Latest news with #RedMagicAstra
GSM Arena
02-07-2025
- GSM Arena
RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet unboxing
The RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet made its global debut yesterday and will open for an Early Bird pre-order from July 10 to July 15, starting at $469/€469/£409. So our unboxing is just in time! The tablet ships with just a USB-C cable, but if you pre-order during the promo period, RedMagic will throw in an 80W charger for free! We'll get to the specs, but the compact size of the Astra Gaming Tablet is what truly defines this machine. RedMagic, naturally, bills it as a gaming tablet, but it could be an excellent travel companion for multimedia consumption and staying connected! It's easy to hold this tablet in one hand, thanks to the flat metal frame. And at only 374 grams, it's light enough to allow prolonged use. Still, we wouldn't mind a folio-style case for added protection. It's this small The RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet is well-specced indeed. It's running a Snapdragon 8 Elite that has an advanced cooling system to rely on. There's a Liquid Metal layer on top of the SoC to move heat away from it and onto a complex vapor chamber. Then there's an active cooling fan that spins quietly to move heat out of the tablet. RedMagic says all of this cooling brings down the Snapdragon 8 Elite's temperature by 8°C, which is very significant under load. Despite its diminutive size, the tablet packs an 8,200mAh battery too! Solid specs and a built-in fan The display is excellent. We appreciate that it's an OLED panel and not an LCD (as good as those are these days). You can really feel the bump up from 120Hz to 165Hz; animations are sharper and zippier. There are just two speakers on either side of the Astra Gaming Tablet, but they're boomy. They have very solid volume, too. Led Zeppelin comes alive in a way that's not possible on your flagship phone. You could use this tablet as an ad hoc speaker for your tunes. Compact tablet doubters will say that you should just buy a foldable phone instead of a portable tablet. But there's definitely a place and suitable use cases for a high-end small tablet. It's superb for on-the-go multimedia enjoyment - videos simply are nicer on this than on your phone! And of course, the RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet will excel at gaming in a way a phone wouldn't, thanks to its bigger canvas, its potent (and properly cooled) hardware, and its bigger battery!
Phone Arena
01-07-2025
- Phone Arena
RedMagic Astra tablet review: Gaming at 9 inches
A couple of years ago, when smartphones started pushing the 7-inch screen size, we thought that small tablets were done for. And they did slowly wither away, leaving the scene open to their bigger 10-inch and above we're looking at the RedMagic Astra and can't help but wonder, is there really a place for a sub-10 inch tablet on the market, and especially for a gaming tablet? Because that's what the Astra is – a 9-inch gaming tablet with some interesting tech inside and cool its price tag of $500, the device is quite attractive and actually aims to challenge the iPad Mini that carries the same price and is very similar in size. But at the end of the day, it's a dedicated gaming device, and we shouldn't forget dive deep and find the ins and outs of the RedMagic Astra gaming tablet. Table of Contents: Let's start with an overview of the RedMagic Astra specs: The overall aesthetics of the RedMagic Astra fall in line with the latest members of the RedMagic 10 family. There's a transparent strip of glass on the back housing the camera, the RGB fan and RedMagic logo, as well as some faux-schematics of the internals of the tablet, including the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, the vapor chamber cooling, got the black version of the Astra, which relies on a matte black finish, and in this color, the design looks extremely cool. The aluminum unibody has an ever-so-slight radius to the sides and feels premium to the terms of buttons, we have a slightly recessed power button on the left side, a volume rocker on the top left, and the red slider called Magic Key that activates the GameSpace mode. There are also two stereo speakers on both sides and a USB-C boasts a 4.9 mm uniform bezel around the screen, which sounds quite thin, but with such a compact device, it just looks normal. This kind of a bezel would've looked amazing on a 12-inch tablet. The retail box isn't as lavish as we've been used to when it comes to RedMagic devices. Normally, you would find a charging brick inside, some kind of a cover or a case, and sometimes even additional accessories. In this case, though, you're getting the tablet, some stickers and a USB-C cable, and that's it. It's a bit disappointing, especially given the gaming nature of this beast, but it is what it is. Let's move to the screen, which kind of redeems the modest retail box. Receive the latest Android news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Display Measurements: Looking at the test results above, most of the claims hold true. The Astra was able to output over 1000 nits at 100% APL (and pretty much the same number at 20% APL, which leads us to the conclusion that it's limited at this threshold), and that's quite good. The cited under deltaE of under 1 was apparently measured at different brightness levels and settings than the ones we use in our test, but nevertheless, a result of 1.34 is impressive for a tablet and a gaming device. Minimum brightness is a bit high, so gaming sessions