iOS vs. Android: Game Performance Battle

Mobile gaming has evolved from pixelated graphics to high-grade graphics and is offering a gaming experience never before seen on pocket-sized devices. Today, two popular platforms rule the mobile market, namely: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Both offer a great set of features, but we cannot deny the fact that each has its own set of fans and haters who are adamant that one platform is better than the other.

Since mobile gaming has grown, one feature users look forward to between the two platforms is a better gaming experience. Which offers a better game performance? Although this argument is partly based on the user’s preference, certain factors will help you decide which among the two platforms is better for you.

Game availability

Both platforms App Stores have more than a million apps on offer, 25% of which are game titles. If you take a look at the top downloaded games for iOS users, they usually give more games higher ratings reaching 4.5 - 5 stars. Meanwhile, Android users seem to be more demanding where more games are rated 4 stars but that could be a simple numbers factor as Android has more titles than iOS. However, despite the larger percentage of Android owners to iOS, iOS customers on average spend considerably more per user, making it still an attractive platform to develop for.

For people who have tried using both iOS and Android, when updating apps, users may have noticed that Android takes longer to update, sometimes taking a few more weeks or months after the release of iOS. Most startup game developers focus on developing their app on one platform (usually iOS) when launching their first smartphone apps due to the lack of resources to support multiple platforms at once, and QA testing can run expensive on Android due to the vast array of devices on the market.

Storage, battery and customizability

Certain games require a huge amount of storage for the game to play well. To meet this demand, one benefit that Android has offered its users is the ability to customize. Unlike iOS which does not allow you to have complete control over your device’s customization, Android users can access more control over their device.

Another factor gamers look into is the battery life. Games which require an internet connection or high graphics usually take in a lot of battery life, so constant charging can be a hassle or can damage your phone. iPhone batteries are not as big as Android, but Apple can squeeze decent battery life via hardware or software optimization. Android, on the other hand, has many phone manufacturers who equip their devices with large batteries which have a longer life and can last even with heavy gaming. However, this can also simply be down to how well the game itself has been made in the first place.

Powerful processor, GPU and speed

Frequent lags and slow responses may get annoying from time to time due to slow processors and low GPU. Just like PCs, you would need a powerful processor and GPU to play and enjoy high-graphic mobile games.

Because there are several Android manufacturers, phone processors may be different from each other. But there is a common processor that runs well on games and apps, which is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processor with its Adreno GPU. Snapdragon 835 processor is the latest released that would power high-end Android smartphones of 2017. Compared to the previous Snapdragon 821, the 835 is 30% greater in terms of area efficiency and 40% less battery consuming. Also, using Adreno 540 for GPU, the 835 is 25% more powerful in 3D performance, making games run faster. Samsung, Sony and HTC are some of the brands to carry this SoC (system on chip).

Apple, on the other hand, has created processors for their products. Apple’s A10 Fusion processor is the newest release that is used in iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. Comparing to its A9 chip, the A10 is 40% faster and has a 50% GPU performance increase, which makes games run faster and smoother.

Use Preference

So which platform is best for gaming? Both platforms are excellent in their own ways and are continuously improving. But for gamer's, you have to choose the mobile OS that is best for your needs. Everyone, of course, has their specific categories to pick the best that fits them. Casual gamers may not need the same requirements as hardcore gamers. For those eyeing for Android phone, multiple manufacturers offer different