Top 5 Cheapest Gaming Phones in Malaysia
Mobile gaming in recent years has continually grown in popularity and dominates the gaming industry. In recent years, we see many popular game titles being released cross-platforms where console, mobile and pc gamers can play and interact with one another.
In Malaysia, it is common to see groups of friends hanging out at cafes and mamak while bonding over their favourite mobile games. The last thing you’d want is to own a phone that does not support the latest games in the market or one that is unbearably laggy for both you and your friends to enjoy a good game.
With that being said, in this article, we’ll be recommending our top 5 cheapest gaming phones in Malaysia that will allow you to run the following game titles lag-free.
Recommended Specifications:
| No. | Game Title | CPU | Memory | OS | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PUBG | Snapdragon 636 equivalent or above | 4GB RAM | Android version: 5.1.1 and above | 2GB |
| 2 | Genshin Impact | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, Kirin 810 and better | 4GB RAM | Android version: 8.1 and above | 8GB |
| 3 | Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | Snapdragon 430 Octa Core 1.4 GHz or equivalent | 2GB RAM | Android version: 5.0 and above | 1GB |
| 4 | Garena Free Fire: Operation Chrono | N/A | 2GB RAM | Android version: 4.0.3 and above | 1.2GB |
| 5 | Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusades | Snapdragon 632 1.8 GHz Octa-core | 3GB RAM | Android version: 7.0 and above | 2GB |
Aside from being able to support popular game titles, we also want to ensure that all phones recommended have a screen size of ~6.5”, a decent battery life, a screen refresh rate of at least 60Hz and should have gyro and accelerometer sensors. These additional considerations are crucial in ensuring a good gaming experience.
1. Realme 5i
Price: ~MYR 549
| Release Date | January 2020 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM665 Snapdragon 665 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Screen Size & Refresh Rate | 6.5”, 60Hz |
| Storage | 32/64GB, Additional MicroSDXC slot |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
At only RM549, the Realme 5i checks off all boxes as a great affordable mobile gaming device. The octa-core Snapdragon 665 processor clocks in speed of up to 2GHz which is quite a fair bit the recommended requirements by most games. Though the built-in storage is small, there’s an option to add an microsd up to 256GB. Lastly, it has a massive 5000mAh battery which can provide over 9hours playtime on PUBG as stated on the official site.
Even with the release of Realme 6i and 7i, the 5i is still in our opinion the most value for money.
2. Xiaomi Redmi 9
Price: ~MYR 529
| Release Date | 10 June, 2020 |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Chipset | Mediatek Helio G80 (12 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Memory | 3/4/6GB RAM |
| Screen Size & Refresh Rate | 6.53”, 60Hz |
| Storage | 32/64/128GB, Additional MicroSDXC slot |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), gyro, accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5020mAh |
Xiaomi has long been known for producing highly affordable smartphones and the Redmi 9 is no exception. Although the Redmi 9 when compared with the Poco M3, falls short in terms of gaming performance, it makes up for those shortcomings in other areas.
Rather than being a gaming-centric phone, the Redmi 9 is very much an all-around budget device. The Redmi 9 is overall more feature rich with a quad-camera that includes an 8MP ultrawide camera, built-in NFC and gyro sensors.
The Redmi 9 also offers more flexibility in terms of RAM and ROM storage which can be helpful for those who would like to opt for a higher performance.
3. Vivo Y20
Price: MYR 599
| Released Date | 28 August, 2020 |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM4250 Snapdragon 460 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×1.8 GHz Kryo 240 & 4×1.6 GHz Kryo 240) |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Screen Size & Refresh Rate | 6.51”, 60Hz |
| Storage | 64GB, Additional MicroSDXC slot |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), gyro sensor, accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
Unfortunately the Vivo Y20 only made this list of top 5 cheapest gaming phones due to its price point. While it’ll still allow you to play all the game titles mentioned, it really lacks in overall performance in comparison to its competitors. Perhaps its only plus is the sleek and stylish design. It is also slightly thinner and lighter than the competing models.
4. Oppo A53
Price: ~RM699
| Released Date | 28 August, 2020 |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM4250 Snapdragon 460 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×1.8 GHz Kryo 240 & 4×1.6 GHz Kryo 240) |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Screen Size & Refresh Rate | 6.51”, 90Hz |
| Storage | 64GB, Additional MicroSDXC slot |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 5000mAh |
The Oppo A53 may be pushing the budget limit a little. Priced at RM699, it is more suitable for it to be compared against the Realme 6i and Redmi Note 9. Nevertheless, we wanted to include an option that is priced slightly higher just for comparison sake.
What do you get for an extra RM100+? The main highlight would be a 90Hz screen refresh rate compared to 60Hz as seen in the other listed models here. Ultimately, this translates to smoother scrolling on the screen and when it comes to shooting games like PUBG, this significantly enhances the experience.
Aside from that, you’ll also enjoy a better 16MP selfie camera. It won’t be an Oppo phone without a decent selfie camera. Ultimately, you do enjoy some additional perks for the extra RM100 spent but it is really nothing too groundbreaking in our opinion.
5. Xiaomi Poco M3
Price: ~MYR529
| Released Date | 27 November, 2020 |
| OS | Android 10 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver) |
| Memory | 4GB RAM |
| Screen Size & Refresh Rate | 6.53”, 60Hz |
| Storage | 64/128GB, Additional MicroSDXC slot |
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, proximity, compass |
| Battery | 6000mAh |
Saving the best for last is the newly released Xiaomi Poco M3, a highly anticipated budget smartphone of 2020/2021. Just edging out slightly over the Realme 5i in terms of overall performance while being priced a tad bit cheaper when on promotion.
The Snapdragon 662 chipset performance is pretty much on par with the Snapdragon 665 chipset that powers the Realme 5i. The Xiaomi Poco M3 outperforms mainly in terms of the larger battery capacity of 6000mAh and the slightly bigger screen.
In terms of drawback, the only obvious one for us would be the absence of a gyro sensor. If you find yourself playing any games or performing any tasks that requires a gyro sensor, the Realme 5i will be the better option.
Editor’s Summary:
In conclusion, for the sole purpose of gaming, the Poco M3 is our favourite amongst the top 5 cheapest gaming phones in Malaysia. Unless there are other specific use cases, we’d definitely recommend you to check out the Poco M3 by Xiaomi.
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