Mobile penetration rates in India have been on the rise – largely thanks to the affordable smartphone availability and dirt cheap voice and internet rates.

With the sudden disruption caused by Jio in the 4G network connectivity, smartphones became a more viable option for media consumption, online multiplayer games and more.

With such a growing mobile gaming market in hand, we thought of delivering a curated list of the thirteen best gaming smartphones in India to our readers and here it is.

Without any further delay, let’s get straight into the topic!

Note: The price shown are the once when we reviewed the products. However, as the promotional offers changes on the given E-commerce sites, the price may vary. Bettershark is supported by it’s readers and when you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

1. Asus ROG Phone 5 

Overall Best Pick

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC
• Air Triggers 5 for gaming 
• 144Hz AMOLED display 

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We are all familiar with the ROG series gaming laptops from Asus. With the ROG phone Asus has brought some of the industry-leading mobile gaming technology over to the smartphone market, consolidating its position as a premium smartphone gaming brand.

The ROG Phone 5 is Asus’s latest flagship gaming phone which is one of the most advanced smartphones in the market that is built specifically with gaming in mind.

Build and Design 

Asus has skipped the ROG Phone 4 and directly gone to the ROG Phone 5 and with it has brought in some much-needed changes as well. 

In terms of its build quality, this smartphone has the same metal frame sandwiched between two glass slabs. Asus has used Gorilla Glass 3 for the back and the latest Gorilla Glass Victus in the front.

We also get the air triggers which according to Asus have now been improved and offer better performance. 

In its rear, we have the triple camera setup along with the ROG logo that has Aura sync support hence it provides true RGB lighting. 

With the ROG Phone 5, we also see the return of the much loved 3.5mm audio jack which was missing from its predecessor. This audio jack has support for Hi-Res audio which means you get to enjoy improved audio quality.

There are two Type C USB ports on the device, both of these can be used for charging or also connecting additional Asus accessories like the external cooling fan.

Processor and performance 

The Asus ROG Phone 5 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 888 SoC which is their flagship processor and one of the fastest in the world. This chip is built on the 5nm process and provides a 30% boost in performance compared to the previous chip.

Being a gaming-focused smartphone the real magic lies in its graphics processor and assisting the processor is the Adren 660 GPU which is going to give you the best gaming experience on a smartphone. 

This smartphone is available in either the 8GB or 12GB RAM variant. If you are looking for something more powerful, then you can check out the ROG Phone 5 Ultimate which comes with a whopping 18GB RAM however we feel it is unnecessary. 

Storage options are also available in two variants – 128GB or 256GB. It is UFS 3.1 storage that ensures extremely fast data transfer rates. 

One of the most important features of a gaming smartphone is its cooling. The Asus ROG Phone 5 is using the new GameCool 5 cooling system which optimizes the cooling of the smartphone and ensures that the temperature is always in check.

Display 

The Asus ROG Phone 5 features a 6.78-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display which has a refresh rate of 144Hz, one of the highest on a smartphone.

The AMOLED display coupled with a 144Hz refresh rate is a killer combination and is going to give you an edge over every other player.

As mentioned before, the glass on the display is Gorilla Glass Victus which is the latest glass by Corning. It offers improved protection against scratches and minor drops. 

Unlike most modern phones that either have a notch or hole-punch camera, Asus has opted to keep larger bezels for holding the camera to ensure that no screen real estate is lost. 

Camera

The area where there is almost little to no change is on the camera of the Asus ROG Phone 5. It sports the same triple camera layout as its predecessor and also uses the same sensors.

In the rear, we have the same 64MP primary camera, 13MP ultra-wide camera, and a 5MP macro camera. In the front of the device, we have the 24MP selfie shooter. 

Pictures taken by the camera are passable but it would have been appreciated if Asus had done some changes to the camera but it is understandable considering that this smartphone is not meant for its photography features. 

Miscellaneous

The ROG Phone 5 has two front-firing stereo speakers and they are one of the best sounding speakers you can find on a smartphone.

Since the speakers on the phone are front-firing, you do get to see some bezels on the top and bottom but they are not that huge to hinder your gaming experience.

Battery Life 

The ROG Phone 5 is powered by a large 6000mAh battery for all your daily gaming and browsing needs. 

The battery on this phone should last you a day if you are a heavy gamer without a problem and on normal usage, you can easily get more than a day’s charge.  

This means you won’t have to charge your phone that often resulting in a healthier and lasting battery in the long run. 

Talking about charging, the phone comes bundled with a 65W fast charger to juice up the battery once it dies. You can use either of the two Type C USB ports on the phone to charge it up. 

Verdict 

If you are looking for a smartphone that is dedicated to gaming then look no further because the Asus ROG Phone 5 is the ultimate gaming smartphone in the world. This gaming smartphone is designed for gamers by gamers. If gaming is your only priority then nothing can beat the Asus ROG Phone 5.

iQOO is a Chinese smartphone brand that has been making phones in China for quite some time now. 

iQOO is another sub-brand of Chinese conglomerate BBK electronics which is also the parent company of Oppo, Vivo, Oneplus, and Realme. 

iQOO 3 is one of the cheapest Snapdragon 865 powered smartphones available in the Indian market, priced just under Rs.35,000.

Build and Design

The iQOO 3 has a glass front and back with an aluminium frame in between. This smartphone feels very solid and premium in the hand. The protection used on the phone is Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6 for better durability and protection from scratches.

The phone doesn’t have any official IP rating for dust and water resistance. So be careful to use it outdoors in adverse weather conditions.

In terms of design, the iQOO 3 has followed the steps of some of the other smartphones in this price range with the quad-camera setup in the back and a hole punch selfie camera in the front. 

The phone has two pressure-sensitive triggers on the sides of the phone known as monster touch buttons. These buttons can be assigned to certain functions for gaming and it behaves similar to the air triggers found on the ROG Phone 3.

You also get a dedicated AI button on the iQOO 3 which can be used to bring up the Google assistant.

