RedMagic Astra Overview: This Is the Finest Gaming Pill You Can Purchase

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RedMagic Astra Pill

Execs

• Sturdy, compact design good for journey
• Glorious 165Hz OLED show
• Excessive-end Qualcomm chip delivers high efficiency
• A number of gaming-specific options

Cons

• No microSD slot for enlargement
• No software program replace ensures
• No included equipment
• Mediocre gaming battery life

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 a number of weeks of testing, I can safely say that whereas Lenovo’s little pill continues to be glorious, the Astra beats it in a few key areas. Crucial of them is efficiency: It is simply flat-out sooner 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 often inexpensive than the Astra, too). Nonetheless, 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’ Selection award winner.

Flagship {hardware}

I completely loved the Legion Tab’s design, and it satisfied me of the advantages of your entire type issue. Whilst somebody who enjoys cellular gaming, I actually do not like carrying round a large cellphone in every single place I am going, so having one thing that is large enough to sport on with out being as massive as an iPad or Galaxy Tab, and particularly a laptop computer, is fairly nice.

Although barely bigger, the Astra nonetheless completely matches that in-between house for me. It has a 9-inch display, however RedMagic packed it right into a small, modern pill that may actually slot in my again pocket. The design is paying homage 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the bezels are symmetrical and solely 4.9mm large, slimmer than the iPad Mini’s, which makes Apple’s littlest pill look outdated.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) haven’t got one. The front-facing digital camera helps face unlock (just for the pill itself) and, at 9 megapixels, is completely high-quality for streaming or video chatting.

The one rear 13-megapixel digital camera is appropriate, however not far more than that. It is high-quality if you could use it, however RedMagic has by no means been identified 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 possibly can 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 much like what you’d get within the $550 Legion Tab Gen 3 (although the Legion often 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 fingers a few of the gaming-specific duties from the principle 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 charge. It additionally will get as much as 1,600 nits peak brightness, which is greater than vibrant sufficient if you end up caught within the solar. I would say it is among the best screens I’ve seen on a pill and unbelievable for any sport. (By comparability, the iPad Mini’s display has a pixel density of 326 ppi). 

Powering all of that is an 8,200-milliampere-hour battery with help for as much as 80-watt quick charging. I simply bought by 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 nice, however you will not get that whereas gaming solely. The one draw back is that there is no such thing as a charger within the field, though you must be capable of 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 far more costly gadget. The Astra’s audio system are high-quality 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 selection

RedMagic made a reasonably odd design selection with the Astra by offsetting the USB-C port towards the highest of the pill. This implies the ability button is now located immediately throughout from the USB-C port, so if you happen to attempt to use a USB-C controller, you may seemingly 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 problem. (RedMagic would in all probability admire 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 nearly turned even higher for me, so I did not have to carry it as a lot. Your mileage might fluctuate right here, and I do perceive how uncomfortable it is likely to be for some, however I might say do not knock it until you strive it.

I requested RedMagic why it used this structure, and an organization consultant stated the top-mounted USB-C retains the charging cable from getting in the best way of your fingers whereas it is charging, so you may nonetheless play whereas plugged in with none points. That is sensible 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 would even be prepared to wager that regardless that this can be a gamer-focused pill, the client knowledge RedMagic has exhibits that way more folks play with no controller than with one.

All of the efficiency you possibly can need

As you would possibly count on from the spec sheet, this factor simply flies by something you throw at it. Other than gaming, I used it as a traditional pill as effectively, which included shopping, researching new automobiles (I bought rear-ended, in order that’s been enjoyable), some YouTube and emails. As anticipated, every little thing I did was easy and quick. No points.

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

All the preferred video games I attempted ran nice on the highest potential framerates. I persistently hit 120 frames per second on Name of Responsibility: Cellular, and RedMagic has promised excessive refresh help for different fashionable video games, together with PUBG, Delta Drive and League of Legends.

RedMagic’s Sport Middle software program even permits you to enhance body charges in supported video games like Genshin Influence. On cellular, Genshin at present solely natively helps 60fps, however the Astra can enhance the body charge to 120fps by the Sport Middle software program.

Additionally, with its high-speed wi-fi, streaming video games by Sport Go or PlayStation Distant Play ran effectively, making the Astra a really 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 stunned with the Astra’s out-of-the-box software program expertise. Even only a few 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.

Nonetheless, there’s a first rate quantity of bloatware, however most of it is simply eliminated, and the remainder of it’s a fairly clear construct of Android. Aside from the Sport Area, it isn’t too completely different from what you’d discover on most some other Android pill as of late. There are a number of translation errors scattered round, but it surely’s definitely far more usable than it was even only a couple years in the past. RedMagic deserves some credit score for the way a lot progress it is made.

The place it nonetheless falls woefully behind, nevertheless, 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 following two or three years, and there is a probability you may get stunned 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 would 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 nearly definitely will — I am not too upset concerning 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 bundle of equipment within the field, you may be dissatisfied. As I discussed earlier, there is no charger included, however RedMagic will sell you one for $29.90. A display 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 help, RedMagic does not at present 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 protector and folio case included with the pill, and you may 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 solution to sport on the go

As of proper now, I’ve not examined some 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 will discover it on sale, it is value it, however at $549, the Astra is hands-down the higher possibility.

The iPad Mini has big 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 additional for any equipment if you would like them. However if you happen to’re all in on cellular gaming, there is no such thing as a higher gadget for it proper now than the Astra.