RedMagic Astra Review: This Is the Best Gaming Tablet You Can Buy

Earlier this yr, I examined Lenovo’s 8-inch Legion Tab Gen 3 gaming tablet to see the way it held up as a small gaming pill in opposition to the iPad Mini. Spoiler alert: It did fairly effectively. However shortly after testing that pill, gaming phone-maker RedMagic reached out to ask if I wished to check its new gaming pill, the 9-inch Astra.

After just a few weeks of testing, I can safely say that whereas Lenovo’s little pill remains to be wonderful, the Astra beats it in a few key areas. A very powerful of them is efficiency: It is simply flat-out quicker than the Legion Tab. Then again, the Lenovo is a greater possibility as a small, general-purpose Android pill that is additionally nice for gaming (and it is usually cheaper than the Astra, too). Nevertheless, if gaming options and efficiency, in addition to a standout design, are what you care most about, the RedMagic Astra is value paying a premium for and is why it is an Editors’ Alternative award winner.

Flagship {hardware}

I completely loved the Legion Tab’s design, and it satisfied me of the advantages of your complete kind issue. At the same time as somebody who enjoys cellular gaming, I actually don’t love carrying round an enormous cellphone in every single place I am going, so having one thing that is sufficiently big to sport on with out being as large as an iPad or Galaxy Tab, and particularly a laptop computer, is fairly nice.

Although barely bigger, the Astra nonetheless completely suits that in-between house for me. It has a 9-inch display screen, however RedMagic packed it right into a small, glossy pill that may actually slot in my again pocket. The design is harking back to the iPad Mini with its spherical edges and flat sides, however the bezels are symmetrical and solely 4.9mm large, slimmer than the iPad Mini’s, which makes Apple’s littlest pill look outdated.

There’s additionally a fingerprint sensor within the energy button, which is sort of welcome, particularly contemplating different extra premium tablets just like the OnePlus Pad 3 (and even the Legion Tab) do not have one. The front-facing digital camera helps face unlock (just for the pill itself) and, at 9 megapixels, is completely tremendous for streaming or video chatting.

The one rear 13-megapixel digital camera is suitable, however not rather more than that. It is tremendous if that you must use it, however RedMagic has by no means been recognized for its nice cameras, and that definitely applies right here as effectively.

RedMagic is understood for packing its units with all the most recent top-of-the-line specs you may need, and the Astra continues that development. It is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, as much as 24GB of LPDDR5x RAM and as much as 1TB of UFS 4.1 storage. The bottom mannequin with 12GB of reminiscence and 256GB of storage is $549 and just like what you’d get within the $550 Legion Tab Gen 3 (although the Legion usually goes on sale for around $100 less). I examined a $699 model of the Astra with 16GB of reminiscence and 512GB of storage. The maxed-out Astra with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is a hefty $899.

Complementing the Qualcomm processor is RedMagic’s personal gaming chip, the RedCore R3 Professional. The thought is that the R3 Professional arms a few of the gaming-specific duties from the primary chipset to assist preserve peak efficiency and maintain the Snapdragon 8 Elite from throttling down sooner.

The 9.1-inch OLED show exhibits off all of your favourite video games with a 2,400×1,504-pixel decision (331 ppi) and a fantastically easy 165Hz refresh price. It additionally will get as much as 1,600 nits peak brightness, which is greater than vivid sufficient if you end up caught within the solar. I might say it is probably the greatest screens I’ve seen on a pill and incredible for any sport. (By comparability, the iPad Mini’s display screen has a pixel density of 326 ppi). 

Powering all of that is an 8,200-milliampere-hour battery with assist for as much as 80-watt quick charging. I simply obtained by means of a number of days of use with this pill, which included an hour or two of gaming and one other hour or two of fundamental utilization. On CNET’s YouTube streaming take a look at, it averaged 10 hours, 32 minutes, which is sweet, however you will not get that whereas gaming solely. The one draw back is that there isn’t a charger within the field, though it’s best to be capable to get quick charging with most 80-watt chargers.

Soundwise, the twin DTS:X Extremely audio system sound fairly good for a small pill. In fact, you aren’t getting the room-filling sound from the 4 audio system on the iPad Professional, however that is additionally a a lot bigger and rather more costly gadget. The Astra’s audio system are tremendous for gaming or streaming, however for FPS video games or these the place each noise issues, you may need some good gaming headphones.

One odd design alternative

RedMagic made a fairly odd design alternative with the Astra by offsetting the USB-C port towards the highest of the pill. This implies the ability button is now located straight throughout from the USB-C port, so if you happen to attempt to use a USB-C controller, you may probably hit the ability button when taking the controller on and off. I did expertise this in my testing, and whereas it was annoying, I would not say it is sufficient to maintain me from shopping for it. It did not occur as soon as I had the controller on, and Bluetooth controllers clearly will not have this challenge. (RedMagic would most likely recognize you dropping an additional $129 for its Bluetooth gamepad anyway.)