The phone has a mono speaker and we also get the much loved 3.5mm headphone jack.

Processor and Performance

The iQOO 3 is powered by the top of the line Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 SoC which also has 5G support built-in.

It has 8GB LPDDR5 RAM and 128GB UFS 3.1 inbuilt storage. Sadly you don’t have the option to expand the storage via an sd card but there is another variant of the iQOO 3 that has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of inbuilt storage.

Gaming and multitasking run just fine without any lags or stutters whatsoever.

The GPU on the IQOO 3 is the Adreno 650 and it handles all graphically intensive games without any issues. 

The phone runs on Android 10 with the iQOO UI 1.0 skin that provides a smooth operating experience.

Display

The iQOO 3 features a beautiful 6.44-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED panel. AMOLED panels are known for their vivid colours and rich blacks. 

The phone has a resolution of 1800×2400 pixels which should be fine for gaming on a smartphone, providing a pixel density of 409ppi for sharper and clean visuals.

The iQOO 3 has a peak brightness of 800 nits which makes it a great device to game indoors and outside in direct sunlight. 

Unfortunately, we only get a standard 60Hz refresh rate screen in the phone, this can be a let down for some people but the iQOO 3 boasts a 180Hz touch response rate instead, so you can enjoy games lag-free with precise touch actions.

The fingerprint scanner on the iQOO 3 is hidden under the display for convenience. This is fast and works like a charm every time without fail.

Camera

iQOO 3 features a quad camera layout in the rear, which has a 48MP main sensor, 13MP telephoto, 13MP wide camera, and a 2MP bokeh camera.

Now, to be honest no one buys a gaming phone for the cameras. The camera’s on the phone are average at best. You can get decent pictures when the lighting conditions are great but otherwise, you’ll mostly be getting grainy images or over-exposed photos. 

In the front, we get the 16MP selfie shooter. 

The front camera also takes decent pictures, but don’t expect flagship smartphone quality pictures.

Battery Life

iQOO 3 features a 4440mAh battery and it may not be the largest we have in a smartphone but on normal usage, it can easily survive the day on a single charge. 

Heavy gaming on the phone will reduce the battery life but fret not as we have a 55W charger that comes bundled in the box to juice up the iQOO 3 in a jiffy. 

Verdict

The iQOO 3 might not be a smartphone you have heard much about but don’t overlook this smartphone at any cost as it offers you outstanding performance for less than half the price of most other flagship phones.

4. Samsung Galaxy S21

Feature-rich Smartphone 

• Flagship Samsung phone 
• 120Hz refresh rate 
• Latest Exynos processor 

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Samsung is one of the go-to brands when it comes to smartphones. This South Korean conglomerate is one of the leading manufacturers of smartphones in the world. 

The Galaxy S21 is one of the latest smartphones from their flagship S series. The Samsung Galaxy S21 retails for Rs.73,999 in the Indian market.

Build and Design 

The Samsung Galaxy S21 features a revamped design compared to the previous generation S20 smartphones. 

The first thing you would notice about the new Galaxy S21 is its camera setup.

The all-new Samsung Galaxy S21 is equipped with a triple camera setup with a bump that features a metallic casing. 

The casing of the camera bump stands out from the rest of the body of the smartphone giving it a unique look. Samsung has decided to embrace the camera bump and use it to their advantage.  

The casing on the camera bump is the only metal part that is found on the smartphone’s back and the rest of the body is made of polycarbonate materials. 

This smartphone has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This means that the phone can handle occasional splashes of water without any problem. 

Processor and Performance

The Indian version of the Samsung Galaxy S21 is powered by Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2100 5nm SoC. The processor in the Indian variant is not the best when compared to the Snapdragon 888 SoC found in the US and China variants of the same phone.

In benchmarks, the Snapdragon SoC is better than the Exynos but in real-life usage, you shouldn’t notice much of a difference. 

Assisting the processor in graphical intensive tasks we have the Mali-G78 MP14 GPU. This GPU will easily handle all the latest games without any problem. 

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is equipped with 256GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage and 8GB of RAM which provides you with a lag-free experience. 

The new S21 does not feature expandable storage like the S20 smartphones which is quite a bummer. 

Display 

The Samsung Galaxy S21 features a 6.2-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels with a crisp ~421 ppi pixel density. 

The display of the Galaxy S21 is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus. This protects the phone from minor scratches and drops. 

Since the S21 features an AMOLED display, you can expect the colours to be vibrant and the images to be crisp. Samsung’s flagship smartphones are known for having the best displays. 

This smartphone has a fluid 120Hz refresh rate which is one of the best on a smartphone. Once you use a smartphone that has a high refresh rate then it is almost impossible to go back to a standard 60Hz smartphone. 

The S21 has a hole-punch selfie camera on the display, which is similar to the Galaxy S20 smartphone. 

To unlock your smartphone, you get an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, unlike the optical scanner found in some other phones. One of the advantages of the ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is that it will even work with wet fingers.

Camera

As mentioned before, the Galaxy S21 features a triple camera setup in the rear and a 10MP hole-punch selfie camera in the front.

The camera setup on the rear section of this smartphone includes a 64MP telephoto lens, 12MP wide, and a 12MP ultra-wide camera.

The Galaxy S21 has vastly improved over its predecessor in terms of image processing. These cameras capture beautiful pictures and the portrait mode of the camera has also improved quite a lot. 

The Galaxy S21 can record videos in a whopping 8K resolution at 24fps, 4K videos at 60fps, and 1080p videos at 240fps. 

Battery Life 

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is powered by a 4000mAh battery which should last you around a day on normal usage but continuous gaming on the phone will drain your battery faster.

One of the biggest reasons for which Samsung had received criticism was for the removal of the charging adapter in their smartphone. 

Although the S21 supports fast charging of up to 25W, the phone does not ship with an adapter and hence you would have to purchase an adapter separately. 

