Latest news with #RedMagic
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
iPhone Gaming Is Convoluted. Here's What the iPhone 17 Needs to Sway Me as a Gamer
I've been trying to use my iPhone as a gaming handheld for years but I often hit the same roadblocks when trying to have it replace my Nintendo Switch when I travel. And it's not for lack of Apple and other companies trying, as there's tons of gaming content available for the iPhone between titles that run directly from the device to more-intensive games that I can stream over a strong internet connection. Gaming on the iPhone is more convoluted than it should be and it's frankly easier to do on Android. For example, the openness of Android's operating system makes it easy for me to install alternate stores like the Epic Games Store. And there's also a longer history of companies developing Android phones that are optimized for gaming, offering high refresh displays and responsive screens that are easier to use for fast-paced games. But Apple appears to be refining its gaming experience with iOS 26, partly with a new Games app that serves as a dedicated hub similar to what I see on gaming phones from RedMagic and Asus. However, it's going to take more than adding a fancy gaming menu to make the iPhone feel more like a Steam Deck or a Switch. Here are a few of the issues I experience when trying to game on the go with the iPhone, and what I think Apple could do with the iPhone 17 and iOS 26 to provide a more compelling alternative to more traditional platforms. The Backbone One provides a good grip for playing games but at $100 it's expensive. Mike Sorrentino/CNET The iPhone 17 needs a good controller There are so many options for connecting gaming controllers to an iPhone, but none fit exactly right. I've purchased clips that let me tether my iPhone with an Xbox controller, which are relatively cheap and easy to find between $10 and $30 . These are great for letting me use my console controller with the iPhone, and I can choose to either use a Bluetooth connection or hardwire my controller to the iPhone. Yet they aren't great for use while on a train or for long periods, because they start feeling heavy because they support the entire iPhone's weight. Not to mention my concern if a bumpy moment on the train might shake the phone out of the clip, potentially leading to an unwelcome fumble for my phone. If you want a more comfortable gaming experience, controllers like the Backbone One let you slot your iPhone in like it's a Nintendo Switch. These are the most ideal because you have a solid grip on your device, have console-like controls and -- in the case of the Backbone -- you are hardwired into the controller to reduce latency. But at $100, the Backbone One specifically is quite expensive (I was thrilled when a colleague had a review unit I could borrow). The iPhone itself is an expensive device, and I don't want to have to spend an extra $100 on a controller just to make it better for gaming. Apple has dodged the matter of having a good gaming controller by lending its endorsement to a variety of products. Sometimes you'll even see the Apple TV paired up with Sony's DualShock controller at an Apple Store for Apple Arcade demos. While I do appreciate the iPhone's universal compatibility with different gaming controllers, it might help if Apple were to officially partner with at least one controller for what the company would consider an "ideal" experience for gaming on the iPhone. Perhaps it could be a controller grip that makes use of MagSafe as an attachment, or even a controller created in partnership with a third-party like 8BitDo. The goal wouldn't be to replace the freedom of using any controller you want but to perhaps bring a coherent experience to what would be the most ideal way to even get started with playing games on your iPhone. Sayonara Wild Hearts launched on Apple Arcade and can be played on the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV (pictured here) with the subscription. Or you could buy it on a console and just own it. Sarah Tew/CNET Apple Arcade's subscription is nice but not flexible When the Apple Arcade subscription service launched in 2019, it promised a library of high-quality games that would mostly be exclusives and run locally on the iPhone. Six years later, Apple Arcade is still here but has become a place where some games become trapped. For instance, Sega released Sonic Dream Team in 2023 on Apple Arcade to largely positive reviews. Two years later, Sonic Dream Team is still only available on Apple Arcade and there isn't even an option to just buy the game a la carte. While streaming exclusives are common on video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, for gaming it's not ideal for me to only be able to access a title while I have an active subscription. I like to play through a number of games in short doses. While Sonic Dream Team isn't a long game, it's one that I would probably play over a span of months in between Fortnite matches or playing Sonic Mania. Because Apple Arcade focuses exclusively on mobile platforms, some of these titles do get released on consoles and the PC. For instance, Sayonara Wild Hearts launched on Apple Arcade and on all three major consoles. It's a game that I still enjoy -- especially the narration by Queen Latifah and its gorgeous art style -- and it's one that I simply purchased on Nintendo Switch to make it easier to access than on maintaining an Apple