You don’t need a very expensive phone to play your favorite games without lag. Some low-budget gaming phones come with specs that compete with the premium phones available in the market right now.
When it comes to gaming, what you need is a device with one of the best processors, a long-lasting battery, not less than 6GB RAM, and sufficient memory to store your large files and games. You’ll also want an excellent display to enjoy a game’s graphics at their best and a high refresh rate display to keep things smooth.
For phones in the $300 range, you won’t be getting unique features like trigger buttons or a fan for extra cooling. All these extra features are unnecessary, and many people won’t use this anyways.
If you have enough money at hand, you can go for a costly phone like the Lenovo Legion 2 Pro, but if you are in the $200 – $300 range, you can go for some of the best budget gaming phones mentioned in this article.
I have compiled a list of the top 10 budget gaming phones you can get on the market. These phones come with high-end processors and good batteries and don’t have so many issues with the phone getting hot.
Are you in a hurry? Here is a quick summary of the best cheap gaming phones.
Best Budget Gaming Phones in 2022
1. Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro
Released date: February 2022 | Display: 6.67 inches IPS display, 120Hz, 1080 x 2400 pixels | CPU: Octa-core, Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) | GPU: Adreno 619 | RAM: 6GB/8GB RAM | Storage: 64GB/128/256GB ROM | Rear camera: Quad 108MP + 64MP + 8MP +2MP | Front camera: Single 16Mp | OS: Android 11, upgradable to Android 12, MIUI 13 for POCO | Battery: 5160 mAh | Dimension: 164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1 mm | Weight: 205g
If you are searching for the best budget gaming phone under $300 right now, the Xiaomi Poco X4 Pro is your best pick. This device comes with one of the best processors in the market, the Snapdragon 695 5G, and this is the chipset found in high-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S20.
Aside from the processor, the phone also comes with 6GB RAM and 128GB internal storage, which is more than sufficient to power any game. Playing Call of Duty on this phone for one hour drains the battery to only about 72% from 100%.
The phone’s battery lasts long, even when playing games at high settings. The phone can play many games at high settings, but I recommend playing most of your games at the recommended setting, especially at 30fps.
Overall, the Xiaomi Poco X3 Pro is suitable for a budget gaming phone under $300.
2. Samsung Galaxy A33
Released date: March, 2022 | Display: 6.4 inches Super AMOLED display, 90Hz, 1080 x 2400 pixels | CPU: Octa-core, Exynos 1280 (5 nm) | GPU: Mali-G68 | RAM: 4GB/6GB/8GB RAM | Storage: 128GB/256GB ROM | Rear camera: Quad 48MP + 8MP + 5MP +2MP | Front camera: Single 13Mp | OS: Android 12, One UI 4.1 | Battery: 5000 mAh | Dimension: 159.7 x 74 x 8.1 mm | Weight: 186 g
The Samsung Galaxy A33 5000mAh battery and Helio G80 chipset are two features that will provide you with excellent gaming performance. In our testing, the Samsung Galaxy A32 performed admirably in gaming, from smooth performance to the absence of lags or snags.
The Samsung Galaxy A33 has 6GB of RAM, 128GB of internal storage, and a 6.4 inches Super AMOLED screen with 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. You can expand the device’s internal storage with a microSD card up to 512GB. The phone also comes with the One UI 4.1 OS based on Android 11, which makes the phone compatible with most games.
Other enhancing features include the Exynos 1280, Mali-G68 MC2 GPU, and 48MP Primary Camera. The phone has an Antutu score of 354420 (v8) and a GeekBench score of 1900 (v5.1).
On this device, we played PUBG Mobile, and it ran smoothly. I only noticed lags and snags when gaming with unstable internet connections, and even then, games did not crash or freeze.
3. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite
Released date: March 2021 | Display: 6.55 inches AMOLED display, 90Hz, 1080 x 2400 pixels | CPU: Octa-core, Snapdragon 732G (8 nm) | GPU: Adreno 618 | RAM: 6GB/8GB RAM | Storage:128GB ROM | Rear camera: Quad 64MP + 8MP + 5MP | Front camera: Single 16Mp | OS: Android 11, MIUI 12 | Battery: 4250 mAh | Dimension: 160.5 x 75.7 x 6.8 mm | Weight: 157g
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite is one of the best budget gaming phones if you’re serious about your mobile games and don’t want to settle for anything less than the highest frame rates, crispest graphics, and longest battery life.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite screen is near flawless, sporting a 6.55 inches AMOLED display with a variable refresh rate of up to a maximum of 90Hz. Thanks to a powerful Snapdragon 732G chipset and up to 8GB RAM, it’ll take on any game you throw at it. There’s also a large 4,250 mAh battery with 33W charging, allowing you to play for extended periods without recharging.