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy S21 is the company’s return to form to the entry-level flagship market after the backlash they faced for the Note 20 smartphone in the previous year.

The phone features a bold design that is going to attract some attention. The camera of the smartphone has also been vastly improved compared to its predecessor. 

The fluid 120Hz refresh rate display on the S21 is also the best way to experience your favourite games.

5. iPhone 12

Best Versatile Smartphone

• Powerful A14 Bionic SoC
• Industry-leading image processing
• Decent battery life

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The Apple iPhone 12 is the latest smartphone by the California based trillion-dollar company. Apple is known for being the pioneer in the technology industry – they were the first to introduce a smartphone with a full touchscreen. 

The Apple iPhone 12 is one of the four new phones that Apple launched in its latest event that happened a couple of months before. 

Build and Design 

Apple has gone back to its roots with the iPhone 12. 

The design of the iPhone 12 is inspired by one of Apple’s most famous smartphones – the iPhone 5. 

The iPhone 12 features the same flat sides found on the iPhone 5 instead of the curved sides on the iPhone 11. 

The front and back of the iPhone 12 are protected with Corning Gorilla Glass. The Gorilla Glass provides superior protection against drops and scratches. 

The frame of the smartphone is made of aluminium which gives it a solid structure. 

At the back of the smartphone, we have a dual-camera setup and in the front, we have the notorious notch that holds the selfie cameras and the sensors for the Face ID. 

The iPhone 12 has an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. This means that the phone can withstand submersion of up to 1.5m underwater for 30 minutes. 

Processor and Performance 

The Apple iPhone 12 is powered by Apple’s in house A14 Bionic SoC. The A14 Bionic features its dedicated GPU with 4 cores for running graphically intensive games at the highest graphics. 

This is the same SoC used on the iPhone 12 Pro and the new iPad Air. The A14 Bionic is claimed to be 16% faster than the A13 Bionic.

The iPhone 12 features 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. iPhone’s are known for their lag-free and smooth experience because of the excellent optimization of hardware and software.

The iPhone 12 runs on the latest version of iOS 14 and will be receiving software updates for five years from the date of its release. 

Display

The first thing you notice about the display of the iPhone 12 is that it boasts the same notch found in the iPhone X, XS, and 11 models. 

Apple has finally increased the resolution of its base iPhones to that of the same found in the Pro models. This means no more LCD panels. 

The display on the iPhone 12 is the Super Retina XDR OLED display with a resolution of 1170 x 2532 pixels. This produces sharp images compared to the previous iPhone models. 

Apple in its launch event also claimed that the new iPhone 12 has a scratch-resistant ceramic glass display. 

The display of the iPhone 12 has a peak brightness of 1200 nits and this means that you won’t have any trouble viewing your phone outdoors under direct sunlight. 

This iPhone 12 display also supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision so you can enjoy a great video watching experience. 

Unfortunately, Apple has still not introduced high-refresh rates on their smartphones. 

Cameras

The Apple iPhone 12 features a dual-camera setup in the rear and a single selfie camera on its notch. 

All three cameras on the iPhone 12 are 12MP. The primary cameras in the iPhone 12 are 12MP wide and ultrawide sensors. 

The photos captured on the iPhone 12 as always like other iPhone’s are extremely beautiful and sharp. This is all possible thanks to the sensors in the camera and Apple’s amazing image processing algorithm. 

The iPhone 12 is capable of recording videos at 4K resolution with 60 fps at max. However, the phone does not support 8K recording. 

This smartphone also features OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) to stabilize the videos and reduce shakiness.

Battery Life 

The Apple iPhone 12 is powered by a 2815mAh Li-ion battery that should last you about a day. 

The size of the battery on the iPhone is small because the phone is so well optimized and it can sustain a whole day with the battery. 

Apple now does not ship charging bricks with their iPhone 12 in the box. This is disappointing considering the premium price of the iPhone 12. 

Certain other manufacturers like Samsung have also adopted this and have started selling phones without charging bricks. 

Verdict

The iPhone 12 is not a smartphone that people think of when you talk about gaming. But in reality, the iPhone 12 is one of the most powerful smartphones available in the Indian market right now which is capable of running games. 

All of this is thanks to the A14 Bionic chip, it is one of the most powerful SoC in a smartphone.

6. Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

Value for Money Smartphone 

• 120Hz AMOLED display 
• Android 11 OS
• 5020mAh battery 

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Redmi as a brand needs no introduction in the Indian market. They are one of the largest sellers of smartphones in the country. 

Unlike other companies, Redmi is known for its smartphones because of its high-end specs at cutthroat pricing. 

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is the company’s latest smartphone in the Note lineup which starts at Rs.18,999. 

Build and Design 

The build quality of the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is not a surprise. Redmi has been delivering smartphones with excellent build quality for the last few years and the Note 10 Pro Max is no exception.

This smartphone features the typical glass sandwich design with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection in the front and back. 

Redmi Note Max series of smartphones are known for being big and this is also the case with the Note 10 Pro Max however compared to its predecessor the smartphone now has a much more premium feel in hand while also being extremely lightweight.

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max weighs around 192 grams which is quite lightweight for such a huge smartphone.

One of the highlights of the Note 10 Pro Max is the inclusion of the 108MP camera sensor in its rear which is part of a quad camera setup. 

There is no in-screen fingerprint scanner on the smartphone and instead, we have a side-mounted fingerprint scanner which we feel is more convenient. 

Ports on this smartphone include the Type C USB port for charging and also the much-loved 3.5mm headphone jack. 

Processor and performance

Redmi devices are known for their ultra-fast performance and the Note 10 Pro Max is carrying the mantle forward. 

Powering the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 732G processor along with the Adreno 618 GPU.

The UI on the device is Redmi’s very own MIUI 12 skin running on the latest Android 11 OS. 

The Note 10 Pro Max is an excellent budget smartphone for gaming, the G processors by Qualcomm are dedicated to gaming and you should not have to worry about running any games on this smartphone. 