Arcade subscription. Xbox Game Pass streaming runs inside of a web app, which does indeed look a lot like a native app downloaded from the App Store. But there are small quirks that remind you that it is running inside of a web browser. Mike Sorrentino/CNET Let streaming apps run natively on the iPhone 17 Apple has a complicated relationship with game streaming services. For instance, when Microsoft wanted to bring Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (then referred to as Xcloud) in 2020 to the iPhone, Apple apparently blocked the attempt and required Microsoft to individually list each game on the service as a separate app in the App Store. Microsoft responded by developing a web app that circumvents the need to get Apple's approval, which is still in use today for streaming titles from the Xbox Game Pass library. It's a similar situation for Amazon's Luna cloud gaming service and the defunct Stadia service from Google. I've been using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on the iPhone through this web app for years and, while it largely works, there's definitely some kinks to this workaround. I often need to log back into the web app if it's been a few days since I've last used it, and even though the app is designed well, I can't help but think that the web app introduces some additional latency to the experience. While this is not something I can test, I can say that cloud gaming is still highly-dependent on a strong internet connection, and even with a 5G internet signal it's often challenging to use a cloud gaming service for a long period of time. I'd like to see Apple dial down some of these requirements because it just serves as a barrier for me from accessing games that I play through a subscription I pay for. A cloud gaming service like Xbox Game Pass would likely be able to take better advantage of the iPhone by running as a local app, and hopefully provide better performance because using such a service is bandwidth-intensive. By limiting these services further to just a web app, it's blocking them. Apple does allow some game streaming in limited circumstances on apps you can download from the App Store. You can stream a game that's on your console using Microsoft's Xbox app or Sony's PS Remote Play app, which is then reliant on the strength of your home internet connection to stream to your phone. You can also use Nvidia's GeForce Now to stream some games you own from stores like Steam. 26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26 26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26 Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 5:29 Loaded : 1.85% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 5:29 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 26 More Things Hidden in iOS 26 Now is a great time for Apple to make the iPhone a gaming device With the cost of technology fluctuating right now partly because of tariffs, it's a particularly opportune time for Apple to make the iPhone a more friendly place to game. We're already seeing prices rise across all Xbox consoles and older Nintendo Switch handhelds. If Apple could position the iPhone as an easy way to play console-quality titles without needing to buy additional hardware, an argument could be made that your phone could be enough for portable gaming. We'll likely find out more about Apple's plans for gaming whenever the company announces the iPhone 17, which is presumed to take place this fall. You can also check out early impressions of the Games app in iOS 26, which my colleague Zachary McAuliffe has been testing.
Irish Examiner
31-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
RedMagic Astra gaming tablet review: A compact powerhouse for mobile gamers
If you're serious about mobile gaming and want something ultra-portable without compromising on raw power, the RedMagic Astra gaming tablet might just be what you've been waiting for. With its compact design, flagship-grade internals, and gamer-focused software, this is a tablet made for those who want more than just casual entertainment. I've spent the last few weeks testing it thoroughly across everyday use, gaming, and emulation. Design and build The Astra is a premium metal-bodied tablet that feels sleek and solid in the hand. At only 6.9mm thick and weighing 370g, it's lightweight enough for long gaming sessions without wrist fatigue. The silver finish I tested doesn't scream like many gaming devices. I love the 9-inch form factor because I find it perfect for handheld gaming as it's large enough to display detail, yet small enough to remain portable. Just like RedMagic gaming phones, there's no annoying camera bump to disrupt your grip, and the corners are nicely rounded for comfort. The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader, while the signature RedMagic gaming red switch on top gives you instant access to the gaming UI. However, there's no SIM support or microSD card slot, which might disappoint those hoping for cellular data or expandable storage. Display The Astra packs a 9.06-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,504 pixels and a super-smooth 165Hz refresh rate. Colours are rich, contrast is deep, and brightness levels (1,600 nits peak) are strong enough for both indoor and outdoor use. You can choose between dynamic refresh rate adjustment and locking it to 60Hz or 165Hz, depending on your needs. It's a joy to game or stream video on, and although it lacks HDR support for