Best gaming phones Australia 2026: 3 worth buying

Australian buyers looking for a gaming phone in 2026 are usually trying to solve a practical problem, not chase benchmark bragging rights. Which handset can keep its pace through long sessions, stay comfortable in the hand and still look reasonable at local prices? On that reading, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro is the strongest dedicated choice, the RedMagic 10 Pro is the sharper value buy, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the premium all-rounder for buyers who want one flagship that can also cope with serious gaming.

Search intent makes that fairly plain. People typing “best gaming phones Australia 2026” are usually not asking for the flashiest camera system or the broadest lifestyle appeal. They want runtime, heat control and a phone that still feels convincing after an hour or two of play.

Price also shifts this ranking more than it would in a standard Android roundup. Asus is expensive, RedMagic is far more aggressive, and Samsung asks buyers to pay flagship money for versatility rather than for a gaming-first identity. The right answer changes with the job.

Put the gaming phones head to head first

Anyone shopping for mobile gaming first should begin with the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro and the RedMagic 10 Pro, not the most recognisable mainstream flagship on the shelf. Both are sold more directly on gaming credentials than Samsung is, and the gap shows up in price, battery size and reviewer framing.

Start with Asus. Its Australian launch notice set the ROG Phone 9 Pro at $1,999, and PCMag Australia’s review paired that with a 5,800mAh battery and a blunt endorsement of its gaming chops.

PCMag Australia said in its review:

“Even so, this is the best Android gaming phone we’ve tested.”
— Iyaz Akhtar, PCMag Australia

For buyers who want the most focused gaming handset in this field, that is the cleanest case for spending up. The ROG Phone costs a lot, but the premium is tied to the exact use case people are paying for rather than to camera status or general flagship prestige.

Then there is RedMagic. BecexTech’s Australian listing had the RedMagic 10 Pro at $1,005 at the time of research, while PCMag Australia’s review cited a 7,050mAh battery, the biggest figure in this comparison. That leaves it almost $1,000 cheaper than the Asus without abandoning the gaming-first pitch.

PCMag Australia wrote:

“Starting at $649, the RedMagic 10 Pro is a dedicated gaming phone”
— Iyaz Akhtar, PCMag Australia

That price gap is what makes RedMagic hard to ignore. Asus still carries the stronger overall verdict, but RedMagic owns the value argument. For buyers who care most about long sessions, huge battery capacity and the lowest serious buy-in, it is the disruptive option here.

Where Samsung still makes sense

Many Australian buyers do not want a niche-looking gaming handset at all. They want one expensive phone that can play hard when asked and then disappear back into ordinary flagship life. That is where the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra fits.

The trade-off is straightforward: price first, gaming focus second. PCMag Australia’s Galaxy S25 Ultra review put the Australian starting price at $2,149, making it the dearest phone in this comparison and forcing Samsung to win on breadth.

PCMag Australia cautioned:

“At its sky-high starting price of $1,299.99, the S25 Ultra isn’t for everyone”
— Iyaz Akhtar, PCMag Australia

That framing is fair. The S25 Ultra is not a weak gaming phone; it is a less targeted answer for buyers whose first question is which handset delivers the most gaming-specific hardware for the money. Once the brief becomes one premium phone that needs to do everything, Samsung is easier to defend. Narrow the question back to gaming, and Asus and RedMagic still sit closer to the search intent.

Best gaming phones Australia 2026: the Australian verdict

For a buyer who wants the clearest gaming-first answer, the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro stays on top because its price, battery size and reviewer verdict all point in the same direction. The RedMagic 10 Pro is the better fit when value matters more than polish, thanks to its local price and 7,050mAh battery. Buyers who want gaming folded into a broader premium phone purchase should look at the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, but they are paying $2,149 for versatility, not for the most gaming-focused hardware on the list.

That is the distinction that matters. Australian buyers shopping for a gaming phone are really buying runtime, comfort and focus. On the evidence here, Asus wins the dedicated brief, RedMagic wins on value, and Samsung remains the mainstream premium alternative.