at night might require some ambient lighting, but all in all, the display of the Astra is pretty impressive. Now, in terms of biometrics, the power button doubles as a capacitive fingerprint scanner, and you can also set up facial recognition. The latter relies only on one simple front-facing camera, so it's not as secure as other systems that employ ToF sensors and 3D facial scans. RedMagic Astra Performance & Benchmarks Super-cooled Snapdragon 8 Elite The Snapdragon 8 Elite is the go-to silicon when it comes to high-intensity applications nowadays, and gaming is surely one such scenario. The RedMagic Astra comes with the regular version of the chip (no overclock to the performance core), but the Adreno 830 GPU has been clocked to reach up to 1,100 MHz (pretty much the graphics performance of the Leading Version of the Snapdragon 8 Elite we tested inside the RedMagic 10S Pro). If you set the Astra to 165 Hz and leave it in high-performance mode, your day-to-day experience outside of gaming will be amazingly smooth. It makes the table a tad hot and also engages the cooling fan, but the performance is there. Let's check out the synthetic benchmarks for some data-driven proof of the above. CPU Performance Benchmarks: Geekbench 6 Single Higher is better RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 2676 Apple iPad mini(A17 Pro) 2860 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 1352 Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 1893 Geekbench 6 Multi Higher is better RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 8292 Apple iPad mini(A17 Pro) 7002 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 3866 Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 4909 View all GPU Performance 3DMark Extreme(High) Higher is better RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 6778 Apple iPad mini(A17 Pro) 3069 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 1332 Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 2311 3DMark Extreme(Low) Higher is better RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 5531 Apple iPad mini(A17 Pro) 2583 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 1268 Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 2301 View all The benchmarks tell a pretty convincing story. The RedMagic Astra just obliterates the tablet competition, and only the iPad Mini is able to hang on with its great single-core performance. When it comes to graphics, though, the Astra and its overclocked Adreno 830 core are unbeatable. Of course, the active cooling system with a tiny fan running at 20,000 RPM has something to do with the consistent 3D Mark score, as well as the Liquid Metal 2.0 material and the vapor chamber design. This machine can run Genshin Impact at 165 Hz and max graphics without any problems, but more on this in the software section below. Finally, there are three memory configurations to choose from. The basic one has 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, then there's the 16GB version that also comes with 512GB onboard memory, and you can go all-out and get the 1TB model that also happens to have 24GB of RAM onboard (a bit of overkill, but extremely future-proof). One thing we miss on the hardware side is capacitive triggers or shoulder buttons. There aren't any on the RedMagic Astra, which is a shame, really. The RedMagic 10S Pro features two of those with a very high touch sampling rate, but the Astra has to rely on screen input at all times. RedMagic Astra Software But the Game Space is the crown jewel when it comes to software tools and gaming tools in particular. You can trigger the mode with the red slider button, and it takes you to a dedicated gaming space (as the name implies). The Astra gaming tablet comes running Android 15 with RedMagic OS 10.5 on top. It's a straightforward distribution with minimal tweaks and bloatware and with a sprinkle of AI on top. Nothing groundbreaking, just some AI translation options, coupled with intuitive application selection for your most frequently used the Game Space is the crown jewel when it comes to software tools and gaming tools in particular. You can trigger the mode with the red slider button, and it takes you to a dedicated gaming space (as the name implies). You have complete control over many aspects of the Astra's hardware and software. You can choose the mode the CPU and GPU are using, add helpful software tools such as crosshairs, quick presets, and control notifications; add hardware periphery such as a mouse and keyboard; and more. It's done in a very intuitive way; you can either choose from various performance presets or dive deep and tweak parameters yourself. For the gaming test we decided to use Genshin Impact, as it's one of the heaviest and most resource-demanding mobile games out there. You have complete control over many aspects of the Astra's hardware and software. You can choose the mode the CPU and GPU are using, add helpful software tools such as crosshairs, quick presets, and control notifications; add hardware periphery such as a mouse and keyboard; and done in a very intuitive way; you can either choose from various performance presets or dive deep and tweak parameters yourself. For the gaming test we decided to use Genshin Impact, as it's one of the heaviest and most resource-demanding mobile games out there. The Astra handled the game flawlessly – we set everything to maximum, and the game ran smoothly with no lag or any frame rate drops. To be fair, the tablet got a bit hot while playing, and the fan could be heard, but nothing too