platforms like Netflix, the Widevine L1 certification ensures full HD playback across most major apps. Performance Under the hood, the Astra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Elite Edition, paired with up to 24GB of LPDDR5T RAM (plus virtual RAM support), and UFS 4.1 Pro storage. This tablet is seriously fast. My 16GB + 512GB model never once felt slow, whether I was multitasking, gaming, or running emulators. Games like Call of Duty Mobile and Wreckfest ran smoothly at the highest settings, and even PS2 emulation, which scaled up to 8x resolution, didn't stutter. The thermals were impressive too. Even after long sessions, the device never got hot, and I didn't notice any throttling. There's also full support for RedMagic's gaming overlays and performance modes, including 'Diablo Mode' and real-time CPU/GPU monitors. Software features The RedMagic gaming switch launches a dedicated game space UI where you can tweak performance, access shortcuts, and control notifications. You also get screen recording, floating windows, CPU boosting, and more. The software is slick and streamlined into an interface that feels made for gamers first. The stereo speakers tuned with DTS:X Ultra provide punchy audio, and while the physics of a smaller device limits the bass and audio fidelity, the audio quality is excellent. While the 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras are nothing special, they're perfectly fine for video calls, scanning documents, or casual snaps. RedMagic haven't skimped on connectivity with the latest bells and whistles onboard, including dual-band Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and USB-C with DisplayPort out, which is a great feature if you want to connect the tablet to a larger display for docked gaming or media use. The Astra comes with Android 15 and the RedMagic OS 10.5. The UI feels fluid, gaming features are neatly integrated, and it comes with full Google Play support. Graphical features The Astra supports frame interpolation technology, which RedMagic calls Frame Rate Boost. This enhances fluidity by intelligently inserting extra frames between existing ones, much like what you'd expect from high-end gaming monitors or smart TVs. The result is a smoother, more immersive visual experience, especially during fast-paced gameplay where split-second reactions matter. The tablet also features the ability to upscale mobile games to 2K resolution at up to 120 frames per second, delivering a level of visual fidelity and responsiveness which RedMagic claims rivals many console or even mid-range PC setups. A growing number of popular titles are already taking advantage of Astra's high refresh rate display. Call of Duty: Mobile currently supports 120Hz gameplay, while Minecraft takes it a step further with full 165Hz optimisation. Arena Breakout and Delta Force both run at 144Hz, with full support for Delta Force arriving in July 2025. League of Legends: Wild Rift is also due to receive 144Hz support in the same timeframe. Even PUBG Mobile is joining the high refresh club, with 120Hz gameplay expected to land by mid-2025. Having tested several of these games on the Astra, the difference is striking. Animations appear smoother, touch response feels more immediate, and the entire gaming experience is excellent. Battery life and charging The 8200mAh cell comfortably lasts through a day of mixed usage, and even with sustained gaming, it managed well over six hours of screen-on time. For media streaming, you can expect up to 33 hours of playback, which is remarkable for a tablet of this size. The Astra supports up to 80W fast charging (though no charger is included), with a full charge taking a little over an hour. Verdict The RedMagic Astra has a premium build, class-leading performance, and dedicated gaming features all packed into a highly portable package. Highly recommended. From €499
Tom's Guide
30-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Forget the iPad mini — this 9-inch OLED Android tablet is way better for gaming
There's been a hole in my life ever since I finally said goodbye to my aging iPad mini several years ago. In my mind, Apple's smallest iPad is one of the best tablets out there, but the arrival of the RedMagic Astra this month has given me pause. What's on offer is pretty simple: a compact Android tablet running the latest and greatest chipset designed for a supreme gaming experience. While I'm not a massive mobile gamer, I've always appreciated that the iPad mini 7 didn't compromise on power even though it was smaller than its bigger brethren. The same is true here. RedMagic has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into this device thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a stunning OLED screen, active cooling, fast charging and a slick design. Space is at a premium in my everyday carry, and I'm not quite willing to pony up for one of the best foldable phones, no matter how slim the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is. That leaves me looking for that Goldilocks device; a tablet larger than a phone but not as big as a hybrid, that doesn't compromise on power and has a few unique tricks up its sleeve. And after having used it for a couple of weeks, I think the RedMagic Astra delivers on all fronts. Let me tell you how... RedMagic Astra Starting price £529 / $699 Display 9.06-inch OLED (2,400 x 1,504) Refresh rate 165Hz adaptive Rear camera 13MP Front cameras 9MP Chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite RAM 12GB/16GB/24GB Storage 256GB/512GB/1TB Battery 8,200 Charging 80W Operating system RedMagicOS 10 / Android 15 Size 207 x 134.2 x 6.9 mm / 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.27 inches Weight 370 grams / 0.81 pounds Colors Eclipse/Starfrost The Redmagic Astra comes in three different configurations with pricing to match. The entry-level price for both the Eclipse (black) and Starfrost (silver) versions gets you 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage for $699 / £499. If you opt for 16GB RAM and 512GB storage, that pricing increases to $799 / £699. And if you push up to 24GB RAM and 1TB storage, the cost goes up to $949 / £879. Just note: only the Eclipse colorway is available in this configuration. Those prices are a little on the high side and put this above the level of a casual purchase. For example, the entry-level price is actually higher than the $499 starting price for the iPad mini 7. It's true that Apple's tablet has half the storage for that price, but still — if you want a small tablet on a budget, then Apple actually has the edge here. However, Apple's pricing increases to $799 if you want 512GB of storage on the iPad mini 7, so once you start getting into the higher configurations, you're getting better value from Redmagic. Perhaps a more realistic comparison is Lenovo's Legion Tab, another 8-inch tablet with a gaming focus that also starts at $549, albeit with an older chipset and an LCD screen rather than an OLED one. Another recent Android tablet to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is the OnePlus Pad 3, which commands a £599 / $699 price for its 16GB RAM and 512GB configuration — but that's also got a larger 13.2-inch screen. Gaming devices can be somewhat divisive when it comes to design, but I think most people would be hard-pressed to find fault with the RedMagic Astra. Bezels around the front of the device are kept to a minimum, thanks to the 90.1% screen-to-body ratio, while the back is pretty understated. First up, I'm not sure I can remember the last time I used a tablet (or phone) without a camera bump. Seriously, it's been that long. The Astra is completely flush across the back, which means you can slide it in and out of a backpack, prop it up on a stand or even attach it to a telescopic controller without any resistance. The aluminum frame has rounded corners and measures a pitch-perfect 7.3mm thick — enough to give you something to grip onto without being too chunky. The power button sits on the left edge naturally, where your index finger rests while holding it in landscape mode, and doubles up as a fingerprint scanner. The Astra's USB-C port is across from it on the right edge. Up top is the volume rocker and RedMagic's metallic red slider that toggles on its Game Space launcher — more on that later. I'm not quite sure why RedMagic decided to put the USB-C on the right-hand side — it's too far up to use in a telescopic controller, and because it's not on the bottom, you can't easily attach it to a dock or charging station. Whether you opt for the Starfrost or Eclipse color, you get a soft matte finish on the back that looks awesome. It dulls those pesky reflections you get with a glossy finish, although this slate still isn't immune to fingerprint smudges. Aside from the single RedMagic logo in the middle of the chassis, there's a rectangular glass window running along the top that gives you a glimpse of a PCB-stylised graphic with gold stamps for the Snapdragon 8 Elite logo, as well as highlighting the vapor chamber and "composite liquid metal" build. There's also the RedMagic logo written out in font, which you can set to pulse with light in the tablet's settings. You can also illuminate the ring around the camera lens. These small bits of RGB lighting let you subtly know it's a gaming machine and they can be set for additional functionality, like working with an alarm or indicating a charging process. The RedMagic Astra is rated IP54 waterproof, which means it'll survive the odd splash if you want to take your gaming session outside in the rain or into the shower — but it's not going to survive being fully submerged. One small gripe I have about the design is that the speaker vents are placed on the left and right below the power button and USB-C port. This means that when you're gripping the tablet in landscape mode, your palms can muffle the output and spoil the audio quality. Given the relative size of the device, I'm not sure where else you would locate the speakers, but if the power button and USB-C port had been shifted to the top and bottom, respectively, RedMagic may have been able to shift the speaker grilles further up and alleviate the problem. All told, though, I'm a real fan of the RedMagic Astra design. It leans just enough into a premium, gamer sci-fi vibe to be recognized as a premium tablet without being garish. Meanwhile, the heft (370g) and proportions — about the same as a Moleskine notebook at 134.2mm (H) x 207mm (W) x 6.9mm (D) — are just right to slip into my rucksack without making a nuisance. If the design around back is cool, then the RedMagic Astra's display is ice cold — and probably one of the best reasons I have to recommend this device. Not just to anyone wanting a gaming machine, but anyone wanting a small, powerful tablet, period. You get a full-on OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness. It's absolutely popping with vibrancy and