However, the phone’s lack of wireless charging limits its versatility. Furthermore, the loud design may not be to your liking.
If that’s not enough power for you, the Xiaomi Mi 12 also has more RAM and storage. The standard Xiaomi Mi 11 is the phone to choose for most users who want to focus on gaming above all else.
4. TCL 30 5G
Released date: February, 2022 | Display: 6.7 inches AMOLED display, 1080 x 2400 pixels, | CPU: Octa-core, Mediatek MT6833 Dimensity 700 (7 nm) | GPU: Mali-G57 MC2 | RAM: 4GB RAM | Storage: 64/128GB ROM | Rear camera: Triple 50MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: Single 13Mp | OS: Android 12, TCL UI 4.0 | Battery: 5010 mAh, 18W fast Charging | Dimension: 164.5 x 75.2 x 7.7 mm | Weight: 184g
The TCL 30 5G is a well-rounded proposition and a worthy member of the best budget gaming phones list if you want a mid-range Android phone for a little less than most high-end handsets cost. You want peak gaming performance without sacrificing other amenities like design and camera quality.
The 6.7 inches AMOLED display on the TCL 30 5G has a 1080p resolution, making the screen sharp and colorful. The TCL 30 5G, on the other hand, is near the top of our best budget gaming phones list thanks to its dynamic 120Hz refresh rate, which provides a remarkably smooth experience for games like PUBG that support it. Thanks to the new Hyper Touch technology, the touch sampling rate has been increased to 360Hz, giving you the instant response you need to claim victory.
Of course, the TCL 30 5G excels in various other areas as well. It has a longer battery life and supports faster-wired charging than most other devices. The phone has three cameras on the back a primary 50MP camera, 2MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro. And the TCL 30 5G has fantastic software that makes Android 12 more functional and has a beautiful and easy-to-use user interface thanks to the TCL UI 4.0.
5. Motorola G Stylus 5G 2022
Released date: April 2022 | Display: 6.8 inches IPS display, 120Hz Refresh Rate, 1080 x 2400 pixels | CPU: Octa-core, Snapdragon 695 5G (6 nm) | GPU: Adreno 619 | RAM: 6GB/8GB RAM | Storage: 128GB/256GB ROM | Rear camera: Triple 50MP + 8MP + 2MP | Front camera: Single 16Mp | OS: Android 12, upgradeable to Android 13 | Battery: 5000 mAh | Dimension: 168.9 x 75.8 x 9.3 mm | Weight: 215g
The Motorola G Stylus 5G is the best budget gaming phone under $300 from the Motorola sub-brand, though it falls short of a few other brands’ current budget gaming phones.
The phone is large and has a bold design, and its specs are what you’d expect from a budget gaming phone. The cameras were also surprisingly effective in our tests, especially in low-light situations, though the optimization could be a little too aggressive at times.
This phone isn’t higher because of its lower 60Hz refresh rate than the other phones on this list and because it doesn’t have as many features.
The only downside to this phone is its weird design. The design is not premium, it’s like a phone of the last decade.
6. OnePlus Nord N20 5G
Released date: April, 2022 | Display: 6.43 inches AMOLED display, 1080 x 2400 pixels | CPU: Octa-core, Snapdragon 695 5G | GPU: Adreno 619 | RAM: 6GB RAM | Storage: 128GB ROM | Rear camera: Triple 64MP + 2MP + 2MP | Front camera: Single 16Mp | OS: Android 11, OxygenOS 11 | Battery: 4500mAh, 33W Fast Charging | Dimension: 1159.9 x 73.2 x 7.5 mm | Weight: 173g
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is a very low-budget device. If you are looking for a gaming phone under $300, then the OnePlus Nord N20 5G is a good choice.
The phone has an impressive set of specifications, including a Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage which is more than enough for storage. The 6.43-inch display has a 90Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support, resulting in a much sharper image than the Full HD Plus (2400 x 1080) screen would suggest. It also has a triple rear camera with a 64MP sensor.
While the OnePlus Nord N20 5G is priced at a very low price of $299, you will be able to get it anywhere you reside.
