If you searched for a gaming phone in, let’s say 2017, it would be almost impossible to find a reliable device at a reasonable price. Thankfully, this fact has changed and in 2020, it is easier to find great budget gaming phones at the lowest possible price. Even Premium brands like Apple and Samsung have created great gaming phones at a lower price.
Smaller companies like Xiaomi and Realme have also grown and now provide phones capable of high-quality gaming. For this reason, we have created a list of the 10 best budget mobile phones for gaming in 2020. Before we take a look at the best gaming smartphones under $400, let’s dive deeper into the system requirements essential for a great gaming phone.
System Requirements for a reliable Budget Gaming Smartphone.
CPU
All the phones on our list include one of the Snapdragon 800 series, Exynos 9611, or Apple A11 or relevant processors which prove to be more than capable to handle demanding mobile games.
Ram
You should always go for the maximum amount of RAM for your budget. 4GB of RAM is capable of playing the latest games at high framerates, but if you have the possibility to go for a device with 6GB, don’t even think about itit.
Display
When it comes to the display size, you are a gamer. So, the bigger the better! Thankfully, all of the mobile phones on our list have big, bright displays that will do the job. Although screen features like HDR and high brightness improve viewing in both gaming and content consumption, these features will be hard to find in budget gaming phones. On the other hand, all the phones on the list have great screens for the budget.
Battery Life
A large battery will allow for long gaming sessions. Don’t forget that demanding games like PUBG will drain your phone’s battery quickly.
Storage
Although modern games tend to take a large amount of storage space, storage won’t be a problem, as all the recommended phones have 64GB of space or more. This amount of space will be sufficient for your daily needs, and 3 to 4 demanding games.
The Best Budget Smartphones for Gaming, 2020.
All the budget gaming phones on this list will be able to cope with modern high-end mobile games like PUBG or Call Of Duty Mobile. Some of them are brand new series, some of them were released in 2017 as flagships, and are still great choices.
All you have to do is look at the advantages and disadvantages of each device, and choose the one that best suits your everyday needs. Without further ado, let’s explore your best options:
OnePlus 6t
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.41-inch | Resolution: 2340 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 845 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Rear camera: 16MP+20MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 185g | Dimensions: 157.6 x 74.8 x 8.2 mm (6.20 x 2.94 x 0.32 in) | Released: 10/2018 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $199
Samsung A51
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.5-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Exynos 9611 | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3,716mAh | Rear camera: 48MP +12MP +5MP +5MP | Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 172g | Dimensions: 158.6 x 73.6 x 7.9 mm (6.24 x 2.90 x 0.31 in) | Released: 12/2019 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $277
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.67-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 720G | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 5020mAh | Rear camera: 64MP +8MP +5MP +2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 209g | Dimensions: 165.8 x 76.7 x 8.8 mm (6.53 x 3.02 x 0.35 in) | Released: 04/2020 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $309
Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.47-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 730G | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 5260mAh | Rear camera: 64MP +8MP +5MP +2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 204g | Dimensions: 157.8 x 74.2 x 9.7 mm (6.21 x 2.92 x 0.38 in) | Released: 05/2020 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $314
Realme 6 Pro
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.6-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 720G | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 4300mAh | Rear camera: 64MP +12MP +8MP +2MP | Front camera: 16MP | Weight: 202g | Dimensions: 163.8 x 75.8 x 8.9 mm (6.45 x 2.98 x 0.35 in) | Released: 05/2020 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $299
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.53-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Mediatek Helio G90T | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 4500mAh | Rear camera: 64MP +8MP +2MP +2MP | Front camera: 20MP | Weight: 200g | Dimensions: 161.4 x 76.4 x 8.8 mm (6.35 x 3.01 x 0.35 in) | Released: 09/2019 | Price on Amazon (09/2019): $204
Google Pixel 4a
OS: Android | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Snapdragon 730G | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3140 mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 8MP | Weight: 143g | Dimensions: 144 x 69.4 x 8.2 mm (5.67 x 2.73 x 0.32 in) | Released: 08/2020 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $349
Huawei Nova 5T
OS: Android | Screen size: 6.26-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Kirin 980 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3750mAh | Rear camera: 48MP +16MP +2MP +2MP | Front camera: 32MP | Weight: 174g | Dimensions: 154.3 x 74 x 7.8 mm (6.07 x 2.91 x 0.31 in) | Released: 09/2019 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $335
Samsung Galaxy S10e
OS: Android | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 2400 x 1080 pixels | CPU: Mediatek Exynos 9820 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Battery: 3100mAh | Rear camera: 12MP +16MP | Front camera: 10MP | Weight: 150g | Dimensions: 142.2 x 69.9 x 7.9 mm (5.60 x 2.75 x 0.31 in) | Released: 09/2019 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $368
Apple iPhone X
OS: iOS | Screen size: 5.8-inch | Resolution: 2436 x 1125 pixels | CPU: Apple A11 Bionic | RAM: 3GB | Storage: 64GB | Battery: 2,716mAh | Rear camera: 12MP | Front camera: 7MP | Weight: 174g | Dimensions: 143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 in) | Released: 11/2017 | Price on Amazon (12/2020): $388