contrast in games like Call of Duty: Mobile or Genshin Impact, and it's really impressive. The 2,400 x 1,504 pixel resolution is more than enough on the Astra's 9.06-inch screen (with a 16:10 aspect ratio), and if you want to switch off the games and enjoy one of the best streaming shows, it's just as good. It doesn't support HDR on services like Netflix, but to my eye, the contrast on those deep blacks still looked fantastic. The Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset has made itself at home in a number of the best Android phones, but is still relatively rare in tablets. The RedMagic Astra has the regular version of the chip without an overclocked CPU. I was able to comfortably run Genshin Impact, Call of Duty, FC Mobile, Command & Conquer: Rivals and Horizon Chase with the Astra set to 165Hz, and it was the best gaming experience I've ever had on a tablet. From loading up and navigating through menus to actual gameplay, the experience was fluid and responsive without a hint of stutter or lag. I'm no fan of touchscreen gaming, but the response rate — to my untrained fingers — was sublime. There's an active cooling system and the vapor chamber inside the RedMagic Astra, and the fan will start up under aggressive conditions to try and keep the thing cool. You can hear it whirring away if you put your ear to the back of the device, but otherwise it won't spoil your gaming session, and it succeeds in keeping the tablet cool throughout even the most demanding games. Running the Astra through a series of benchmarks just confirms the inevitable; this device blows its competition away when it comes to sheer grunt. It scored higher than the OnePlus Pad 3 on single-core Geekbench score and narrowly lost out on multi-core. Meanwhile, it swatted away Apple's M3 iPad Air without breaking a sweat. You can see the full results in the table below. RedMagic Astra OnePlus Pad 3 Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus iPad Air 2025 (11-inch) Chipset Snapdragon 8 Elite Snapdragon 8 Elite Dimensity 9300 Plus Apple M3 Geekbench 6 score (single-core / multi-core) 3,136 / 7,376 2,980 / 8,993 2,137 / 7,130 3,042 / 11,804 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited (score / fps) 5,628 / 33.70 6,410 / 38.38 5,121 / 30 5,806 / 34.8 Adobe Premiere Rush time to transcode (mins:secs) 0:54 0:53 0:43 0:18 The basic RedMagic Astra comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, while the higher-spec model I've been using has 16GB RAM with 512GB onboard memory. If you really want to go overboard, you can pick this tablet up with 24GB of RAM and a massive 1TB of storage. Most people won't need that, but if you've got deep pockets (read: $899) and want a device for the long haul, you may be interested. Battery life is something you usually have to sacrifice with smaller devices, but the Astra does a commendable job when it comes to staying power. Tucked inside that stylized matte casing is an 8,200mAh battery that RedMagic quotes will give you around 5.5 hours of gameplay at full frame rate or 5.3 hours of gameplay whilst livestreaming. If you want to use it for movies, RedMagic claims you'll get 33 hours of continuous playback before it dies. In more day-to-day usage, you're going to get somewhere in between those two extremes. I fired the RedMagic Astra up at 9am and used it continuously until 6pm for streaming video, playing music, browsing the web and playing some games. All of which with the screen at full brightness and locked to 165Hz. I took a break for a few hours at 6pm, but came back to it for another two hours later in the evening for a little more YouTube and gaming with a Bluetooth controller attached. Even after nearly 12 hours, I still had a quarter of its available charge left. That's pretty good considering my colleague Tony took a similar approach with the iPad mini 7 and landed on 10 hours and 34 minutes before that device died. As you'd expect, the Astra supports 80W charging and will charge to full in 71 minutes when connected to a compatible charging brick. You just need to be aware that RedMagic doesn't ship the device with its own charger. Part of the reason RedMagic says the Astra can last this long is due to its "Liquid Metal" technology. The company says it used an indium-based alloy formed mostly from potassium to create a solid piece of metal with strong thermal conductivity. Placing this directly over the CPU lowers the chip's temperature by up to 5°C and improves the overall thermal performance and, by extension, efficiency. There's some good and some bad when it comes to the software side of things here. Bad stuff first; this tablet comes pre-loaded with the kind of bloat I assumed was a thing of the past, but is sadly all too common with Chinese manufacturers. Thankfully, much of it can be uninstalled swiftly, but it's still a laborious process that takes some of the sheen off firing up a brand-new tablet. Similarly, I noticed a particular quirk when I was scrolling through my email inbox, and the messages were all layered on top of each other into a blurry mess. I fixed the issue by forcibly locking the screen to 65Hz and reloading the app. It hasn't happened before, but I wouldn't be surprised if I run into a few other glitches here and there. Thankfully, the RedMagic Astra keeps things mostly to stock Android 15 with a few tweaks added by the company's RedMagic OS 10.5 skin. You get some extra options like the aforementioned RGB lighting on the back