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7 Best Budget Gaming Phones You Can Buy in 2026
What if someone gave you two choices, a top-of-the-line gaming console or one of the best budget gaming phones on the market? For many, the answer is obvious. After all, owning the latest PS5 Pro or Xbox sounds great. But honestly, unless you're a heavy gamer, most game lovers can make do with a good gaming smartphone. It's portable and convenient, giving us much-needed relief between a hard or stressful work day.
However, with the tech world moving so fast, picking the best gaming smartphones can be difficult, especially if you're on a budget. In this blog, we'll be covering the top cheap gaming phones of 2026. Without wasting more time, let's dive in!
Overview
Here's a quick look at our seven budget gaming picks for 2026:
- Samsung Galaxy A36: smooth 120Hz screen on a tight budget (from A$349)
- Motorola Edge 50: bright pOLED and fast charging (from A$399)
- Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra: flagship power with an S Pen (from A$609)
- OnePlus 10 Pro: flagship chip and 80W charging (from A$619)
- Google Pixel 10a: huge battery and long software support (from A$619)
- Honor Magic V2: a big-screen foldable for immersive play (from A$699)
- Asus ROG 8 Pro: a proper gaming beast with triggers and cooling (from A$899)
Samsung Gaming Phones
Samsung Galaxy A36
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
- RAM: 6GB / 8GB / 12GB
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Battery: 5000mAh with 45W charging
- Cameras: 50MP (main), 8MP (ultrawide), 5MP (macro)
- Front Camera: 12MP
- OS: Android 15 with One UI 7
Why You'll Love It
- Genuinely affordable gaming at just A$349.
- Smooth 120Hz Super AMOLED display for fluid gameplay.
- Big 5000mAh battery with fast 45W charging.
- Six generations of OS upgrades, rare at this price.
Why You Might Pass
- The Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is mid-tier, so the heaviest titles run best on lower settings.
- No telephoto lens for zoomed-in shots.
The Samsung Galaxy A36 is the easiest way into mobile gaming without stretching your budget. Its 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED keeps everything buttery smooth, and casual and mid-weight titles like Call of Duty: Mobile run comfortably. The 5000mAh battery easily lasts a long session, and when it does run low, 45W charging gets you back in the game fast.
While the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 won't max out the most demanding games, it handles day-to-day play, streaming, and multitasking with ease. Backed by six years of updates and Samsung's polished One UI, the A36 is a smart, long-lasting pick for gamers watching their spend.
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1-120Hz QHD+
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- Battery: 5000mAh with 45W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Cameras: 200MP (main), 12MP (ultrawide), 10MP telephoto (3x), 10MP periscope (10x)
- Front Camera: 12MP
- Extras: Built-in S Pen
- OS: Android 13 with One UI (upgradable)
Why You'll Love It
- Flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy handles any mobile game at max settings.
- Gorgeous 6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz display for immersive, sharp visuals.
- Versatile 200MP quad camera with up to 10x optical zoom.
- Built-in S Pen adds real productivity between gaming sessions.
Why You Might Pass
- The 2023 chipset, while still powerful, isn't the newest available.
- It's the priciest Samsung on this list.
- Large and heavy for one-handed use.
If you want flagship gaming muscle for mid-range money, the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a brilliant refurbished buy at A$609. Its overclocked Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chews through demanding titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail at high settings, and the huge 6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz display makes every frame pop.
Beyond gaming, the 200MP camera and built-in S Pen make it a genuine do-everything device, and the 5000mAh battery keeps long sessions going. As one of the standout refurbished picks in the Galaxy S Series, it delivers flagship performance without the flagship price.
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Motorola Gaming Phones
Motorola Edge 50
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.67-inch pOLED, 120Hz, 1.5K
- Processor: Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated Edition
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB
- Battery: 5000mAh with 68W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Cameras: 50MP main (OIS), 10MP telephoto (3x), 13MP ultrawide
- Front Camera: 32MP
- OS: Android 14
Why You'll Love It
- Bright, colour-accurate 120Hz pOLED that's great for gaming and media.
- Rapid 68W TurboPower charging plus 15W wireless.
- IP68 and MIL-STD-810H durability for peace of mind.
- Clean, near-stock Android with minimal bloat.
Why You Might Pass
- The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 AE suits medium-to-high settings rather than ultra.
- No dedicated gaming triggers or shoulder buttons.
The Motorola Edge 50 pairs premium looks with genuine value at A$399. Its curved 6.67-inch 120Hz pOLED is sharp and vibrant, so games look fantastic, and the 5000mAh battery with 68W charging means quick top-ups between rounds. Most popular titles run smoothly at medium-to-high settings.
With IP68 water resistance, MIL-STD-810H durability, and a clean Android experience, it's a well-rounded phone that just happens to game well, too. Refurbished Motorola phones offer a more affordable way to enjoy all these features.
OnePlus Gaming Phones
OnePlus 10 Pro
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.7-inch LTPO2 AMOLED, 1-120Hz QHD+
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- RAM: 8GB / 12GB
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Battery: 5000mAh with 80W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Cameras: 48MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 8MP telephoto (3.3x)
- Front Camera: 32MP
- OS: Android 12, OxygenOS
Why You'll Love It
- Flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 powers through demanding games.
- Stunning 6.7-inch LTPO2 QHD+ 120Hz display.
- Blistering 80W wired charging fills up in around 35 minutes.
- Hasselblad-tuned cameras for the price.
Why You Might Pass
- The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can run warm under long, sustained load.
