Top 10 smartphones in India for Gaming Enthusiasts

We bring you the top gaming smartphones available currently in India along with their price, features, and specifications to help you make a more informed buying decision

Gaming on-the-go has caught the fancy of youngsters today and how! While the serious gamer prefers his dedicated PC or gaming console, it cannot be denied that mobile versions of games have taken the frenzy to an altogether different level.

Needless to say, popular titles such as Fortnite and Call of Duty: Mobile have benefited massively from the rise of gaming across hand-held devices. In this article, we bring you the best gaming smartphones available in India.

Featured devices are from across the price spectrum as are their features so that you can make a buying decision as per your budget and requirement.

1. Apple iPhone 11

Price: Starts at Rs 49,999

Kick-starting the list is an absolute gem from Apple, which might be relatively old in the market, but still packs enough punch to justify its position in this list. The star attraction of this smartphone is the A13 Bionic chip. This 64-bit ARM-based system is not only more efficient, but is also substantially faster than the Snapdragon 855 doing duty on most Android devices.

The iPhone 11 does not have dedicated gaming buttons or a higher refresh rate, but gamers around the world swear by its processor speed and display sharpness. Another key attraction for gamers and game developers alike is Apple’s Arcade gaming paid subscription service. Subscribers get access to over 100 games exclusively available across the Apple ecosystem.

Specifications:

• OS: iOS 13, upgradable to iOS 14.4
• Display resolution: 828 x 1792 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~326 ppi density)
• Display type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ)
• Memory: 64GB 4GB RAM/128GB 4GB RAM/256GB 4GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Ion 3110 mAh, non-removable (11.91 Wh)

2. Asus ROG Phone 3

Price: Starts at Rs 49,999

If there is one gaming smartphone, which proclaims its love for gaming loud and clear, it’s the Asus ROG Phone 3. Gamers across the globe have taken a strong liking for Asus and its gaming-specific devices owing to a host of features. It comes with the top-of-the-line refreshed Snapdragon 865+ SoC from Qualcomm and a 6000mAh battery.

The chip runs faster than the standard Snapdragon 865, equipped with one prime Kryo 585 Gold core providing up to 3.1GHz. Also on offer is an integrated Adreno 650 graphics and specific logic for AI, image processing, video encoding and security. Asus has paired this chip with a Qualcomm X55 5G modem.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, ROG UI
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~391 ppi density)
• Display type: AMOLED, 1B colors, 144Hz, HDR10+, 650 nits (typ)
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM/128GB 12GB RAM/256GB 12GB RAM/512GB 12GB
• RAM/512GB 16GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 6000 mAh, non-removable

3. OnePlus 8 Pro

Price: Starts at Rs 54,999

Touted as one of the best gaming smartphones available in the Indian market, the OnePlus 8 Pro ticks many boxes. The latest version of the OnePlus 8 Pro comes equipped with IP-certified waterproofing and wireless charging.

The phone comes with a large 6.78-inch QHD+ display featuring 1440×3168-pixels AMOLED panel. OnePlus claims it to have a high colour accuracy and HDR10+ support. The refresh rate is 120Hz, up from last year’s 90Hz. The OnePlus 8 Pro can run at 120Hz at QHD+ resolution.

A key feature of this smartphone is its Motion Graphics Smoothing. On turning this on, it increases the framerate of any video for a smoother and more lucid appeal when viewed in full screen. It’s compatible with most video players and streaming apps.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, OxygenOS 11
• Display resolution: 1440 x 3168 pixels (~513 ppi density)
• Display type: Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM/256GB 12GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 4510 mAh, non-removable

4. Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G

Price: Rs 1,04,999

For Samsung, this is the pinnacle of technology and pure gaming experience. It allows gamers to play games at 120Hz and can stream Xbox titles using the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Players can cast games to external displays using the Samsung DeX interface and it promises no stutters.

Powering the smartphone is Samsung’s in-house Exynos 990 processor that gets an octa-core chip with two high-performance custom 2.7GHz cores. Two more 2.5GHz Cortex-A76 cores and four more power-efficient 2GHz Cortex-A55 cores also are on offer. It features an integrated Mali G77MP11 GPU.

A hybrid dual-SIM enabled smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G comes with 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage and 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Samsung offers the OneUI, which is quite responsive and free-running. A display set to 60Hz ensures stress-free gaming for long durations.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, One UI 3.0
• Display resolution: 1440 x 3088 pixels (~496 ppi density)
• Display type: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, HDR10+
• Memory: 128GB 12GB RAM/256GB 12GB RAM/512GB 12GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Ion 4500 mAh, non-removable

5. iQoo 3

Price: Starts at Rs. 24,990

One of the latest entrants in the Indian market, the iQoo 3 is a powerful smartphone from the Chinese gadget maker iQoo. The phone comes with a 6.44-inch AMOLED display, which pretty much encapsulates the front fascia of the device. The company has done well to keep bezel size under control and gamers are treated to sleek borders all around the display.

The iQoo 3 features the bust-in-business hardware from iQoo. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC. If we talk about numbers, this is currently the most powerful chip powering this Android device.