of the device, around the camera lens and the company's logo. Alongside the aforementioned bloatware, there's also some AI gimmicks like "RedMagic Translation" that offers you real-time voice translation on voice content. Finally, there's an app sidebar you can call up at any time by swiping in from the side of the screen and holding for a few seconds. This displays your recently or most-used apps and can be handy. One thing I would have liked to see is a real multitasking solution akin to OnePlus' Canvas feature. The RedMagic Astra is more than powerful enough to run a bunch of apps simultaneously, so (even on a small screen) not having software take advantage of this seems like a missed opportunity. But when the rubber meets the road, this is a gaming device, so the star of the show is RedMagic's Game Space — activated via a slide of the metallic red toggle on top. This transports you (through a fancy, lightspeed-esque graphic) into a game launcher where you can find all your games as well as quick settings for CPU and GPU performance. And you can tweak the settings for each individual game. It's a simple procedure to toggle superior performance for a demanding game like Genshin Impact while easing back on the throttle for something simple like your next round at Solitaire. The RedMagic Astra is a certified contender for the best gaming tablet you can buy, thanks to the combination of the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and a jaw-dropping OLED 165Hz screen. It doesn't come cheap, but then considering the hardware and specs you're getting for the price, there's a whole lot of value on offer here. Are there some drawbacks? Of course. There's no 5G cellular option for a start, and whilst the hardware and battery will last you a good few years, the same can't be said for the software. RedMagic has committed to three years of software updates (including one major Android update), which isn't good enough in an age where Samsung is supporting its phones for seven years. Looking past those points, the RedMagic Astra is a fantastic device even if you're not a huge gamer. It'll handle any pro-grade app you throw at it, and you could just as easily use this for a bit of on-the-go video editing or hook it up to a monitor and a Bluetooth keyboard and use it as a work machine. You can get a range of dedicated accessories, like a stylus, case or gamepad, directly from RedMagic, too. Smaller tablets generally don't have the allure of their larger siblings, but I'm a big fan because I rate portability highly. And while I feel like I've always had to compromise on power or battery life to achieve that, the RedMagic Astra shows I can have my small cake and eat it. If you want a small, powerful tablet that's not the iPad Mini 7, then this is the device for you. It helps a bit if you like to play games, too.
GSM Arena
30-07-2025
- GSM Arena
RedMagic Astra benchmark results
The RedMagic Astra is a small gaming tablet – with its 9.06' display, it's more portable than most tablets these days and yet it packs a flagship chip and a fast LTPO OLED panel. We received a unit for testing (check out our unboxing here) and have some results to report from our benchmark suite. First, let us introduce the hardware. The Astra has a 9.06' LTPO display with up to 165Hz refresh rate and 2,400 x 1,504px resolution. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite – the overclocked AC variant with its two prime CPU cores running at 4.47GHz and its GPU at 1.2GHz (compared to 4.32GHz and 1.1GHz, respectively, for the base AB variant). RedMagic Astra Our unit has 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage, though the tablet is available in different configurations ranging from 12GB to 24GB of RAM and between 256GB and 1TB storage. And we should mention that there is an active-cooling fan and liquid metal with superior heat conductivity. However, we will leave sustained performance tests for a later date. Starting with Geekbench 6, the RedMagic Astra loses out in both single and multi-core performance to another Snapdragon 8 Elite slate, the OnePlus Pad 3. It does beat a previous RedMagic model, the Nova tablet (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), by 16% and 13% in single and multi-core tests, respectively. Since this is a gaming tablet, the graphics test perhaps matters the most. Here the RedMagic Astra essentially matches the OnePlus Pad 3. Compared less powerful slates with the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, the Astra got double the points. And keep in mind that this test runs at a fixed resolution (2160p), so the others don't have the excuse of higher resolution displays (and their displays are indeed higher resolution, in part because they are larger). The Astra ends things with a victory in AnTuTu. Its score is 17% higher than the OnePlus and 22% higher than the Nova. This score is close to double what you would get from a Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 powered tablet. Those are some competitive results, considering that the RedMagic Astra is fairly affordable with prices starting at $470/€470/£410. We haven't tested whether the fan has an appreciable effect on the benchmark results yet. That said, you can have a look at how much (or rather how little) it did for the RedMagic 10S Pro. The 10S Pro is a phone, sure, but it uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite (AC) chipset with the same liquid metal and fan cooling setup.
