REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: This Is Peak Mobile Gaming

From underdog to top contender, REDMAGIC isn’t just playing games they’re changing the game. Fresh off our glowing review of the REDMAGIC Astra, it’s clear this brand is a force to be reckoned with in the mobile gaming arena. But hold up, REDMAGIC’s ambition stretches beyond phones. They’re diving headfirst into the PC gaming world too, armed with laptops, keyboards, monitors, and mice designed to dominate. This isn’t just a mobile revolution; it’s a full-scale gaming invasion.

Forget squinting at tiny phone screens! REDMAGIC doubles down on mobile gaming with the Astra tablet, aiming for that elusive "Goldilocks zone" of portable immersion. At 9 inches, the Astra offers a battlefield upgrade from your phone’s cramped display, without sacrificing on-the-go convenience. Remember gaming on those prehistoric, sub-7-inch screens? We’ve come a long way. But REDMAGIC argues that biggerisbetter, hitting a visual sweet spot around the 8-9 inch mark for peak mobile gaming bliss. The Astra isn’t flawless, but it swings for the fences. But at $549.99, the question remains: Does this tablet deliver a knockout punch, or is it just another contender? Let’s dissect the REDMAGIC Astra and see if it earns its keep.

Table of Contents

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Specs
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Hardware and Design
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Display
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Battery Life and Charging
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Performance
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Software
REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Camera
Should you buy the REDMAGIC Astra gaming tablet?

Specs

REDMAGIC Astra

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REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Hardware and Design

REDMAGIC’s designs have always caught my eye, but the all-glass aesthetic never fully won me over. The Astra tablet, however, strikes a different chord. Gone is the overwhelming glass back, replaced by a striking metal chassis punctuated by a bold, banner-like strip across the top in landscape mode. This isn’t just a decorative element; it’s a statement. Subtle gamer-centric details – "vapor chamber," "composite liquid metal" – and the prominent REDMAGIC and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite logos hint at the power within. The matte metal finish feels incredible, smooth and premium to the touch. Yes, fingerprints are a minor nuisance, but a quick wipe with a microfiber cloth keeps this masterpiece pristine.

The design’s slim profile is a revelation. While the Legion Tab Gen 3’s dimensions initially edged out my preference, the tablet’s 9.06-inch frame has proven to be a sweet spot. It’s perfectly hand-holdable, avoiding that unwieldy feeling some tablets suffer from, which drastically impacts its weight. Hours melt away during gaming sessions without a hint of fatigue – a crucial win in my book. Beyond comfort, its incredible thinness is a visual delight and a practical marvel. It effortlessly slides into any bag I own. It even nests perfectly within my crossbody bags designed for a Nintendo Switch OLED and ROG Ally X, respectively.

This tablet boasts dual stereo speakers and a singular USB-C port – a modern setup, yet the omission of a 3.5mm audio jack feels like a step back for wired headphone aficionados. My only true design quibble? The off-center USB-C port.

It’s a minor detail, but when paired with my Razer Kishi Ultra or V3 Pro, the asymmetry becomes apparent. The Astra nestles in, but in landscape, the port’s top-right placement disrupts the controller’s balance ever so slightly. Functionally sound, aesthetically… less so.

REDMAGIC’s logic is clear: centering the speakers takes precedence, minimizing accidental muffling. While I personally yearn for front-facing speakers and a centered port, I appreciate the strategic trade-off.

The left side is barren, a minimalist canvas. The right side houses the volume rocker and the gateway to REDMAGIC’s gaming hub – the "Magic Key." Up top, the power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The design, in its entirety, is robust. Ultimately, my only wish is a more considerate USB-C placement. But truthfully, it’s a nitpick, born more from personal preference than practical necessity.

REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Display

LCDs are fine for mobile gaming. I stand by that. Lenovo’s Legion Tab Gen 3 proved it – games looked good, colors popped. End of story, right? Not quite. Then the REDMAGIC Astra’s OLED landed. Suddenly, those inky blacks and vibrant hues weren’t just nice; they were game-changing. If you’re an OLED devotee, prepare to be converted all over again. This tablet is your holy grail.

