Better
Phones for Call of Duty: Mobile
Android Central
2020
With the rise of popular games like Fortnite and PUBG, not to mention streaming services like Stadia and xCloud, mobile gaming has taken off in recent years. Call of Duty: Mobile, one of the most remarkable titles to hit the scene, delivers a full-blown CoD experience right on your phone. From multiplayer, the battle royale and even zombies, Call of Duty: Mobile has it all. If you want to take your experience to the next level, you need a phone like the ASUS ROG Phone 2 – or one of the handsets mentioned below.
Best overall: ASUS ROG Phone 2
At the top of our list, we have the gaming phone of our dreams – the ASUS ROG Phone 2. ASUS has established a name for itself in the PC gaming world and using its iconic brand Republic of Gamers, the ROG Phone 2 offers Call of Duty: a one-of-a-kind mobile experience.
Starting first with the screen, the ROG Phone 2 has one of the best games. The size of 6.6 inches is very large, the AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2340×1080 means that everything is clear and sharp, and the refresh rate of 120 Hz allows for smooth and fluid animations. In other words, it’s a bit perfect. Under the hood, ASUS continues to impress. The phone is equipped with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ processor, 12 GB of RAM and your choice of 512 GB or 1 TB of internal storage. Then there is the battery, which comes to a breathtaking 6000mAh capacity.
All of this translates into a fantastic experience for Call of Duty: Mobile, but ASUS doesn’t end there. On the side of the phone are two ultrasonic triggers, allowing improved controls in your games. For a shooter like CoD: Mobile, that means much more precise and comfortable aiming / shooting. Adding to the list of goodies is a USB-C port for charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack and (of course) RGB lighting on the back of the phone.
Is the ASUS ROG Phone 2 perfect? No. Design absolutely isn’t for everyone, the lack of Qi wireless charging is lame, and not having an IP rating for water resistance is a disappointment considering its cost. However, if none of this bothers you, there is no doubt that this is the best way to play Call of Duty: Mobile.
Advantages:
- Large AMOLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate
- Snapdragon 855+ with 12 GB RAM
- 512 GB basic storage
- Massive 6000 mAh battery
- Ultrasonic triggers for additional controls
The inconvenients:
- Design is not for everyone
- Lack of wireless charging
- Has no water resistance
Best display: Samsung galaxy s20
Our next choice is much more common, and for some buyers it will be a better overall fit. The Samsung Galaxy S20 is arguably one of the best Android phones in general, but it also lends itself very well to the world of Call of Duty: Mobile.
Like the ROG Phone 2, the S20 has a phenomenal screen. The 6.2-inch size is smaller, but it offers a wonderful balance by providing plenty of space to play while being easy to manage for people with smaller hands. You also get the latest and greatest Dynamic AMOLED technology from Samsung, combined with Quad HD + resolution and a silky 120Hz refresh rate. You are limited to Full HD + if you want to use the 120Hz setting, with the S20 passing to 60Hz if you increase the resolution in Quad HD +. Despite this, there is no doubt that the S20 has the best and most advanced smartphone screen you can buy in 2020.
Beyond the screen, there’s a lot more to love about the S20. It has the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 12 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage that can be extended up to 1 TB. The phone is complemented by a generous 4000 mAh battery, fantastic triple rear cameras, Qi wireless charging , an IP68 dust / water resistance rating and support for 5G sub-6 networks.
Since the Galaxy S20 isn’t a game-specific phone, you won’t find any special controls or RGB lighting – or a headphone jack. This may be a stop for some, but if the ROG Phone 2 doesn’t click for you, the Galaxy S20 is an incredible alternative.
Advantages:
- The best display on a smartphone
- Incredibly fast performance with the Snapdragon 865
- Expandable storage up to 1 TB
- Large 4000 mAh battery
- Qi wireless charging
The inconvenients:
- There is no headphone jack
- Limited to Full HD + on 120 Hz refresh rate
- No game-specific controls
Best value: OnePlus 7T
Yes, ASUS ROG Phone 2 and Galaxy S20 phones are both premium phones for Call of Duty: Mobile, but they are also extremely expensive. If you’re looking for a phone that can rip your Nuketown without completely destroying your wallet, you’ll want to take the OnePlus 7T.
The OnePlus 7T costs a few hundred dollars less than the ROG Phone 2 and the Galaxy S20, but the experience is not much worse in all respects. Regarding its screen, the OnePlus 7T has a 6.55 inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 2400×1080 and a refresh rate of 90 Hz. Although it is not the most impressive, it is still beautiful to look at and one of the best you will find in this price range.
On the specification side, the OnePlus 7T is a beast. It toggles the Snapdragon 855+ processor, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of UFS 3.0 storage. The 3800mAh battery isn’t as big as what you’ll find in more expensive handsets, but with OnePlus’ Warp Charge 30T system, you can charge the 7T from 0% to 70% in just 30 minutes. Yes, it’s also fast. Then there is the Fnatic mode of OnePlus, which blocks incoming notifications and optimizes the performance of the CPU, GPU and RAM while you play.
OnePlus removes things like wireless charging, expandable storage, and an IP rating for dust / water resistance, but at its heart, it has everything you need for incredible gameplay in CoD: Mobile .
