RedMagic is making a serious push to show that Android gaming tablets can go head-to-head with dedicated Windows gaming handhelds. Their new Astra 2 has delivered some impressive real-world results that are hard to ignore.
The Astra 2 comes with a stunning 9.06-inch OLED display at 2.4K resolution and a 185Hz refresh rate. Inside, you’ll find Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, backed by RedMagic’s own RedCore R4 gaming chip. To keep things cool during long sessions, it has an advanced active liquid cooling system with a micro pump and visible coolant channels on the transparent back.
In a hands-on test by YouTuber Dame Tech, the Astra 2 went up against the ROG Xbox Ally X (powered by the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme). The results were surprisingly close:
- In GTA V at 720p on Very High settings, the Astra 2 stayed above 70 FPS for most of the session, matching the Ally X.
- In Red Dead Redemption 2 at 720p on High, the Astra 2 initially pulled ahead while using only about 20W of power, roughly half of what the Ally X was consuming (around 40W). However, as the test continued, thermal throttling caused its performance to dip slightly below the Ally X.
These numbers highlight how efficient the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 can be for emulated PC games on Android. That said, the tablet did hit some very high temperatures (over 100°C), showing that thermal management is still a challenge for sustained play. Users looking for sustained peak performance will benefit from using a thermoelectric cooler attached to the back of the tablet.
The Astra 2 comes with a built-in PC emulator and Steam support, giving access to a huge library of games. It packs an 8,300mAh battery with fast charging (up to 80W on some models), dual USB-C ports, and configs going up to 16GB+ RAM and 1TB storage. Extra gamer touches include RGB lighting and high touch sampling rates.
Pricing starts around $549–$780, depending on the region and configuration. At that price, it’s a strong option if you want a big, beautiful OLED screen and solid gaming performance in a tablet form.
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(Source: Dame Tech on YouTube)
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