2017’s Best Gaming Smartphone Choices
Tia Winter | 23 May 2017
When it comes to choosing the overall best operating system for mobile gaming, there is no single solution for everyone. Windows, iOS and Android all have their strengths – so it’s ultimately up to you to choose the aspect of gaming you want the most emphasis on.
With that said, your smartphone of choice is just as important as the operating system you’ve decided to use. Major technological firms are always upping their game with exciting new devices that have frankly unbelievable abilities, and picking the right mobile device is crucial for gaming that suits your individual needs. Check out these top contenders for the best gaming smartphones so that you can make an informed pick when it comes to your mobile entertainment!
Samsung Galaxy S8
There’s a good reason Samsung has reported selling over 200,000 devices a day! While the Samsung S7 and S7 Edge are both great choices for gaming on the go, the Galaxy S8 offers outstanding capabilities and a smooth AMOLED display capable of offering QHD+ resolution at 2960 x 1440. This smartphone offers a long-lasting 3,000-mAh battery for endless gaming sessions, along with a powerful Samsung Exynos 8895 or Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, depending on your region.
Samsung has even re-mastered its Game Tools, which were first offered in the S7, for the new S8 to give their players even more control in game. Topping it all off is an innovative setting that allows you to adjust your game to the S8’s aspect ratio for fully compatible fun.
HTC 10
The HTC 10 is the perfect smartphone for gamers who can’t stand lag in any shape or form. Lag can drastically affect the outcome of any fast-paced shootout or in-game raid – but thanks to the HTC 10’s responsive touch screen sensors, glitches may soon be a thing of the past. The HTC 10 offers the lowest rate of touch latency of any smartphone being sold today, including even Apple’s own iPhone models. It also offers HD BoomSound audio capabilities, a powerful Quad-core 2.2 GHz Snapdragon 820 processor, and a roomy 4GB of RAM for ample app storage.
Xaomi Nexus 6P
Xaomi may be a relatively unheard-of brand, but this technological firm is producing smartphones capable of anything major competitors like Apple and Samsung’s devices can do. The Nexus 6P is the ideal smartphone for gamers on a budget, as it offers great functionality at the fraction of the price of its competitors’ high-end models. The Nexus 6P boasts 3GB of RAM, an impressive panoramic 5.7 inch AMOLED screen, Arendo 430 GPU and a Snapdragon 810 processor unit. Yes, this smartphone’s specs are slightly weaker than the S7 Edge’s, but it still offers top-notch colour reproduction, resolution, and a pixel density comparable to its Samsung-made counterpart at 518 ppi.
OnePlus X
This is another choice for those who like their mobile gaming devices mighty but pocket-friendly. The OnePlus X runs 2014’s flagship processor, Snapdragon 810, but at a mere fraction of the price of even the Nexus 6P it’s hard to argue! The smartphone has a compact 5.1 inch screen, and quality gaming capabilities to rival that of some of Samsung and Apple’s most celebrated past devices. In tests, the OnePlus X even achieved a respectable 40 fps on the Epic Citadel benchmark, making it an exceptional buy for just NZ$500.
These smartphones are the hottest on the market right now, but we also know that 2017 could bring about even bigger and better options as technology continues to improve and evolve.