Redmagic Astra Review: Mini But Mighty Gaming Tablet

At a look

Knowledgeable’s Ranking

Professionals

• Nice efficiency
• Pretty OLED show
• Good battery life
• Compact and comfy design

Cons

• Primary cameras
• No quick charger within the field
• Solely 3 years of software program assist within the US

Our Verdict

The Redmagic Astra is an enthralling little machine that also packs an enormous punch. The compact body is snug to carry for lengthy gaming classes, which is what you’ll be doing loads, because it’s laborious to place down. It’s the most effective small Android pill you should buy proper now.

Value When Reviewed

This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined

Finest Pricing Immediately

Value When Reviewed

From $549

Finest Costs Immediately: Redmagic Astra

$799

Nubia’s Redmagic is a model synonymous with gaming smartphones, together with the spectacular. Redmagic 10S Professional. However just lately, it’s been dipping its toes within the pill market.

The lineup has now been added to with the compact Astra, which boasts flagship processors, an OLED show and a complicated cooling system, all inside a small body. So, is much less actually extra? I’ve extensively examined it, and listed here are my detailed ideas.

Design & Construct

• Compact and comfy metallic development
• 207mm x 134.2mm x 6.9mm; 370g
• IP54 water and mud resistance

After I reviewed the Redmagic Nova gaming pill at the beginning of 2025, I used to be impressed with the general really feel and high quality of the product.

Nevertheless, if there was one space that I want to have seen enchancment from a design standpoint, it might be dimension. The ten.9-inch panel within the Nova meant that the general dimensions had been larger than I felt snug with for longer gaming classes – at the least for my arthritic fingers.

Martyn Casserly

Redmagic appears to have learn my thoughts, although, because the Astra is a much more compact machine, and I believe that’s an actual enchancment. That is aided by the smaller 9.06-inch show and skinny 4.9mm bezels that permit Redmagic to slim the dimensions to at least one that’s not solely balanced sufficient to carry for prolonged durations, but additionally mild sufficient to cease my arms aching.

Right here’s how the 2 evaluate when it comes to dimensions:

• Redmagic Nova Gaming Pill – 253.3mm x 164.6mm x 7.3 mm; 530g
• Redmagic Astra Gaming Pill – 207mm x 134.2mm x 6.9mm; 370g

As with its predecessor, the Astra contains a metallic physique with a futuristic patterned band on the rear that’s additionally house to the one digicam lens, flash, plus a round view of the fan that options RGB lights. The Redmagic brand additionally has lights beneath, the colors of which will be customised within the settings.

Martyn Casserly

On the perimeters, there are twin audio system, which have a DTS:X Extremely certification for multi-dimensional audio.

The facility button has a fingerprint sensor embedded, and it labored persistently nicely all through my time with the Astra. There are additionally quantity controls and the USB-C charging port.

Common Redmagic customers will know that the pink change on the highest edge is there to launch the corporate’s devoted Recreation Area software program, however now you can additionally customise it in settings to set off different instructions as an alternative.

Martyn Casserly

As a compact and light-weight pill, it’s going up in opposition to the likes of the iPad Mini and Galaxy Tab A9, nevertheless it undoubtedly feels extra premium than the latter. An IP54 ranking means it will possibly survive a number of splashes, however don’t take the Astra into the bathtub for a session of Genshin Impression or it might not make it out alive.

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The Redmagic Astra is available in two colors – Eclipse (Black) or Starfrost (Silver).

If you wish to add a case, Redmagic presents the bespoke Astra Pill Magnetic Folio case for $32.90/$38.90 (round £28). Do you have to fancy turning the pill into one thing akin to a Nintendo Change, there’s the Gamepad case, which provides controllers to both facet of the Astra and prices £109/$129.

Display screen & Audio system

• 9.06-inch OLED show
• 2.4k decision, 165Hz refresh price
• Twin audio system, however no 3.5mm headphone jack

Whereas the OLED 9.06-inch panel within the Astra could also be smaller than that of the IPS one within the Nova, it has some impressively beefed-up specs compared. The two.4K (2,400 x 1,504) decision means the show is pin-sharp, with the 165Hz refresh price conserving scrolling and on-screen motion buttery easy.

Response occasions are additionally spectacular, because of the 240Hz contact sampling price and a pair of,000Hz immediate contact sampling price, which means there’s by no means any noticeable lag, together with whereas gaming.

Martyn Casserly

It’s additionally a lot brighter than the Nova, which topped out at 550 nits, as Redmagic states that the height brightness on the Astra goes as much as an eye-burning 1,600 nits. Usually use, I measured the brightness at round 810 nits, which is sufficient to deal with sunny days and half blind you when inside.

Even with the slim 4.9mm bezels that give the Astra its 90.1% screen-to-body ratio, the front-facing digicam is mercifully stored off the display screen, so there’s no punch-holes or notches to interrupt the gaming or video playback – essential on a smaller show.

