Explore the best gaming smartphones of 2025, from RedMagic 10S Pro and ROG Phone 9 Pro to budget POCO X7 Pro. Specs, cooling, battery life, pros and cons.
© A. Krivonosov
In the world of smartphones built for gamers, the choice is far from obvious. A high-refresh display, a powerful chipset, effective cooling and a big battery all matter, yet even within “gaming” models the differences are real. If you’re buying into this category, it pays to know which trade-offs you’re willing to accept.
A standout in this space, the RedMagic 10S Pro is seen by the editorial team as a price-to-performance benchmark for 2025. It brings a 6.85-inch AMOLED display at 2688×1216 and a 144 Hz refresh rate, which makes fast-paced play feel smooth and controlled. The 7,050 mAh battery with 80 W fast charging adds welcome stamina. A Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and the proprietary ICE-X cooling with liquid metal and a large fan help the phone keep its cool under pressure. RGB lighting and extra touch buttons along the edges reinforce the message: this device was built with serious gaming in mind.
Among the first gaming phones to adopt Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite, this model pairs top-tier performance with a notably capable camera. Its biggest advantage, though, is ASUS’s proprietary software, which can elevate gameplay and make everyday use more comfortable. In practice, that kind of thoughtful tuning can matter as much as raw speed.
If the budget is tighter, the OnePlus 13R deserves a look. It isn’t marketed as a gaming phone, yet it delivers an excellent display, high performance, a solid battery and respectable photo quality. It proves you can game comfortably on a more “regular” device without a conspicuous gaming wrapper. The upside is its versatility and fewer compromises in daily use; the downside is fewer dedicated gaming tricks and less absolute, top-tier peak performance.
When funds are limited and the goal is simply to play well for a sensible price, the POCO X7 Pro 5G is a rational pick. It offers the right ingredients for its class: a capable processor, a large battery, a 120 Hz display and high-wattage charging. It does trail flagships in camera quality and cooling, but for mobile gaming as the main task, it’s ready.
For those who don’t want a “gaming” look and prefer a powerful phone that happens to excel at games, a flagship like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra makes perfect sense. There’s no RGB lighting or extra triggers here, but its hardware, support and all-around flexibility let you run games without compromise—then switch to photos, video, work or entertainment without missing a beat. The advantages are clear: performance, versatility, quality. The caveats: a high price, a sizable body, and no dedicated gaming controls.