Mobile gaming is larger than ever. Due in part to the restrictions caused by the pandemic, more people have been playing on their phones than ever before. Research by IDC and LoopMe even found that 6 percent of all mobile gamers surveyed in 2021 had not played mobile games before the pandemic hit. More people are exploring gaming on their phones – to the point that they may even be considering investing in phones specifically designed for gaming on the go.
Gaming smartphones come equipped with specialized features: both hardware and software that optimize the gaming experience. Chief among them are powerful chipsets and RAM capacities that rival even mid-range PCs. Gaming phones have at least 8GB of RAM, with some high-spec ones having up to 18GB. Designed for long gaming sessions, these specialized smartphones also have bigger batteries and wider screens, making them a bit larger and heavier than the typical smartphone.
Gaming phones aren’t just bulkier than other phones – they also tend to cost significantly more. Hence, getting a gaming smartphone is an investment in its own right, and should be considered carefully.
The decision to buy a smartphone specifically designed for gaming will depend largely on what games you want to play. Older phones may struggle to run standalone apps like Call of Duty Mobile, or graphics-intensive games like ARK: Survival Evolved. These games, which trace their origins to PC and console, can make some mid-range devices struggle. If you plan to play games like these, or play games like Mobile Legends competitively, then you may want to consider investing in a gaming smartphone to be able to up the graphical quality of your games.
However, if you’re going to be playing casually, this may not be necessary. Despite featuring high-end graphics and sophisticated animations, the games on Gala Spins like Big Banker, Super Lion, and Poseidon: Ancient Fortunes can be played through any modern smartphone’s internet browser. This is because many of today’s games are made through HTML5, which allows seamless playability across different platforms.
The same can be said for gamers who just want a taste of nostalgia. The modern smartphone is much more powerful than gaming consoles from 15 to 20 years back, and you can download emulators from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to be able to run games from the era of the PlayStation 1, or even the Game Boy Advance. If this is the type of gaming experience you’re after, a gaming smartphone won’t be a necessary upgrade.
It’s also important to consider that gaming smartphones often have to compromise on some features to be able to up the gaming experience: most gaming smartphones will have poor cameras, be less easily available, and may not get as many software updates. What’s more, if you’re an iOS user, you’re fresh out of luck, as Apple has not made any iPhones specifically for gaming.
All in all, your typical smartphone should be enough for some light mobile gaming. It’s when you start to get really serious with your gaming and decide to play competitively that a gaming smartphone becomes a more obvious choice.
For more tech recommendations, click here!