While the AStra tablet’s 2400 x 1504 resolution dips slightly below the Legion Tab Gen 3, the difference is negligible in real-world use. The screens are simply too similar in size for the disparity to matter. However, what truly sets the AStra apart is its blindingly bright display. Forget OLED’s inky blacks for a moment; the AStra boasts a scorching 1600 nit peak brightness and a sustained 1100 nit full-screen brightness. The Legion Tab Gen 3 pales in comparison. In sun-drenched rooms, this extra luminosity isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a game-changer.

Obsessed with responsiveness? The Astra delivers. We’re talking a blistering 165Hz refresh rate and a mind-blowing 2,000Hz touch sampling rate, with a 240Hz multi-finger rate to boot. Translation: every tap, swipe, and frantic finger dance is instantly registered. Thumb-only warrior? Astra has you covered. Multi-finger maestro? Prepare to be amazed. In the heat of competitive battles, where milliseconds matter, this responsiveness isn’t just a luxury – it’s a weapon.

This display isn’t just excellent; it’s a portal to pure gaming bliss. The colors explode with vibrancy, the size immerses you completely, and the brightness cuts through any glare. But the real magic lies in the silky-smooth refresh rate and lightning-fast touch sampling – a combo that transforms every tap and swipe into a competitive edge. Honestly, finding fault with this screen is like searching for a cloud in a hurricane of awesome.

REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Battery Life and Charging

"In the heat of battle, the last thing a gamer wants is a low-battery warning. Whether you’re clutching a phone, wielding a handheld, or commanding a tablet, battery life reigns supreme. We’re not talking a measly hour here; we’re talking serious game time – a few hours at the bare minimum. Personally, that’s my sweet spot on most devices. But when it comes to a powerhouse like the REDMAGIC Astra, I demand endurance. I need a battery that laughs in the face of all-day gaming and still begs for more."

The Astra isn’t just good for mobile gaming; it’s a powerhouse. Forget constantly hunting for outlets. I’m routinely pulling 10, sometimes even 12, hours of screen-on time. I recently sunk three straight hours into a graphically intense game, and the battery barely flinched. This isn’t just a device; it’s a marathon runner.

| Device | Battery Life | Charging | | — | — | — | | REDMAGIC Astra | 12:39:02 | 1:31:49 | | Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 | 8:15:37 | 48:11 |

Boasting a hefty 8,200mAh battery, the Astra promised stamina. To put it to the test, I unleashed a 24-hour YouTube marathon. The result? A solid 12 hours and 39 minutes of non-stop video playback before the low-battery warning flashed – a testament to its impressive power cell.

Even after a solid day of mixed usage think intense gaming sessions intertwined with casual browsing and YouTube binges the Astra consistently clocks out with a respectable 40% battery reserve. Translation: this thing’s got stamina. Now, if you’re planning an all-day gaming marathon? Prepare to plug in. But for the average user, the Astra offers worry-free power that easily lasts from sunrise to bedtime.

Charging speeds

From empty to full in just 91 minutes? That’s all it took to resurrect this battery from the dead. Less than two hours and you’re back in business, fully charged and ready to roll. Not bad at all for a battery this size.

REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Performance

Let’s cut to the chase: the REDMAGIC Astra’s specs scream powerhouse. But specs only tell half the story. We pushed this tablet to its limits, just like any other contender, to see if it truly delivers. For me, the real test is gaming. Forget work – if I weren’t reviewing this, I’d be lost in digital worlds. Sure, it can handle video and reading, but let’s be honest, my phone usually wins that battle. So, buckle up, because our performance deep-dive starts where it matters most: in the heat of the game.