It additionally doubles up properly as an amazing machine for studying books or graphic novels, because the detailed panel boasts wealthy and balanced colors.

Martyn Casserly

Unintentional display screen presses are at all times one thing to fret about when you might have such a small off-screen space to carry, however the Astra did a great job of ignoring my non-dominant hand after I was working the machine. Nevertheless, a number of menus by accident selected the mistaken choice after I adjusted my grip.

The dual audio system present a great stage of quantity and keep away from being tinny or shrill. The positioning of them on the high and backside does imply you must watch out to not cowl them utterly throughout gaming classes, however the light-weight design prevented me from gripping too laborious and muffling the sound.

Sadly, there’s no 3.5mm jack on the Astra, so if you wish to use headphones, you’ll need to depend on the Bluetooth 5.4 connection. Nevertheless, this isn’t an enormous shock in 2025.

Specs & Efficiency

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
• Redmagic RedCore R3 Professional devoted gaming processor
• Liquid Steel 2.0 cooling

Redmagic’s gaming smartphones usually include the most recent, strongest chips, and it’s no totally different this time round.

The Astra will get the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, Qualcomm’s flagship from 2024. That is accompanied by a Redmagic RedCore R3 Professional devoted gaming chip to deal with the livid computations demanded by at this time’s AAA titles.

They show a mighty mixture, as my exploits in Genshin Impression, Asphalt Legends, and a wide range of different video games all went unhampered by slowdowns or any noticeable dropped frames. All the things labored easily and with out incident – the Astra acquired out of the way in which and let me benefit from the video games with out worrying about any efficiency points, which was very reassuring.

Martyn Casserly

I had heard some reviews concerning the Snapdragon 8 Elite probably having overheating points, however I didn’t expertise that in gaming classes. This may very well be because of the ICE X cooling system within the Astra, which options Redmagic’s newest Liquid Steel 2.0 temperature management.

This strikes the liquid metallic to straight above the CPU itself, positioned between stacked vapour chambers, permitting for extra environment friendly warmth dissipation and serving to stop the chip from cooking itself when underneath heavy load. A 20,000RPM fan additionally strikes sizzling air away from the essential areas so the Astra can run cool.

It did appear to do its job very nicely, with no nice enhance in temperature after I was taking part in video games. Issues did get hotter, however not a lot that it made me fear or really feel uncomfortable holding the machine.

The one exception was whereas downloading giant recordsdata over Wi-Fi (the machine has assist for WiFi 7), as this left the Astra feeling highly regarded to the contact. Possibly this can be a state of affairs that isn’t coated within the software program, however I wouldn’t have needed to carry the pill for very lengthy whereas it was that sizzling.  

Reminiscence and storage are additionally premium, with the Astra utilizing LPDDR5T and UFS 4.1, which come within the following configurations:

• 12GB/256GB (Eclipse/Starfrost)
• 16GB/512GB (Eclipse/Starfrost)
• 24GB/1TB (Eclipse)

Redmagic Astra benchmarks

Right here’s how the Redmagic Astra pill fared in opposition to its rivals in our customary benchmark checks:

Cameras

• 13Mp rear
• 9Mp entrance
• Common outcomes

The cameras are very primary on the Astra, with a single 13Mp shooter on the rear and a 9Mp lens unit on the entrance.

Outcomes are satisfactory in ok mild, however actually, you’ll be higher off utilizing whichever telephone you might have as your essential digicam. Because of the single lens, you don’t even get a portrait mode for blurred backgrounds, and the 2x and 5x zooms are simply cropping, so that you lose important element.

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Pictures from the entrance digicam had been usually washed out and a bit hazy. Usable for video calling, however not for a lot else.

The Redmagic Astra has many nice options, as you’ll be able to see from the remainder of the assessment, however don’t even take into consideration shopping for it for the cameras.

Listed here are a number of photographs to see what you are able to do with the cameras:

Battery & Charging

• 8,200mAh battery with quick charging
• Stable battery life
• 80W charging, however no charger within the field

Because of the small dimension of the Astra, you received’t discover the ten,100mAh battery that got here with the Nova, however Redmagic nonetheless manages to suit an 8,200mAh cell into its diminutive pill.

Battery life can also be very strong, with a one-hour gaming session lowering the cost by round 15%-20%, relying on which sport I used to be taking part in. Clearly, this can range attributable to many components – together with display screen brightness, whether or not you’re on-line and the way graphically demanding the sport is – however for me, I might get round 4-5 hours of gaming from a single cost, which is similar to that of the Nova.

In our customary PCMark battery take a look at, the Astra scored a time of 6 hours and 27 minutes, which is completely acceptable for a cell of this dimension. I don’t have any battery life considerations by any means.  

