• 2 min read
RedMagic Astra 2 beats Ally X in GTA 5 on half the power
RedMagic’s Astra 2 kept pace with the ROG Xbox Ally X in GTA V and briefly led in Red Dead Redemption 2 while drawing about half the power.
Image: gizmochina
RedMagic is making a blunt point: an Android gaming tablet can now go toe-to-toe with a Windows handheld in real gameplay, not just on a spec sheet. In tests comparing the RedMagic Astra 2 with the ROG Xbox Ally X in GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2, the new tablet matched or exceeded Asus' device in some scenarios while using far less power.
That result comes from testing by blogger Dame Tech. In GTA V at 720p on Very High, the Astra 2 stayed above 70 fps most of the time and ran nearly level with the Ally X. In Red Dead Redemption 2 at 720p on High, the RedMagic tablet initially pulled ahead while drawing about 20W, versus roughly 40W on the Ally X. Performance later dipped as throttling kicked in.
The hardware helps explain the result. The Astra 2 includes:
- a 9.06-inch OLED display
- 2.4K resolution
- 185Hz refresh rate
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RedCore R4 gaming chip
- active liquid cooling with a micropump
- 8,300mAh battery
- up to 80W charging
- two USB-C ports
- configurations up to 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage
The weak spot is still heat. In testing, the chassis and internal components reportedly climbed above 100°C. RedMagic itself recommends an external thermoelectric cooler for users who want to hold peak clocks for longer, suggesting the tablet has headroom but quickly runs into thermal limits without extra accessories.
The Astra 2 already ships with a built-in PC emulator and Steam support. Pricing starts at roughly $549–$780, depending on region and configuration. Against the more expensive ROG Xbox Ally X, that gives RedMagic a credible pitch for players who want a large OLED screen and longer unplugged gaming.
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Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via ITzine