Additionally, when utilizing a controller, the pill now sits farther down and turns into a bit unbalanced. Once more, this wasn’t a deal-breaker for me as I ended up resting the pill on the desk or my lap, and it virtually grew to become even higher for me, so I did not have to carry it as a lot. Your mileage could range right here, and I do perceive how uncomfortable it is perhaps for some, however I’d say do not knock it until you strive it.

I requested RedMagic why it used this format, and an organization consultant stated the top-mounted USB-C retains the charging cable from getting in the best way of your arms whereas it is charging, so you possibly can nonetheless play whereas plugged in with none points. That is smart to me and has been one of many points I’ve had whereas gaming on telephones or different tablets. Additionally, the side-mounted energy button is offset to work with many third-party gaming controllers which have buffer zones to keep away from unintended activation. I might even be prepared to guess that despite the fact that it is a gamer-focused pill, the shopper knowledge RedMagic has exhibits that much more individuals play and not using a controller than with one.

All of the efficiency you may need

As you would possibly count on from the spec sheet, this factor simply flies by means of something you throw at it. Except for gaming, I used it as a traditional pill as effectively, which included searching, researching new automobiles (I obtained rear-ended, in order that’s been enjoyable), some YouTube and emails. As anticipated, all the pieces I did was easy and quick. No points.

Clearly, having the ability to play one of the best video games easily is a important a part of efficiency, however RedMagic is all about supplying you with the best possible gaming expertise attainable on a cellular gadget.

All the most well-liked video games I attempted ran nice on the highest attainable framerates. I persistently hit 120 frames per second on Name of Responsibility: Cellular, and RedMagic has promised excessive refresh assist for different standard video games, together with PUBG, Delta Pressure and League of Legends.

RedMagic’s Recreation Heart software program even permits you to increase body charges in supported video games like Genshin Influence. On cellular, Genshin presently solely natively helps 60fps, however the Astra can increase the body price to 120fps by means of the Recreation Heart software program.

Additionally, with its high-speed wi-fi, streaming video games by means of Recreation Go or PlayStation Distant Play ran effectively, making the Astra a very all-around cellular gaming powerhouse.

Is it full overkill for most individuals? Completely. Is it nonetheless ridiculously enjoyable? Heck sure.

Quick software program, however do not count on updates

I used to be pleasantly shocked with the Astra’s out-of-the-box software program expertise. Even just some years in the past, RedMagic’s software program was nonetheless very closely skinned and seemed like one thing out of a foul sci-fi film. Lately, the corporate considerably toned down its software program expertise, and now, it is truly fairly usable.

Nevertheless, there’s a respectable quantity of bloatware, however most of it is simply eliminated, and the remainder of it’s a fairly clear construct of Android. Other than the Recreation Area, it isn’t too totally different from what you’d discover on most every other Android pill nowadays. There are just a few translation errors scattered round, however it’s definitely rather more usable than it was even only a couple years in the past. RedMagic deserves some credit score for a way a lot progress it is made.

The place it nonetheless falls woefully behind, nonetheless, is on updates. The Astra runs on Android 15, and to be sincere, I would not count on any main platform updates. From my previous expertise with RedMagic units, you may get some safety updates over the subsequent two or three years, and there is a probability you may get shocked with a platform replace, however the firm makes no assure of it, so do not maintain your breath.

That is not a deal breaker for me, as that is primarily meant to be a gaming and leisure gadget and never one thing I might use for banking or something private. So long as main new video games that come out within the subsequent few years run on it — they usually virtually definitely will — I am not too upset in regards to the lack of updates. The corporate completely must do higher about it, however I would not let that cease you from shopping for it.

Additionally, if you happen to’re searching for an entire package deal of equipment within the field, you may be disillusioned. As I discussed earlier, there is not any charger included, however RedMagic will sell you one for $29.90. A display screen protector and folio case can be found, too, for $24.90 and $39, respectively, however they appear to promote out of them shortly. And, whereas the Astra does have lively pen assist, RedMagic would not presently have a pen as an adjunct, although one is anticipated to be accessible. That is the place the Lenovo Legion Tab has a bonus as a result of there’s a charger, display screen protector and folio case included with the pill, and you will get a pen from Lenovo for about $40. It won’t have the Astra’s efficiency, however it’s a higher deal on this sense.

Finest technique to sport on the go

As of proper now, I’ve not examined every other small pill that is higher for gaming than the RedMagic Astra. The Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 has final yr’s specs, an outdated design and just one configuration. If you’ll find it on sale, it is value it, however at $549, the Astra is hands-down the higher possibility.

The iPad Mini has enormous bezels and nowhere close to the ability of the Astra, plus it is dearer. And also you’re caught in Apple’s ecosystem, which has its personal set of issues. The upper configurations of the Astra, together with the one I examined, are costly, and you continue to should pay further for any equipment if you would like them. However if you happen to’re all in on cellular gaming, there isn’t a higher gadget for it proper now than the Astra.