In 2024, the widely recognized online mobile game COD: Mobile presented its own iteration of Spotify Unwrapped, providing insights into how frequently you’ve gamed and what your statistics are. Unfortunately, I found out that I had logged into the game on more than 90% of the days this year (let’s keep that between us, please).
That figure isn’t as compulsive as one might assume, considering I evaluate smartphones for TechRadar. I’ve been accumulating those gold camos on a range of devices, from the finest smartphones available to the best budget phones on the market and everything in between, which has allowed me to grasp the range and capability of what various devices can offer for gaming.
To validate those 330+ days of gaming as ‘research’, I’ve assembled a list of the five most crucial elements to contemplate when acquiring a new gaming phone. These considerations are equally applicable for selecting a mobile specifically designed for gaming and for a standard device that is still suitable for a bit of COD: Mobile.
The form of a gamer
I’ve utilized literally hundreds of smartphones in recent years, and gamed on most of them. The form of a phone is the single most crucial aspect in determining a gaming phone’s value.
I’ve encountered numerous phones that are excessively large, making it challenging to reach the on-screen buttons that COD: Mobile employs. I’ve also played on phones with bezels that are too small, resulting in fingers accidentally tapping buttons at the top due to their positioning. I’ve opened on-screen minimaps far more times than I’d prefer to admit. Additionally, I’ve engaged with devices that feature substantial rear camera bumps, complicating the task of holding your phone comfortably.
Some challenges can be mitigated by adapting to gaming on a mobile, yet there are devices I’ve tested for extended periods without becoming accustomed to them. Occasionally, minor design annoyances can spoil the gaming experience, and there are a surprisingly high number of irritating design flaws found in devices meant for gaming.
So what’s the answer? Ideally, I’d suggest trying out a phone and holding it in your hand before making a purchase, perhaps by visiting a physical store or locating an online retailer that provides easy returns. Assess how it feels, attempt to play games without unintentionally opening the minimap, and check if you end up smudging the camera lens.
What are the costs?
A battery could determine the success or failure of a gaming phone. A large battery not only assures that you can utilize your mobile throughout an entire day of usage but can also significantly enhance your gaming duration. I’ve used devices with inadequate battery life, and the anxiety of depleting power has interrupted my gaming experiences.
Gamers should aim for a phone with a battery capacity of at least 5,000mAh – this is quite achievable in 2024 as most smartphones meet this criterion. A larger battery cell translates to extended gaming time, straightforward and clear.
Charging speed is crucial for the same reasons, as it allows you to quickly recharge your mobile in urgent situations – alleviating battery anxiety. The ‘fast’ aspect of ‘fast charging’ is vital, as typically plugging in your mobile while gaming may slow its discharge, but if your device charges quickly enough, you can actually gain battery power whilst playing. For the swiftest charge, I’d recommend seeking mobiles that charge at 60W or higher.
Aesthetics that impress
You might assume that your phone’s display would be one of the most critical factors of a gaming phone – after all, it’s what you’re focusing on for the entirety of your gaming session. While it is essential, I’ve never utilized a mobile and thought “wow, this display looks terrible for gaming,” which is why it doesn’t rank higher in this list.
Nearly every mobile device available currently possesses a 1080p display, and most games output at this resolution – by default, COD: Mobile utilizes this resolution. I’ve tested it on higher-quality resolution settings, and I don’t believe the quality upgrade drastically alters the gaming experience.
What you ought to seek in a display is a high maximum brightness level. If you can increase your display’s brightness, the contrast becomes more vivid, which has a noticeable impact during gameplay. It allows you to identify other players (i.e., opponents) against their backgrounds, enabling you to respond to situations slightly faster.
I have assessed phone displays with low maximum brightness, and I recall struggling to distinguish foes when playing COD: Mobile as a result.
Getting activated
Some gaming smartphones feature physical triggers located at the top of the device, which you can assign to commands for additional control. Different manufacturers employ various methods, some incorporating physical triggers while others utilize haptic zones that you tap.
When triggers operate effectively, they amplify your gaming experience. I’ve played COD: Mobile with triggers that made me feel as though I was using cheats: my reaction times were so rapid during matches that it seemed unfair.
Nonetheless, I’ve also experienced triggers that hindered my performance due to poor functionality: I had to tap several times for it to recognize a command, or a delay occurred, resulting in slower response times than usual.
Generally, I’d advocate for physical triggers as a great bonus for serious gamers. Haptic triggers, conversely, have proven to be less dependable in my evaluations, and I tend to avoid these. However, it does depend on the types of games you play: in COD: Mobile, triggers can be immensely beneficial, but for non-action titles, their importance diminishes.
Chips(et) and dips
A chipset acts as the ‘brain’ of a smartphone, and one might assume that a smarter phone would excel at handling complex games. However, I’ve experimented with smartphones featuring both high-end and low-end chipsets, and I’ve come to realize that this isn’t particularly significant.
This is because most smartphone games seem optimized to function on a wide range of devices, so whether you’re using a $200 Android or a $1,000 iPhone, the gaming experience generally won’t feel drastically different – of course, you might encounter occasional lag and freezing, but not as much as premium phone manufacturers would have you believe.
In fact, your ping (or network connection quality) will affect the speed and responsiveness of your gaming experience much more than the chipset, especially on multiplayer games like COD: Mobile.
Enhanced phone internals may offer a few advantages: you might be able to engage in games utilizing higher quality graphical settings if the title permits it, and loading times could be quicker with more RAM. However, I often favor mobiles equipped with mid-range chipsets, as the additional cost for a high-end chipset is rarely justified.