Given the fact that smartphones are almost everywhere these days, the mobile gaming industry is growing at a swift pace and has already overtaken the console and PC markets when it comes to global revenue. Mobile games today account for 51% of global revenues in the gaming industry with console games accounting for 25% of global revenues and PC games taking the third spot at 24%. Games are already the most popular app sub-category on both iOS and Android, accounting for 25% of the most active iOS apps and 21% of the most active Android apps. In keeping with the trend, the mobile gaming industry is expected to grow even bigger in the next couple of years, with experts estimating that mobile games will account for 59% of global revenues by 2021.
1. Asus ROG Phone
Starting off with the star attraction – the upcoming Asus ROG Phone – which, by far, is the most well thought out gaming phone to be announced. The ROG Phone addresses almost all of the issues that users face while gaming and brings with it a number of new features which are expected to greatly improve mobile gaming performance, provided they work as advertised.
The ROG Phone also has a rather unique and aggressive design which will surely appeal to most gamers. The device houses stereo front facing speakers in the top and bottom bezels up front and on the back it has an oddly shaped fingerprint sensor and a unique thermal solution to keep the device cool under extreme load. The ROG logo also makes an appearance on the back and glows a dull red when the device is turned on.
Taking the second spot on the list is Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi’s own Black Shark gaming phone. Launched under the Black Shark brand, the device has a design aesthetic unlike any Xiaomi smartphone we’ve seen before. It successfully pulls off the gamer-y look with its angular, yet somehow rounded, back and the glowing Black Shark logo positioned right at the center.
On the downside, the Black Shark gaming phone lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, which might be a deal breaker for some. Additionally, while the device ships with Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box, it runs Black Shark’s own skinned version of Android called JoyUI which doesn’t really have a proven track record, so we can’t be sure how well the device will perform over time. The device is priced at 3,499 yuan (approximately $540) for the 8GB/128GB variant, but if you’re not in China you’ll have to pay a $100 premium to get the device from Banggood.
Coming to the smartphone that started the dedicated gaming phone trend- the Razer Phone. Developed by a company known for its ‘gaming DNA’, the Razer Phone is the OG and it’s still holding up quite well, over six months after it was first launched. Unlike the other phones on this list, the Razer Phone features a rather minimal design, much like that of the Razer Blade gaming laptop.
Since the Razer Phone was launched back in November last year, it features last-gen flagship specifications. However, the Snapdragon 835 processor clocked in at 2.35GHz and the 8GB RAM powering the device aren’t technically outdated yet. Internal storage on the device is limited to 64GB, but it does come with a dedicated microSD card slot which supports expansion up to 400GB. The Razer Phone has a 5.7-inch 16:9 IGZO IPS LCD display with an industry-first 120Hz refresh rate, which delivers fluid visuals in even the most graphically intensive games. In the camera department, the Razer Phone features a mediocre 12MP+12MP dual camera setup on the back, which could be a deal breaker for some, and a 8MP selfie shooter up front. The device also packs in a 4,000mAh battery, with Quick Charge 4 support, which will surely last you a long time, even with heavy use.
Availability: US, UK, Canada, Singapore, Australia, EU, Hong Kong
Finally, coming to the last gaming phone on the list – the ZTE Nubia Red Magic. The Red Magic gaming phone looks and feels like a gaming phone, with its angular design and the RGB strip running down its back. Despite the gamer-y aesthetic, the device looks pretty clean and could easily pass off as a vanilla smartphone, provided you keep the gaming mode turned off.
The device has a uniquely shaped fingerprint sensor under the hexagonal camera housing on the back and has a rear mounted speaker, placed in a way that it’ll hardly ever be muffled by your hands. Much like the Black Shark gaming phone, the Nubia Red Magic also has a dedicated game mode button which powers on the RGB strip on the back and switches the device to a DND mode, preventing any notifications from ruining your gaming session.
Buy from Banggood ($589.99)
