Key Takeaways
- Apple has finally brought high-refresh-rate displays to the iPhone, starting with the iPhone 13 Pro series.
- The ProMotion screens can vary between 1Hz and 120Hz, offering a more fluid gaming experience.
- The article recommends several games that support high-refresh-rate gameplay, including Asphalt 9, Call of Duty: Mobile, PUBG Mobile, Phoenix 2, Dead Cells, Brawl Stars, Genshin Impact, and NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition.
Apple has taken a while to bring high-refresh-rate displays to the iPhone, despite them being found on the best iPads for many years now. The first ProMotion display came to the iPhone in 2021 when Apple debuted the iPhone 13 Pro series. Even though the new iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max also have ProMotion displays, the company hasn't given this treatment to base-model phones.
Regardless, if you do have a compatible iPhone, the ProMotion screens are capable of varying between 1Hz and 120Hz based on the situation. When you're gaming, you want the highest possible refresh rate, but not all iOS games are optimized for 120Hz. To help you find the games that will push your Pro-series iPhone to its limits, we've rounded up a list of the best high-refresh-rate games below.
Most, if not all, of the games on this list do not come with high-refresh-rate gameplay enabled by default. To make sure the setting is enabled, navigate to your in-game settings menu and select a 120Hz or high refresh rate toggle. If your iPhone isn't compatible, this option won't be available.
1 Asphalt 9: Legends
Gameloft is known for making high-quality games for mobile devices, and its Asphalt series has been a particularly great option. Asphalt 9: Legends has fantastic visuals and smooth gameplay, especially when you enable 120Hz settings. Since this game is action-packed and high-paced, high-refresh-rate capabilities make a huge difference here, making the game feel more fluid. More importantly, the 120Hz refresh rate could power you to dodge an obstacle or make a turn on your way to a first-place finish. Plus, it's a free download.
Asphalt 9: Legends on the App Store
2 Call of Duty: Mobile
If there's a type of game that needs the high-refresh-rate capabilities of modern iPhones more than racing simulators, it's first-person shooters. Luckily, two of the best first-person shooters available on iOS support 120Hz refresh rates. The first is Call of Duty Mobile, which is based on the impressive franchise lineage from PC and console. While the graphics aren't really comparable between the mobile and console versions, the gameplay of this iOS game is actually pretty fun. You even get access to the battle royale mode, and aside from the ill-fated Fortnite, Call of Duty Mobile is the best first-person shooter and battle royale on iOS. Plus, it's completely free.
Call of Duty: Mobile on the App Store
3 PUBG Mobile
Perhaps the second-best shooter on mobile is PUBG, which can also reach refresh rates of up to 120Hz. It was actually the first battle royale game to come to mobile, although it was quickly overshadowed by Fortnite's relatively brief run of success on the platform. Like other shooters, high-refresh-rate support can be a huge advantage while playing PUBG Mobile on a compatible iPhone. That extra split-second of reaction time afforded to you could be the difference between victory and elimination. As such, PUBG Mobile represents some of the best integration of Apple's high refresh rate technology in the gaming category. It's available for free with some optional in-app purchases.
4 Phoenix 2
The best way to describe Phoenix 2 might be to say it's like Galaga on steroids. It's an arcade-style space shooter that is so simple just about anyone can play it. You might be surprised to know that there is a lot going on graphically, from lasers to epic explosions, and, best of all, it supports 120Hz refresh rates, although it probably won't make as big of an impact as some of the other games on this list. However, any time you can push your device's ProMotion display to its limits, you know you're getting the most fluid mobile gaming experience possible. Like many of the options here, Phoenix 2 is a free download with some in-app purchases available.
5 Dead Cells
In another somewhat bizarre use of high refresh rates, we have the role-playing game Dead Cells. Before coming to mobile, the game was available on PC and consoles first, and it's a popular title on those platforms. It's also one of the best action roguelikes games on iOS. You play as a failed experiment to explore multiple castles and biomes to uncover the true history of the island. If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced, challenging game that maxes out your ProMotion display, this is the app for you. There are no ads within this game, but it does cost $9 as an initial purchase.
6 Brawl Stars
This 3v3 multiplayer and battle royale game is mobile-first. It was developed by Supercell, the same company that brought Clash of Clans and Clash Royale. While playing against other players in different game modes, you try to upgrade your Brawler to become more powerful. The game looks like a cartoon with stunning visuals. With 120Hz refresh rate capabilities, it'll make the most of your iPhone's display. Although it isn't as intensive as a first-person shooter, that extra refresh rate can give you an edge anyway. The initial download is free, but you can make in-app purchases.
7 Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact is one of the top games available on iOS, and it runs at 120Hz refresh rates on compatible iPhones. It's an adventure game where you explore a fantasy world with elemental energy. The combat system is centered around these elements, like water or fire. Aside from being a great adventure game with quality storylines, the graphics are similarly stunning. While Genshin Impact is a single-player game, it still benefits from high refresh rates with fluid movements and quick responsiveness. It's free, but there are optional in-app purchases available as well.
Genshin Impact V4.0: Fontaine on the App Store
8 NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition
Though the standard NBA 2K editions aren't capable of high refresh rates, you do get that offering in the Arcade Editions. These versions are exclusive to Apple Arcade subscribers, which carries a monthly fee of $5 per month. NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition is the closest you'll get to the console edition, and it's a really great way to kill time or have some fun on the go. Although the monthly subscription isn't ideal, you do get over 200 other games with your subscription. If you happen to subscribe to Apple One, you'll get access to Apple Arcade and NBA 2K Arcade Edition without having to pay extra.
NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition on the App Store
The final say
We're anxiously waiting for Apple to give the high refresh rate treatment to base-model iPhones. But for now, you can play games at up to 120Hz on the iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Despite this functionality being available for two years now, there are only a handful of games that support high refresh rates on iPhone. The picks on this list represent the best ones you can get, and you can't go wrong with any one of them.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
The iPhone 15 Pro delivers upgraded performance with the Apple A17 Pro chip, plus a new camera system with enhanced stabilization and other improvements. It's also one of the first iPhones with a USB-C port.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
The iPhone 15 Pro Max introduces an all-new, customizable Action button, a titanium chassis with round edges, and a USB Type-C port. It exclusively offers up to 5x optical zoom, too.