unpleasant to our ears or hands. The Astra handled the game flawlessly – we set everything to maximum, and the game ran smoothly with no lag or any frame rate drops. To be fair, the tablet got a bit hot while playing, and the fan could be heard, but nothing too unpleasant to our ears or hands. RedMagic Astra Audio Quality There are just two speakers on both sides of the RedMagic Astra, but they are quite powerful and loud. The tablet supports DTS:X Ultra and various audio formats, including WAV, AAC, MP3, and FLAC. There's no 3.5 mm headphone jack, which is a drawback if you want to game in public and not disturb everybody, but of course you can pair Bluetooth headphones and use them to isolate the sound from your surroundings or vice versa. The haptic motor inside the Astra is quite strong and powerful, as well as precise. This is key when we talk about gaming devices and contributes to the overall experience quite a bit. RedMagic Astra Battery and Charging The battery inside the RedMagic Astra has an 8,200 mAh capacity, which is pretty decent considering the small footprint of the tablet. The company advertises a gaming battery life of 5.5 hours in Honkai: Star Rail, as well as up to 33 hours of video playback. Let's see how the tablet tackled our battery tests. The battery inside the RedMagic Astra has an 8,200 mAh capacity, which is pretty decent considering the small footprint of the tablet. The company advertises a gaming battery life of 5.5 hours in Honkai: Star Rail, as well as up to 33 hours of video see how the tablet tackled our battery tests. PhoneArena Battery Test Results: Battery Life Charging Phone Battery Life estimate Browsing Video Gaming RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 8200 mAh 5h 11min 11h 8min 8h 44min 5h 26min Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) 5078 mAh 5h 28min 9h 12min 10h 9min 7h 9min Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 8000 mAh 7h 6min 16h 30min 9h 52min 10h 46min Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 8850 mAh 5h 39min 11h 54min 8h 20min 9h 12min Phone Full Charging 30 min Charge Wired Wireless Wired Wireless RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet 8200 mAh 1h 12min N/A 55% N/A Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) 5078 mAh 1h 59min N/A 35% N/A Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE 8000 mAh Untested N/A Untested N/A Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro 8850 mAh 1h 0min N/A 64% N/A Find out more details about battery and charging for all phones we have tested on our PhoneArena Battery Score page Well, in terms of gaming, we were able to get a very similar result of around 5 hours and 10 minutes. And while this pales in comparison with other, non-gaming devices, we think it's a good result for maxed-out competitive gaming. The browsing and video streaming results are not very impressive, especially next to other tablets (some with smaller batteries), but performance comes at a cost, and the Astra is just not built for efficiency. In terms of charging, the tablet supports fast charging, and we were able to get the 8,200 mAh cell from zero to full in 1 hour and 12 minutes, a decent result. There are no wireless charging coils onboard, and thus, no wireless charging support. RedMagic Astra Camera It's a gaming tablet The usual caveat we put when we test tablets and gaming devices, especially, applies here as well. The Astra comes equipped with a pretty modest camera system – just one 13MP wide camera at the back and a 9MP front one. The specs of these two cameras won't make you jump in your seat, and they're there to get the job done in a very basic sense. To be fair, there's some AI processing going on in the background, and the results are very palatable, so to speak, but nothing spectacular. Photo Quality Well, you can check out the samples above. You have the option to use digital zoom – 2x and 5x – and while the 2x samples are okay-ish, when going to 5x digital, the noise gets pretty high, and the overall detail and quality fall down quite a bit. Should you buy it? That's an excellent question right there! The RedMagic Astra gaming tablet caters to a very specific audience. On the one hand, people who enjoy some heavy and competitive mobile gaming but, for some reason, find most smartphones too small in terms of display size. On the other hand, though, the Astra lacks dedicated hardware controls such as shoulder buttons or capacitive zones to give you that extra precision and flexibility during gaming, so it's a pros-and-cons situation. There are some very strong sides to this slate – the display is simply amazing, and the 165 Hz refresh rate is super smooth. There's power on tap you can use in non-gaming scenarios as well, and the compact nature of the Astra makes it a perfect travel buddy. But you have to outweigh this against the kind of short battery life, the lack of wireless charging and the mediocre camera if you want to use it as a non-gaming regular tablet. The Astra comes with a 9.06-inch OLED panel that can refresh at 165 Hz (mainly during gaming) and also boasts 1600 nits of peak brightness (1100 nits typical). It's not unusual to see OLED screens on tablets nowadays, but some, if not most, still use LCD panels to keep the cost resolution is 2.5K (2,400 x 1,504 pixels), which at this screen diagonal equals around 312 PPI pixel density, pretty good for a 9-incher. RedMagic also claims that the Astra's display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with precise color accuracy of ΔE < 1, and we're about to test all those claims.
