Smartphones have evolved, becoming more and more powerful over the years. Thanks to the advancement in technology, it is now possible to play AAA games on a smartphone. As games become graphically demanding, it’s only natural that you need a more powerful phone. So we have curated a list of the best processor for mobile gaming so you can make an informed decision.
Best Processor for Gaming on a Smartphone
1. Snapdragon 8 Elite – Most Powerful Gaming Processor
| Process | 3nm TSMC |
| Cores | 8 cores |
| Clock Speed | 4.32GHz |
| Configuration | 2x 4.32 GHz – Oryon (Phoenix L)6x 3.53 GHz – Oryon (Phoenix M) |
| L2 Cache | 24 MB |
| GPU | Adreno 830 at 1100MHz |
| RAM | LPDDR5X (Up to 24GB) |
| Storage | UFS 4.0, UFS 4.1 |
| AI | Hexagon NPU |
- AnTuTu Score: 2.7 million
- Geekbench CPU: 2990/9114
- Geekbench AI: 500 (CPU)/951 (GPU)
- 3D Mark Wildlife: 4533 (Lowest Loop)/6104 (Best Loop)
- CPU Throttling Test: 76 per cent
Popular Phones: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, iQOO 13, OnePlus 13, Xiaomi 15 Ultra
The Snapdragon 8 Elite is crème de la crème of Android flagships. Based on a 3nm process, it uses the same Oryon cores found in the Snapdragon X Elite laptop processors. This processor has two prime cores and six performance cores. With a clock speed of 4.32GHz, it is the fastest mobile processor currently available. You get 24MB of L2 cache and an Adreno 830 GPU clocked at 1100 MHz.
So, whether you are planning to play Grid Legends at 60 FPS or PUBG at 120 FPS, this best mobile processor can do it all. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the most powerful processor, beating even the Dimensity 9400 Plus and the A18 Pro. What’s cooler is the fact that it brings improvements in AI, support for ray tracing, and efficiency gains. All of these perks make it the best processor for gaming out there.
Here’s how much FPS you can expect from a smartphone running Snapdragon 8 Elite:
| Genshin Impact | 59 FPS |
| Grid Legends | 58.4 FPS |
| PUBG | 120 FPS |
| COD Mobile | 120 FPS |
| COD Warzone | 75 FPS |
| Wuthering Waves | 60 FPS |
| Honkai Star Rail | 60 FPS |
| Fortnite | 60 FPS |
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2. Apple A18 Pro – Best for Playing AAA Games
| Process | 3nm TSMC |
| Cores | 6 cores |
| Clock Speed | 4.04GHz |
| Configuration | 2 performance cores at 4 GHz4 efficiency cores at 2.4GHz |
| GPU | Apple Bionic GPU at 1490 MHz |
| RAM | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | NVMe |
| AI | 16-core Neural Engine |
- AnTuTu Score: 1.8 million
- Geekbench CPU: 3158/7974
- Geekbench AI: 4504/7746
- 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme: 3096 (Lowest Loop)/4574(Best Loop)
Popular Phones: Apple iPhone 16 Pro, Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
If you are an iPhone user or someone who is deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem, the A18 Pro is a great option. For many users, iPhone is the go-to choice for gaming, and the A18 Pro is good for AAA titles.
It can run console games. Like AC Mirage, Death Stranding, Resident Evil Village, and more. Not only that, the A18 Pro is one of the few chipsets that can run Genshin Impact at 120 FPS without any stress. Imagine doing that on an Android phone! If you want an iPhone or simply want to experience the joy of playing AAA games on your phone, the A18 Pro is the best gaming processor for you.
Here’s how the A18 Pro fares in graphics-intensive games:
| Genshin Impact | 120 FPS |
| Grid Legends | 60 FPS |
| PUBG | 120 FPS |
| COD Mobile | 120 FPS |
| COD Warzone | 90 FPS |
| Wuthering Waves | 60 FPS |
3. MediaTek Dimensity 9400 Plus – Performance Underdog
| Process | 3nm TSMC |
| Cores | 8 cores |
| Clock Speed | 3.73GHz |
| Configuration | 3 Cortex X4 at 3.3GHz4 Cortex A720 at 2.4GHz |
| GPU | Immortalis G925 MC12 |
| RAM | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | UFS 4.0, UFS 4.1 |
| AI | MediaTek NPU 890 |
- AnTuTu Score: 2.6 million
- Geekbench CPU: 2927 (Single Core)/ 9000 (Multi Core)
- Geekbench AI: 1970 (Single Precision) /
- 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme: 39.5 per cent
- CPU Throttling: 62 per cent
Popular Phones: Oppo Find X8s and Oppo Find X8s+
The MediaTek Dimensity 9400 Plus is one of the few underrated and powerful processors out there. It comes close to the Snapdragon 8 Elite in terms of performance and has great efficiency. Not only does it have faster CPU performance than the Dimensity 9400, but you also do all your AI tasks faster.