This gaming smartphone gets one core clocked at 2.8GHz, three cores clocked at 2.4GHz and the other four clocked at 1.8GHz. It offers the latest UFS 3.1 storage and LPDDR5 RAM across all its variants.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, iQOO UI 1.0
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~409 ppi density)
• Display type: Super AMOLED, HDR10+, 800 nits (typ)
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM/128GB 8GB RAM/128GB 12GB RAM/256GB 8GB
• RAM/256GB 12GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 4400 mAh, non-removable

6. Poco X3

Price: Starts at Rs. 16,990

Hailing from the Redmi family, the Poco brand is another recent entry in the Indian market and the model under consideration here is the mid-range Poco X3. It is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 732G SoC and a massive 7,000mAh battery.

The gaming smartphone gets a big full-HD+ display with a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz. While it does not self-switch refresh rates, it lets users choose between 60Hz and 120Hz. This provides wide range to gamers while playing their favourite titles.

As a feature to control appliances, the phone gets an IR emitter. The operating software on this is nothing less than Android 10 and it also offers multiple customization options such as the Android security patch. The large battery ensures that users do not run dry even after more than a day’s usage.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, MIUI 12
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~395 ppi density)
• Display type: IPS LCD, 120Hz, HDR10, 450 nits (typ)
• Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM/128GB 6GB RAM/128GB 8GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 7000 mAh, non-removable

7. Realme Narzo 20 Pro

Price: Rs 14,999

The Realme Narzo 20 Pro features a 6.5-inch display with 90Hz refresh rate and 120Hz touch sampling rate. It has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner placed on the power button. It comes with a 4,500mAh battery, with two 2,250mAh cells for quicker charging and better gaming experience. Also on offer is a powerful MediaTek Helio G95 gaming processor.

This is an octa-core processor with two Cortex-A76 cores tuned at 2.05GHz while six Cortex-A55 cores come at 2GHz. Realme offers a 90Hz full-HD+ display on the Narzo 20 Pro with high-refresh-rate panels. The OS on the Narzo 20 Pro is Realme’s UI featuring the top-end Android 10. The gaming smartphone comes with an Android security patch, which is quite a recent addition.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, Realme UI
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~405 ppi density)
• Display type: IPS LCD, 90Hz, 480 nits (typ)
• Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM/128GB 8GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable

8. OnePlus Nord 5G

Price: Rs 29,999

OnePlus Nord comes with a Snapdragon 765G processor, which is a powerful unit and can ensure high speeds while playing most high-end games. The OnePlus Nord also sports a 6.44-inch full-HD+ AMOLED display, which is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 sheet.

The gaming smartphone comes equipped with a 90Hz refresh rate display for smoother transitions, stereo speakers and an internal cooling system. This is boon during long gaming hours.

It gets a 90Hz refresh rate. OnePlus is currently offering this device with a 30W fast charger, which can quickly fill up the 4,115mAh battery. Providing a sturdy build quality, this device comes with a polycarbonate body and the Gorilla Glass 5 covers the entire front and back. Taking care of powering issues is the 4,115mAh battery, with Warp Charge 30T fast charging.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, upgradable to Android 11, OxygenOS 11.1
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~408 ppi density)
• Display type: Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+
• Memory: 64GB 6GB RAM/128GB 8GB RAM/256GB 12GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 4115 mAh, non-removable

9. iPhone XR

Price: Starts at Rs 47,900

The iPhone XR is powered by Apple’s A12 Bionic chip, which contains a six-core CPU and a four-core GPU alongside a new dedicated Neural Engine. This makes it an ideal gaming smartphone for Indians.

The device comes with a 6.1-inch TrueTone display with 60Hz refresh rate and 120Hz touch sample rate. It features a display resolution of 828×1792 pixels at 326ppi and comes with a Hexa-core CPU with 2×2.5 GHz Vortex + 4×1.6 GHz Tempest.

The iPhone XR is powered by Apple’s patented technology and offers a high refresh rate to tackle almost anything gamers demand from it. It gets a 3GB RAM and there is no external card slot. A Li-Ion 2942 mAh, non-removable 11.16 Wh battery does duty on the XR and it also gets a fast charging facility.

Specifications:

• OS: iOS 12, upgradable to iOS 14.4
• Display resolution: 828 x 1792 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~326 ppi density)
• Display type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ)
• Memory: 64GB 3GB RAM/128GB 3GB RAM/256GB 3GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Ion 2942 mAh, non-removable (11.16 Wh)

10. Realme X7 Pro 5G

Price: Rs 29,999

The Realme X7 Pro has a powerful processor, which is sure to appeal to most avid and novice gamers, provided they are playing on medium graphics settings. This device comes loaded with a heat dissipation system, including a vapor chamber to cool down the core temperature of the smartphone.

However, this gaming smartphone’s back panel tends to heat up a little after playing a rigorous and resource-heavy game for around an hour. Gamers would be advised not to indulge in long gaming sessions while the phone is on charge, as it gets difficult to hold, owing to the heat.

This is a mid-range gaming device features a 6.55-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touch sampling rate. Also to its credit is the fact that it is one of the few mid-range phones which is available with a 65W fast charger.

Specifications:

• OS: Android 10, Realme UI
• Display resolution: 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)
• Display type: Super AMOLED, 120Hz
• Memory: 128GB 6GB RAM/128GB 8GB RAM/256GB 8GB RAM
• Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable

 

The price and product specifications mentioned in the article are subject to change as per company requirements and the details mentioned here are the most recent ones for each model