Phone Arena
01-07-2025
- Phone Arena
RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet is as swoll as it gets with a coprocessor, fancy cooling and a great price
Christmas has arrived early for all mobile gamers: the RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet is now officially unveiled!Gaming tablets occupy a unique space in the tech world. They cater to users who find smartphones too limited for serious gaming, yet aren't willing to lug around a bulky laptop just to get top-tier performance on the the line between portable and powerful, this slate brings serious performance to a 9-inch frame – way bigger than what non-foldable phones can offer, but still far from the laptop territory. And its DNA is made out of the G, A, M, E globally on July 1, 2025, the RedMagic Astra enters the scene with the latest Snapdragon chipset, a standout OLED display, and a thermal design that borrows tricks from gaming PCs. Wrapped in a transparent metal body with no rear camera bump and RGB accents, this tablet will draw attention easily. 9.06-inch OLED screen with 2.4K resolution and 165Hz refresh rate Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with up to 24 GB RAM and 1 TB storage 8,200mAh battery with 64-minute fast charging and charge separation Industry-first dual-layer vapor chamber cooling with a 20,000 RPM turbofan USB 3.2 Gen 2 with video output and OTG support for seamless connectivity This tablet isn't for checking email and playing solitaire. It's a spec-heavy beast crafted for gamers, creatives, and multitaskers who want top-tier performance and portability without compromise. Image by RedMagic At the heart of the Astra is its 9.06-inch OLED screen, a feature that alone might sell the device for some. With a resolution of 2400 x 1504 px and a 165Hz refresh rate (this should mean a buttery-smooth experience), its brightness peaks at 1,600 nits, the company says. This is plenty for outdoor visibility, and the color contrast is said to be up to 1,000,000:1, which should be screen is framed by super thin 4.9mm bezels and delivers a screen-to-body ratio above 90 percent. It also comes with a custom touch chip for greater responsiveness and accuracy ("even when using sweaty hands", RedMagic underscores). This touch chip delivers 2,000Hz touch sampling for lag-free input. Finally, the display is certified for Low Blue Light and flicker-free viewing. I consider this an important part of any electronics gadget. Image by RedMagic Beneath that impressive screen is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the most powerful silicon yet to land in an Android tablet. The chipset utilizes up to 24 GB of fast LPDDR5T RAM and UFS 4.1 Pro storage. What this means is that instant app launches and seamless multitasking is expected right out of the box. I could easily keep 20 tabs open on this thing, should I choose to. What's more, users will take advantage of RedMagic's own RedCore R3 Pro coprocessor, which handles battery tuning, thermal management, and system rendering – leaving the main chip focused purely on performance. Image by RedMagic The tablet's advanced cooling system is another major plus: for things to run fast and smooth, even during long gaming sessions, the tablet must not get crazy hot. At the heart of the cooling system is a 13-layer setup called ICE-X, which includes a special material known as Liquid Metal 2.0. This stuff is super effective at pulling heat away from key parts like the CPU and battery once temperatures hit around 50 °C – similar to what you'd find in powerful gaming makes this setup even more impressive are the dual vapor chambers – one above and one below the main chip – which help spread the heat out quickly and evenly. This could result not only in a stable performance and a smooth gaming experience, but "up to a 13% increase in charging efficiency", RedMagic top it off, the Astra comes with a high-speed turbofan that spins at a wild 20,000 RPM. Its shark-fin blades and spiral-shaped air channels push out strong airflow quietly, while layers of graphene and copper insulation stop the tablet from getting too hot. The fan even lights up with customizable RGB effects, giving the whole system a gamer-friendly look, if you're into such aesthetics. Image by RedMagic The Astra ships with RedMagic OS 10.5 based on Android 15 and includes Google's AI Gemini, which supports everything from real-time translations to content creation assistance. The tablet is just as comfortable in a work setting as it is in a gaming den. Running on RedMagic OS 10.5 (based on Android 15 ), the Astra supports superfast data transfers through USB 3.2 Gen 2, with speeds up to 10 Gbps. You can also hook it up to a bigger screen using DisplayPort output, making it great for both work and entertainment. It includes fingerprint and face unlock for added security, and there's a handy Magic Key you can customize for quick access to your favorite tools. The tablet also offers USB On-The-Go (OTG) – this lets the tablet act like a computer by connecting directly to things like flash drives, game controllers, or keyboards—no extra adapter or computer needed. There's the X-Gravity Gaming Center that enhances mobile gameplay with features like ultra-low latency screen casting, peripheral support, and frame rate interpolation. Output can scale up to 8K at 60Hz or 2K at 240Hz, depending on