Are you looking for a new phone and want to make sure that it’s able to run MTGA smoothly? If so, you’ve come to the right place, as today we’ll talk about the best phones for MTG Arena.
If you’re in a hurry here’a quick recap of the best options you have available:
| Phone | Quality | |
|---|---|---|
 | Asus ROG Phone 3 | Best Overall |
 | Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ | Large Screen |
 | LG G7 ThinQ | Budget Option |
Want to know more? We’ll take a look at the system requirements first, and then move to our picks for the best phones for MTG Arena.
System Requirements
When we talked about MTG Arena coming to mobile, we mentioned, that Mobile Early Access is only available on Androids. Eventually, the game will be available on other devices, but there’s no date as to when that’s supposed to happen. So for now the first prerequisite is that your phone is an Android.
Here are the other system requirements that your phone must meet (or exceed) in order to successfully run MTG Arena:
- Android Version: 6.0 (Marshmallow)
- RAM: 4 GB
- Graphics API: OpenGL ES 3.0
- Texture Compression: ETC2
Additionally, one of the following chipsets is required:
- Kirin 970
- Snapdragon 845
- Exynos 9810
Best Phones for MTG Arena – 5 Recommendations
Moving on to actual suggestions, here are five recommendations for best phones for MTG Arena, based on different criteria.
Asus ROG Phone 3 – Best Phone for MTGA Overall
- Size: 6.59” / 16.7 cm
- RAM: 8 GB
- Internal Storage: 512 GB
If you want a gaming phone, that will run MTG Arena – and any other mobile game – with ease, this is the one. Asus ROG Phone 3 truly is a gaming phone first and foremost.
The battery is amazing, it’s probably one of the best out there, and will last you for a long time. Of course, playing MTG Arena will drain it faster, than not playing it, but compared to other phones that you could get, this is clearly a winner.
The screen is big enough, so you won’t have many problems with the battlefield getting too clustered.
The price is quite high (check it on Amazon), but you get what you pay for. In this case, you get a top-notch gaming phone. A thing to note is that the camera, while perfectly serviceable, isn’t quite on par with others from the similar price range. That’s understandable, since this phone’s main priority are your gaming needs.
Pros
- One of the best gaming phones on the market.
- Enormous internal storage.
- Large enough screen.
- Long battery life.
Cons
- High price.
- Doesn’t have the best camera.
Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ – Large High Quality Screen
- Size: 6.8” / 17.3 cm
- RAM: 12 GB
- Internal Storage: 128 GB (also has a 512 GB option)
Here’s a phone that can rival the previously mentioned ASUS’ model, for the best phone for MTG Arena. It’s best feature is most certainly it’s amazing screen. The display isn’t just 6.8 inches big, but the colors looks spectacular.
As you can imagine, having a big enough battlefield can be crucial in the game of Magic the Gathering. This certainly won’t be a problem with this one. Also, all the animations will truly look amazing here.
On top of that, 12 GB of RAM is something else. You shouldn’t worry about lag during your Arena games with Galaxy Note+.
As you might have noted, it comes with a S Pen, which can really make playing MTG Arena on your phone a lot easier, especially if you tend to be a bit clumsy. Playing a Forest instead of a Mountain on turn one can sometimes be devastating.
While the battery is weaker, than the one of the Asus ROG Phone 2, it’s still quite good. All in all, you can’t go wrong with either of those two, as both are surely some of the best phones for MTG Arena.
If you prefer a longer battery life, you should go with Asus ROG Phone 3. On the other hand, if you prefer a bigger screen, Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is your go to.
Pros
- Very large screen with high resolution.
- 12 GB RAM will make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Generous battery.
- Excellent build quality.
Cons
- High price.
- Front camera can be distracting.
Motorola One 5G – Great Mid-Range Option
- Size: 6.7” / 17.0 cm
- RAM: 6 GB
- Internal Storage: 128 GB
Are the two phones above too pricey for you, but you still want a quality phone. In that case, Motorola One 5G, might be great for you.
It has both a big screen and a very good battery. In this regard, it’s almost on par with the previous two phones. That’s great, as those are two very important things when you want to play MTG Arena on your phone.
However, the build feels somewhat bulky and less durable. However, that can be easily solved by getting a case. You’ll still end up spending way less than with the previous options.
While you only have 6 GB of RAM (compared to 8 GB and 12 GB), it should still run Arena without too many problems. All in all, it’s a good choice, if it better fits your budget.
Pros
- Moderately priced.
- Very good battery life.
- Large screen.
Cons
- Not the most durable build.
- Can feel quite bulky.
LG G7 ThinQ – Best Budget Phone for MTG Arena
- Size: 6.1” / 15.5 cm
- RAM: 4 GB
- Internal Storage: 64 GB
We’re wrapping up with two budget phones for MTG Arena. First up, LG G7 ThinQ.
The screen, while smaller than the previously mentioned phones, can still work. The quality of display is really amazing. However, it does tend to drain your battery pretty quickly, so it’s not the best choice if you’re planning on playing Arena, while away from your charger. Of course, you could always get a power bank.
LG’s software also isn’t the greatest, and comes with a bunch of pre-installed apps. Nevertheless, the price is low, and it will allow you to play MTG Arena – although you might experience some lag (because of the 4 GB RAM).
Pros
- Lower price.
- Screen looks great.
Cons
- Screen is somewhat smaller.
- Weak battery life.
- LG’s software is nothing to write home about.
- Only 4 GB RAM.
Google Pixel 3 – Another Budget Option
- Size: 5.5” / 14.0 cm
- RAM: 4 GB
- Internal Storage: 8 GB
This one is pretty similar to the one before, but with somewhat better software. It’s smaller (it loses half an inch), and can be easily held in one hand. It also has a pretty amazing camera.
Why would you like this phone if you want to play Arena, though? Well, the fact is that it isn’t the best phone for MTGA. It’s probably the best for players, who want a cheap phone with a quality camera first, and a device to play MTG Arena second.
So if you just want to play a game of Arena one or twice per week, and don’t want to spend too much on a phone, Google Pixel 3 is definitely an option, as it’s also on the official list of supported phones for MTG Arena. (You can find the whole list below.)
Pros
- Lower price.
- Great camera.
Cons
- Small screen.
- Weaker battery life.
- Only 4 GB RAM.
Official List of Supported Phones for MTG Arena
Alongside the announcement, Wizards of the Coast also released a list of supported Android devices (assuming standard configuration). The list isn’t comprehensive, but can serve as a sample.
You should refer to the phone’s software and system information when checking for compatibility.
Anyways, here’s the full list that Wizards released. If you click on the phone’s name it’ll take you to the respective search page on Amazon, where you can check its price.
Conclusion
That’s all about best phones for MTG Arena. Hopefully, you found one that will serve you well.
To quickly recap, your best choices are probably Asus ROG Phone 3 (amazing battery) or Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ (spectacular screen). On the other hand, if you’d like a budget option, LG G7 ThinQ should get the job done.
Until next time, have fun, and may you enjoy MTG Arena without lag.