Redmagic's Astra 2 tablet has a smoother screen than Apple's new OLED iPad Mini, and costs less than Apple's version with the same storage.
Apple has just released an iPad Mini with an OLED screen, but a gaming tablet from Redmagic is a strong rival. The Redmagic Astra 2 refreshes its screen 185 times a second. Apple's new model is still stuck at 60. A 9to5Google editor has used the Astra 2 for several months and says it is worth a look.
Apple's new iPad Mini has an 8.5-inch OLED display. It is 5.4mm thick and weighs 255g. The Astra 2 has a slightly bigger 9.04-inch OLED screen and is a little thicker and heavier, at 6.9mm with an aluminum body. Its peak brightness is 1,600 nits, which the reviewer says beats Apple's.
Refresh rate is how often the screen redraws each second. A higher number makes scrolling and games look smoother. The reviewer did not find 185Hz clearly better than a standard 120Hz screen, but called it far better than 60Hz.
The Astra 2 uses a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and 12GB of memory in its base model. The reviewer says these are the same core specs as a Galaxy S26 Ultra phone. Metalstorm ran well at maximum settings, and the tablet never got warm.
Apple's iPad Mini starts at $699. The Astra 2 starts at $749, after a quiet price increase in the last few days. That price gets 12GB of memory and 256GB of storage. The matching iPad Mini costs $799.
The gap grows at the next step up. The 512GB Astra 2 is $849, while Apple's version is $999.
The Astra 2 does not support a stylus, which Apple's tablet may suit better for people who want to write or draw. It is also marketed as a gaming device. The back has a glass window with RGB lighting, though that can be turned off. The software is light and looks close to a Pixel phone, with lockscreen widgets and a customizable switch on top.
Anyone shopping for a small tablet should compare models with the same storage, not just the starting price. For people who want a smooth screen, strong battery life and fast performance, the Astra 2 looks like a serious option. The reviewer says it would be his pick.
When comparing small tablets, match the storage first: the Astra 2 is $749 against $799 for Apple's equivalent, and its screen is much smoother.
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