Cranking up the graphics onDelta Force, plunging into the vibrant world ofGenshin Impact, and battling demons inDiablo Immortal– this tablet devoured them all. Forget compromises; we’re talking max settings, mobile performance redefined. Yes, after a marathon gaming session, the REDMAGIC Astra gets a little toasty. But what do you expect when you unleash the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the undisputed king of mobile chipsets, encased in sleek metal (and a sliver of glass)? This isn’t just hardware; it’s a thermal balancing act, a symphony of power pushing the limits of portable gaming.

Even when pushing its limits, you’ll barely feel the heat. REDMAGIC’s Enhanced Ice-X cooling system, complete with a vapor chamber and a high-speed micro fan, aggressively combats thermal buildup. Smart engineering strategically positions heat-generating components away from your natural grip, ensuring comfortable gameplay. The hottest action stays on the screen, not in your hands.

Beyond the thrill of button-mashing gameplay, we subject this tablet to a gauntlet of benchmark tests, pitting its theoretical horsepower against the titans of the tablet world.

Benchmarks

We don’t just review devices; we push them to their absolute limits with a gauntlet of rigorous benchmark tests. First, we unleash the fury of 3DMark’s Wildlife Extreme Stress Test, then dissect processing power with Geekbench 6’s CPU and GPU challenges. AnTuTu 3D Benchmark cranks up the visual intensity, but the real trial comes with our in-house CapCut test: a one-minute 4K video exported at a blistering 60 frames per second. We clock every millisecond, revealing which devices truly conquer the demands of real-world creative tasks.

| Device | Geekbench 6 Single-Core | Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | Geekbench 6 GPU | | — | — | — | — | | REDMAGIC Astra | 3,099 | 7,870 | 19,509 | | Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 | 2,190 | 6,765 | 14,569 | | OnePlus Pad 3 | 2,994 | 9,044 | 19,178 |

The REDMAGIC Astra blazes past the competition in Geekbench testing. Its single-core score of 3,099 leaves every tablet we’ve tested in the dust, save for the M4-powered 13-inch iPad Pro. The Astra continues to impress with a multi-core score of 7,870, outperforming the vast majority of its rivals, surpassed only by the M4 iPad Pro and the OnePlus Pad 3. Finally, the GPU score is an impressive 19,509.

The 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test pushed the system to its limits. It roared, peaking at a loop score of 6,283, then dipped to a low of 5,520. Ultimately, it demonstrated a stability of 87.9% a testament to its resilience under intense pressure.

The Astra blazed through AnTuTu, notching a staggering 2,604,996. It didn’t just perform well; itdominated. And in a real-world trial, the Astra rendered a CapCut video in a blistering 19.86 seconds, showcasing its speed and power.

Thermals

Beyond frame rates and benchmark scores, we push devices to their absolute limit, scrutinizing their thermal performance under intense gaming pressure to reveal how they truly handle the heat.

| Device | Temperature | | — | — | | REDMAGIC Astra | 110.4 | | Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 | 111.7 | | OnePlus Pad 3 | 93 |

3DMark Temperatures

Cranking up the heat on the Astra, we subjected it to a gauntlet of thermal tests. First, the brutal 3DMark Wildlife Extreme Stress Test pushed it to its limits. Next, we immersed ourselves in the vibrant world of Genshin Impact, maxing out the graphics for an hour-long gaming marathon. Finally, we turned videographers, recording in stunning 4K and monitoring temperatures at the 5 and 10-minute marks. After the 3DMark trial by fire, the Astra registered a scorching 110.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

| Device | Temperature at 5 Min. | Temperature at 10 Min. | | — | — | — | | REDMAGIC Astra | 89.3 | 92.1 | | Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 | 87.1 | 88.3 |

Video Recording Temperatures

After the video recording, it was at 89.3 after 5 minutes, and at 92.1 after 10 minutes.

| Device | Temperature | | — | — | | REDMAGIC Astra | 97.1 | | Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 | 103.8 |

Genshin Impact Temperatures

Pushing the limits with Genshin Impact, cranked to max settings for 90 minutes, transformed this tablet into a portable furnace, hitting a scorching 97.1 degrees. The only truly uncomfortable heatwave occurred during the 3DMark gauntlet, but even then, while it was toasty enough to make me think twice about prolonged contact, it remained hand-holdable. In short: Game on! This tablet laughs in the face of thermal throttling worries.

REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Software

Stepping from the REDMAGIC 10S Pro to this device feels like supersizing your favorite gaming experience. The core REDMAGIC DNA remains – expect the same bold software quirks and customization options we explored earlier this year. The real thrill? Seeing it all splashed across a larger, more immersive display. While the underlying code echoes its predecessor, the sheer scale of the screen amplifies every game, every tweak, every visual flourish. It’s the familiar REDMAGIC experience, but on a grander, more captivating stage.

Forget the bloatware! The REDMAGIC tablet delivers a near-pure Android experience, a refreshing contrast to heavily modified interfaces. The only splash of personality? The settings menus, bursting with vibrant, custom-designed icons. But the real magic lies in Game Space. A flick of the dedicated hardware switch perfectly positioned on the lower-right edge unleashes a gaming-centric environment, optimized for peak performance.

Transform your tablet into a gaming powerhouse with Game Space! Think of it as mission control for your entire gaming arsenal. Game Space doesn’t just list your installed games; it’s your central hub for launching into epic adventures. Fine-tune performance settings, overclock your GPU, unleash the cooling power of the tablet’s fan, and personalize your interface – all within this optimized environment. If gaming is your primary focus, consider Game Space your new digital playground. Live in it. Own it. Conquer it.

Astra’s user interface feels instantly familiar, a comfortable echo of recent Android experiences. Similar to the REDMAGIC 10S Pro, the software is surprisingly polished – so much so, it feels like nitpicking to even suggest improvements.

REDMAGIC Astra Ultimate Review: Camera

The camera? Let’s be honest, you’re not buying a tablet for its photographic prowess. Think of it as a backup, a "just-in-case" snapper. The onboard camera app offers the usual suspects – your standard filters and settings. Image quality? Functional. Colors arealmostthere, bordering on acceptable. This camera won’t replace your phone, nor will it deliver professional-grade results, but in a pinch, when your phone battery is dead and a moment needs capturing, it’s better than nothing. Just manage your expectations.

The camera? Let’s just say it’s there. Macro and portrait modes are MIA, so kiss those close-up masterpieces and flattering portraits goodbye. Zooming in? Prepare for pixelated regret at 5x. Remember, this is a tablet, not a DSLR, and the sensors reflect that. Think of it as a last resort for photos when your phone is MIA. The front camera? Perfectly adequate for video calls. Honestly, for serious snaps, stick to your phone. Your memories will thank you.

Should you buy the REDMAGIC Astra gaming tablet?

Forget compromises. If mobile gaming fuels your soul, the Astra is your ignition switch. This isn’t just a tablet that plays games; it’s a portal to immersive worlds. Imagine vibrant graphics exploding on a stunning display, powered by a beastly chipset and mountains of RAM. Lag? A distant memory. Storage woes? Vanished. The Astra is a marvel of sleek design, thin, light, and packing a screen size that hits the sweet spot for both gaming domination and everyday tablet use. It’s an experience teetering on perfection, made even more enticing by its approachable price. At a starting point of $599, the Astra puts high-octane mobile gaming within reach. If you’ve got the cash, consider it an investment in pure, unadulterated gaming bliss.

The REDMAGIC Astra isn’t replacing my trusty Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3. I’m glued to my USB-C mobile controller, obsessed with that perfectly centered tablet feel. The Astra’s top-aligned USB-C port in landscape? Drives me nuts – it throws off the balance. BUT, if you’re not as OCD as I am, or you snag REDMAGIC’s own controller, this tablet becomes a serious contender. Ditch the controller altogether? Prepare to be amazed.

Buy the REDMAGIC Astra if:

You want your mobile games to be separate from your phone
You’re looking for something affordable but want top-notch specs
You want good battery life

Don’t buy the REDMAGIC Astra if:

You’re fine with playing games on your phone
You already have a pretty decent tablet for gaming
You want a bigger screen

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