5 best gaming processors for smartphones in 2023

Best mobile processors
We take a look at some of the best processors which can be used for mobile gaming (Image via Sportskeeda)

You could be perplexed regarding gaming processors while buying a smartphone, especially a phone dedicated to gaming. However, Qualcomm and MediaTek are the leading mobile processor manufacturing companies in every entry-level, low-cost, and mid-range smartphone. Almost any tech enthusiast knows these two processor manufacturers. In addition, Google, Samsung, and Apple also make mobile chipsets found on their smartphones.

The speed of the phone, the quality of the gaming experience, the user experience, and the battery life are all directly impacted by the performance of the processors. A fast mobile chipset also helps in the quick opening of day-to-day apps. So, in this article, we will look at some of the best and fastest gaming processors available in the market right now, which are equally helpful for gaming.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's views.


Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, A16 Bionic, and three other gaming processors worth considering

Below we have listed the best mobile processors useful for gaming for you to look at.


1) Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2

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The first mobile phone gaming processor on our list is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, built on a 4nm fabrication and even supports ray tracing for mobile games. The processor also supports 5G connectivity and the latest Wi-Fi 7 connections. Thanks to its AI engine, which maximizes cellular speed and battery, it is also excellent for cloud gaming.

On most benchmark apps, smartphones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 are top of the list, with a score of more than 1 million on Antutu. Popular games like Genshin Impact and PUBG mobile run without any lags or stutters with this chipset built inside, and the Adreno 740 GPU also ensures that you can play with the highest graphical settings.


2) Apple A16 Bionic

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Next, we have the latest A16 Bionic chipset from Apple, found on their iPhone 14 Pro series. The A16 Bionic CPU is up to 10% more efficient than the A15 Bionic chip in terms of single-core and multi-core performance, according to Geekbench 5 testing. In addition, with the A16 Bionic, you receive higher battery efficiency thanks to a new 4-nanometer fabrication.

The Apple A16 Bionic employs five GPU cores for its integrated graphics unit or the iGPU. These five GPU cores have 50% more memory bandwidth than their predecessors. As a result, the gaming performance is impeccable, and Apple's iOS optimizations ensure that you get the smoothest gameplay performance for even high-end gaming titles.


3) MediaTek DImensity 9000 Plus

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MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus is another flagship gaming processor built on a 4-nanometre process technology. It supports the latest 5G modems and can efficiently run most latest games. The newest ARM version used by this chipset also aids in quick app loading. The many cores and high clock rates of the 9000+ contribute to its excellent CPU performance. Overall, it's a superb gaming chipset with a Mali-G710 GPU; hence, it can run even heavy gaming apps like Honkai Star Rail or Call of Duty.


4) Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1

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After Qualcomm's disastrous launch of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 came with more than 10% clock speed improvements and up to 30% efficiency gains. Improved CPU and GPU speed, a new Spectra ISP, superior Snapdragon Sound, and more power-efficient NPU processing are the hallmarks of the new Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 platform. Thus this chipset will be one of the best gaming processors in 2023.

It's also much more battery efficient than its predecessor, meaning you can gain longer gaming time with this chipset. Smartphones like Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4, OnePlus 10T, and other flagships in 2022 have produced impressive gaming performance, as the Adreno 730 GPU can render maximum FPS for most games, available on the Google Play Store.


5) Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2

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The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2 is a recently launched chipset that brings much more impressive gaming performance at a lower price than the other mentioned flagship chipsets. A single Cortex-X2 core running at 2.91 GHz, three Cortex-A710 cores running at 2.49 GHz, and four Cortex-A510 cores operating at 1.8 GHz make up the new chipset's unique CPU architecture, which is reminiscent of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 series.

According to most benchmark apps, the Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 2 is at least as strong as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in terms of CPU performance. This chipset can even outperform some MediaTek or Apple flagship chipsets because of its 4nm TSMC design and fast GPU clock speed, and it had to be included in our list of the best smartphone gaming processors.


So this concludes our list of the gaming processors for smartphones currently available. For more such articles, do follow Sportskeeda/Gamingtech.

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