These are the best Android phones for playing Fortnite

Fortnite is an intense game that needs a pretty capable Android phone to run it properly. A multiplayer match involving up to 100 unique players is bound to push a phone to its limit, but these phones are sure to run those matches without any hiccups. The OnePlus 8 Pro is our favorite pick with its huge display, and specs that are better than some computers that are used to run Fortnite.

Best Overall: OnePlus 8 Pro

OnePlus has worked with Fortnite creator Epic Games to run the game at 90Hz — which translates to a silky smooth 90fps — on OnePlus phones like the OnePlus 8 Pro. And with at least 8GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 865 chipset both delivering enough memory and processing power for great gaming performance, your phone will never overheat or feel sluggish while playing Fortnite.

OxygenOS continues to deliver a simple and speedy software experience that allows for customization, including the Fnatic gaming mode, which offers fine controls for avoiding distractions while gaming. You can limit notifications to alarms and calls or set custom notifications for displaying messages while you game.

You also get a smooth 120Hz AMOLED panel, making it a delight to play games on the phone. That means everything will look silky smooth to your eye, whether you’re blasting your way to glory in Fortnite or scrolling through other apps. OnePlus also offers excellent-sounding stereo speakers and plenty of other little perks to make your Fortnite experience as good as possible.

Pros:

• 90fps gameplay on the OnePlus 8 Pro
• Smooth 120Hz display
• Incredible internal hardware
• IP68 dust and water resistance
• Fnatic Mode included

Cons:

• No 3.5mm headphone jack
• No expandable storage

Best Overall

OnePlus 8 Pro

• $999 at Amazon

A truly incredible gaming phone

With a stunning 120Hz AMOLED display and the latest internal hardware, the OnePlus 8 Pro is the best gaming phone in 2020.

Best For Customization: ASUS ROG Phone 2

The ASUS ROG Phone was one of the first “gaming” focused phones to hit the market and impressed with its capabilities. The ROG Phone 2 is even more impressive with its 6.6-inch AMOLED display and 120Hz refresh rate, which will ensure Fortnite will run smoothly and look amazing.

As for the specs, you get Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855+ chipset paired with 12GB of RAM and a humongous 6,000mAh battery. This should last you through more than just a couple of Fortnite sessions, along with anything else you want to do. The real story here is the hardware — it comes with customizable RGB lighting and three USB-C ports for various accessories, chargers, and anything else you can think of.

There aren’t too many downsides to the ROG Phone 2 from a gaming perspective. However, as for how it stands up against other smartphones, you’ll have to live without wireless charging and any water-resistance rating. Finally, we hope you have some hand strength, as the ROG Phone 2 is quite hefty, and could cause some hand fatigue during long sessions.

Pros:

• 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED Display
• 12GB of RAM
• 6,000mAh battery
• Unique cooling system

Cons:

• No water resistance
• No wireless charging
• Heavier than other options

Best For Customization

ASUS ROG Phone 2

• From $899 at Amazon

The whole package with a little bit of heft

The ASUS ROG Phone 2 is an impressive specimen with its 12GB of RAM and a 6,000mAh battery, this is perfect for multiple Fortnite sessions.

Best Budget Pick: Samsung Galaxy A51

As much as we love the ROG Phone 2 for endless Fortnite sessions, we also understand that it’s not a phone everyone can afford. If you need something that can handle Fortnite without breaking the bank, Samsung’s Galaxy A51 is a fantastic option.

Right off the bat, the A51 gets a lot of points thanks to its display. With a 6.5-inch AMOLED panel and a 2400×1080 resolution, all of your apps and games will look stunning. It’s also covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, helping to ensure it stays in good shape for years to come.

Taking a look under the hood, the Galaxy A50 delivers an Exynos 9611 processor, 128GB of storage that can be expanded up to 512GB, and a large 4,000 mAh battery. The 6GB of RAM is also pretty generous for the price. Other highlights include the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack and the A50’s support for all U.S. carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon).

Pros:

• Large 6.5-inch AMOLED display
• 4,000 mAh battery
• Expandable storage up to 512GB
• Has a 3.5mm headphone jack
• Compatible with all U.S. carriers

Cons:

• Some jerky performance

Best Budget Pick

Samsung Galaxy A51

• $389 at Amazon

Great gaming on the cheap

You don’t need to spend a heap of money for a reliable Fortnite phone, and the Galaxy A51 is proof of that.

Best Value: OnePlus 7T

OnePlus has established itself as a brand that’s known for offering killer smartphones at even better prices, and the latest OnePlus 7T is a continuation of that ideology. One of the most impressive aspects of the 7T is its display, which is a 6.55-inch AMOLED panel with a buttery-smooth 90Hz refresh rate. While not as technically impressive as the ROG Phone 2’s 120Hz panel, this still makes gaming on the OnePlus 7T feel faster and more fluid than most other handsets.