Advantages:
- AMOLED 90 Hz screen
- Incredibly powerful Snapdragon 855+ processor
- Warp Charge 30T is crazy
- Fnatic mode for distraction-free games
- Exceptional price
The inconvenients:
- Wireless charging is a step
- Has no expandable storage
- No IP classification
Best budget choice: Xiaomi Redmi Note 8
Speaking of saving money, let’s go even cheaper. There’s no denying that the OnePlus 7T is a lot, but for some people it may still be too expensive. If you’re really trying to cut costs but still need a phone that can keep up with Call of Duty: Mobile, the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 is worth a look.
It’s the cheapest phone on this list, but its spec sheet suggests otherwise. For its display, the Redmi Note 8 has a 6.3 inch LCD screen with a net resolution of 2340×1080. It is limited to 60 Hz for the refresh rate, but it is very crisp and colorful that your matches will always be magnificent.
In terms of performance, the Redmi Note 8 offers an octa-core Snapdragon 665 processor, 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of storage expandable up to 256 GB and a very powerful 4000 mAh battery. Coupled with an energy efficient Qualcomm processor and a less intensive 60 Hz screen, you should be able to get excellent endurance from the phone. We are also happy to see a 3.5mm headphone jack and 18W USB-C charging.
Before you go ahead and buy the Redmi Note 8, keep in mind that it is an international phone. This means that it is not officially sold in the country and therefore has no American warranty. It’s not ideal, but if it doesn’t matter to you, it’s one of the best ways to play Call of Duty: Mobile while on a budget.
Advantages:
- Wonderfully low price
- Modern and striking design
- Full HD + sharp screen
- Good mid-range performance
- 4000 mAh battery
The inconvenients:
- Lacks an American warranty
- The display is only at 60 Hz
Better controls: LG G8X
LG is far from the most popular or notable smartphone brand in 2020, but that doesn’t mean the company’s phones should be completely ignored. In fact, when we talk about perfect devices for Call of Duty: Mobile, the LG G8X stands out as an extremely unique option that could be exactly what some people are looking for.
As far as the phone itself is concerned, it’s a real flagship. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor, 6 GB of RAM, 128 GB of expandable storage and a heavy battery of 4000 mAh. For display, the G8X is equipped with a 6.4-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2340×1080. As for the refresh rate, it is capped at 60 Hz. We are also delighted that the LG G8X has a 3.5 mm headphone jack, combined with a Quad DAC for impressive wired sound.
All of this creates a fairly solid gaming phone, but where the G8X gives a boost, it’s with its Dual Screen accessory. The second screen is great for running two apps side by side, but where it really shines for CoD: Mobile is its ability to transform into a virtual controller. You can customize the controller layout to your liking, and with the virtual controllers and buttons moved to the second screen, you get precise gameplay without taking up precious screen space on the real phone.
Advantages:
- The second screen is fantastic for games
- Headphone jack with Quad DAC
- The battery is 4000 mAh
- Fast performance
- 128 GB of expandable storage
The inconvenients:
- 60 Hz refresh rate
- The dual screen accessory is quite large
- LG software needs a little work
Best Overkill: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Wait a second, haven’t we already talked about the Galaxy S20? Yes, but now is the time to spotlight its big brother – the Galaxy S20 Ultra. While the Ultra has a lot in common with the regular S20, there are enough spec improvements that benefit Call of Duty: Mobile that we wanted to give it its own mention as an overkill option.
The screen is the same Dynamic AMOLED panel with Quad HD + resolution and a refresh rate of 120 Hz, but it went from 6.2 inches to 6.9 inches. Having a phone with a screen of this size makes comfortable one-handed operation impossible, but when it comes to gaming, having so much space to work is a dream come true. You also get the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, but if 12 GB of RAM isn’t enough, you can upgrade to an incredible 16 GB. The same goes for storage, with options for 128 GB or 512 GB.
A 5000 mAh battery can be recharged using a 45 W super fast wired charge or a fast wireless charge. 5G performance is also better on the S20 Ultra compared to the S20, providing support for sub-6 and mmWave networks. 5G on the mmWave standard is currently only really available in certain urban areas, but if you live in one of these markets where it is available, the speed potential offered by it is enormous.
Advantages:
- Large 6.9-inch AMOLED screen
- The refresh rate of 120 Hz is magnificent
- Up to 16 GB RAM and 512 GB storage
- 5000 mAh battery
- 45 W wired charge and wireless charge
The inconvenients:
- It’s a huge phone
- The price will destroy your budget
Conclusion
Call of Duty: Mobile continues to be one of the best mobile games on the market, and if you want a phone that will allow you to enjoy the game to its full potential, you’ll want to grab the ASUS ROG Phone 2. It’s big , expensive and not the best versatile phone, but it just dominates in the gaming space.
It all starts with the 6.6 inch AMOLED screen and the 120 Hz refresh rate. This allows everything on the ROG Phone 2 to move with buttery smoothness, and once you get used to it it will be difficult to come back to something else. Then there are the monstrous performances, including the Snapdragon 855+ processor, 12 GB of RAM and the crazy 6000 mAh battery.
We consider this to be a fairly complete package in itself, but once you factor in the ultrasonic triggers for improved controls in Call of Duty: Mobile, it’s obvious that the ASUS ROG Phone 2 is the device to get if you really want to improve your game.
Credits – The team that worked on this guide
Joe Maring is the editor in chief of Android Central and has loved everything that has a screen and processor since he can remember. He has been speaking / writing on Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping in the nearest cafe. Do you have any advice? Reach out on Twitter @ JoeMaring1 or send an email to [email protected]!
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