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The Astra helps 80W quick charging, however there’s no charger included within the field, so that you’ll have to purchase one your self.

I didn’t have an 80W charger at hand throughout testing, so as an alternative I needed to make do with a 67W unit I had mendacity round. From 0%, this introduced the Astra to 11% after quarter-hour, 22% after half-hour, and again to 100% after 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Not the quickest I’ve seen, however Redmagic does say that with its 80W charger it’s best to see a full refill in solely 71 minutes, which is considerably higher. It’s a disgrace it doesn’t embrace one with the pill, however this does appear to be the brand new norm throughout the trade.

Software program & Options

• Android 15
• Redmagic OS 10.5 UI
• Software program assist for 3 years (US), 5 years (UK/Europe)

Android 15 unpins the Redmagic Astra, with the customized Redmagic OS 10.5 UI on high.

The pores and skin is maturing properly today, with hardly any of the fragmented language and occasional Chinese language that had been frequent (and undesirable) options of earlier variations. As of late, Redmagic OS is a strong and strong UI, with loads of customisation options for themes, icons and wallpapers, in addition to honing the system to your private choice relating to textual content dimension, layouts and different options.

Martyn Casserly

Alongside the conventional day-to-day options, there’s additionally Recreation Area. That is Redmagic’s devoted gaming hub, which you’ll be able to entry through the pink change or by sliding in from the highest left and proper corners when in a sport.

It presents a variety of the way to handle your library or add plug-ins to enhance your gaming expertise, corresponding to high-sensitivity on-screen joystick controllers, increased body charges in-game, and screen-casting choices. There’s loads to discover, so if you wish to get essentially the most out of your cell gaming expertise, Redmagic has heaps to supply with Recreation Area.

Martyn Casserly

After I reviewed the Nova, the primary disadvantage was solely 3 years of software program assist. Issues have improved considerably with the Astra, although, as UK and European prospects will now get 5 years of assist because of regional rules. Nevertheless, prospects within the US are nonetheless restricted to these 3 years.

Contemplating most individuals improve their pill a lot much less usually than their telephone, this can be a little disappointing. There’s additionally no phrase on when the Astra may get Android 16.

Value and Availability

Regardless of loads of premium specs, the Redmagic Astra has a comparatively reasonably priced beginning value. Nevertheless, costs climb rapidly if you happen to’re searching for extra RAM or storage.

• 12GB/256GB (Eclipse/Starfrost) – £439/$549
• 16GB/512GB (Eclipse/Starfrost) – £559/$699
• 24GB/1TB (Eclipse) – £739/$899

You should buy one straight from the Redmagic web site, or through Amazon UK and Amazon US.

Within the small pill area, you’ll be able to’t dismiss the iPad mini. The Apple Arcade platform presents loads of alternative for video games, and the Mini is adept as a basic all-round pill too, with costs beginning at £499/$499.

The Galaxy Tab A9 can also be value contemplating, nevertheless it’s a lot much less premium (from £169), and a successor might launch quickly. See extra alternate options, together with many larger choices, in our information to the most effective tablets you should buy.

After all, there’s no means a transportable gaming dialogue could be full with out the Nintendo Change 2. Sure, you’ll be able to’t do Android issues on it, but when gaming is your major motivation (particularly for one thing simply transportable), then the £395.99/$449.99 price ticket can be a tempting one.

Do you have to purchase the Redmagic Astra Gaming Pill?

The Redmagic Astra is a really good machine to make use of. Light-weight, straightforward to carry, however with loads of energy underneath the hood. Battery life is nice, and with the proper charger, you may get again up and operating fairly rapidly.

If you’d like a compact, transportable gaming platform, plus the total energy of Android at your fingertips, then you definitely’ll need to go a protracted method to beat the Redmagic Astra.

Specs

• 4.32GHz Octa-core Snapdragon 8 Elite processor
• Adreno 830 GPU
• Redmagic RedCore R3 Professional devoted gaming processor
• 9.06-inch OLED show, 2.4K (2,400 x 1,504) decision, 165Hz, 1,600 peak brightness, 240Hz Contact Sampling Price, 2,000Hz Immediate Contact Sampling Price
• Android 15 with Redmagic OS 10.5
• 12/16/24GB LPDDR5T Reminiscence
• 256GB/512GB/1TB UFS 4.1 storage
• Twin 1620 audio system, DTS:X Extremely certification
• Magic Key (customisable)
• Quantity controls
• Energy button with embedded fingerprint reader
• USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 charging port
• 13Mp rear digicam
• 9Mp entrance digicam
• 8,200mAh battery with quick charging
• Liquid Steel 2.0, ICE-X cooling system
• Bluetooth 5.4
• WiFi 7
• IP54
• 207mm x 134.2mm x 6.9mm
• 370g