Once you discover “Fnatic Mode,” the gaming experience will be turned on its head. This is more than just the standard “Gaming Mode” offered by OxygenOS. With Fnatic Mode, instead of your 7T picking and choosing how to use its resources, all of the horsepower under-the-hood will be focused on your Fortnite sessions. This means you’ll be able to push the boundaries of the 8GB of RAM and the gaming-focused Snapdragon 855+ processor.

The 3,800 mAh battery allows for solid endurance throughout the day, and when you need to charge up, the OnePlus 7T’s Warp Charge 30T technology allows you to charge the phone from 0% to 70% in just 30 minutes. So long as you don’t mind the lack of expandable storage and wireless charging, the 7T is an incredible purchase.

Pros:

• 30W fast charging
• Up to 12GB of RAM
• Fnatic Mode included
• 90Hz Display
• Great price

Cons:

• No expandable storage

Best Value

OnePlus 7T

• $399 at OnePlus

Sleek, slim, and more than powerful

With a Snapdragon 855+ processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 90Hz display, the OnePlus 7T offers a ton of features at a low price.

Best for a Big Screen: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

Right now in the Android space, one of the most powerful and expensive phones you can buy is the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra. It certainly isn’t for everyone, but if you don’t have a restrictive budget and want to enjoy your Fortnite matches on the best screen possible, this is the phone to get.

If you want a big screen for playing Fortnite, that’s exactly what the S20 Ultra delivers. Measuring in at 6.9 inches, this is one of the largest phone displays out there. Add that together with a Dynamic AMOLED panel and glorious 120Hz refresh rate, and your eyeballs will be truly spoiled.

When it comes to performance, the S20 Ultra is powered by the latest Snapdragon 865 processor, comes with 12 or 16GB of RAM, has a beastly 5,000 mAh battery, and can be equipped with 128 or 512GB of storage that is expandable up to 1TB. In other words, it’s a spec monster. The lack of a headphone jack is lame, but other than that, the S20 Ultra has it all.

Pros:

• 6.9-inch AMOLED display
• 120Hz refresh rate looks amazing
• Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 865 processor
• Up to 16GB of RAM
• Expandable storage up to 1TB

Cons:

• No headphone jack
• Very expensive

Best for a Big Screen

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

• From $1,400 at Samsung

Big, bold, beautiful, and bezel-less

Assuming you can stomach its steep price, the Galaxy S20 Ultra is one of the very best Fortnite phones on the market.

Best International Option: Huawei P30 Pro

One of the most stunning phones of 2019 is also one of the most impressive gaming smartphone options. The Huawei P30 Pro continues to impress, even months after its initial release with its combination of 8GB of RAM and Huawei’s Kirin 980 chipset.

The included 4,200mAh battery is sure to last you throughout the day, and the included Vapor Cooling Chamber will help keep the P30 Pro cooler during those long Fortnite sessions. As for other features of the device, you get three rear-mounted cameras along with up to 512GB of onboard storage.

There are a couple of issues for those of us here in the U.S. that want to use the P30 Pro, as LTE connectivity may be limited based on your carrier and area that you live. We would have liked to see more RAM added as an option at the very least, and you will be “stuck” with the standard refresh rate unlike other devices with either 90Hz or 120Hz.

Pros:

• 4,200mAh battery
• Built-in vapor cooling
• Nearly bezel-less display

Cons:

• LTE connectivity is limited
• Just 8GB of RAM
• Standard refresh rate

Best International Option

Huawei P30 Pro

• From $639 at Amazon

A beautiful handset with impressive cameras and more

Huawei’s P30 Pro continues to impress with its beautiful design, triple camera setup, and a processor/RAM combo which is powerful enough for everything.

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a smartphone that will be primarily used for graphic-intensive games like Fortnite, there are a few key features needed. These include a great display, good battery life, a nice chunk of RAM, and some extra flair compared to other handsets.

The OnePlus 8 Pro crosses off all of those boxes and then some as it comes equipped with at least 8GB of RAM, a powerful Snapdragon 865 SoC and guaranteed 90fps gameplay in Fortnite.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Joe Maring is Android Central’s News Editor and has had a love for anything with a screen and CPU since he can remember. He’s been talking/writing about Android in one form or another since 2012 and often does so while camping out at the nearest coffee shop. Have a tip? Reach out on Twitter @JoeMaring1 or send an email to joe.maring@futurenet.com!

Andrew Myrick is a regular freelancer at Android Central. He has been a tech enthusiast ever since the original iPhone was released and continues to flip-flop between devices and you can find him retweeting on Twitter.