What’s the best gaming iPhone? Apple iPhone handsets keep their value for years after their release date, and with plenty of iPhone generations to choose from, there’s no one answer. Sure, the iPhone 14 Pro Max is the biggest and best iPhone, with the newest A16 processor and a big lovely high refresh rate screen to keep gaming looking smooth. But there are other options out there, with choices for a wide range of budgets. Take the iPhone SE or iPhone 13 for example, which are still available atnd at a lower price than the flagship iPhone 14 lineup.
With that in mind, Pocket Tactics is here to help make this decision a lot easier for you, with our guide to help you pick the best gaming iPhone to suit you. Whether it’s a fancy big screen you want, the best sound quality, top performance, or you’re simply working with a strict budget, we’ve got you covered. Despite not being tailored specifically for gamers like the Asus ROG Phone 7, iPhones are still among the best gaming phones you can buy. Once you’ve chosen a new model, we also have a guide to the best phone cases to help you protect your new piece of kit, and Apple Arcade games to test its capabilities.
Oh, and if you happen to be in the market for the best Android phone instead of an iPhone, be sure to check out our list of the best android phone for games here.
These are the best gaming iPhones available right now:
1. iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best iPhone for gaming overall
Only want the best of the best? The iPhone 14 Pro Max is that choice for you. It might be considerably more expensive than the competition, but you really get what you pay for here.
The display is huge, at 6.7 inches, with a variable refresh rate of up to 120hz, high pixel density, and the new Dynamic Island cutout at the top. It also supports a much higher contrast ratio, HDR, and a much higher maximum brightness. Couple that with enormous battery life and you’ve got a serious gaming phone.
Setting aside the lovely textured matte glass and stainless steel design, and many other lovely features like that ridiculous three-camera setup, it really is the best iPhone for gaming.
2. iPhone 14
Best gaming iPhone to balance price and performance
The iPhone 14 is the phone we’d recommend to most serious prospective iPhone gamers and the best iPhone for gaming overall. Although we put the iPhone 14 Pro Max at the top of this guide – thanks to its high-level performance – the vanilla 14 model is around two-thirds of the price of the iPhone 14 Pro Max, but as it packs in most of the features that count, it’s the shrewd person’s choice.
If you’ve got money to spend, and you can live without the most luxurious of features, this is, without a doubt, the gaming iPhone to buy. It comes in a raft of fancy colors too. Hello, Yellow iPhone 14…
3. iPhone SE
Most affordable iPhone for gaming
Bigger isn’t always better, as the iPhone SE can attest to. Not only is it the cheapest iPhone on the market, but it’s also got an upgrade A15 chip inside. That’s there to offer the same horsepower as an iPhone 13.
The trade-off? A smaller screen, no Face ID unlocking, and a home button, among other things. The screen could be the only dealbreaker though. It really is quite tiny.
It’s an impressive phone nonetheless, and if you want access to the incredible A15 at the lowest possible price, this is the iPhone for you.
Some of the best iPhone deals available today:
