Mobile gaming has never been more cinematic. In 2025, real-time ray tracing on phones has evolved, once the pride of PC and console gaming is finally making its way into mainstream smartphones. With powerful GPUs from Qualcomm, MediaTek, and Samsung pushing the boundaries, mobile gamers are now experiencing hyper-realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections right in the palm of their hand.
But what exactly is ray tracing on mobile? Which phones support it? And how does it compare to traditional graphics rendering?
What is Ray tracing in computer graphics?
Before we dive into smartphones, let’s understand the core of the technology. Ray tracing in computer graphics is a rendering technique that simulates how light interacts with virtual objects to produce highly realistic shadows, reflections, and lighting effects. Used extensively in high-end PC games and Hollywood CGI, ray tracing has been the gold standard for photorealistic visuals. What once required bulky GPUs and desktop setups is now making its way to your pocket — thanks to advanced mobile chipsets like MediaTek Dimensity 9400E and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, real-time ray tracing on phones is no longer a distant dream.
Let’s dive into the complete breakdown—including a list of phones with ray tracing GPUs in 2025, GPU comparisons, gaming benefits, and the overlooked details most blogs miss.
🔍 What Is Real-Time Ray Tracing on Mobile?
Real-time ray tracing on phones explained its cutting-edge graphics technology that makes games and apps look more realistic by simulating how light behaves in the real world. Instead of using basic lighting effects, it traces the path of each light ray as it bounces off surfaces, creating lifelike shadows, reflections, and lighting. Thanks to powerful mobile processors like Snapdragon and MediaTek, some high-end smartphones now support real-time ray tracing, bringing console-quality visuals to your pocket. This means smoother, more immersive gaming experiences—even on mobile devices. (unrealengine)
In Simple Terms:
Real-time ray tracing means your device (like a gaming PC, console, or now, even a phone) can calculate realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections instantly as you move around in a virtual environment — instead of waiting minutes or hours to render a single frame like in traditional ray tracing used for films.
How It Works:
- It traces the path of light rays as they bounce around a virtual scene.
- The system checks how those rays interact with different surfaces (glass, metal, skin, etc.).
- It calculates accurate reflections, shadows, and refractions based on materials, angle, and light source — all in real-time.
Why It Matters in Gaming and Phones:
- Adds cinematic realism to gameplay.
- Makes shadows softer and more dynamic.
- Water, mirrors, and shiny surfaces behave more naturally.
- Increases immersion without needing pre-rendered graphics.
Real-Time Ray Tracing in Phones:
Thanks to next-gen mobile GPUs in chipsets like:
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / 8s Gen 3
- MediaTek Dimensity 9400E
- Exynos 2500
Phones can now render complex scenes in games with console-like lighting effects, while still being energy-efficient and responsive.
📱 Phones with Ray Tracing GPU 2025
Here are some phones that officially support ray tracing via hardware-level GPU acceleration in 2025:
🔹 Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Devices
Mobile Ray tracing Snapdragon Phones are
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
- Xiaomi 14 Ultra
- OnePlus 12 Pro
- iQOO 12 Pro
- Realme GT 7 Pro
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 supports real-time hardware-accelerated ray tracing and uses Adreno 750 GPU, which delivers ~25% faster ray tracing than its predecessor. (snapdragon)
🔹 MediaTek Dimensity 9400E Phones
MediaTek ray tracing support phones are
- Infinix Zero Ultra X
- Vivo X200 Pro+
- Tecno Phantom X5 Elite
Dimensity 9400E is built on TSMC’s 3nm process and includes a new Immortalis-G720 GPU with 2nd-gen ray tracing performance—massively improving thermal control and visuals.
🔹 Exynos 2500 (Samsung-only)
- Galaxy S24 FE
- Galaxy Z Fold6 (India variant)
Exynos chips now integrate AMD RDNA 3-based GPU which is surprisingly potent in ray tracing benchmarks.
🎮 Real Use-Cases: Why It Matters for Mobile Gamers
- Hyper-realistic game visuals (light bouncing, shadows, mirror reflections).
- Next-gen mobile games like PUBG Mobile RTX, Fortnite RTX Beta, Call of Duty Ray Tracing Edition.
- Enhanced AR/VR interactions for apps like IKEA Place, Pokémon GO XR, and Snap Lens Studio.
Even Game Developers like Unity and Unreal Engine now offer optimized mobile ray tracing toolkits.
🎮 Top Ray Tracing Games for Mobile 2025
1. Arena Breakout Mobile
A tactical shooter with console-quality lighting, dynamic shadows, and reflections—bringing immersive realism to mobile FPS gameplay sammobile.com
A racing game showcasing glossy reflections off car bodies and realistic environmental lighting during high-speed runs reddit.com
3. Rainbow Six Mobile
Ubisoft’s tactical FPS recreates intense CQC with precise weapon reflections and dynamic shadows gizmochina.com.
4. Justice Mobile
This wuxia MMORPG uses ray-traced lighting to render nature, architecture, and materials with cinematic allure
5. War Thunder Edge
Historic tanks, warships, and planes gain lifelike lighting and reflective details, enhancing battlefield immersion .
🔜 Upcoming & Noteworthy Ray-Traced Games
- Racing Master (pre‑release) – Promises ultra-realistic visuals on Galaxy ray-tracing devices .
- Night Crows – A Korean Unreal Engine 5 MMORPG with ray tracing, currently in pre-registration .
- Diablo Immortal – Confirmed ray-traced lighting on flagship devices.
✅ Honorable Mentions (Console-to-Mobile Ports)
- Bright Memory Mobile – Gorgeous ray-traced visuals for reflections and effects on mobile .
- Grid Legends Deluxe Edition – Ultra-realistic lighting enhancing wet tracks and car surfaces on Snapdragon Elite devices gizmochina.com+8gamehuz.com+89to5google.com+8.
- Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile – Though RTX not explicitly mentioned, delivers near-console visuals powered by Snapdragon Elite gamehuz.com+1gadgets360.com+1.
📊 Summary Table
| Game | Genre | Ray-Tracing Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Arena Breakout Mobile | Tactical Shooter | Real-time lighting and reflection effects |
| CarX Street | Racing | Glossy car surfaces, environment lighting |
| Rainbow Six Mobile | Tactical FPS | Weapon reflections, dynamic shadows |
| Justice Mobile | MMORPG (wuxia) | Cinematic world lighting |
| War Thunder Edge | Vehicle Combat Simulator | Detailed lighting/reflections on vehicles |
| Racing Master (upcoming) | Racing (pre-register) | Promised enhanced visuals |
| Night Crows (upcoming) | MMORPG (Unreal 5) | Expected ray-traced environments |
| Diablo Immortal | Hack & Slash RPG | Confirmed ray-traced lighting |
| Bright Memory Mobile | Shooter/Action | Stunning ray-traced effects |
| Grid Legends Deluxe Edition | Racing Simulation | Reflective wet tracks, car lighting |
| Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile | Action Battle Royale | Near-console graphics with ray-inspired RTX |
📱 What This Means for You
- Hardware needed: Devices with ray-tracing–capable GPUs like Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Dimensity 9400e, or Exynos 2500.
- Performance impact: Visuals are significantly richer, but frame rates may drop (often capped at ~30 fps).
- Future releases: Many upcoming titles (e.g., Racing Master, Night Crows) promise even more advanced ray tracing.
🔦 Key Points on Real-Time Ray Tracing on Mobile (2025)
🎮 1. Hardware-Accelerated Ray Tracing
- Enabled by advanced mobile GPUs like the Immortalis-G720 in Dimensity 9400e, and Adreno 750 in Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
- Processes lighting, shadows, and reflections in real time—just like desktop-class GPUs.
🌐 2. Console-Quality Global Illumination
- Produces realistic lighting behavior and dynamic reflections, enhancing depth and realism in mobile games.
- Ideal for cinematic storytelling, open-world environments, and advanced visual effects.
🧠 3. Enhanced Visual Effects & Materials
- Accurately renders complex textures like hair, glass, vegetation, and water.
- Allows light to interact with surfaces more naturally for lifelike graphics.
⚙️ 4. MediaTek HyperEngine Technologies (Dimensity 9400e-specific)
- MAGT 2.0 (MediaTek Adaptive Gaming Technology): Boosts performance while reducing power draw.
- MFRX 2.0+ (Frame Rate Converter): Improves frame smoothness in ray-traced content.
🔋 5. Power Efficiency Optimized
- Up to 40% less power usage in high-performance games compared to previous chipsets.
- Maintains longer gaming sessions with lower thermal load.
🚀 6. Wi-Fi 7 & Connectivity Enhancements
- Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 support ensures ultra-low latency for cloud gaming and streaming.
- Seamless online multiplayer experiences with faster data transfers.
🧠 7. AI Integration with Ray Tracing
- Dimensity 9400e supports Generative AI via the NeuroPilot SDK, enhancing textures, lighting predictions, and game responsiveness.
- Enables AI-enhanced global illumination and adaptive lighting scenarios.
🤫 Facts That Can’t Be Ignored: Real-Time Ray Tracing
1. Battery Drain & Heating Issues
Early ray tracing games can drain 20–30% more battery in 30 mins. Phones like Xiaomi 14 Ultra use vapor chambers to offset heat, but entry-level phones might struggle.
2. Game Support is Still Limited
As of mid-2025, only ~15 major mobile titles offer ray tracing support. So you’re future-proofing, not gaming heaven—yet.
3. Not All Flagship Phones Have It
Many Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 or Dimensity 8300 phones don’t include ray tracing cores. Always check for GPU model before buying.
4. Ray Tracing Isn’t Always On
OEMs may disable ray tracing in certain scenarios like power-saving modes or games without full support.
🧪 Benchmarks: Real-Time Ray Tracing Performance (2025)
| Chipset | GPU | 3DMark RT Score | Avg. FPS (RT enabled) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Adreno 750 | 6,500+ | 45–55 FPS |
| Dimensity 9400E | Immortalis-G720 | 6,200+ | 43–50 FPS |
| Exynos 2500 | AMD RDNA 3 | 5,900+ | 38–48 FPS |
Snapdragon still leads, but MediaTek is catching up fast with cooler performance at slightly lower price points.
❓ Most Important FAQs
❓ Does ray tracing really improve gaming visuals on phones?
Yes, especially for games designed with RTX lighting and reflections. The improvement is noticeable, though not as dramatic as on a gaming PC.
❓ Can budget phones support ray tracing?
Only upper mid-range phones with Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 or Dimensity 8300+ have experimental ray tracing support, but real-time performance is still modest.
❓ What games support mobile ray tracing?
Titles like:
- Fortnite RTX Beta
- PUBG Mobile RTX
- CoD Mobile Ray Edition
- Genshin Impact (2025 graphics patch)
❓ Is ray tracing available on iPhones?
Not yet officially. Apple’s A18 Pro and upcoming A19 chipsets are powerful, but lack public ray tracing APIs—yet Apple may debut it in iOS 19.
❓ How to check if a phone supports ray tracing?
Search for the GPU model:
- Adreno 740/750: ✅
- Immortalis-G715/G720: ✅
- AMD RDNA-based Exynos GPU: ✅
If your phone has these, it’s ray tracing ready.
🔗 Interlink for SEO Boost
👉 Explore our full blog on MediaTek 9400E: Qualcomm’s Real Rival in 2025
👉 Also read: Snapdragon 8 Elite vs Gen 4: Ray Tracing Showdown
✨ Final Thoughts: Ray Tracing Isn’t a Gimmick—It’s the Future
With high-end chips now optimized for ray tracing, 2025 marks the beginning of console-level gaming on mobile. While still in its early stages, the evolution is rapid—and gamers, developers, and phone brands are ready to light up this new era.
Expect more games, better thermals, and wider availability in sub-₹40,000 phones by late 2025.