To store your applications, games, and photos the Note 10 Pro Max comes with 128GB fast UFS 2.2 storage. 

For smooth browsing and multitasking experience, the smartphone is equipped with 6GB RAM which is more than enough. 

Display 

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is one of the first smartphones under Rs.20,000 to feature a Super AMOLED display. 

The smartphone has a large 6.67-inch screen size with a resolution of 1080×2400 pixels which is pretty much the standard for most budget smartphones.

And if that was not enough Redmi also gives you a super-smooth refresh rate of 120Hz which makes it impossible to go back to a traditional 60Hz smartphone.

In terms of colour accuracy, the display is miles ahead compared to an LCD screen. The colours are punchy and the blacks are deep.

Being an AMOLED panel you even get high brightness. The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max has a peak brightness of 1200 nits. 

Camera

The camera on the smartphone is one of its highlights. This smartphone features a 108MP primary camera, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. In the front, we have the 16MP selfie camera.

Despite having a 108MP camera it is still not on par with the camera quality of high-end phones like the Pixel and iPhone which is not a surprise. 

However, images were taken on this smartphone fare better than most other smartphones in the same price segment. 

Furthermore, you can record videos at 4K in 30fps as well. 

Battery Life 

The Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is equipped with a 5020mAh lithium-ion battery that should easily last a day on normal usage.

Juicing up the battery life is also not a hassle thanks to the 33W fast-charger which comes in the box. You can charge up your smartphone to 100% in about 75 minutes. 

Verdict 

If you are looking for your money’s worth then the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max is going to give you one of the best experiences for just around Rs.20,000. This smartphone is a no-brainer for someone who wants a smartphone that is excellent in terms of performance without breaking the bank.

7. OnePlus 9R 5G 

Affordable Flagship Smartphone

• 65W Warp Charging support
• 120Hz AMOLED display
• Snapdragon 870 SoC

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Oneplus is known for their smartphone which provides users with flagship quality specs at a more affordable price but in the past few years, Oneplus has been pricing their products similar to other flagship phones such as the iPhone and Samsung Note/S series. 

The Oneplus 9R 5G is the company’s return to form with an affordable yet powerful smartphone. The Oneplus 9R 5G is a smartphone that is exclusive to the Indian market and it retails for Rs.39,999 in the Indian market. 

Build and Design 

The design of the Oneplus 9R is nothing new Oneplus has played an Apple. The company has launched the same phone again with just a slightly improved processor and minor tweaks. Now, this is not necessarily a bad thing. 

So the Oneplus 9R is just the Oneplus 8T in terms of its build and design. It features the same glass back and front with Gorilla Glass 5 protection and an aluminium frame. 

This is better compared to the plastic frame found in the more expensive Oneplus 9 smartphone. 

The camera system in the rear is also the same quad-cam setup. The 9R does not have the Hasselblad lenses like on its more expensive siblings the 9 and 9 Pro which is not a big change. 

So to conclude the Oneplus 9R is technically the Oneplus 8T with a new name. 

Processor and Performance

So as we mentioned before there are some minor improvements on the Oneplus 9R and one of which is the slightly overclocked processor. 

Oneplus has equipped the 9R with a Snapdragon 870 5G processor compared to the Snapdragon 865+ on the 8T. 

Everything else including the GPU, RAM, and storage is the same. There are no other important changes.

You can buy the 9R in either a 128GB/256GB variant. The 128GB features 8GB RAM whereas the latter has 12GB RAM.

This smartphone is also 5G capable like its elder siblings.

Display 

The Oneplus 9R features the same 6.55-inch FHD+ fluid 120Hz AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels like the Oneplus 8T. 

With games supporting high frame rate playback, the Oneplus 9R is a delight to use.

The display has a hole punch for the front camera which is better than having a notch of any kind. 

The AMOLED panel on the phone also gives you more vibrant colours and deeper blacks so you have a better viewing and gaming experience.

The display also has the optical fingerprint scanner embedded in it. Oneplus has always provided faster in-display fingerprint scanners compared to other established smartphone brands.

Camera 

The Oneplus 9R has a quad-camera setup in the rear with the 48 MP Sony IMX586 Sensor, 16 MP ultra-wide Angle, 5 MP macro lens, and 2 MP monochrome lens. 

In the front, we have the 16 MP Sony IMX471 Sensor. 

There is no change in the cameras compared to the 8T almost like the rest of the phone.

The image quality is the same as the 8T as expected which itself is not bad in taking pictures and is a decent smartphone for taking pictures.

The OnePlus 9R can take videos at 4k in 60 or 30fps and the primary camera has OIS (optical image stabilization) which helps to reduce shakes and jittery movements while capturing videos.

Surprisingly the more expensive Oneplus 9 does not have OIS. This quite a shocking move from Oneplus since even their budget Nord smartphone has OIS. 

Battery Life 

The Oneplus 9R is powered by a 4500mAh battery with unique two-section technology to facilitate faster charging.

This phone should last you easily a day on a single charge and maybe even more on light usage, but heavy gaming is going to reduce the battery life by quite a lot.

The Oneplus 9R has 65W Warp Charge and Oneplus claims that you can charge up the device to 100% in just 45 minutes flat.

Verdict 

If you are looking for a smartphone that is on par with some flagships but don’t want to spend a premium price then you should check out the Oneplus 9R. This smartphone is available in only the Indian market and is aimed towards the needs of the Indian consumer.

8. Realme X7 Pro

Budget Flagship Killer 

• Super AMOLED 120Hz Full HD+ display 
• 65W SuperDart charging
• Quad camera setup

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Realme is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer famous for its budget smartphones. The parent company of Realme is BBK electronics, which is also the parent company of other famous smartphone manufacturers like Oneplus and Oppo. 

The Realme X7 Pro is one of the latest smartphones from them retailing at Rs.29,999.

Build and Design 

The Realme X7 Pro is quite a classy looking smartphone. The design of this smartphone is pretty simple – there isn’t anything unique per se but that is not a problem. 