Hypebeast
28-07-2025
- Hypebeast
RedMagic's '10s Pro' Takes Mobile Gaming to New Heights
When it comes to gaming phones,RedMagicis probably the first name that comes to mind for most people. And for good reason: the brand has earned a reputation for consistently delivering high-performance mobile gaming devices, carving itself into a sweet spot between flagship-level power and accessible pricing. Its latest model, the RedMagic 10s Pro, is its best yet, packing enough power to play just about anything you can throw at it with a very easy-on-the-eyes 144 Hz AMOLED display. The new RedMagic 10s Pro builds on the previously released RedMagic 10 Pro – a powerhouse of a gaming phone that wecovered earlier this year– with a handful of subtle but carefully considered updates that push the phone firmly into prosumer territory, if it wasn't already there. Like its predecessor, the RedMagic 10S Pro runs on Android and ships with RedMagic OS 10.5 – a custom-built operating system based on Android 15. And like the 10 Pro before it, the 10S Pro is also powered by Snapdragon's 8 Elite chipset (SoC) – with one key difference. While both phones use the same SoC, RedMagic has overclocked the chip in its newer device, boosting the clock speed from approximately 4.32 GHz to 4.47 GHz. It's a subtle change, but one that promises 10S Pro users improved performance across both CPU and GPU. The new 10S Pro also benefits from a slightly larger screen, boasting a 6.85-inch AMOLED display compared to the 6.80-inch panel on the previous model. Size aside, the phones share the same great AMOLED display with its high 144 Hz refresh rate, excellent color reproduction, and super-bright 2,000-nit peak brightness. It retains the notch-free display found on its predecessor, as well as a selfie camera that's hidden below the screen, which allows users to take full advantage of every single pixel for gaming. When compared to most other screen-based tech, phone screens are inherently small. So while the larger display of the 10S Pro might not matter to everyone, for its target audience – think pro and aspiring pro gamers – every fraction of an inch could make the difference between winning and losing. While the technology within phones has improved dramatically in recent years, the external form factor hasn't really changed: most phones are essentially still just rectangular slabs. Aside from its unwavering dedication to what is an incredibly niche market, one of the things that sets RedMagic apart from its competition is that it is constantly innovating: the brand introduced an all-new cooling system called 'ICE-X' with the 10 Pro, which it has now improved further with the 10S Pro. Increasingly powerful ARM-based chipsets from the likes of Snapdragon have led to huge jumps not only in performance, but device temperature, too, and game developers have met this increased technical performance with more demanding graphics and gameplay. RedMagic's solution to overheating, ICE-X, was inspired by the way high-performance gaming laptops regulate temperature anduses 'liquid metal'to cool the devices internals. With the 10S Pro, the brand has introduced 'ICE‑X v2.0' – featuring a larger cooling chamber and faster fans – as well as a trio of external coolers that further help to keep your device cool while playing demanding games. Available separately, the RedMagic VC Cooler 6, VC Cooler 6 Air and VC Cooler 6 Pro offer users a second way to regulate the gaming phone's temperature, and the brand claims using the VC Cooler 6 and VC Cooler 6 Pro can result in an '18°C drop in just 10 seconds.' Best of all, perhaps, is that the coolers aren't just compatible with RedMagic devices, but all three can be used with any Android or iOS smartphone. Aside from its gaming prowess, the 10S Pro is a strong contender for use as a general daily phone. It features a dual-SIM slot, dual-band 5G and fast Wi-Fi 6E (with tri‑band across 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequencies), and NFC support for contactless payments. It also has an IP54 water- and dust-resistance rating, bump-free rear cameras, and an under-screen built-in fingerprint sensor. The RedMagic 10s Pro isn't for everyone – after all, it's a mid-cycle update of an existing model – but between the larger screen, improved thermals and overclocked SoC, it's a great option for mobile gamers who want to have a slight edge. It's available now via RedMagic'swebsitein three colors, 'Nightfall', 'Moonlight' and 'Dusk', with 12 GB, 16 GB and 24 GB RAM variants and up to 1 TB of internal storage. Prices for the phone start at £579 GBP / $649 USD, with the coolers starting at £36 GBP / $44 USD.
