Serious mobile gamers who want to take their experience up a notch have more access than ever before, thanks to the smartphones we are almost never without. The chance to enjoy the action of whatever title has caught your fancy is never further away than your phone is! Use these tips to come out on top the next time you have some fun on the go.
Look for Smartphones with Game Mode
Many times, incoming notifications and apps refreshing in the background could be utilizing the precious RAM on your smartphone. Unfortunately this is all it takes for you to miss that headshot you’ve been getting ready to play, because you don’t have access to the resources you need. Luckily a number of manufacturers have baked a Game Mode in to the OS, so when you’re playing you can make use of everything you need to deliver a flawless experience.
Don’t Dismiss Low Settings Out of Hand
Check to see if you can select a graphical setting optimized for your smartphone’s hardware. If you’re playing online Blackjack, for example, and your display is less than 6 inches, you may be able to get away with a lower setting for the graphics. This tip is especially valuable for players who prioritize smooth gaming over 100% visual fidelity, which is not always necessary.
Switch Background Services Off
The best way to free up RAM is turning off or disabling the background services you don’t need. This makes the RAM you need available for your games, and you won’t have to suffer through random, fleeting frame drops as you try to play. Services that you can disable include those for your email and Facebook accounts, and you could go as far as turning off all your social media and messaging applications while you play.
Charge Your Battery Right Up
Extensive testing with smartphone chipsets have revealed that they tend to perform at their best when battery levels are close to 100%. When this level drops to 40% or so, the power delivery to the chipset drops as well, which can cause the SoC performance to falter. This becomes especially noticeable when your battery is at around 25%, and heating can start occurring at this point too. It’s a good idea to keep your phone’s battery charged up when you’re getting ready for a gaming session.
Make Use of Your Developer Options
If you know your way around the Android Operating System, then you’ll be well aware of what a treasure trove of settings the developer options have available. You’ll need to turn these options on first, but there’s loads of walkthroughs on how to do this available online if you aren’t sure how to go about it. Certain settings will help you get a much better performance from your phone and the games you’re playing on it.
One such adjustment is Multi-Sample Anti-Aliasing, or 4x MSAA, which can go a long way towards improving the quality of your game’s visuals. Bear in mind, however, that when this setting is active your chipset will drain your battery much more quickly than usual, so remember to turn it off when you’re finished.
