Best iPhone for games 2026: Apple phones for any budget

As of its release in September 2025, there's no doubt that the iPhone 17 Pro Max is the best iPhone for gaming. Its A19 Pro chip powers top-tier performance, its 120Hz AMOLED display offers glorious visuals in all the best iPhone games, and, for the first time ever, its new vapor chamber cooling tech means it never gets hotter than lukewarm, even during long gaming sessions. We've tried it ourselves, and it's the closest we've ever come to giving an Apple flagship a 10/10 score.

Outside of its gaming capabilities, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is also a stellar all-rounder, with a great camera set-up on the back and access to all of the Apple Intelligence AI features. Like last year's model, it boasts the Camera Control button that makes taking pictures on the fly nice and easy, so you never have to miss another social media-worthy moment. It's also much better than previous iPhones in terms of holding its charge, offering more juice than you might be used to if you're already an Apple power user.

There aren't really any drawbacks to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, outside of the fact that it's expensive. Still, Apple offers a generous six years of software and security updates, so if you pick this phone up, you can be safe in the knowledge that you're getting the latest software through until 2031. For more of our thoughts, be sure to check out our iPhone 17 Pro Max review.

If you're looking for the best value in an iPhone for gaming, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is the choice for you. It also comes with all the same AI features as the newer model, but without the massive price point.

With its A17 Pro chipset, this thing is capable of running AAA games like Death Stranding and Resident Evil Village, demanding mobile titles like Honkai Star Rail and Diablo Immortal, and classic casual titles like Candy Crush and Royal Match. Simply put, if you're getting an iPhone predominantly for play, this is the one you want.

Not only is it an impressive performer, but the 120Hz OLED display on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is stunning, with that high refresh rate offering smooth-as-you-like visuals consistently. Combine all that with generous storage options starting at 256GB and the best battery life we've seen in an Apple smartphone to date, and it's clear to see why we're so enthusiastic about this recommendation.

This device could do with a little more RAM, but Apple isn't the most generous brand in that department. It can also get a bit toasty, especially during long gaming sessions, but that isn't anything you can't mitigate with a case or a clip-on fan. For more details, see our iPhone 15 Pro Max review.

If you're looking to game on the latest Apple tech, the iPhone 16 is a great option to go for. It's more affordable than the premium Pro and Pro Max models but still has a fantastic OLED display, access to all the same iPhone and Apple Arcade games, and enough performance power to run triple-A games like Resident Evil Village and Assassin's Creed Mirage. Also, the iPhone 17 doesn't offer much in terms of improvements to performance or thermal management, so you're better off going with the slightly older model for a lower price.

While the iPhone 16 shines when it comes to gaming, it's a more than capable all-rounder for when you're not playing Honkai Star Rail or Pokémon Go. It boasts a top-tier camera setup, including the new Camera Control feature for taking better shots on the go, a customizable Action button, and faster charging than any iPhone before it.

The only real issue with the iPhone 16 when it comes to gaming is that it's not capable of anything above 60Hz refresh rates. This is a bit of a disappointment when you consider that a lot of cheaper Android phones offer 120Hz rates, which make for a much smoother gameplay experience. It's also not a massive upgrade on last year's model, especially if you own an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max, but it's worth upgrading to if you own an iPhone 13 or anything older. If you want the full lowdown on this option, check out our iPhone 16 review.

If you're looking for the best mid-range Apple option for gaming, you can't go wrong with the iPhone 14 Pro Max. It might be a little more expensive than other older iPhones, but you 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 Dynamic Island cutout at the top. It also supports a much higher contrast ratio, HDR, and a much higher maximum brightness. Couple that with an enormous battery life of around 29 hours, 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 one of the best iPhones for gaming that doesn't cost upwards of $800.

The iPhone 16e is the latest mid-range offering from Apple, and it's a great option. It offers lovely visuals thanks to its OLED display, performance that rivals its more expensive siblings, and best of all, it's cheaper than the iPhone 16 by around $200. Based on those three factors alone, the 16e is more than worthy of a spot on our list.

While great performance and a low price point are all well and good, the best thing about the iPhone 16e is its battery life. Not only does it beat out a lot of other cell phone options at the same price points, but it also wipes the floor with some much pricier flagships, including Apple's own iPhone 16 base model.

Still, while it might be impressive, the iPhone 16e is a mid-ranger, so it's missing a few features that you get from Apple's flagships. Most notable is the single camera, which is a bit disappointing considering that a lot of the Android mid-range competition have at least two lenses. It also isn't MagSafe compatible, so if you're moving over from an iPhone 15 or iPhone 14, you might end up with some useless charging accessories.