Pros & Cons
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- Excellent performance
- Gorgeous screen
- High-quality build
- RGB lighting
- Splashproof
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- Only three years of updates in US
- Average cameras
- Limited AI features
RedMagic Astra Specs
| Battery Life | 9 hours, 30 minutes |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Dimensions | 5.28 by 8.15 by 0.27 inches |
| Operating System | Android 15 |
| Screen Resolution | 2,400 by 1,504 pixels |
| Screen Size | 9.06 |
| Storage Capacity | 256 |
| Weight | 0.82 |
The RedMagic Astra (starting at $549) is a compact tablet built for gamers who want top-tier performance. Its ultra-responsive display delivers instant touch feedback, while its Snapdragon processor ensures smooth and consistent gameplay. We are also impressed by its vivid colors, deep contrast, long battery life, fast connectivity, and distinctive design. As a dedicated mobile gaming device, the RedMagic Astra excels across the board. However, for $50 less, the $499.99 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE remains our Editors’ Choice for Android tablets at this price, thanks to its larger screen, S Pen stylus, Galaxy AI features, and significantly longer software support period.
Design: Compact and Well-Built
The RedMagic Astra is a small gaming tablet positioned above the RedMagic Nova ($499) in the company's lineup. It measures 8.15 by 5.28 by 0.27 inches (HWD) and weighs 13.06 ounces. For comparison, the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3 ($549.99) is a little larger at 8.21 by 5.10 by 0.31 inches, but lighter at 12.32 ounces. Meanwhile, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE is larger overall, measuring 10.01 by 6.53 by 0.24 inches and weighing 17.53 ounces.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)RedMagic sells the Astra in Eclipse (black) and Starfrost (silver). In hand, the Astra feels dense and rigid—this is a well-built tablet. While the edges and back are flat metal, the rounded corners are comfortable against your palms.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protects the Astra's screen, which has a small, uniform bezel around it and a selfie camera on one long edge. A combined power button and fingerprint sensor is on the left edge, along with a speaker grille. The sensor works reliably for unlocking the tablet.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)A single USB-C port (3.2 Gen 2) and a second speaker grille are on the right edge. The volume rocker and Magic Key (which opens RedMagic's gaming hub) are on the top. The outer frame and back panel are made of metal, though the rear features a large, rectangular high-strength glass window that covers the camera, flash, RGB lights, and various logos. You can configure the lights to flash during media playback or in other apps. They don't add functionality, but they do add a fun bit of flair.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)The RedMagic Astra is rated IP54, so it can withstand dust and light splashes of water. This rating is better than the Legion Tab's (IP52), but the Galaxy Tab S10 FE (IP68) is fully waterproof.
Display: Just Gorgeous
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)The Astra has a 9.06-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,400 by 1,504 pixels, a refresh rate up to 165Hz, and a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. Its screen animates content fluidly, while the high brightness makes it easy to see indoors and out. Images pop thanks to true blacks and high contrast, though reflections can be an issue.
Since this is a gaming tablet, responsiveness is important. RedMagic claims the display's touch sampling rate is 2,000Hz, while its multi-finger response is 240Hz. It responds quickly to touch input, which makes the tablet feel snappy. For context, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE has a 10.9-inch LCD with a 90Hz refresh rate, whereas the Legion Tab has an 8.8-inch LCD that refreshes at up to 165Hz.
Performance: Pushes the Envelope
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)The Astra is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, which is also found in high-end phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 ($799). The base version of the Astra comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage ($549), and a stepped-up model has 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage ($699). The top-of-the-line model is equipped with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage ($899), but it is only available in the Eclipse (black) color option. The tablet doesn't support memory cards. The Astra features RedMagic's ICE-X cooling system, comprising 13 layers that reduce core temperatures and enhance cooling efficiency.
My review unit had 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. To gauge its performance, I compared it with the Galaxy Tab S10 FE (Samsung Exynos 1580) and the Legion Tab (Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3). The Astra blew them away.
(Credit: Geekbench/PCMark/PCMag)On Geekbench 6, which measures raw computing power, the Astra earned a single-core score of 3,143 and a multi-core score of 8,327. The Legion Tab performed well, scoring 2,266 and 7,126, while the Galaxy Tab S10 FE lagged behind with scores of 1,358 and 3,886.
