5 best phones to play online games in 2022

The era of phones merely being devices used for calls and messaging is long gone. A phone's gaming capability is something almost every buyer analyzes before making a purchase. Excellent gaming ability alone is also not enough in today's competitive market. Only phones that can provide great in-game frames and smooth day-to-day usage are ready for the market landscape of 2022.

Read on to find five such phones that make the cut, across various price ranges and brands.

---

Best Phones for Mobile Gaming in March 2022

1) Poco X3 Pro

This is a pick for users who are on a strict budget but still want an experience close to the flagship phones. The phone has the same chipset as many flagships, with certain tradeoffs being made by Poco to minimize its cost.

The fact that it has the same processor as those phones means it can provide the same in-game performance, but there are compromises made to the display and a few other aspects to keep the price low.

Users for whom battery life and performance, particularly in-game, are priorities, will be very happy with this device, but readers looking for a great camera or a fabulous display may not prefer this one.

• Brand: Xiaomi
• Price:$260
• Specs: 6.67" IPS LCD 120Hz HDR10+, SD 860, Adreno 640, 8GB RAM, 256GB ROM, 5160 mAh.

---

2) Samsung A42 5G

(This phone is a Verizon exclusive)

While the S series phones are the biggest contenders in gaming by Samsung, the A42 has made a name for itself in the mid-range segment with the exceptional user experience it provides. The phone replaces the Moto G Power and the more expensive Samsung A52 as the ideal mid-range gaming and day-to-day use combo.

The presence of 5G at this price point, the same chipset as the A52 and other more expensive phones, and comparable cameras packed behind an exceptional display, makes it an interesting pick for mobile gamers.

For users who do not want to buy into the Verizon network, they can check out the similar, but slightly more expensive Samsung A52 5G or Motorola's new range of mid-range phones.

• Brand: Samsung
• Price: $400
• Specs: 6.6" Super AMOLED, SM7225 Snapdragon 750 5G, Adreno 619, 128GB ROM 4GB RAM, 5000 mAh.

---

3) Google Pixel 6 Pro

Google Phones have struggled to make it past the "Best Camera" list in the past, but they have really upped the ante this year with the sixth edition of the Pixel. Fresh Tensor chips and a brilliant display get the phone its rightful place on this list. While it lacks the bells and whistles of a custom UI, the stock Android boosts the performance of the phone during both gaming sessions and day-to-day usage.

The cameras, of course, are excellent in the classic Pixel tradition, arguably the best camera on any phone in 2022. Average to heavy users will face no issues with battery life or RAM. Furthermore, the device's stereo speakers are an added benefit for gamers.

• Brand: Google
• Price: $1099
• Specs: 6.71" LTPO AMOLED 120Hz HDR10+, Google Tensor, Mali-G78 MP20, 128 GB ROM 12 GB RAM, 5003 mAh.

---

4) iPhone 13 Pro Max

The A15 Bionic is still the best processor on the market, and the 13 Pro Max is the best phone that packs the heavy chipset in a sleek glass body. The phone's design also helps with avoiding heating to a large extent. The iOS interface is, of course, a pro and con for many users, but for gamers who prefer it, there is no better option than this.

Brilliant battery life, with the absolute best standby time in the industry, is also something that gamers should consider for their long gaming sessions when comparing the device to other phones.

• Brand: Apple
• Price: $1099
• Specs: 6.7" Super Retina XDR OLED, 120Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, A15 Bionic, 128 GB ROM 6 GB ROM.

---

5) Asus ROG 5S Pro

Ever since ASUS started the ROG division, their phones have been consistently bagging the "Best Gaming Phone" award every year. The 5S Pro has kept this streak going by having specs that could even beat out a mid-range laptop.

While the A15 Bionic is still the greatest processor out there, the device's heavily overclocked CPU and gigantic RAM capacity makes the phone a comparable giant next to the A15 and even surpasses its real-world performance.

With a big screen, bigger speakers, and the best internals on any phone you can buy today, the Asus ROG 5S Pro is only for those who want the absolute best in their smartphone, gaming or otherwise.

• Brand: Asus ROG
• Price: $1589
• Specs: 6.7" 144Hz AMOLED HDR10+, 18 GB RAM, 512 GB ROM, Qualcomm SM8350 SD 888 5G.

---

Note: This list reflects the views of the author only.