by in Mobile gaming has been the bane of many consoles and PC gamers alike for decades even. Many from both camps consider it “an inauthentic experience”.
But many newer and powerful smartphone models are aiming to change that perception. Smartphone manufacturers aim to do so by making the experience on par with what both consoles and PC gaming offer.
Gaming-Centric Smartphone Models Are Getting Popular
The First Gaming Android Smartphone
Razer Phone
The first known and successful gaming-focused branded model to be released in the market was the Razer Phone, officially released in 2017.
At launch, it sported a Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) main processor. The processor is backed up by an Adreno 540 graphics chipset. That means you can play many popular games known today.
It is supported by 8GB RAM (which was a surprising feature at that time). It also had a 64 GB internal memory space for games and applications.
The only caveat to the phone’s amazing specification sheet is that it has no memory card slot. That means the user is unable to expand the storage capability.
Furthermore, other smartphone brands will follow suit and release their own gaming-focused smartphones in the following year.
The Black Shark, Nubia Red Magic, and ROG Phone
Xiaomi Black Shark
The first to follow was a tie between Xiaomi and ZTE, wherein both released their own devices in April 2018.
Those models are the Black Shark and the Nubia Red Magic, respectively. The last brand to join the party was Asus, with their ROG Phone ZS600KL, released in October 2018.Arguably, in the current year, the most popular gaming phone in the international market nowadays is the Asus ROG Phone 5 (along with its other variants, the ROG Phone 5 Pro and ROG 5 Ultimate), according to TechRadar‘s Best Gaming Phone of 2021 list.
Asus ROG Phone 5 Ultimate
It beats out the other models by providing a powerful, handheld gaming device with smartphone capabilities. Those are the ones you can use for everyday tasks and activities, such as texting and calling.
It features a ton of gaming-related accessories such as its own Bluetooth controller. It also has its own docking station that also acts as a cooling fan.
The device itself is notable for having its own cooling fans (in the Ultimate Variant). Aside from that, it has touchscreen triggers located on the top edge corners of the device. That is useful for playing games with additional buttons for gameplay.
Other Smartphone Brands Introducing Gaming-Capable Models That Are Affordable
With the examples stated above, unfortunately, not all can afford the price tag that each of those models demands. Therefore, only a small number of people own one of those models today.
Even if that is the case, they are enough to create a demand in the smartphone market. With that demand, manufacturers are able to continue the lineage of those models.
Luckily enough, most of the current smartphone brands have introduced their own models that can do gaming on the go. But that capability depends on the target audience and price range the said model is released to.
Poco X3 NFC: The Budget-Friendly Gaming Phone
Poco X3 NFC
One such smartphone model that gained the attention and excitement of the budget-conscious gaming crowd was the Poco X3 NFC.
The Poco brand is a subsidiary/sister company of Xiaomi, one of the leading smartphone brands today. Poco is known for its affordability while maintaining performance.
Many reviewers and tech sites have praised the device at launch. The reason is due to its performance. It can deliver a good gaming experience at a low cost.
Other Smartphone Brands Followed Suit To Poco’s X3
Expectedly, other brands such as Samsung, Oppo, Vivo, Huawei, Lenovo, etc. have followed suit. That gives buyers tons of options to choose from when choosing a new phone. They will be able to play hit mobile titles smoothly, such as Call of Duty Mobile, League of Legends Wild Rift, and even Genshin Impact.
According to GSMArena.com, listed below are some of the other smartphone brands and models that are in a similar price range to the Poco X3 NFC, which is priced at $230 for the 6GB/64GB and $260 for the 6GB/128GB.
They are categorized as mid-range devices but can pack a punch when it comes to multitasking, endurance, and gaming.
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 (4GB/64GB = $190+; 4GB/128GB = $220+)
- Realme 6 (6GB/64GB = $240+; 6GB/128GB = $310+)
- Samsung Galaxy A41 (4GB/64GB = $230+)
- Xiaomi Poco M3 (4GB/64GB = $160+; 4GB/128GB = $180+)
- Motorola Moto G40 Fusion (India only; contact your local supplier for one)
- Nokia G20 (US only; 4GB/64GB = $200+; 4GB/128GB = $500+)
- OnePlus Nord N100 (4GB/64GB = $120+)
- Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G (6GB/64GB = $300+; 6GB/128GB = $320+)
This makes gaming on smartphones more accessible to many today. Unlike in the earlier years of its history, gaming on a phone is considered a waste of time.
Hardcore gamers then will even think of it as sacrilege, as they claim that it isn’t a true gaming experience. There is a split amongst themselves, wherein one side accepts gaming on smartphones and the other doesn’t.
Conclusion: Gaming on Smartphones Is Now More Accessible and Fun
As smartphone models continue to change and evolve, so does gaming on the go. The reason why it does so is thanks to the gaming communities rallying behind it.
Many smartphone brands and manufacturers will continue to tap into the potential of the mobile gaming scene.
They will do so by launching new gaming-focused models first. After that, it will be followed by the release of gaming-capable models. The latter is targeted at the budget-conscious consumer.
Expect both the market and experience for it to grow even further. In the next few years, the mobile gaming market will be bigger. That is thanks to many brands answering the demand of that specific market.
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