Best Gaming Phones (2026)

What are the best gaming phones in 2026?

Summary

The testers split on the top spot. GamesRadar+ and GSMArena put the RedMagic 11 Pro first; Tom's Guide and TechRadar put the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro first and the RedMagic 11 Pro fourth and second; Trusted Reviews puts the newer RedMagic 11S Pro first and does not list the ROG Phone. We keep the RedMagic 11 Pro first because it is the only phone in the top four of four of those five guides. It also runs the newer chip: GSMArena's review finds it "the more powerful device, while being considerably cheaper" than the ROG Phone 9 Pro, though it calls the ROG Phones "probably a better overall gaming-centric package", and TechRadar itself expects the ROG Phone 9 Pro could lose its crown this year. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src5, src8]

New dedicated gaming phones now come from RedMagic alone. TechRadar notes that ASUS won't release any new phones in 2026, and GSMArena calls the RedMagic 11S Pro "the only gaming-oriented, flagship-level Android phone". RedMagic's own refresh, the 11S Pro, earned Trusted Reviews' top spot, but TechRadar and GamesRadar+ both found it barely faster than the 11 Pro for $100 more, so the 11 Pro stays the pick for most people. The cheaper RedMagic 11 Air keeps the gaming features and a cooling fan on the previous-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite. [src2, src3, src4, src9, src11, src12, src14]

The other side of the market is the mainstream flagship that games well and does more besides. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 all beat the RedMagic 11 Pro for photography, which Tom's Guide ranks worst among its gaming picks; what they give up is gaming hardware such as shoulder triggers, which Tom's Guide notes the S26 Ultra lacks. [src1] Two more flagships that game well are on this card as alternatives, though neither is sold in the US: the Poco F9 Ultra, GamesRadar+'s best flagship alternative, which Poco does not sell in the US (checked 2026-10-15), and the OnePlus 15, Trusted Reviews' best Android flagship for gaming, which Tom's Guide (updated 2026-09-21) removed from its guide as discontinued after OnePlus said it would no longer operate in the US. [src1, src3, src4, src25, src26]

When we checked on 2026-10-15, RedMagic's US store listed the 11 Pro and 11 Air as out of stock and no longer available, and every configuration of the 11S Pro as out of stock, and the Amazon listing we link for the 11 Pro had no purchasable offer in our last three daily US price checks, through 2026-10-14. Stock does not change the order. If you need a phone now, the best you can buy today is the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which Samsung's US store listed for sale on 2026-10-15; the table at the top of the page shows today's price and stock for every pick. [src19, src20, src21, src22]

Top 9 Models Compared

The Price column is filled in by our daily US price check of each linked listing; a dash means no current observed price (maker-store links are not priced). Specifications are from the outlets' reviews and the makers' stores. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src9, src14, src17, src20, src24, src25]

Best for Each Use Case

Top Pick: RedMagic 11 Pro — Check price

GamesRadar+ names the RedMagic 11 Pro its best gaming phone overall and keeps it there over the newer 11S Pro, because "The RedMagic 11 Pro does everything the 'S' model does, in the same chassis, with the same dimensions, and the same battery - for $100 less." GSMArena puts it at the top of its gaming guide, TechRadar calls it the best gaming phone for most people ("for its low starting price of £629 / $749, it's hard to find better value in the gaming phone niche"), and Tom's Guide makes it its best-value pick. [src3, src5, src2, src1]

It pairs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with a 7,500 mAh battery, 80W wired and 80W wireless charging, a 6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED, capacitive shoulder triggers, a 3.5mm headphone jack and a cooling fan joined by a liquid-cooling loop that RedMagic bills as the first on a mass-production phone. In Tom's Guide's Geekbench 6 run it scored 3,653 single-core and 11,022 multi-core, and it charged to 69% in 30 minutes. GSMArena measured an Active Use Score of 20:02h. [src6, src7, src1]

