I turned my old Android into a full-fledged game console with these 5 add-ons

• A dedicated smartphone game controller
• An external heat sink or cooling unit
• A high-wattage power brick
• An L-shaped USB Type-C cable
• An external storage drive

Modern high-end Android phones are exceptionally powerful. In particular, flagship models that ship with top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Mobile Platform chipsets offer blazing-quick computational performance, in addition to highly competent graphical capabilities.

With so much processing power at the helm, it’s no wonder that a growing number of people are harnessing the extra headroom found in their pockets for mobile video gaming on a daily basis.

While I certainly do miss the early era of mobile gaming, defined by all-time greats like Temple Run, Doodle Jump, and Paper Toss, times have changed, and it’s now possible to play full-fledged triple-A-style console games while on the go.

Of course, to take full advantage of a given Android phone’s powerhouse potential, you’ll want to invest in a few accessories to elevate the gaming experience. Here are five such mobile peripherals that have helped transform my own Android phone into a makeshift gaming console, without the need to compromise on comfort, performance, or input precision.

A dedicated smartphone game controller

Look for a model with USB-C connectivity and sufficient stretchiness

Currently, the smartphone gaming accessory market is flooded with latch-on style controllers. These add-ons come in a variety of form factors, including one popular style that lets you clasp your phone directly above a regular game controller. For the most part, however, the majority of these phone controllers have settled into a now-familiar snap-on design. Popular options include the GameSir X5S, the Razer Kishi V2, and the Backbone One. WIth USB-C connectivity, these retractable controllers are compatible with a wide range of Android phones, and they add a much-appreciated array of physical, tactile control inputs into the phone gaming mix.

An external heat sink or cooling unit

A little thermal management goes a long way

Smartphones are thermally constrained, and, unless you’re rocking a niche Android gaming handset like the Asus ROG phone, you’ll benefit from introducing an external active cooling system into your mobile gaming setup. These come in a variety of flavors, but I’m personally fond of the RBG-clad Razer Phone Cooler Chroma. This model is physically compact, runs via USB-C, and aims to cool down your phone in order to preserve performance and frame rates (the hotter the internal environment, the more thermal throttling that’ll occur to compensate).

A high-wattage power brick

Playing video games is a relatively power-intense activity, and so it only makes sense to invest in a high-wattage USB-C charging brick. If your AC adapter isn’t powerful enough, you might find your phone continuing to discharge even while plugged in during gaming sessions. I’d recommend shopping around for chargers in the wattage range of at least 60W, though higher wattages will offer additional headroom. If you spring for a model that uses gallium nitride (GaN) tech, you won’t have to deal with a bulky brick, either. As an added bonus, some models like Asus’ ROG Gaming Charger Dock even include HDMI output for quickly connecting to an external monitor while staying topped-up.

An L-shaped USB Type-C cable

Don’t settle for an awkwardly jutting out charging cable experience

I’ve always been a fan of L-shaped charging cables — they’re more resistant to accidental torque damage, they look more refined from a visual standpoint, and they help prevent the uncomfortable jamming of charging hardware into your body while in the middle of an intense gaming session. Amazon and other digital marketplaces are filled with L-shaped USB charging cables: I recommend purchasing one from a trusted brand like Anker or Ugreen, and I’d also suggest opting for a longer cable length for added flexibility.

An external storage drive

The more digital storage the merrier

It’s no secret that modern video games take up a lot of storage space, and so it goes without saying that the more capacity actively available to work with, the better. Unfortunately, most modern Android phones lack a dedicated microSD card slot (despite the impressive performance profile of the newer microSD Express standard), leaving USB-C as the most viable alternative. Options include connecting existing microSD cards via a USB-C hub, plugging in legacy USB sticks via a simple USB-A to USB-C adapter, and connecting a full-blown external SSD drive to your Android phone.

Personally, I’m fond of newer USB-C-based flash drives that take up very little physical space, but individual mileage will vary. I wouldn’t recommend connecting a traditional HDD to your phone, however, as its spinning drive will consume additional battery life and its read/write speeds will be slower, impacting overall gaming performance.