your setup. Game compatibility is wide, supporting titles like COD Mobile, Genshin Impact, and Delta Force. Image by RedMagic The Astra comes with a huge 8,200mAh battery, giving you plenty of juice for long gaming sessions or movie marathons without constantly searching for a charger – ain't nobody got time for that. In real-world terms, you can get around 6.67 hours of Call of Duty Mobile, 5.56 hours of Genshin Impact, or 4.55 hours of PUBG before needing to recharge, RedMagic claims. And if you're just watching videos, it can keep going for up to 33 hours straight. This is plenty, but I certainly won't be using this gaming beast to watch 30 hours of YouTube!When it's time to power up, the Astra supports fast charging and can go from empty to full in just 64 minutes. It also includes a smart feature called charge separation, which helps reduce heat while plugged in and keeps the battery healthier over time. Image by RedMagic Sound is handled by dual symmetrical speakers, enhanced with DTS:X Ultra support for depth and clarity. Whether you're in a battle royal or a video call, the audio should be crisp and immersive. Complementing the sound is haptic feedback from dual x-axis motors, giving each interaction a tactile punch. Another major point for the slate in the eyes of serious add-ons include a stylus, screen protector, and folio case. A new RedMagic Gamepad is also on the way, offering Hall effect joysticks, RGB lighting, microswitch buttons, and programmable keys for a near-console-grade experience. It also supports RedMagic's external cooling RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet will be sold globally through official online stores, with early bird vouchers and discounts offered between July 10 and July 15, 2025. Early access opens July 15, and general sales begin July and pricing include: 12 GB RAM + 256 GB storage (Eclipse or Starfrost): $549 16 GB RAM + 512 GB storage (Eclipse or Starfrost): $699 24 GB RAM + 1 TB storage (Eclipse only): $899 The Early Bird Voucher is just $1 (or €1). Buyers who grab it can also snag a free 80W charger and RedMagic finger sleeves with their order. Availability spans North America, most of Europe, parts of Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, with store listings specific to each region. Secure your connection now at a bargain price! We may earn a commission if you make a purchase Check Out The Offer
Phone Arena
16-06-2025
- Phone Arena
The most powerful Android gaming tablet has a new name and a release date
Android tablet Receive the latest Android news By subscribing you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy Android tablet RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet retail package | Image credit: RedMagic Not many phones are using the Leading Version of Snapdragon 8 Elite, but there's one that everyone is familiar with, Samsung's Despite its compact chassis, RedMagic's Another tidbit revealed by RedMagic is that its new tablet comes with a fingerprint sensor, a feature that not many slates offer. The Astra Gaming Tablet will be available in multiple storage sizes including 12/256GB, 16/512GB, and 24GB/1TB. Fans who Not many phones are using the Leading Version of Snapdragon 8 Elite, but there's one that everyone is familiar with, Samsung's Galaxy S25 (the entire series). No tablet besides the RedMagic Astra Gaming Tablet takes advantage of this very powerful chip its compact chassis, RedMagic's gaming tablet packs a massive 8,200 mAh battery that features support for 80W wired charging speeds, the fastest in the industry for a tablet of its tidbit revealed by RedMagic is that its new tablet comes with a fingerprint sensor, a feature that not many slates Astra Gaming Tablet will be available in multiple storage sizes including 12/256GB, 16/512GB, and 24GB/1TB. Fans who sign up on the international website are offered the chance to win a full refund after they purchase the tablet. We've already reported about Nubia's new gaming tablet , RedMagic Tablet 3 Pro, which also happens to be the most powerfulavailable on the the RedMagic Tablet 3 Pro is now available for purchase in China for prices starting at 4,000 yuan ($550 / €480), which is an incredibly low amount considering its specs. We expect the tablet to cost a bit more when it launches globally, but not by of which, RedMagic confirmed recently that its powerful Android gaming tablet will be available internationally beginning July 1. The slate will also have a different name for global markets: RedMagic Astra Gaming tablet's dedicated page on RedMagic's official website doesn't reveal any information about the price, but we do know Astra will be available in either Eclipse Black or Starfrost many powerful Android tablets out there, Astra is a compact slate featuring a 9.06-inch OLED display with 2400 x 1504 pixels resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio and 165Hz refresh rate. In fact, this is the industry's first OLED gaming tablet, at least according to RedMagic. Apart from having an OLED panel, the Astra Gaming Tablet is also the industry's first to feature a display with 5280Hz ultra-high frequency PWM reason it's the most powerfulavailable on the market is because RedMagic is using Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Leading Version, which is a slightly overclocked version of the 'vanilla' model.