Moreover, the Immortalis G925 MC12 can handle even the most intensive games. To it all up, there’s ray tracing support, Super Resolution, and Frame Converter 2.0+. This recently unveiled chipset can compete toe to toe with the Snapdragon 8 Elite. But given that it’s a recent processor, availability is limited to a handful of phones.
Here’s how the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 Plus fares in games:
| Games | FPS |
| Genshin Impact | 60 FPS |
| Grid Legends | 40 FPS |
| PUBG/BGMI | 90 FPS |
| COD Mobile | 60 FPS |
| COD Warzone | 60 FPS |
| Wuthering Waves | 60 FPS |
4. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – Best Gaming Processor From Last Year
| Process | 4nm TSMC |
| Cores | 8 cores |
| Clock Speed | 3.3 GHz |
| Configuration | 1 Cortex X4 at 3.3GHz3 Cortex A720 at 3.1GHz2 Cortex A720 at 2.96GHz2 Cortex A520 at 2.27GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 750 |
| RAM | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | UFS 4.0, UFS 4.1 |
| AI | Hexagon |
- AnTuTu Score: 1.8 million
- Geekbench CPU: 2137/6360
- Geekbench AI: 493 (Single Core)/ 15401 (Half Precision)
- 3D Mark Wildlife: 2743 (Lowest loop)/3649 (Highest Loop)
- CPU Throttling Test: 85 per cent
Popular Phones: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, iQOO 12, OnePlus 13R
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is last year’s flagship processor, and it’s still a great choice for gaming. Whether you want to enjoy the latest AAA games or simply wish to play competitive multiplayer, it can handle it all. Despite lacking those fancy Oryon cores, its 1+3+4 configuration is capable of handling even the demanding games. There’s also the Snapdragon Elite gaming suite with support up to 240Hz. There’s also hardware-accelerated ray tracing with global illumination and Unreal Engine 5.2.
| Genshin Impact | 50 FPS |
| Grid Legends | 60 FPS |
| PUBG/BGMI | 120 FPS |
| COD Mobile | 120 FPS |
| COD Warzone | 80 FPS |
| Wuthering Waves | 60 FPS |
5. Snapdragon 8s Gen 4: Best Mid-Range Processor for Gaming
| Process | 4nm TSMC |
| Cores | 8 cores |
| Clock Speed | 3.2GHz |
| Configuration | 1 Cortex X4 at 3.3GHz3 Cortex A720 at 3.1GHz2 Cortex A720 at 2.96GHz2 Cortex A520 at 2.27GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 750 |
| RAM | LPDDR5X |
| Storage | UFS 4.0, UFS 4.1 |
| AI | Hexagon |
- AnTuTu Score: 2 million
- Geekbench CPU: 2260 (Single Core)/7414 (Multi Core)
Popular Phones: Poco F7, Oppo K13 Pro, Redmi Turbo 4 Pro, iQOO Z10 Turbo Pro
Last but not least is the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, which is the latest processor from the company. Based on a 4nm node, it offers amazing performance in the mid-range segment. If you are looking to get the best bang for your buck, this flagship killer chip performs similarly to the 8 Gen 3.
It has the same configuration as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and, interestingly, delivers better performance than last year’s. It offers 31 percent faster CPU performance and has a more powerful Adreno 825 GPU. And just like the 8 Elite, you get features like ray tracing, global illumination, while consuming 39 percent less power. You can expect this best processor for gaming to debut in many affordable flagship killer phones.
Here’s how the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 performs in popular games:
| Genshin Impact | 59.5 FPS |
| Grid Legends | 60 FPS |
| PUBG | 60 FPS |
| COD Mobile | 120 FPS |
| COD Warzone | 100 FPS |