The trade-offs are the same in every review. Tom's Guide calls it "the worst phone for photography on this list" and its fan "pretty loud", and its IPX8 rating covers water, not dust. GSMArena found its software "still plagued by awkward English translations from Chinese". Tom's Guide has not run its battery test on it. It launched at $749 (12GB/256GB), $849 (16GB/512GB) and $999 (24GB/1TB). [src1, src6, src8]

Availability: RedMagic's US store listed it as out of stock and no longer available when we checked on 2026-10-15, and the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable offer in our last three daily US price checks, through 2026-10-14. The pick does not change because of stock; the Galaxy S26 Ultra below is the best you can buy today in its place. [src19]

Best Value: RedMagic 11 Air — Check price

GamesRadar+'s best-value gaming phone: "If you've got $500 to spend on one of the best gaming phones, this is where you should be looking." It recorded about 14% less performance than the 11 Pro, and its 7,000 mAh battery "matched, and sometimes exceeded" the battery life it got from the Pro. Trusted Reviews names it its best slim gaming phone and says "on a pure cost/value basis, the Redmagic 11 Air simply can't be beat." [src3, src14, src4]

It runs the previous-generation Snapdragon 8 Elite with a 6.85-inch 144Hz AMOLED, capacitive triggers and, unlike the 10 Air before it, a real cooling fan, in an 8mm, 207g body. Trusted Reviews measured 3,132 single-core and 10,084 multi-core in Geekbench 6. The cuts against the 11 Pro: no liquid cooling, no wireless charging, a weaker ultrawide camera, no headphone jack and only IP54 protection, and Trusted Reviews calls its under-display selfie camera "awful". [src3, src4, src13, src14]

Availability: RedMagic's US store lists it at $529 (12GB/256GB) and $629 (16GB/512GB), but listed it as out of stock and no longer available when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src20]

Best You Can Buy Today (for sale at Samsung's US store when we checked on 2026-10-15): Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra — Check price

Tom's Guide's best gaming flagship, TechRadar's best for gaming and more, and GamesRadar+'s best mainstream flagship for gaming. Tom's Guide saw "no throttling or discomfort even after an hour of Genshin Impact", measured 3,785 single-core and 11,563 multi-core in Geekbench 6, and timed 16 hours 10 minutes in its battery test, with the phone reaching 77% in 30 minutes of charging. It runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy on a 6.9-inch 120Hz AMOLED with a 5,000 mAh battery and seven years of upgrades. [src1, src2, src3]

It has no gaming triggers or shoulder buttons, and GamesRadar+ found its battery life the weak spot for long sessions. GSMArena calls it "a well-balanced device with no major flaws" but flags its "relatively limited battery capacity". GamesRadar+ gives its starting price as $1,300. Samsung's US store listed it for sale ("Buy now", from $1,299.99 before trade-in) when we checked on 2026-10-15, and Amazon.com listed it at $1,142.99, in stock, in our 2026-10-14 price check. [src1, src3, src16, src22]

Best Premium Gaming Phone: ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro — Check price

Tom's Guide still ranks the ROG Phone 9 Pro its best gaming phone overall, and TechRadar puts it first in its guide. Tom's Guide credits its battery life (20 hours 34 minutes in its test, in adaptive battery mode), the 185Hz display, the AirTrigger controls and the Snapdragon 8 Elite; TechRadar adds the 5,800 mAh battery, wireless charging, IP68 water resistance and a second USB-C port for charging while you play. GSMArena's review concluded that "If you want nothing short of the best mobile gaming experience, we believe that the ROG Phone line is still the way to go." [src1, src2, src15]

The catches: Tom's Guide notes weak photography and "only two years of full Android updates", GSMArena found the CPU "quick to throttle" without ASUS's AeroActive Cooler accessory, and TechRadar notes that ASUS won't release any new phones in 2026. In Tom's Guide's Geekbench 6 run (X Mode on) it scored 3,207 single-core and 10,227 multi-core, below the RedMagic 11 Pro's 11,022 multi-core. GamesRadar+, which also tested it, dropped it from its list in April as "pretty difficult to find now", and the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable offer in our 2026-10-14 price check. [src1, src2, src3, src15]

