you have no budget constraints or don’t need the massive application library of Google Play, then Apple will provide the stability you need.
It provides an excellent camera system, ranking it among the world’s top-performing smartphone cameras.
The phone manufacturers consistently offer their phones the best software and hardware optimization.
The game developers also spend a fair share of their time developing and optimizing the game for the iPhone.
It is the only phone in our list with a 3nm chipset, which improves its thermal performance inherently. It is the best flagship phone for gaming.
Conclusion
To conclude the discussion, we can say the following for all the smartphones featured in the list for our readers:
- Pick any phone from the list that fits your budget. Go for the OnePlus 12R for a gaming phone’s excellent price/performance ratio. Pick ROG Phone 8 Pro for the ultimate gaming experience and features.
- If you want full photography and a balanced gaming performance, Google Pixel 8 Pro is the best Android phone. Whereas the iPhone is the only option in the iOS category.
- Xiaomi 13T works with the DImensity SoCs, providing excellent value for money.
We hope you find the best product for your gaming on our list. All these smartphones have the potential to be pro-mobile gamer devices and have high-end photography capability.
Whether playing PUBG or uploading pictures on Instagram, these devices are best for both. So start saving for your next gaming device today!
