3 Best Budget Gaming Phones In 2025

Muhammad Kumar - Apr 04, 2025

For a smooth gaming experience, you need good battery life, sufficient cooling, a high refresh rate, and more depending on which games you enjoy.

The top budget gaming phones aren’t always the absolute cheapest ones out there. To get a solid gaming experience, you need decent battery life, good cooling, a fast refresh rate, and other stuff depending on the games you’re into. We’ve checked out all the key features of the phones below to ensure they hit the sweet spot between cost and performance. But if cash isn’t a concern, our guide to the best gaming phones has some fancier options worth a look.

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G

Best Budget Gaming Phones Samsung Galaxy A34 550x3

The Samsung Galaxy A34 won’t blow anyone away, but it’s worth a look if you’re hunting for a budget gaming phone, especially for a younger kid getting their first device. If that’s your situation, here’s the good part: it’s a tough little phone that’s hard to wreck, so parents won’t be scrambling to replace it after a drop.

It’s a decent starting point, but let’s be real—it’s not stacking up against big shots like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s got a 20Hz screen and 6-8GB of RAM, which is fine for some mobile gaming and handles most titles without much trouble.

For younger gamers into stuff like Doodle Jump, Angry Birds, or other simple games, this phone does the job well. It can easily manage basic Android games, and with its nice screen and light build, it’s a solid pick. Plus, Samsung’s one of the few brands that keeps updating their phones for years, so the A34 5G should stay supported for a good while.

The real win here is the price—it’s proper budget gaming, though you’re cutting some corners to get it. Charging isn’t super fast compared to other phones, and the camera’s nothing special. It’s also got a plastic body, so it doesn’t feel fancy. Still, the screen’s bright and colorful, and the sound’s clear for a small device. It won’t run Genshin Impact at 60 FPS, but if you’re short on cash or just into lighter games, it’s a great option to kick things off.

Poco X5 Pro 5G

Best Budget Gaming Phones Poco X5 Pro 550x309

If you’re looking to dip your toes into mobile gaming, the Poco X5 Pro 5G is a solid choice. It’s priced around $250, and for that, you get a tough phone with decent guts and a really nice screen. The 120Hz refresh rate and up to 900 nits brightness make the AMOLED display pop with sharp, clear visuals.

For long gaming stretches, the 5000mAh battery is a champ, and with 67W fast charging, you can juice it up from empty to full in under an hour. Regular use barely dents the battery over a day, and even with gaming, you’re looking at a good four or five hours before it’s time to plug in. It’s built to keep up with your day.

The downside? The shell’s got this shiny, “gamer” vibe that might feel a bit much—like something a teen might sketch up. The reflective finish can be over-the-top for some, and the camera bump sticks out a lot. Overall, it’s not the most comfortable phone to hold as a regular device—it’s okay sideways for gaming, but otherwise, it feels a bit awkward. It doesn’t have that polished feel you’d get from pricier phones.

Still, when it’s game time, the Poco X5 Pro 5G holds its own. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G isn’t topping charts like the RedMagic 7 or 8, but it’s way cheaper, so it’s a fair trade-off. It’s a solid step up from the last Poco X5 Pro too, and it can handle games like Genshin Impact on high settings with a steady framerate.

Bottom line: if you want a budget-friendly phone that’s good for gaming, this one’s a winner. Don’t count on it for amazing photos, and it’s not the best-looking device (though the yellow version’s pretty cool), but for playing games on the go without spending a ton, it’s a smart pick.

OnePlus 10T 5G

Best Budget Gaming Phones Oneplus 10t Yellow 550x3

We’re big fans of the OnePlus 10T over at Mobygeeks—it’s a slick phone that slots into most people’s lives without much fuss. The jade color with its metallic finish has a fun, lively vibe, while the black “moonstone” version looks sharp and professional yet still stylish.

For gaming, that Snapdragon 8+ chip is a beast, one of the best you’ll find in this mid-range price zone. You can go all out with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, so there’s plenty of room to load it up with games like Genshin Impact or Black Clover M. Even with the standard 8GB RAM, paired with a 120Hz refresh rate and AMOLED screen, this phone can take on pretty much anything you throw at it.

The 4800mAh battery isn’t the biggest out there, but it’s solid for a phone this size. The chipset keeps power use in check, so it won’t die on you fast. Plus, the wired charging is crazy quick, getting you back to gaming in no time.

The catch? Like a lot of phones in this range, the camera’s a weak spot. It’s decent outside in good light, but indoors, photos get grainy. It’s not the worst compared to others at this price, but if you’re after a gaming phone that’s also great for pics, you might need to adjust your hopes a bit.