Best for Peak Android Performance: RedMagic 11S Pro — Check price

Trusted Reviews' best gaming phone ("Immense power"), and TechRadar's review calls it "as fast as (if not faster than) any phone on the market" and "the best gaming phone around, but it arguably didn't need to exist." It is the 11 Pro's body, display, 7,500 mAh battery and liquid-plus-fan cooling with a 'Leading Version' Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Trusted Reviews measured 3,814 single-core and 11,773 multi-core in Geekbench 6. [src4, src9, src10]

TechRadar's claim needs a qualifier: Trusted Reviews and Tom's Guide both find the iPhone 18 Pro Max's A20 Pro faster, and Trusted Reviews measured the iPhone at 4,708 single-core and 12,602 multi-core. That is why this is our pick for the most performance on Android, not on any phone. [src1, src4]

GamesRadar+ calls it "on paper, the best phone I've had in my hands for gaming", but measured only a 3-4% gain over the 11 Pro and recommends the 11 Pro in all but a few cases. GSMArena calls it "the only gaming-oriented, flagship-level Android phone" yet finds its cooling system "gimmicky", and its battery, display and charging results good but "not stellar". It launched at $849 (12GB/256GB) and $949 (16GB/512GB), $100 more than the 11 Pro's matching configurations, with no 24GB/1TB option. [src11, src12, src9]

Availability: RedMagic's US store listed all three configurations (12GB/256GB at $849; 16GB/512GB at $949, in two colours) as out of stock when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src21]

Best iPhone for Gaming: Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max — Check price

Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews both name the iPhone 18 Pro Max their best iPhone for gaming. Tom's Guide calls its A20 Pro "the fastest chip in a phone yet", and the phone lasted 18 hours 27 minutes in its battery test. Trusted Reviews says Genshin Impact and Call of Duty: Mobile run at their highest settings, that "Apple has significantly improved the thermal management this time around", and measured 4,708 single-core and 12,602 multi-core in Geekbench 6. GSMArena's review credits it with "class-leading battery life" and "Cutting-edge performance". [src1, src4, src17]

It is heavy, and Tom's Guide counts a $100 price rise among its drawbacks. [src1] GSMArena calls it "one of the most incremental updates in recent years", and GSMArena gives its launch price as $1,299 for 256GB. [src17]

Best Foldable for Gaming: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 — Check price

Tom's Guide and TechRadar both name the Galaxy Z Fold 7 the best foldable for gaming. Its 8-inch inner screen suits RPGs, puzzle and strategy games ("an absolute winner", TechRadar says, though less natural for shooters), and it runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy. Its 4,400 mAh battery lasted 10 hours 55 minutes in Tom's Guide's test, the shortest result in Tom's Guide's gaming guide, and GSMArena counts its battery life among its missteps. [src1, src2, src18]

Tom's Guide's warning is about money: "bear in mind this costs $2,000. It's way more than you need to pay for this level of performance." It also drops S Pen support. [src1, src2]

Flagship Alternative, Not Sold in the US (checked 2026-10-15): Poco F9 Ultra — Poco's page

GamesRadar+ added the Poco F9 Ultra to its guide on 2026-10-08 as its best flagship alternative gaming phone, saying it "impressed during testing": "The Poco F9 Ultra is the best gaming phone for those who never wanted a gaming phone in the first place, but don't want to pay Samsung prices." It pairs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with a 6.9-inch 185Hz AMOLED, an 8,050 mAh battery, IP68 protection and a rear subwoofer that GamesRadar+ credits with "one of the most immersive gaming and streaming experiences I've tested yet". [src3, src25]

GSMArena's review calls it "one of the better all-round flagship packages currently available", with superb battery life, but found that it "Runs hot and throttles heavily under prolonged load": "this is clearly not the best implementation of Qualcomm's flagship silicon." GamesRadar+ finds its 235g a little unwieldy in smaller hands. GSMArena gives its official MSRP as $799 for 12GB/256GB, $949 for 16GB/512GB and $1,199 for 16GB/1TB. [src3, src23]

