A market niche that has grown significantly in recent years is that of gaming mobile phones. However, these phones, Despite their amazing features, they are not what they seem. They’re actually not ideal devices for playing video games, and most people don’t need them. Why? I’ll tell you right away all the reasons why I wouldn’t buy a gaming phone.
Why would you never buy a gaming cell phone? 5 reasons
The purpose of a gaming phone is to allow you to play video games in the best possible conditions and at the same time be a normal smartphone. But you know what they say… he who covers a lot, squeezes little. From performance to high cost, gaming phones have a number of problems that they will never convince me of.
You no longer need a state-of-the-art processor to play demanding games
Ten years ago you would have needed a phone with an ultra-powerful next-generation processor to play mobile games smoothly. However, this is changing and now Even a mid-range cell phone has the ability to run games with amazing quality.
Even older processors like the 2020 Snapdragon 888 can offer maximum performance to run several current graphics-intensive games. New mid-range SoCs, especially those released in the last couple of years, offer even more power for serious gaming. So no, you don’t need a dedicated gaming phone; a recent mid-range Android is sufficient.
While gaming phones may have custom cooling solutions, this It doesn’t appear to have a significant impact on gaming performance. Examples like the ROG Phone 9 Pro and OnePlus 13 (see video above) prove that even regular flagships can run games like Genshin Impact without performance issues.
They have the same cost as a flagship, but with important shortcomings
There is one thing these phones have in common and that is their high price. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that it is the same thing They are promoted and sold as if they were top of the range.but when you look closely at its specs you realize that they really aren’t.
It is undeniable that they have brilliant displays with high refresh rates, top-notch RAM, significant internal storage, a processor and GPU with excellent capabilities, etc. However, I’m not up to par with the years of operating system updates and also with the quality of its cameras.
If you doubt it, simply compare the cameras of the ROG Phone 9 Pro with those of the Galaxy S24 Ultra. Samsung mobile phone will win by beating. Also, keep in mind that ROG Phone 9 Pro (€1,300) offers only two years of updates, while the Galaxy S24 Ultra (€1,459) offers seven years of updates.
You will surely think that since it is a mobile phone for gaming, the camera capacity is not important and this might make sense, but the years of updates are something important because we are talking about a phone that makes intensive use of software. A smartphone with this price should offer more years of support.
A mobile controller is more convenient than you imagine
Although it may seem incredible, there is an accessory that will allow you to have a much more bearable experience while playing your favorite game on your mobile phone. The accessory we are talking about is a smartphone remote control.
This accessory enhances your gaming experience, as it features physical buttons and joysticks so you can control your game more precisely. Some connect to your phone via the USB port by placing your smartphone horizontally in the center of the controller, but there are also others that connect to your phone via Bluetooth.
It will cost you less buy a good mid-range cell phone along with a mobile controller rather than a gaming cell phone alone. Furthermore, the gaming experience will be much better. If you don’t know which controller to choose, we suggest you take a look at the best controllers for gaming on Android.
Portable consoles are still far superior
If mobile controllers haven’t convinced you and you want to play wherever you go, instead of buying a gaming smartphone that costs more than a thousand euros, you can try portable consoles that are further cheaper and more powerful.
A good example is the Steam Deck (419€) and the ASUS ROG Ally (799€). With them, which are only a fraction of a gaming phone, you can play equally demanding games Elden Ring or Cyberpunk 2077. Plus, they heat up less than a gaming phone.
But if What you are interested in are Android gamesthere are models like the AYN Odin 2 which starts at €339 and has both Android and a processor powerful enough to play any mobile title in maximum quality.
Overheating gaming phones are a headache
Finally, we have the overheating problem that accompanies all cell phones that try to be consoles. Because they are very compact, they have smaller cooling systems and, making extensive use of the processor, GPU, RAM and storage, It is very common for his temperature to increase a lot.
A high temperature generates a increased wear and tear on the phone’s hardware and hinders its progress. It is true that its internal cooling systems have improved, but the problem of high temperatures still persists. In fact, the ROG Phone 9 Pro (a mobile phone launched just over a month ago) is equipped with an external system to dissipate heat for this very reason.
Gaming phones don’t make much sense
Knowing that there are better and more affordable options such as handheld consoles, mobile controllers and that you can play many games on cheap phones, We do not recommend purchasing a gaming phone. The stratospheric cost, insufficient support and how overheated they are are reasons that help strengthen this recommendation.
And you … what do you think? What do you think of these reasons not to buy a gaming cell phone? Which of the alternatives we explained to you to this type of cell phone was your favorite? Leave us your comment and Share this post on your social networks.
