What phone specs REALLY matter for smooth poker?

[mark_flint]

Hey everyone,

Hoping to get some advice from the community here. I've been playing a lot more poker on my phone recently, mostly on sites like pokerstars and GGPoker. My current Android phone is a couple of years old and it's starting to become a real problem.

The main issue is lag and occasional freezing, especially when I'm trying to multi-table two games or even just during a big hand with a lot of action. It's incredibly tilting to have the App stutter right when you need to make a quick decision.

I'm looking to upgrade my phone soon, but I'm getting lost in all the technical specs. When you look at phone reviews, they all talk about camera quality and social media performance, which I don't care much about. For a poker player, what actually makes a difference?

I'm trying to figure out the sweet spot for a smooth experience without overpaying for features I won't use.

• RAM: Is 6GB enough these days, or is 8GB+ the new standard for running poker apps smoothly?
• Processor: How much does the chipset (e.g., Snapdragon 7-series vs 8-series) impact performance for these types of games?
• Screen Refresh Rate: Does a 90Hz or 120Hz screen offer any real advantage for a card game, or is 60Hz perfectly fine?

I'd love to hear what phones you all are using and if you've found certain specs to be more important than others for a lag-free poker session. Besides downloading the poker app, could you guys also suggest some Android games with similar gameplay so I can further practice my skills?

Thanks in advance for any insights!

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[edenman1]

A laptop or computer is the best, but for a phone having lots of RAM seems to help

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[greenlarrow]

I played on my phone for several years. But after I bought a laptop, I never went back to my phone. It's just inconvenient to play on a phone, unlike a laptop. I suggest and recommend that you only consider a laptop before buying.

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[wushibala]

Personally, I only use my phone in emergency situations.
For example, if the power goes out at home while I’m in the middle of a game, I switch to mobile internet and finish the tournament on my phone.

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[doom]

I think 8 g of ram is must in 2025

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

Any modern smartphone with at least 6 GB ram should do it. If you want to play multiple sites at one time you can use a floating window.

Hope that helped.

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[23maxim88]

Of course, it's better to play from a computer or laptop, but if you have to play or finish something on your phone, the main thing is to make sure the battery lasts

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[EiXT]

I have 2 phones;

Honor X8b: Battery is surprisingly strong - lasts me 6 hours playing poker and other games non-stop after 1 year of heavy use. Most games run smooth except the ones that require heavy graphics, they tend to lag a bit but still bearable. 8GB Ram, 512GB Storage, 90Hz, Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 (2021) - older processor but still works like a charm.

Samsung A54: Battery got weaker after 2 years of heavy use, but lasts me around 10 hours when used normally - 4-5 hours playing non-stop - still pretty good. Every game runs smooth, no matter how heavy. 8GB Ram, 128GB Storage, 120Hz, Processor: Exynos 1380 (2023)

I have poker Apps on both, never had an issue so far.
Overall, 6GB+, Snapdragon series 6+, 60Hz+ should be more than good enough for poker specifically.

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[Flyer35]

I don't like playing on a phone because of the screen size.

If cost is not an issue, I've used iPhones for years now with no issues at all. I'm currently using an iphone 13 with 4 GB RAM which zips along with no lagging due to the phone. The only lagging I ever see is due to a weak Internet or cell signal. No phone can fix that.

Fo comparison the latest gen iPhone is 16 with the iPhone 17 just a couple of months away, so mine is almost 4 years old.

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/

 

[Magallaneroy]

A good processor like Snapdragon 710 or better, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 6-inch FHD+ display

change instances of free poker into a link to https://www.cardschat.com/strategy/free-online-poker-game/