The Realme X7 Pro has a glass sandwich design with a plastic frame in between. It would have been even better if the frame was of metal. 

This phone is lightweight and does not feel heavy, thus making it an ideal choice for someone who wants a lightweight smartphone. 

In the rear section of the device, we have a quad-camera setup which is similar to the design found in the Galaxy S20 series smartphones. 

This smartphone does not feature any official rating for water resistance, so you should be careful in taking it outdoors during adverse weather conditions. 

The Realme X7 Pro smartphone does not feature a headphone jack instead in the box you get a dongle for Type-C to 3.5mm jack. Besides that, this smartphone has dual stereo speakers with Dolby Audio support for a good hands-free audio experience. 

Processor and Performance 

The brains of the Realme X7 Pro is the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus processor which handles all the tasks without a hitch. This is the latest flagship processor from MediaTek. 

Gaming on this smartphone is a breeze. You wouldn’t notice any lags while gaming and to further ensure that your device stays cool while gaming, the Realme X7 Pro also features a vapour cooling system. 

The Realme X7 Pro is equipped with 8GB of RAM for a smooth UI experience and 128GB of storage so that you don’t have to worry about lack of storage on your smartphone. 

The Realme X7 Pro runs on the Android 10 OS with the Realme UI skin on top. The UI experience is smooth and there aren’t any noticeable lags or stutters. 

The haptic feedback on this smartphone is also really great. It feels as good as the haptic feedback provided by certain premium flagship smartphones.

This smartphone also supports the 5G network but this is not useful in India since the 5G network has not started rolling out in the country yet. 

Display 

The Realme X7 Pro features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED Display.

This display has a buttery smooth refresh rate of 120Hz. Once you get used to this display, it is impossible to use anything other than a 120Hz display smartphone.

Gaming on the 120Hz display is a blast and it is the best way to experience games. 

The Realme X7 Pro has an in-display fingerprint sensor that quickly unlocks the device.

The screen is nearly bezel-less and has a screen-to-body ratio of 85.8%. In the front of the display, we do find the hole punch cut out for the selfie shooter. 

The display has Gorilla Glass 5 protection which provides a decent amount of protection from minor scratches and accidental drops. 

Cameras 

As we mentioned earlier the Realme X7 Pro features a quad-camera set up in the rear. 

The camera setup includes a 64MP wide, 8MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor. 

The primary lens on the smartphone is Sony’s IMX686 and provides good quality photos for the price range of the smartphone. In the front, we have the 32MP selfie shooter. 

The Realme X7 Pro can record videos at 4K 60fps and features EIS for reducing shakiness while recording videos. 

Battery Life 

The Realme X7 Pro is powered by a 4500mAh battery that should last you around a day on normal usage but gaming would further reduce the battery life. 

The Realme X7 Pro comes with a charging brick in the box and the phone supports 65W SuperDart charging that can juice up the smartphone from 0 to 100% in just 35 minutes. 

Verdict

If you want a smartphone with flagship-level specifications for less than half the price of most other flagship phones, then you should check out the Realme X7 Pro.

9. Mi 11X Pro 5G

Best Mid-range Gaming Smartphone

• Gorgeous FHD+ 120Hz AMOLED display
• Faster UFS 3.1 storage
• Powerful Snapdragon 888 SoC

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Xiaomi is a Chinese smartphone manufacturer that has a large user base here in India and the company first started with budget phones and now has offerings in almost all budget segments.

The Mi 11X Pro is priced at Rs.39,999 and has powerful internals that matches some of the flagship Android devices out there. 

Design and Build Quality

The Mi 11X Pro looks stunning from the back. The glass back of this smartphone gives a premium feel to the hand and the variant you are looking at is with celestial silver colour.

Now, this is not just a normal silver colour finish when light hits the back you will see different colours on the back which gives a refreshing and unique feel.

The power button doubles up as the fingerprint scanner and it surprises us that even though this smartphone features an OLED display, Xiaomi has decided not to include an in-display fingerprint scanner. 

The next thing we are impressed with is the camera design. The entire camera module has curved corners and the triple camera setup is embedded inside a capsule-style design.

Like many other smartphones, this one also has no 3.5mm audio jack but a converter is included in the box.

The device has stereo speakers which give very good sound quality and the IR blaster is positioned at the top as usual.

Display

The Mi 11X Pro sports a 6.67-inch 120Hz Full HD+ AMOLED punch-hole display with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels.

The display used in this smartphone is manufactured by Samsung and it’s their latest E4 AMOLED panel that has a rich contrast ratio and vivid colours.

The panel visuals are clear and the details are perfectly readable, even under the direct sunlight you can use this device comfortably.

With the 120Hz refresh rate and 360Hz touch sampling rate, the usability experience is top-notch – both in the case of viewing experience and touch response. 

Xiaomi has given Corning’s Gorilla Glass 5 protection for this display to prevent accidental scratches and dents on it.

Processor and Performance

The Mi 11X Pro runs by the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor coupled with 8GB LPDDR5 RAM.

The performance with everyday tasks and multitasking is as delightful as it can get. Even though the performance is outstanding, this SoC is power efficient as well. 

Be it gaming or multitasking, this device delivers the kind of performance that you’d expect from any flagship smartphones out there. 

With regards to the storage, the 128GB UFS3.1 storage is sufficient for most users and the excellent read/write speeds takes the performance of this device to a whole new level.

As for the UI, you get the MIUI 12 based on Android 11 which is the latest version to date.

Camera

The Mi 11X Pro houses a triple camera lens that includes 108MP primary lens, 8MP ultrawide, and 5MP macro.

The 108MP lens justifies itself at this price point as the image taken from this lens turns out to be amazing. The detailing is way too good and the colour reproduction is great.

The ultrawide lens takes decent photos and the macro sensor feels like an unnecessary add-on here because it takes average macro shots.

