Every year, without fail, news breaks about a brand-new gaming phone that will be the most potent Android phone ever released. The ROG Phone 6 Pro, a smartphone that is the pinnacle of mobile gaming, holds the distinction as of 2022.
Even if you manage to discover a fantastic price on a gaming phone, you should usually avoid buying it despite how impressive their absurdly high-end features are. Here are seven reasons why you should choose a standard Android phone over a gaming phone.
1. Gaming Phones Are Expensive
Since that is what they are made for, gaming phones by default concentrate on having the highest performance possible. But in order to achieve this performance, the gadget must have the newest processor, the best cooling system, and premium materials for greater heat dissipation, which immediately drives up the cost of manufacture.
This is unfortunate since a slightly older flagship chip can sometimes be purchased for less money while still being practically as fast as the newest one. If businesses choose the former, they may pass on the savings to customers and lower the cost of their gaming phones.
The fact that gamers frequently concentrate about having the finest specifications is the reason this doesn't work in reality. Therefore, people could think a gaming phone with an outdated chip is more weaker and opt against buying it. There might not be a difference in the actual world.
2. Poor Camera Quality
The poor camera quality of gaming phones may be the main issue. No matter what time of day it is, any gaming phone will nearly always shoot inferior pictures when compared to a conventional Android phone of the same price. If you're interested, you can check out camera samples in our review of the Red Magic 7 Pro gaming phone.
However, why does this occur? Simply explained, gaming phones have subpar cameras since the majority of the production budget is allocated to improving performance and constructing specialised gaming features.
Everything that can enhance your gaming experience is given first priority, but since the camera is one of the few items you don't use frequently when gaming, it is left out to save money. This restriction makes gaming phones unreliable as daily drivers.
3. They're Uncomfortable to Hold
Compared to standard phones, gaming phones are typically heavier, larger, thicker, and taller. This is because to the numerous additional internal components they feature, including an internal cooling system, RGB lighting, a larger battery, superior materials, and more.
Some gaming smartphones go one step farther than this. An integrated turbofan and air ducts incorporated into the phone's body are a couple of the Red Magic 7's greatest features. The bulk of the gadget is caused by all of this additional material. This might not be a major concern for you, but folks with smaller hands will find it difficult to handle gaming phones for extended periods of time.
4. They Have Unnecessary Specs and Features
When it comes to specifications, gaming phones top the list, yet some of these specs are superfluous. The ROG Phone 6 Pro, for instance, boasts a 165Hz refresh rate. There are three reasons why this expenditure is unnecessary.
One, most individuals find it difficult to detect any advancements over 90Hz, much less 165Hz. Two, only a small subset of games can support higher refresh rates, rendering them frequently essentially ineffective. Additionally, because 120Hz screens are now the norm, their production costs have decreased. There would be extra expenses if the phone has a quicker display.
Similar to this, installing too much RAM is a waste of resources. With 8GB to 12GB of RAM, even the most demanding video games work smoothly. More RAM doesn't improve gameplay after that point and instead only raises prices.
5. Poor Water and Dust Resistance
You may have observed that gaming phones frequently lack an official IP classification for water and dust protection. When they do, which is extremely seldom, they settle for a passable grade like the IPX4 one given to the ROG Phone 6 Pro. This is due, in part, to the cost associated with obtaining an official IP rating, which OEMs ignore to reduce costs.
But more crucially, due of the way they are made, gaming phones cannot get flagship IP ratings. For instance, the Red Magic 7's turbofan and air ducts assist in dispersing heated air to keep your phone cool, but they also provide a pathway for dust and water to enter.
This implies that although a few random spills won't ruin your gaming phone, you should never use it near a pool or take it to the beach.
6. The Design Is Polarizing
Although gaming phones have their own distinct identities and are undeniably great to look at, their stickers, LEDs, and design modifications aren't necessarily acceptable for all circumstances.
Be prepared if your gaming phone draws odd glances from passersby or gives your employees the impression that you're tacky. To hide your phone's design, you might simply use a back cover or a custom skin.
7. Even if You Do Still Want One, They're Hard to Get Hold Of
Although any current smartphone may be used as a gaming device, only a small number of manufacturers, such as Asus, ZTE, Lenovo, and Black Shark, provide specifically designed gaming smartphones. Because of this, finding a gaming phone is not that simple.
Many neighbourhood businesses don't even bother trying to sell them because of their lack of availability and supply chain problems. Therefore, you could need to mail your gaming phone overseas, which would include paying shipping costs and perhaps experiencing a delivery delay.
Gaming Phones Aren't the Best for Daily Use
Though gaming phones excel in many areas, they are still specialised goods, thus only experienced consumers should purchase them. Although seeing high benchmark scores may be alluring, in-use functionality is more crucial than pure speed.
Numerous factors, including a subpar camera, a lack of an official IP certification, a bulky design, and a high price tag, prevent many consumers from buying gaming phones. Most of the time, a normal phone at the same price with less sacrifices and more dependability is preferable.
