4 things to look for in a gaming phone

The very idea of a gaming phone would have seemed like a misnomer only a decade or so ago, but technology has advanced at such a rate that some smartphones are now fully fledged gaming machines. Of course, if you’re choosing a phone specifically for gaming you’ll need to be selective, as not every device is capable of the demands made by gaming.

#1 Go for an AMOLED screen

There are lots of different smartphone screens to choose from. These range from the classic LCD screen through to the far more sophisticated AMOLED and even (if you’re a Samsung user) Super AMOLED. If you’re going to be using your phone for intensive gaming, you should opt for AMOLED. These are the most expensive but they’re also the best. They render depth of colour, detail and texture far better than any other screen and they’re more sensitive to touch. Super AMOLED is a step further and currently only available on Samsung devices, but if you can spare the cash it will improve your gaming experience no end.

#2 Android or Apple?

It’s an age old debate, but choosing whether to go for an iOS or Android device is significant where gaming is concerned. Apple phones tend to offer a much simpler selection: you just need to go for the latest model and you can be fairly certain that you’re getting the most up to date tech. Moreover, Apple devices usually have a longer shelf life than Android versions since they’re updated for longer, although there have been issues with battery life decreasing quite dramatically on older models. Since Android devices are far more varied, there’s a lot more choice (and room for confusion). You’ll have to pay more attention to the components and specifications, but you’ll typically pay less than for an Apple device.

#3 RAM 

RAM stands for Random Access Memory. It’s something that most smartphone users won’t think twice about, but gamers should pay special attention to. Playing any kind of game, be that a first person shooter or spinning the slots at an online casino like www.jackpotcitycasino.com requires memory. Graphics, sounds and textures drain RAM and force your phone to dip into its flash memory instead. That’s less efficient and can lead to lag or even pauses in gameplay. Smartphones will never have as much RAM as a computer or console, but around 6-8 GB is a good place to start.

#4 CPU

CPU speed is a contentious issue because smartphones aren’t hugely efficient in this area. Even a phone with a large CPU will only use around half of it on any given task, including gaming. Nonetheless, hexacore smartphones simply contain more CPUs, so they’re better placed to handle intensive tasks like gaming. They’ll switch to utilize more core power when you start to play and ensure that you can proceed without having to worry about any lag or graphical slowdown. The CPU is the brain of the phone, diverting power to where it’s needed the most, so always look for at least 1.6 GHz.