You can record videos in 8K/30fps and 4K/60fps. The good thing is that there is a dedicated microphone in the camera module which detects the voice directly from the person who is in front of the camera. This is useful as if you have this you can start content creation using this phone.

The video has so many modes like there are several different presets pre-installed for vlogs. Another feature is where you can record videos from the front and rear lens at the same time.

Talking about selfies it comes out not quite as expected. The 20MP front shooter clicks average selfies. When you take a photo indoors there is a black effect around the border and under direct sunlight, the skin tone looks reddish. We hope that it will be soon fixed within the updates.

Battery Life

The Mi 11X Pro is powered by a 4520mAh battery that is rated to last up to an entire day with normal to heavy use.

The bundled 33W fast charger juice up the smartphone from 0-100% in 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Verdict

The Mi 11X Pro is a performance powerhouse for the price of Rs.39,990.This premium-looking smartphone is great for gaming, media entertainment, and regular use.

10. iQOO Z3 5G

Budget All-around Smartphone

• IPS LCD 120Hz
• Snapdragon 768G processor
• Android 11 OS

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iQOO is a Chinese smartphone company that was formed as a subsidiary of Vivo but now it has become independent from Vivo and markets smartphones under its brand. 

The iQOO Z3 5G is the latest mid-range smartphone by the company and it retails for Rs.20,990 in the Indian market.

Build and Design 

The iQOO Z3 5G is another addition to the mid-range smartphone market in India. We had previously reviewed their iQOO 3 smartphone as well which was a banger. 

When it comes to the build and design of the iQOO Z3 5G, this smartphone has a polycarbonate construction to keep the cost low. The frame and back of the smartphone are made from polycarbonate plastic. 

Also present in the rear is the triple camera setup which is pretty decent, it looks similar to the setup of most smartphones that are currently in the market. 

The side of the iQOO Z3 5G features the volume rocker and the power button which doubles as the fingerprint sensor. 

The beloved 3.5mm headphone jack also makes a return on the smartphone.

Performance 

Under the hood of the iQOO Z3 5G is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G. The iQOO Z3 5G is the first phone in India to feature this chipset. 

For gaming, this smartphone is equipped with the Adreno 620 GPU which should provide you with a smooth gaming experience. You won’t have any trouble running games on the smartphone. 

Furthermore, this smartphone runs on the Android 11 operating system with the Funtouch 11.1 UI skin by iQOO. 

When it comes to RAM and storage. The smartphone has 8GB of RAM along with 128GB of internal storage. iQOO also says that they have introduced a virtual RAM system on their smartphone and the 8GB variant of the phone comes with an additional 3GB of virtual RAM.

Overall the experience of the iQOO Z3 5G is smooth and enjoyable. 

Display 

The iQOO Z3 5G does not feature an AMOLED display and instead, the smartphone features an IPS LCD which has a fluid refresh rate of 120Hz. 

Thanks to the 120Hz fluid refresh rate you can enjoy games the way they are meant to be played. 

One of the drawbacks of the IPS LCD panel is that the colour accuracy is not as vibrant and accurate as an AMOLED panel.

The panel of the IQOO Z3 5G supports HDR10. Since it is an LCD panel, there is no always-on support for this smartphone as well. 

Camera 

The iQOO Z3 5G sports a triple camera setup in its rear and a waterdrop notch in the front for the selfie camera. 

The sensors on the rear include a 64 MP wide, 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2 MP macro. In its front is the 16MP selfie shooter. 

When it comes to image quality, the iQOO Z3 5G is quite impressive for the price. Images taken by the camera appear good. But there is also some softening present when taking pictures in portrait mode.

This smartphone is also capable of recording videos at 4K 60 fps which is quite nice. There is no OIS on the smartphone but we do get EIS. 

Battery Life 

The iQOO Z3 5G smartphone is equipped with a 4400mAh Li-polymer battery that should give you a day’s charge during normal usage.

The smartphone also has support for 55W fast charging and you get the charger for the smartphone in the box unlike some other smartphones these days.

Verdict 

The iQOO Z3 5G is a gaming smartphone that is well worth the price you pay. The new Snapdragon chipset is impressive and should provide you with excellent performance.

11. Poco X3 Pro

No-frills Android Smartphone

• Snapdragon 860 SoC
• 33W Fast charging 
• 120Hz FHD+ Display 

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Poco is an independent sub-brand of Xiaomi that rocked the budget smartphone industry with the launch of the Poco F1.

Since the Poco F1, there have been no smartphones by the company that can be claimed as a flagship killer however after much wait the Poco X3 Pro is considered to be the successor to their F1. It has beefed up specs and the closest Poco has come to match the more premium flagship smartphones in a long time. 

Build and Design 

There isn’t much of a difference between the Poco X3 Pro and the Poco X3 in terms of its build and design. They are pretty much the same.

The Poco X3 Pro is a heavy phone, this smartphone weighs around 215 grams and feels quite hefty. People with small hands might not find it the most appealing.

Speaking of its build quality, the back of the smartphone is made from plastic to keep the cost low. In the rear, you will also find the quad-camera setup. 

Unlocking the phone is also quite easy thanks to the side-mounted fingerprint sensor which we feel is much more secure than an optical in-screen fingerprint sensor. 

This phone comes certified with IP53 splash-proof rating for effortless outdoor usage.

There is the usual set of USB type C port and the 3.5mm connectivity jack in terms of connectivity options.

Processor and Performance

The performance of the Poco X3 Pro is surprisingly good and this is where the smartphone annihilates the ordinary Poco X3.

The Poco X3 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 860 SoC compared to the Snapdragon 732G processor on the Poco X3. There is a huge difference between the processor and this becomes even more clear while gaming.

While the 732G is an entry-level processor, the Snapdragon 860 SoC is the Snapdragon 855+ renamed. However, it is still quite the competent processor in 2021.

This smartphone is available in either 6GB or 8GB variant whereas the internal storage is 128GB for both variants.

