In a world once dominated by dedicated mobile gaming devices, smartphones have begun to take over, giving gamers a way to jump into other worlds when on the go. If you’re using an Android smartphone to jump into your favorite titles, such as Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile, or any of the best Android games, you should consider adjusting your settings to get the best experience. Here’s how to optimize your Android smartphone for gaming.
The best place to start when optimizing your Android smartphone for gaming is to dive into system settings. Your smartphone’s settings app isn’t just a place to change your device’s wallpaper; you have control over how your device operates. Below we have listed a few Android system settings you should keep an eye on and how to adjust them for the best gaming experience.
Your device’s network mode dictates which cellular technology your device uses to connect to the internet. You may be gaming on a smartphone that supports 4G LTE or, even better, 5G — and in that case, you’ll want to make sure the right technology is enabled to reduce latency or other connectivity issues. On most Android devices, you can follow these steps to select the fastest cellular network:
Step 2: Choose the Network & Internet option, then Mobile Network.
Step 3: Tap Advanced, then Preferred Network Type.
Step 4: Choose the Global option to allow your device to optimize its connection.
If you own a Samsung Galaxy device, follow these steps:
Step 2: Choose the Connections option.
Step 3: Select Mobile Networks.
Step 4: Under Network Mode, pick the option highest up on the list. For 5G smartphones, this option will be 5G/LTE/3G/2G (auto connect).
If you have a Samsung Galaxy device, it may support Dolby Atmos, along with the more customized Dolby Atmos for Gaming. The Dolby Atmos setting applies an effect to your device’s audio, attempting to create a more surround-sound and immersive experience. Here’s how to enable Dolby Atmos on a Galaxy device:
Step 2: Select Sounds and Vibrations.
Step 3: Choose Sound Quality and Effects.
Step 4: Ensure that both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Atmos for Gaming are switched on.
High refresh rates are quickly becoming a staple feature on Android smartphones. With a high refresh rate enabled, motion on-screen appears smoother as the screen updates its image faster than an average display. Not all games take advantage of fast refresh displays, but this trick will ensure you get the best possible response for those that do. You can find this setting on some Android smartphones by opening the Settings app and searching for either Refresh Rate or Motion Smoothness.
Here’s how to adjust the setting on supported Galaxy devices:
Step 2: Select the Display option.
Step 3: Choose Motion Smoothness.
Step 4: Select the High option and click Apply.
No matter how well you optimize your device for gaming, it won’t matter if you have a collection of apps running in the background. Your Android device has a limited number of resources that it can dedicate it its operation, and if you have applications running in the background, they will prevent your game from taking full advantage of your hardware. Be sure to quit any background applications before launching your game. For more information, check out our dedicated guide on controlling background applications.
Another option for squeezing out the best performance level from your Android smartphone is to use a dedicated game-boosting application. A number of smartphones now come with a booster mode, including OnePlus and Samsung phones, but if you don’t have one, you can download a third-party app. Our favorite is Game Booster by BGNmobi; this free app has ad support, but a paid version without ads is also available. After installing Game Booster, the app will automatically free up resources whenever you start a game. It can also display your frames per second (FPS) on screen, as well as an on-screen crosshair for first-person shooters.
If you own a Samsung Galaxy device, you can use the built-in Game Plugins app to boost your games when playing. Simply launch the Game Plugins app and ensure that Game Booster Plus is enabled. You can even further customize your experience by choosing a preferred optimization for each game on your device, including Battery Saving, Balance, Max FPS, and High Quality.
Let’s begin this suggestion with a bit of contradiction — you don’t need a gaming smartphone to play video games. Some manufacturers, such as ASUS with the ROG Phone 3 and Razer with the cleverly named Razer Phone 2, offer smartphones that promise increased performance when gaming. While the performance found on these smartphones is indeed excellent for gaming, they aren’t required for a great experience.
If you are interested, be sure to check out our buying guide on gaming smartphones for our latest top picks.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.