The RedMagic Astra 2 is the world's first liquid-cooled tablet — and the fastest Android tablet I've ever tested

RedMagic Astra 2: Two-minute review Having conquered the gaming phone space by outlasting the competition, RedMagic has decided to take its RGB-lit fight to the tablet market.

The RedMagic Astra 2 is the company’s third globally available gaming tablet, and the second in a row to adopt a more compact iPad Mini-like form factor.

Like its immediate predecessor (and indeed its phones), the RedMagic Astra 2 offers flagship performance at a mid-market price.

Thanks to the combination of a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and a new liquid cooling system — the first of its kind in a tablet — it offers range-topping sustained performance.

The Astra 2’s 9.06-inch OLED display doesn’t offer the most expansive gaming canvas, but it still covers an awful lot of bases.

It’s sufficiently portable, nice and punchy, plenty sharp enough, and it gets to a scorching 185Hz in the few games that support it. (Image credit: Future) Other gamer-friendly improvements include a slightly lighter body and a fractionally larger battery, together with zippy 75W wired charging.

The provision of a second USB-C port is another benefit for those looking to indulge in extended gaming sessions.

RedMagic’s software offering is as unlovable as ever, though its Game Space UI offers a unique window onto the mobile gaming world.

It’s ideal for those who like to tweak and optimize their games to the nth degree.

The main trouble here is a decidedly 2026 one.

The Astra 2’s price has increased dramatically, so much so that it's now within range of Apple’s mighty iPad Air (2026) and several classy Android tablets.

For all-round gaming chops, however, there’s no other tablet that can quite match it.

RedMagic Astra 2 review: price and availability Global availability from August 2026 From £599 / $749 Much more expensive than before The RedMagic Astra 2 goes on sale in late August, with availability confirmed for the US, UK, Australia, and much of Europe, among other territories.

You can pre-order it now from the official RedMagic website .