Display 

The POCO X3 has a 6.67-inch FHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

This display has a 240Hz touch sampling rate, which makes gaming a pleasure. 

The colour accuracy is excellent, and it closely matches natural colour tones. The contrast levels are comparable to those seen on other smartphones in this price range.

With narrow bezels all around, this panel has an impressive 84.9% screen-to-body ratio and a pixel density of 395ppi for sharp and clean visuals and text.

This is an HDR10 certified panel with an excellent dynamic range for immersive media consumption.

Cameras 

The Poco X3 Pro’s quad-camera set up in the back consists of the 48MP wide camera, 8MP ultrawide lens, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensor. 

In the front, the hole-punch camera is a 20MP sensor.

The photos taken on Poco X3 Pro are not that impressive, they are not as good as the pics taken on some other premium smartphones. This is not surprising considering this is not a camera-centric smartphone.

You can still get decent pictures though depending on the lighting conditions but they are not flagship level in any way. 

Battery Life 

The Poco X3 Pro is equipped with a 5160mAh battery which is smaller than the battery on the standard Poco X3. However, you can expect to get around a day’s charge without any problem.

POCO has bundled a 33W fast charger in the box that juices up the battery within 1.30-1.45 hours.

Verdict 

The Poco X3 Pro is an excellent smartphone for its asking price. This smartphone offers excellent value when compared to its predecessor the Poco X3. If you have the extra money then we recommend going for the Poco X3 Pro rather than the Poco X3.

But do note that this one is a big smartphone and those who prefer something more compact will not like it that much.

12. Oppo Reno 5 Pro

Best Build Quality 

• MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus processor 
• 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging 
• Full HD+ Super AMOLED display 

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Oppo is a Chinese consumer electronics and smartphone manufacturer that is well known around the world. Oppo is a subsidiary of BBK Electronics which owns brands such as Vivo and OnePlus. 

The Reno 5 Pro is the latest offering by Oppo in the Indian market, a budget phone with flagship specifications priced competitively under Rs.36,000.

Build and Design 

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro features a glass sandwich design with an aluminium frame. The glass design of the smartphone gives it a premium look which is on par with other flagship phones.

The front display of the smartphone has Gorilla Glass 5 which protects it from minor scratches and drops. On the top left corner of the display, you can see the cutout for the hole-punch camera. 

The back of the smartphone also has Gorilla Glass 5 protection and has a glowing effect on it. This glowing effect is an outcome of repeated etching technology. 

The Reno 5 Pro is extremely lightweight although the phone has a premium glass and metal build. Those of you looking for a lightweight smartphone should check this phone out as it weighs just around 173 grams. 

The Reno 5 Pro does not feature a headphone jack. Yes, Oppo has done away with the 3.5mm headphone jack on this smartphone which is a bummer but the overall audio quality of the smartphone is good. 

Processor and performance

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro is powered by the same SoC found on the Realme X7 Pro which is MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 1000 Plus processor. This processor can easily run graphically intensive mobile games without a hitch. 

The performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 1000 Plus is similar to the Snapdragon 865, which is also a flagship processor. 

The Reno 5 Pro features 8GB of RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage to save your games and applications. This smartphone does not lag or stutter thanks to the 8GB RAM. 

This smartphone supports 5G networks but you cannot utilize this since 5G has not been made available in the country yet. 

Display

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro features a 6.55-inch Full HD+ Super AMOLED display along with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. 

The 90Hz refresh rate makes browsing through your smartphone all the more exciting and fun. It significantly enhances the overall experience of using the phone. 

It is quite impossible to go back to a standard 60Hz display once you get used to a 90Hz or 120Hz display. 

The display has HDR10+ support so you can enjoy vibrant colours in videos and games. 

Using the smartphone outdoors isn’t a problem as well since the display has a peak brightness of 1100 nits and you shouldn’t be facing any issues. 

The Reno 5 Pro also features an in-display fingerprint scanner so you can unlock your phone just by placing your finger on the screen. 

Cameras

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro features a quad-camera set up in the rear and a hole-punch selfie camera in the front. 

The rear camera setup includes a 64MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, and a 2MP depth sensor.

In front of the smartphone, we have a 32MP selfie camera. 

The camera on this smartphone takes detailed pictures and videos with good colour accuracy. This shows how far the medium range and budget segment smartphones have come in terms of picture quality. 

Battery Life

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro is powered by a 4350mAh Li-Po battery that should last you around a day on normal usage. 

If you plan on heavy gaming then you won’t be getting a full day’s charge but fret not because this smartphone supports SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging. 

The Reno 5 Pro supports charging speeds up to 65W and you also get the charging brick along with the smartphone. 

Verdict

The Oppo Reno 5 Pro is a mind-blowing phone that provides immense value for money. This smartphone is loaded with features that make it a blast for daily usage.

13. OnePlus Nord CE

Honourable Mention

• Lightweight Oxygen OS
• 4500mAh Li-ion battery
• 6.4-inch AMOLED display

BUY FROM AMAZON

The Oneplus Nord CE is the latest update to the Nord lineup by Oneplus. The CE in the new Nord stands for Core Edition and brings with it some changes that might divide the fanboys.

The brand new Oneplus Nord CE retails for Rs.27,999 in the Indian market. 

Build and Design 

Initially, at first glance, the Oneplus Nord CE looks similar to the original Oneplus Nord in terms of its design. But Oneplus has brought in many changes to this smartphone which we will go through.

When it comes to the build quality, the Oneplus Nord CE has the same sandwich design as its predecessor however there are some changes in the materials used. The Nord CE features a plastic back and frame unlike the glass back found in the original Nord.

This was done to cut cost, this reduces the premium feel of the device. 

Another loved feature found on all Oneplus smartphones is missing on the Nord CE, which is the alert slider. The alert slider is one of the most sought-after features on a Oneplus device and it is sad to see that Oneplus has removed it from the Nord CE.