Availability: Poco does not sell it in the US. Poco's site sends US visitors to Xiaomi's US site, which listed no phones when we checked on 2026-10-15. [src25, src26]

Android Flagship Alternative, Not Sold in the US (checked 2026-10-15): OnePlus 15 — Amazon listing

Trusted Reviews names the OnePlus 15 its best Android flagship for gaming: "If you're looking for a top-end Android device that can handle games without breaking a sweat and much more to boot, the OnePlus 15 is an easy recommendation." It runs the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 with a 165Hz display, a 3200Hz touch sampling rate and a 7,300 mAh battery, and supports bypass charging, but has no shoulder triggers. GSMArena's review found it "handling high loads very well", with "chart-topping battery life", and calls it "an excellent all-rounder with some camera missteps". [src4, src24]

Availability: not sold in the US. Tom's Guide, in its guide updated 2026-09-21, removed the OnePlus 15 as discontinued after OnePlus confirmed it "will no longer operate in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Europe"; current OnePlus phones still receive software support. [src1]

Key Market Trends (2026)

• One maker of flagship gaming phones: TechRadar notes that ASUS won't release any new phones in 2026, and GSMArena calls the RedMagic 11S Pro "the only gaming-oriented, flagship-level Android phone". [src2, src12]
• Refreshes that cost more: the RedMagic 11S Pro launched $100 above the 11 Pro for a 3-4% gain, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max carries a $100 price rise over its predecessor, by Tom's Guide's count. [src9, src11, src1]
• Benchmarks under scrutiny: TechRadar reports that UL Solutions, the company behind 3DMark, delisted the RedMagic 11 Pro in April 2026 for bypassing safety limits to get favorable results, and GamesRadar+ says it is hesitant to use 3DMark scores to compare the RedMagic 11S Pro with rival phones. [src9, src11]
• Liquid cooling arrives, with mixed verdicts: RedMagic's 11 Pro and 11S Pro add a liquid loop to the fan. GSMArena lists the 11 Pro's "advanced cooling design with a fan and coolant" among its pros, but calls the 11S Pro's cooling system "gimmicky". [src8, src12]
• OnePlus leaves the US: Tom's Guide removed the OnePlus 15 from its gaming guide as discontinued after OnePlus said it would no longer operate in the US. [src1]

Important Caveats

• RedMagic sells its phones in the US from its own store, and on 2026-10-15 it listed the 11 Pro and 11 Air as out of stock and no longer available, and every configuration of the 11S Pro as out of stock. The picks table at the top shows each linked listing's live price and stock. [src19, src20, src21]
• Tom's Guide, TechRadar and GamesRadar+ are all published by Future. Each reviewed these phones itself, and every pick on this card was also tested by GSMArena or Trusted Reviews. [src1, src2, src3, src4, src8, src10, src12, src13, src15, src16, src17, src18, src23, src24]
• Battery figures here come from different tests. Tom's Guide's results are hours to empty in its web-surfing test; GSMArena's Active Use Score is a different measure. Tom's Guide has not run its battery test on the RedMagic 11 Pro. [src1, src7]
• 3DMark scores for RedMagic phones are not comparable with other phones after UL's April 2026 delisting, so this card quotes Geekbench 6 instead. [src9]
• RedMagic phones trade cameras and software polish for gaming hardware: Tom's Guide ranks the 11 Pro worst for photography among its gaming picks, and the 11 Pro and 11S Pro are rated IPX8, for water but not dust. [src1, src6, src9]
• Software support differs: Tom's Guide counts only two years of full Android updates for the ROG Phone 9 Pro, while TechRadar lists seven years of upgrades for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. [src1, src2]
• The guides do not all track the newest models: TechRadar's guide (updated 2026-09-30) still names the iPhone 17 Pro Max its best iPhone for gaming, and Trusted Reviews picks the newer Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra as its best foldable for gaming, which our Foldable Phones (2026) card covers. [src2, src4]