Do you have to spend a lot of money to get a gaming phone? The short answer is No. The long answer is No… If you do not need the highest performance and frame rate but you just want to play games smoothly and without lags. In 2020, a lot of affordable gaming phones were launched in the market and now the gaming phone niche is not about flagships only anymore. Below, you will find our selection of cheap gaming phones including all the most valid gaming phones launched with an affordable price tag.

 

Best cheap gaming phones

Realme 6 Pro

Realme 6 Pro

Realme 6 Pro is one of the most affordable phones offering a display with a high refresh rate in the global market. Its IPS display with a Full HD+ resolution supports a 90 Hz refresh rate allowing for a smoother gaming experience. Further, the handset comes with the Snapdragon 720G: as the G in the model name suggests, it is a processor meant for gaming with high graphics performance. The SoC is paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of UFS 2.1 internal storage. Among the other specifications, you get a satisfying 4300 mAh battery with 30W fast charging, a quad rear camera with 2x optical zoom, and an ultrawide dual front camera housed in a punch-hole display.

 

Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition

Xiaomi Redmi K30 5G Racing

Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition is an upgraded version of the Redmi K30 5G and it is equipped with the best midrange Qualcomm’s chipset released until now. We are talking about the Snapdragon 768G: an upgrade of the Snapdragon 765G with a higher clock frequency for both the CPU and the GPU. Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition is also one of the most affordable gaming phones supporting 5G connectivity. Thanks to a 5G integrated modem called Snapdragon X55, it supports both sub-6 GHz frequencies and mmWave (SA and NSA). Another amazing gaming-centric feature is the 120 Hz refresh rate for the display. You also get a big 4500 mAh battery and a wide 6.67-inch panel.

 

iQOO Neo3 5G

iQOO Neo3 2

If you are looking for the highest performance and you are from a country in which it is available, you should go for the Vivo iQOO Neo3 5G without thinking twice. At a price inferior to €350, you can get all the power of the Snapdragon 865 that is the most powerful flagship-class Qualcomm’s chipset. And you even get the fastest type of internal storage: UFS 3.1. The RAM goes from 6 GB to 12 GB depending on the chosen configuration. Another unbelievable advantage offered by iQOO Neo3 5G is the incredibly high 144 Hz refresh rate, the highest ever seen on a phone. Last but not least, the handset supports 5G connectivity just like every phone fueled by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform.

 

Honor Play 4T Pro

Honor Play 4T Pro is the most affordable alternative of this selection for those who want to get high performance during gaming sessions. Its strong point is the presence of a Kirin 810 providing similar performances to the Snapdragon 730G by Qualcomm. But it is kinda impossible to find a device powered by Snapdragon 730G under €200, which is the price of the Honor Play 4T Pro. The chipset is paired with 6 GB of RAM in its base variant and 8 GB of RAM in the higher-end configuration. It also packs a fast UFS 2.1 native storage with a capacity of up to 128 GB. Another interesting feature is the OLED display providing brilliant colors, low energy consumption, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

 

POCO X2

poco x2

Also known as the Redmi K30 5G in China, POCO X2 is the first gaming phone released by Xiaomi’s sub-brand after the famous flagship killer POCO F1. It has exactly the same specifications as the Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition we mentioned above, with the exception of the chipset. In this case, you get a slightly less powerful Snapdragon 765G SoC, but still, a gaming chipset providing blazing speed and high GPU performance. Just like the 768G, the chipset includes an integrated 5G modem with the support of all the actual 5G standards. And it is obviously cheaper than Redmi K30 5G Racing Edition.

 

Nubia Play

 

Nubia Play 5G Blue

Nubia Play is a mid-ranger specifically targeted to gamers with an attractive design and an astonishing AMOLED display supporting the highest refresh rate even implemented on a phone: it goes up to 144 Hz. Further, it offers a mammoth 5000 mAh battery for long gaming sessions, supporting 30W fast charging. It is even equipped with touch sensitive gaming triggers. The Nubia Play packs a Snapdragon 765G SoC paired with up to 8 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of internal storage and it is sold for less than €310.

 

Black Shark 3

Xiaomi Black Shark 3

Black Shark 3 is not exactly the most affordable gaming phone you can get: it is a flagship, but we included it in this selection because its price is not excessive and because the Black Shark 3 also includes a way more expensive Pro variant. With the Black Shark 3, you get a gaming-centric design including triggers and pins for magnetic charging. Thanks to magnetic charging, you can hold your phone comfortably and play in landscape mode even while it is charging. Black Shark 3 sports a great 90 Hz AMOLED display with the HDR10+ certification, it is fueled by Snapdragon 865 mobile platform paired with up to 12 GB of RAM and up to 256 GB of UFS 3.0 internal storage, and it supports 5G connectivity. It even packs a great 4720 mAh and supports dedicated gaming accessories released by Black Shark.

 

Some old glories

realme x2 pro

If you want to get an amazing gaming phone at an affordable price, you can even opt for old-generation flagships. They are not as cheap as most of the gaming phones included in this selection, but they are very nice deals. We recommend Realme X2 Pro, OnePlus 7T, and Redmi K20 Pro. The first twos are equipped with the Snapdragon 855+ chipset and they even come with 90 Hz display, while the third has a Snapdragon 855 and a standard refresh rate, but you can actually find it at very affordable street prices.