At the rear, the smartphone hosts a triple camera setup and in the front is the hole punch selfie camera.

However, Oneplus has still retained the 3.5mm jack on the Nord CE which is appreciated. 

Performance 

When it comes to performance the Oneplus Nord CE features a slightly downgraded processor which is the Snapdragon 750G. Although downgraded, it should still be capable of running all the games which previously ran on the 765G on its predecessor without a problem.

The Oneplus Nord CE runs on the latest version of Oxygen OS running on Android 11. This is one of the skins on smartphones that is closest to the stock android experience. 

Equipped inside the Oneplus Nord CE is a whopping 12GB of RAM and 25GB of UFS 2.1 storage. There is no support for a memory card on the Oneplus Nord CE. 

Display 

The display of the Oneplus Nord CE is identical to its predecessor. It sports the same 6.4-inch AMOLED display minus the dual hole-punch camera and the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. 

What does remain is the smooth 90Hz refresh rate that makes gaming on the smartphone a smooth experience. 

The Oneplus Nord CE still boasts the in-screen fingerprint sensor which is nice to have. The sensor is the same and there is no change when it comes to the speed. 

Camera

The cameras on the Oneplus Nord CE have changed, in the rear, the camera features a 64MP, 2MP, and 8MP sensor. 

The main sensor of the camera is now an Omnivison sensor while the previous one on its predecessor was the 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor. 

Oneplus has also removed optical stabilization from the cameras which is another disappointment. 

At the front is the 16MP selfie shooter which takes decent pictures. As mentioned before there is no dual-camera on the front. 

When it comes to recording capabilities, this smartphone can record videos at 4K 30 fps which is pretty decent for a budget smartphone. 

Battery Life 

The Oneplus Nord CE has a small bump in battery life compared to its predecessor. This smartphone has a 4500mAh Li-ion battery which should easily provide a day’s charge on normal usage.

However, the charging speed of the phones remains the same. The Oneplus Nord CE also supports 30W fast charging. 

Verdict 

The Oneplus Nord CE is no doubt a good smartphone, however, Oneplus has cut corners on almost all aspects of the smartphone which might be disappointing for some. But when it comes to gaming there shouldn’t be much problem and you also get the additional RAM.

This concludes our list of the thirteen best gaming smartphones in India and if you have questions regarding the phones listed or any other queries, do feel free to comment down below and we will get back to you ASAP. 

If you have time, do check out our other smartphone best buying lists under various price segments for more choices within a specific budget.

As always thank you for reading and have a great day.

Buying Guide For Gaming Smartphone  

Mobile gaming is a billion-dollar industry and with the rise of console-quality games on smartphones, it is also necessary to have a smartphone that is capable of running the games without any lag or stutters. 

The Indian smartphone market is the 2nd largest in the world right behind China. In the Indian market, you can find smartphones that cater to the needs of every person. You have high-end flagships and budget-friendly smartphones. 

If you are reading this then chances are that you are in search of a gaming smartphone but have no idea on the factors that you should consider before buying one.

Fret not because we at Bettershark have created a short yet concise buying guide that will give you an insight into some of the basic factors you need to look into before buying a smartphone for gaming. 

Without any further delay let’s jump right into it

Build Quality and Design 

Build quality is something that people generally tend to disregard when it comes to smartphones. 

The build quality of the smartphone is as important as the specifications of the smartphone.

Smartphones come in plastic, glass, and metal build. 

Smartphones with plastic build generally tend to be cheaper because of the inexpensiveness of plastic but they are not the best feeling smartphones. 

If you are on a budget then you can go for a plastic smartphone. Smartphones that have a plastic build quality are going to be common under the Rs.20,000 mark. 

Glass and metal build in smartphones are more premium. They are more expensive compared to a plastic build and are available above the Rs.20,000 mark.

It is also recommended that you check if a phone has an official rating for water resistance because it would provide more safety. 

Display 

The display of the smartphone is what you will be viewing for more than 90% of the time you have your smartphone and hence it is necessary to ensure that the display is of good quality and will last for a long time. 

The display that is currently preferred by most is an AMOLED display because of its colour accuracy. AMOLED displays provide deeper blacks and sharper images compared to an LCD.

But AMOLED displays are more expensive than an LCD, hence many smartphone manufacturers opt for an LCD to save cost. 

A problem with AMOLED displays is that they are prone to screen burn-in. 

LCDs on the other hand have screen bleeding issues which are quite common on budget smartphones but they are not as concerning as a screen burn-in. 

Another important factor to consider when choosing a smartphone for gaming is the refresh rate. With the introduction of smartphones that have higher refresh rates, it is a no-brainer choice that it is recommended to go for smartphones with more than a 60Hz refresh rate. 

Screen resolution on a smartphone does not make a huge difference, you should be fine with a Full HD display on a smartphone but going for a smartphone with a higher resolution is still a bonus.

 Do not go for a smartphone that does not have a minimum resolution of 1080 pixels. 

We recommend that you prioritize refresh rate over screen resolution. 

Camera

Cameras are not something that you should be concerned about when choosing a smartphone for gaming since it does not add anything to the gaming experience.

Battery Life

If you are going to game for continuous hours on your smartphone then it is going to take a toll on your smartphone’s battery life. 

Nowadays smartphones generally have a minimum of 4000mAh battery and it should last you a decent amount of screen time. 

4-5 hours of screen time when gaming continuously is acceptable with the huge batteries found in modern smartphones. 

With smartphones being equipped with huge batteries, we also have fast charging capabilities in them. 

Long gone are the days when smartphones would take hours to charge, now you can go from 0 to 100% in less than an hour. 

We recommend you go for a smartphone that supports fast charging because it makes a huge difference. 

With this, we have reached the end of our buying guide for gaming smartphones in India. We have included some of the basic and important factors that are to be considered when purchasing a smartphone.

If you have any other questions or queries regarding gaming smartphones in India you can comment down below anytime and we will get back to you.