The mobile gaming industry has seen substantial advancements in recent years, particularly with the rise of popular battle royale titles such as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Call of Duty Mobile. While older smartphones had limitations based on their technology, modern devices now serve as powerful portable gaming platforms, rivaling dedicated gaming consoles in capability and convenience. Current high-end gaming smartphones not only excel in games specifically designed for mobile but also deliver console-quality experiences, showcased by the recent launch of games like Death Stranding, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and Resident Evil Village on the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Navigating through the multitude of smartphones available can be a daunting task for consumers. The best gaming smartphones today offer much more than impressive specifications; they come equipped with features that enhance the overall gaming experience, including excellent haptic feedback, special performance modes, and stylish yet thermally efficient designs.
To assist in your selection process, we have compiled a list of the leading gaming smartphones available in India, including the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Realme GT 7 Pro, and others, all tailored to meet various gaming needs.
Top Gaming Phones in India
iPhone 16 Pro Max – Price: Rs. 1,44,900
The iPhone 16 Pro Max stands as Apple’s flagship model. Although not explicitly marketed for gaming, its specifications indicate strong capabilities for gaming enthusiasts. It features a substantial 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display with a refresh rate of 120Hz and is powered by the A18 Pro chipset, one of the quickest available.
This smartphone includes a dedicated Game mode designed to optimize performance for gaming sessions. Its support for hardware-accelerated ray tracing enhances the realism of lighting and reflections in games. Through the App Store, users can access numerous console-quality games, including titles such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, and Resident Evil Village.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra – Price: Rs. 1,29,999
Competing closely with the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, regarded as one of the premier smartphones in the market and an excellent option for gaming enthusiasts. It is equipped with a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset boasting a peak clock speed of 4.47GHz and is supported by 12GB of RAM, enabling hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Vulkan optimization for realistic graphics.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra features a 6.9-inch Super AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Additionally, it offers a Game Booster mode and a high-performance mode, allowing users to customize settings for individual games, fine-tuning aspects such as fps, screen resolution, and frame booster options.
iQOO 13 – Price: Rs. 54,999
The iQOO 13 is designed primarily with gamers in mind and is among the few flagship models catering directly to this audience. The device sports a 6.82-inch 8T LTPO AMOLED display with a high refresh rate of 144Hz, a 2K resolution, and a 300Hz touch sampling rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, along with 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM and an Adreno 830 GPU, ensuring optimal performance for graphics-intensive games.
Equipped with a proprietary Q2 supercomputing chip, the iQOO 13 enhances gaming performance while remaining energy-efficient. Furthermore, it includes a substantial 7,000 mm square Vapor Chamber to effectively manage heat during intense gaming sessions.
OnePlus 13 – Price: Rs. 69,999
The OnePlus 13, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, is another high-performance option, though it is not exclusively marketed as a gaming phone. It features LPDDR5x RAM, UFS 4.0 storage, and an Adreno 830 GPU, all of which are capable of handling demanding gaming tasks. The phone has a 6.82-inch Quad HD+ LTPO AMOLED display with a variable refresh rate of 120Hz.
OnePlus has integrated a second-generation Cryo-Velocity Cooling System and a dual-layer Super Graphite vapor chamber for improved thermal management. Additionally, the company offers a Freezing Point Phone Cooler as an accessory, designed to clip onto the smartphone’s back to further mitigate heating issues while gaming.
Realme GT 7 Pro – Price: Rs. 59,999
The Realme GT 7 Pro emerges as a premium offering from the Chinese manufacturer. This smartphone also boasts a 6.78-inch 8T LTPO AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM. While its specifications are competitive with other leading gaming devices, Realme emphasizes its use of AI technology to enhance both the performance and quality of gaming experiences.
Notably, the phone includes an AI Gaming Super Resolution feature, which can elevate game resolutions from 720p up to 1.5K, currently supported for select titles such as Free Fire, BGMI, and Honor of Kings (HOK). It also features AI Gaming Super Frame, enabling higher frames per second (fps) counts during gameplay.
