A YouTube channel comparison by Rozetked evaluates the latest flagship smartphones for gaming performance, focusing on frame rates, thermal behavior, and battery life to determine the best overall device for gaming enthusiasts in North America. The test pits seven premium models against each other to reveal real-world capabilities under demanding mobile titles.
The lineup includes the iPhone 15 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Chinese version of Xiaomi 14 Ultra, iQOO 12, Vivo X100 Pro, Nubia RedMagic 9 Pro, and Asus ROG Phone 8 Ultimate. The tests begin with a rigorous throttling phase to observe how heat builds up during extended play and which devices cool down most effectively by the test’s end.
The results show Nubia as one of the coolest devices at 41 degrees Celsius, followed by Samsung at 44.5 degrees, and Vivo and iPhone tying at around 45 degrees. Asus registers about 54 degrees, iQOO about 52, and the Xiaomi 14 Ultra peaking around 47.5 degrees. These measurements capture the temperature at the hottest point on each device. Because there was no CPU throttling app available for the iPhone, AnTuTu benchmarks were re-run three times to provide a comparative data point, ensuring a broader view of sustained performance.
Gaming performance was assessed across three titles: CarX Street, Genshin Impact, and War Thunder, all set to maximum graphics. In CarX Street, the iPhone delivered an average frame rate in the mid-40s, roughly 45–50 FPS. The Galaxy S24 Ultra ranged from 35–40 FPS, Xiaomi 14 Ultra from 43–52 FPS, iQOO 12 from 25–35 FPS, Nubia RedMagic 9 Pro between 57–60 FPS, Asus ROG Phone 8 Ultimate between 24–37 FPS, with a cooling accessory keeping some scores higher. The Vivo X100 Pro did not launch CarX Street, likely due to optimization gaps with MediaTek-based hardware.
In Genshin Impact, all devices demonstrated solid stability with moderate heat. The iQOO 12 stood out for its warmth, managing around 50–55 FPS. In War Thunder, Nubia achieved strong performance, reported around 95–116 FPS, while Xiaomi 14 Ultra averaged roughly 55–60 FPS, which was below the rest of the lineup under the test conditions.
Rozetked also tracked battery consumption during a 20-minute gaming session. The Vivo X100 Pro showed the highest efficiency, with battery life dropping only about 7%. Samsung followed with around 9% usage, and the iQOO device also used roughly 9%. The iPhone showed about 10% drain, Xiaomi about 11%, Asus around 12%, and Nubia around 15%, attributed in part to the active cooling system integrated into the Nubia and certain other devices. These figures illustrate how different thermal management strategies and component choices influence endurance during extended play.
Summarizing the test outcomes, Asus claimed the top spot for overall gaming performance, with Nubia a close second thanks to higher frame rates in demanding titles and effective cooling. The iPhone finished in third place, where ergonomic design and software optimizations were highlighted as important factors for gamers seeking comfort and reliability in a compact, premium handset. The results reflect a comprehensive look at how flagship devices handle sustained gaming loads in real-world conditions, offering players a practical guide to choosing a phone that balances speed, heat, and battery life for long gaming sessions. This assessment aligns with contemporary expectations for high-end gaming hardware and provides North American and Canadian buyers with a detailed snapshot of the current landscape, as reported by Rozetked.
For context, the price landscape for modern discrete Nvidia graphics cards has shifted recently, influencing expectations about overall gaming performance on mobile devices. This comparison helps frame how mobile performance stacks up against desktop-class GPUs and illustrates why mobile gamers weigh device throttling, thermals, and endurance as essential factors when upgrading or choosing a gaming phone. [Source attribution: Rozetked review]