Raid: Shadow Legends is one of the most popular mobile games in the turn-based RPG genre. That, however, doesn’t mean you only need a flagship phone to play it.
The game can easily be enjoyed on a mid-range phone and, even better, on a premium mid-range option. All one needs is a high refresh rate screen, a decent chunk of RAM, and a processor that can push at least 30 fps or higher at 1080p.
Thankfully, Shadow Legends isn’t a resource-intensive title that requires too much processing power. Over the years, the game has been optimized with several patches to accommodate powerful new mid-range and upper mid-range processors.
This is why most decent premium mid-range phones can run the game well today. Decent isn’t what we are interested in, though. For this reason, here’s a list of five amazing premium mid-range phones that can play Shadow Legends as close to flagship phones as possible. All of these are below $600 or 50,000 INR.
Note: The opinion reflected is of the writer.
Vivo V25 Pro, OnePlus 10R, and more premium mid-range phones to play Shadow Legends
1) Vivo V25 Pro (for 34,000 INR)
Vivo is one of the few brands in the current line-up of various OEMs that focuses particularly well on bang-for-the-buck smartphones. Suffice to say, its V25 Pro is no different. Provided with a Dimensity 1300, a 6 nm chip, the phone is faster than the 778 chip from Snapdragon, at least on paper.
Unsurprisingly, this is also evident in real-time performances in several games, like Shadow Legends. Coupled with UFS 3.1 storage and a 120 Hz screen, the phone flies through games quite easily in maximum settings. The fact that the V25 Pro features a 4830 mAh battery and supports 66 W fast charging instills much confidence in it as a dependable gaming phone.
At 6.5 inches, it is a bit on the larger end of the spectrum, but no one ever complained about a bigger screen while gaming on a device.
2) Motorola Edge 30 Pro (for $479 or 34,999 INR)
Motorola seems to have cracked the smartphone formula of late. Perhaps this can be understood as a push from Motorola to replace brands like OnePlus in the affordable flagship and premium mid-range category. The Edge 30 Pro offers flagship-level gaming performance for half the price with a clean and minimalistic approach to UI.
The phone is equipped with a 144 Hz display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, a type 3.1 UFS storage, and a massive 4800 mAh battery that supports 68 W fast charging. The phone's essentials are capable enough to handle any demanding game in ultra settings and 60 fps, let alone Shadow Legends. With generous battery capacity and fast charging, one would never have to worry about ending gaming sessions abruptly.
3) Nothing Phone 1 (for $485 or 35,390 INR)
Nothing Phone 1’s specifications are well-above anything that Shadow Legends requires. Anyone looking for a reliable phone that can also duly handle games without hiccups should consider the Nothing Phone 1.
With a Snapdragon 778+ 5G, based on a 6 nm process, and a UFS 3.1 storage, the phone feels much faster across general usage while also demolishing any demanding games easily.
The speed of the phone is enhanced by the presence of a 120 Hz OLED screen, which allows users to experience smooth and high fps in games. The presence of a 4500 mAh battery coupled with 33 W of charging provides ample juice to last for long gaming sessions.
Also, coming from the original co-founder of OnePlus, Nothing Phone boasts a clean, minimal, and smooth Android experience.
4) OnePlus 10R (for 36,999 INR)
Qualcomm and Apple aren’t the only two companies holding a duopoly of top-end flagship chipsets that are masterful at gaming. Of late, Mediatek has proved to be a dark horse of sorts and its Dimensity 8100 Max in the OnePlus 10R is no slouch. The OnePlus 10R boasts a lightning-fast 5 nm chipset while also sporting a smooth 120 Hz screen.
To amplify its already great performance, the phone is equipped with a fast UFS 3.1 storage that breezes through loading times and map transitions. With a 5000 mAh battery and 80 W fast charging, power will never be an issue on this device. Its powerful internals make almost all games run easily in high-ultra settings.
5) Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G ($549.99 or 39,830 INR)
It has quite literally become a trend among top OEMs to make budget-oriented flagships, with some compromising and labeling them premium mid-range phones. But rest assured, no one is complaining.
This practice is exemplified by Samsung’s FE edition, which has been deemed the fan edition. The device is about a year old and boasts Snapdragon 888 5G, which reigned as the flagship processor two years ago.
Let the two-year-old processor not fool you, this processor was, and still is, a chip capable of handling all kinds of games in max settings. Fans of Shadow Legends should find no problem playing it at maximum settings. Apart from the fast processor, the phone sports a UFS 3.1 storage which is ultra-fast and best suited for demanding tasks like gaming.
This model is one of the most compact selections on the list, yet it features a smooth 120 Hz screen. As for the battery, the S21 FE has a 4500 mAh battery with 25 W charging, which is about enough to give you plenty of hours on Shadow Legends.
Modern OEMs know that flagship phones are slowly losing steam among users. The majority of people are looking for reliable, powerful, and efficient smartphones that can do it all, from photography to gaming, without breaking the bank.
These five phones thus make a good case to play not just Shadow Legends, but any good AAA games launched so far. Moreover, the above-mentioned phones will see support from their OEMs for at least two to three years, thus making the purchase even more viable.