Best Gaming Phones Under $200 in 2023

Some low-cost gaming phones have similar specifications to high-end phones today. You can get a good phone for under $200 to play most graphics-demanding games like PUBG and Call of Duty.

The most important factors to watch out for are the gaming processor, RAM, storage, and display. The processor and RAM allow you to play games without lag and load games very quickly.

Games like Call of Duty can take up to 16GB of storage, so it’s a good idea to have enough storage space. Having a gaming phone is nice, but you still don’t want to miss the camera.

So it would help if you also looked at gaming phones with good cameras and displays with 1080p or higher resolution. So let’s see the list.

List of Top best gaming phones under $200 in 2023

1. Samsung Galaxy A22

Here is an under $200 for your next-level gaming experience, the Samsung Galaxy A22. Despite its plastic body, it’s a great Android phone for less than $200 and costs just $196. The MediaTek Helio G80 processor delivers an excellent performance in that games like Dead Cells run flawlessly.

This smartphone comes with a 6.5-inch IPS LCD, and one advantage is the 90Hz screen refresh rate. Increases the number of graphic refreshes on the screen per second from 60 to 90 for a smoother experience. This is a minor but welcome improvement.

Even the battery life is excellent. The 5,000mAh cell lasts for two days on a single charge, so you don’t need to plug it in every night.

Samsung packs everything you want in a phone, like a headphone jack, a MicroSD card slot, an NFC for contactless payments, and a fingerprint sensor on the side.

Best of all, Samsung guarantees 2 OS upgrades and up to 4 years of security patches for this device. It lacks that level of software support on the phone on a cheaper device. A successor to this phone has not yet been announced. A little harder to come by, but still a fantastic deal.

2. Blackview BV4900

Attaching a case to your gaming phone is a great way to keep it safe while playing games on the go, but some phones are designed to be sturdy and durable right out of the box. One such phone is the Blackview BV4900, and if you tend to be clumsy or work in a physically demanding environment, the BV4900 is a solid choice.

The design of the BV4900 stands out for its robustness, and there are durability ratings to back it up. Not only does it have an IP68 dust/water rating, but it is also MIL-STD-810G certified. That said, the BV4900 has been tested to withstand drops from up to 5 feet high.

The BV5900 has a 5,580mAh high-capacity battery, USB-C charging, and NFC for contactless Google Pay payments. It has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, expandable up to 128GB, making the phone great for playing games.

Blackview’s BV4900 design isn’t for everyone, but for anyone who knows the benefits of a rugged handset like this, it’s worth it. The Blackview BV4900 makes a lot of compromises, but the lowest price tag is beautiful.

3. Samsung Galaxy M12

The Samsung Galaxy M12 gaming phone is one of the cheapest gaming phones you can play with without lag or freezing.

The Samsung Galaxy M12 has an octa-core processor on a 6.5-inch display to improve gaming performance.

The smartphone is equipped with a 6000mAh large-capacity battery, allowing you to enjoy your games longer—an excellent mobile for games like Roblox.

4. OnePlus Nord N100

While OnePlus has earned a reputation for offering flagship quality phones at more affordable prices, it started producing truly budget-friendly phones only with the Nord introduction series.

For less than $200, the OnePlus Nord N100 is a pretty impressive package. It has a 6.52-inch LCD screen, a 5,000mAh battery, and 64GB of on-device storage, expandable up to 512GB via a microSD slot. It also has a triple camera setup with a fingerprint sensor and dual stereo speakers on the back.

The only downside to the N100 is that it comes with Android 10 and OxygenOS 10.5 on OnePlus. You can immediately update OxygenOS 11 based on Android 11, but this is a total platform update. But this is an excellent option if you’ve always wanted a OnePlus phone but couldn’t afford it.

5. TCL 20 SE

The TCL 20 SE performs slightly better but uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 processor. The result is a solid device with the best and most luxurious feel. Unfortunately, they are made of plastic and look cheap, but they are more durable.

The 6.82-inch IPS LCD screen is colorful and bright enough even outdoors. The 5,000mAh battery cell provides all-day comfort and features standard features such as NFC, headphone jack, and MicroSD card slot.

6. Samsung Galaxy M21

The Galaxy M21 is a recent addition to the Galaxy M series, and its main feature is the Exynos 9611 SoC, which can deliver decent gaming performance.

The Galaxy M21 is the best choice for games that play PUBG. Added to this is a 6,000mAh battery. This low-cost gaming phone boasts a triple camera setup with a 48-megapixel rear camera and a 20-megapixel front camera.

7. Redmi 9 Power

If you’re looking for a cheap gaming phone to play games, the Redmi 9 Power could be a good choice. It’s also packed with features that make it ideal for affordable gaming.

Other features include a 48-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. The Redmi 9 Power is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 octa-core processor and is supported by a 6000mAh battery.

8. Nokia G50

The Nokia G50 has good features at a reasonable price, and the specs are pretty good too. It includes a Snapdragon 480 processor, providing performance suitable for gaming and everyday use.

It also has up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for under $200. Isn’t the phone excellent? You can expect long battery life thanks to the 5,000mAh battery. Given the low-demand specifications, this amount of energy would be a huge help.

How long do best gaming phones under $200 last?

Under $200, gaming phones will last about two to three years before the phone starts to feel a bit slow or outdated. The manufacturer often promises only one major OS update, as some new features can make the phone too slow.

Most sub-$200 phones only get one major Android update and only two years of security updates, so choosing a new phone with a few months of support is paramount.