On the PCMark Work 3.0 test, which measures a device's ability to handle common tasks, the Astra scored 28,660. The Legion Tab came close with 25,228, while the S10 FE managed a comparatively paltry 13,361.
For gaming performance, I use the GFXBench Aztec Ruins test. On this test, the Astra managed 60 frames per second (fps), which matches the Legion Tab. Meanwhile, the S10 FE ran at just 15fps.
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(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)To assess real-world gaming performance, I test with Genshin Impact, since it is a demanding game. During a 15-minute gaming session with the graphics settings at their highest and the frame rate at 60fps, the Astra produced smooth animations and gameplay. I did not see any dropped frames and didn't experience any slowdowns, even with multiple characters on the screen. The area below the camera module became slightly warm, but remained comfortable to the touch.
Battery Life: Plenty of Time to Play
The Astra's 8,200mAh battery charges at up to 66W when plugged into an appropriate charger, but the tablet doesn't include one. In PCMag's battery rundown test, I stream a 1080p video on the tablet with the screen set to full brightness, and the Astra lasted 9 hours and 30 minutes. For comparison, the Legion Tab lasted 15 minutes longer.
When connected to a fast charger, the Astra reached 29% in 15 minutes, 56% in 30 minutes, and 100% in 1 hour and 20 minutes. The tablet also supports bypass charging, which means you can power it for gaming by plugging it in without actually charging the battery. This helps reduce heat while gaming and preserve battery health.
Connections: Fast and Consistent
For connectivity, the slate supports Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 6. When connected to a Wi-Fi 6 access point, the Astra reached peak speeds of 496Mbps down and 21.7Mbps up. In the same spot, the Galaxy S10 FE+ hit 337Mbps down and 22.3Mbps up. When I took the tablets to the limits of my Wi-Fi network, the RedMagic managed 347Mbps down and 22.3Mbps up, while the Samsung reached 289Mbps down and 20.4Mbps up. I didn't experience any dropped connections while testing the Astra.
Audio: Acceptable, But Unexceptional
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)The Astra features stereo speakers that support DTS:X Ultra for "powerful sound." DTS is on by default, and it does help improve audio richness. When off, things sound noticeably thinner.
At its highest volume, the Astra reached 92.4dB when playing Metallica's "Enter Sandman." That is loud enough to fill a small room, but I would not call the sound powerful. The Astra could not reproduce the lowest bass notes in our test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout." Since there is no headphone jack, a pair of Bluetooth headphones would go a long way to improving the audio experience, particularly while gaming.
Cameras: About Average for a Tablet
The Astra's cameras should be fine for quick snaps or videos. The rear 13MP camera captures a fair amount of detail with good color, though photos are on the flat side. The 9MP front-facing camera produces photos with washed-out color and weak detail.
Rear video recording is limited to a resolution of 4K at 30 frames per second (fps), while the front-facing camera supports 1080p at 30fps. A rolling shutter effect was visible in video captured by the rear camera, while the front-facing camera captured grainy footage in testing.
Software: Customized for Gaming
The Astra runs Android 15 with RedMagic OS 10.5 atop it. The tablet gets three years of support in the US, but five in the EU. For comparison, Lenovo promises three major OS updates and four years of security patches for its Legion Tab, while Samsung backs the Tab S10 FE with seven years of OS and security updates.
(Credit: RedMagic/PCMag)RedMagic's version of Android is mostly stock, but includes settings for its Magic Key, cooling fan, and lights. RedMagic's Game Lobby app is the central hub for your titles. It lets you customize your experience on a game-by-game basis.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)The Super Base section gives you access to plug-ins, behavioral learning capabilities, and Mora, RedMagic's animated mascot. By default, Mora is styled as an anime woman and can live within the app or as a layer on your home screen. However, there is no need to interact with it if you choose not to.
(Credit: Iyaz Akhtar)While gaming, you can call up RedMagic's dashboard by swiping from the left or right edge of the screen. It shows the stats about your CPU and GPU, lets you switch between performance modes, provides quick access to other apps, and more. The dashboard is a useful way to get things done quickly without taking you out of your game.
AI tools are limited. The tablet includes Google's Circle to Search and the mobile Gemini app. That's about it; there are no other specialized AI features. If AI is important to you, the Samsung tablet is the best option.