Smartphones for gamers, the new trend in the industry

Although phones were born with the main idea of facilitating communication through calls and text messages, the trend towards smartphones with powerful processors, large displays and super cameras has quickly caught on. However, there was still a segment of the market which had not been fully explored: video game players, and with this it is not about those who play Candy Crush or Parcheesi, but about players who go through games that not any device can support, such as Pubg Mobile or League of Legends among others.

But what can these phones have that others don't? First of all, a gaming phone usually has top-of-the-range features, so cell phones like the iPhone 11, Samsung Galaxy S20, Huawei P40 Pro, among others, can work. However, there are brands such as Lenovo and Asus that have designed smartphones with specific functionalities for gamers, with large screens without any notch or camera occupying part of their space, large-capacity batteries and cooling systems to avoid the common heating that exists during long gaming sesions. 

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The reason why recognized brands in the manufacture of PCs and laptops for gamers have come to include smartphones among their products is due to the power of this medium in the video game industry, since according to iProUp, the market researcher Super Data indicated that in 2019 video games generated 120,000 million dollars in profits, of which 53% came from games for telephones while the rest derived from computers, video consoles, among others. On the other hand, video game developers have also joined by adapting their video games to mobile systems such as Android and iOs, just as Fortnite and LOL have done.

What are these gaming smartphones?

Among the two main smartphones designed for video games are:

Asus ROG Phone 3

The Taiwanese company known for making laptops and PCs has also been on the market for about three years with its ROG (Republic of Gamers) gaming line . According to Muy Computer, the ROG Phone 3 is the last of its line and was presented in July 2020. Among its main gaming specifications are: A 6.56-inch AMOLED screen with Full HD + resolution with HDR10 + capacity and a refresh rate 144Hz, which means that the image on the screen is updated up to 144 times per second, a number well above the 60Hz average used by high-end smartphones such as the iPhone 11, which means greater fluidity in the image for the Asus.

On the other hand, it promises an "ultra-low" latency so the screen will respond instantly when it is touched (25 milliseconds). Its processor is a SnapDragon 865+ which is an improved version and designed for gaming with 8 processors at 3.09 GHz. Regarding its RAM memory, it has three versions ranging from 8GB with 128GB of internal memory, another 12GB / 256GB and a last one of 16gb / 512gb. Its hardware comes with a comfortable design to hold horizontally, two type C inputs, one on the bottom and one on the side, ideal for charging the phone confortably while playing games and connecting other accessories, it also comes with a heat sink. With the latest GameCool 3 cooling system.

The Asus ROG Phone 3 incorporates a large 6000 mAh battery with 30W Quick Charge 4.0 fast charge . For the sound, it has stereo speakers and active noise cancellation promising high fidelity sound. Asus does not forget about other elements such as the 5G connection and a triple rear camera (main sensor, wide angle and telephoto lens) and a 24mp front camera with HDR that records at 1080p. Although the exact price of the phone is not yet available, everything indicates that it will exceed the $ 1000 barrier.

Lenovo Legion Phone Duel

Perhaps Lenovo is also known mainly for its computers, however its smartphone is not far behind, Legion is the name given to the segment of devices for gamers that Lenovo manufactures and in this case the Phone Duel comes with a Full HD + screen of 6, 65 inches without interruptions, because this time the front camera is hidden on the side of the phone, so that players can record a stream while playing with the phone horizontally. Its processor is also the latest SnapDragon 865+ with three versions for RAM equal to that of the Asus. Lenovo included two Type-C inputs for the bottom and side of the device.

Its large 5000 mAh battery has the peculiarity of being divided, that is, it has two 2500 mAh batteries with the purpose, according to Engadget, that the hands of the players are above the batteries and not the processor -which will be in the center – since it is the part that heats up the most. However, it will still have a liquid cooling system in copper tubes. In addition Lenovo will use a powerful 90W fast charge that in theory can charge the phone from 0% to 100% in just half an hour. Other interesting functions of this Legion are its ultrasonic gaming buttons located on the back and double vibration motor ideal to improve the experience in certain games.

As for the sound, it has stereo speakers with active noise cancellation and includes a double rear camera with a main sensor and a wide angle, both will be located in the center of the phone next to the flash, its front camera is pop up type and stands out only when in use, it is 20 mp and has 81.7 degree vision. Its price is not yet known.

Both phones come with Android 10.