- No high-tier IP water rating.
- Ships on older Android/OxygenOS.
At A$619, the OnePlus 10 Pro delivers a genuine flagship gaming experience for far less. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 handles heavyweights like Genshin Impact with ease, and the 6.7-inch LTPO2 QHD+ 120Hz display keeps everything crisp and fluid. The 5000mAh battery goes the distance, and 80W charging gets you back to gaming almost instantly.
It runs a touch warm during marathon sessions and skips a full IP rating, but for flagship power and charging speed at this price, the OnePlus 10 Pro is hard to beat.
Google Gaming Phones
Google Pixel 10a
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.3-inch Actua OLED, 120Hz, up to 3000 nits
- Processor: Google Tensor G4
- RAM: 8GB
- Storage: 128GB / 256GB
- Battery: 5100mAh with 30W wired and 10W wireless charging
- Cameras: 48MP main, 13MP ultrawide
- Front Camera: 13MP
- OS: Android 16, seven years of updates
Why You'll Love It
- Bright 120Hz OLED that stays readable even in harsh sunlight.
- Large 5100mAh battery with 30+ hours of life for long sessions.
- Seven years of OS, security, and Pixel Drop updates.
- Gemini AI and the best camera in its price class.
Why You Might Pass
- The Tensor G4 is efficiency-focused, so the heaviest 3D games run best on lower settings.
- Dual camera drops the telephoto lens.
- 30W charging is modest next to its rivals.
The Google Pixel 10a is the smart all-rounder of this list at A$619. It's not a raw gaming powerhouse like the Snapdragon flagships, but its bright 120Hz OLED, huge 5100mAh battery, and efficient Tensor G4 make it superb for long, casual gaming sessions, and it handles most popular titles comfortably at sensible settings.
Where it really shines is longevity: seven years of updates, Gemini AI features, and a class-leading camera mean it stays useful for years. For gamers who also want a phone that lasts, the refurbished Google Pixel range is well worth a look.
Honor Gaming Phones
Honor Magic V2
Specs at a Glance
- Main Display: 7.92-inch foldable LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+
- Cover Display: 6.43-inch LTPO OLED, 120Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
- Battery: 5000mAh silicon-carbon with 66W wired charging
- Cameras: 50MP main (OIS), 50MP ultrawide, 20MP telephoto (2.5x)
- Front Camera: 16MP
- OS: MagicOS 7.2 (Android 13)
Why You'll Love It
- Huge 7.92-inch 120Hz foldable screen for immersive, tablet-like gaming.
- Flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with a generous 16GB of RAM.
- A big 5000mAh battery in one of the thinnest foldable bodies around.
- Fast 66W wired charging.
Why You Might Pass
- No wireless charging.
- No IP water resistance rating.
- Ships on older MagicOS 7.2 / Android 13.
For gamers who want the biggest possible screen, the Honor Magic V2 is a stunning pick at A$699. Unfold it and you get a near-tablet 7.92-inch 120Hz display that makes RPGs and shooters wonderfully immersive, all driven by a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16GB of RAM that handle demanding titles with ease.
It skips wireless charging and water resistance, but the trade-off is a remarkably thin, light foldable with a big 5000mAh battery and fast 66W charging. As a refurbished buy, it's a genuinely affordable way into big-screen foldable gaming.
ASUS Gaming Phones
Asus ROG 8 Pro
Specs at a Glance
- Display: 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED, 165Hz
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- RAM: 16GB / 24GB
- Storage: 512GB / 1TB
- Battery: 5500mAh with 65W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Cameras: 50MP main (gimbal OIS), 32MP telephoto (3x), 13MP ultrawide
- Front Camera: 32MP
- OS: Android 14
Why You'll Love It
- Purpose-built for gaming with a 165Hz AMOLED and AirTrigger shoulder buttons.
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and up to 24GB of RAM crush any mobile game.
- Huge 5500mAh battery plus the bundled AeroActive Cooler for marathon sessions.
- IP68 water resistance, rare for a gaming phone.
Why You Might Pass
- The priciest phone on this list.
- Bulky, gamer-focused design won't suit everyone.
- Cameras trail dedicated camera flagships.
If you want the ultimate gaming experience, the Asus ROG 8 Pro is in a league of its own at A$899. Its 165Hz AMOLED display, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and up to 24GB of RAM deliver flawless performance in everything from competitive shooters to high-end RPGs, while the AirTrigger buttons and bundled cooler give you a real edge.
A massive 5500mAh battery keeps the action going, and the Armoury Crate app unlocks performance modes and gaming tweaks. With our refurbished ASUS phones, you can enjoy all of this and more at a more affordable price.
Final Thoughts
These gaming phones are some of the best available, but the market is always evolving, with new models hitting the shelves. Whether you're after a big-screen foldable, a flagship powerhouse, or a wallet-friendly all-rounder, there's a refurbished Samsung Galaxy phone or other option here to suit your budget.
So be sure to revisit regularly to stay updated on the latest options. If you're after something more general-purpose, don't forget to check out our extensive collection of second-hand phones.
Posted by Liam Harris
Liam Harris
I’m Liam Harris, a tech writer at Phonebot with a passion for technology. I provide trusted insights on refurbished phones, tablets, and accessories, focusing on quality, sustainability, and affordability. With a solid understanding of the refurbished market, I offer practical tips, product comparisons, and the latest tech updates to help you make informed decisions. My goal is to connect you with high-quality devices that fit your budget and lifestyle. Stay tuned for more on the best in refurbished tech here at Phonebot.
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