Google Pixel Slate Specifications

Pros:

• Excellent speakers
• Two USB-C ports
• Nice screen

Cons:

• Software bugs
• Android apps still feel alien
• Folio keyboard is awkward

Introduction:

The Pixel Slate was announced in October 2018 as Made by Google’s first tablet and flagship, touch-only Chrome OS device. After two years, the Pixel Slate is now out of stock in the three countries it launched in and looks to be discontinued.

The Pixel Slate is defined by a 12.3-inch 3000×2000 (293PPI) LCD that supports stylus input from the Pixelbook Pen. That — as it’s branded — “Molecular Display” is flanked by front-firing speakers on the left and right, while an 8-megapixel ƒ/1.9 “Duo Cam” is above. The branding inspiration for the wide-angle front-facer is clear, while there’s another 8MP ƒ/1.8 on the rear that also supports 1080p 30FPS video recording. 

The top-right corner is home to a Pixel Imprint fingerprint sensor that doubles as the power button, while there are USB-C ports on either side of the device that charges the 48Wh battery rated for up to 12 hours of use. 

Powered by Intel processors, there were originally five variations. The entry $599 model at launch was powered by an Intel Celeron with 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. For $100 more, you got the same chip with double the memory and eMMC. While Google was aiming for affordability, those two offerings were panned performance-wise. For the last year or so of the Pixel Slate’s life, three models were offered at adjusted prices:

Google Pixel Slate Operating system:

External hard drives, USB mics, SD cards, and even a printer worked fine with the Pixel Slate (though the printer needed an HP Chrome extension). Unlike iOS where the limitations come from the operating system, here, the limitations come from — you guessed it — the weird way Android apps have been glommed onto Chrome OS.

Let’s use Adobe Lightroom CC as an example. When you plug in an SD card, the Files app pops up, and you have access to the files. So far, so good. But open up the Android version of Lightroom, and it can’t see the external drive (probably because it was designed for Android phones and tablets). So you have to pull the photos into Chrome OS local storage via the Files app, import them into Lightroom, and then delete them.

It’s the same rigamarole you have to go through with the iPad Pro, only with the Files app instead of the Photos app. But there’s a crucial difference: the only reason that’s the case is because Adobe hasn’t updated Lightroom to work better with Chrome OS’s file picker.

I’m not picking on Adobe here, nor do I mean to imply that this Lightroom USB test is the end-all test for defining what counts as a “pro computer.” Instead, I’m pointing out that the limitations you run into when you use Android apps on Chrome OS are due to an ecosystem that isn’t as fully developed as it needs to be.

You can work around all of these software indignities. You can find little hacks and Chrome extensions, you can deeply understand the differences between Android and web apps, you can harangue app developers to update their software, and you can reboot the whole thing when your Bluetooth starts acting squirrely.

Google Pixel Slate Spec:

Display size: 12.3-inch

Thickness: 7mm (without keyboard)

Weight: 1.6 pounds (without keyboard)

Processor: Intel Celeron up to 8th-gen Intel Core i7

RAM: 4GB up to 16GB

Storage: 32GB up to 256GB

Screen resolution: 3,000 x 2,000 (293 pixels per inch)

Audio: Dual front-firing speakers

Battery: 48 watt-hour

Ports: 2 USB-C, Pixel accessory connector

Camera: 8MP with wide FOV

Google Pixel Slate Bluetooth issues:

I found a pair of odd, annoying issues when listening to music on the Pixel Slate with Bluetooth headphones and use it with a Bluetooth keyboard. First of all, my music kept dying. Specifically, the connection to my headphones -- first with the Apple AirPods and then with the Bose QuietComfort 35 -- just dropped. Sometimes I'd have to manually re-pair the connection, and once, the connection fixed itself after a moment. I've reached out to Google to see if there's a fix and will update this review when one becomes available.

The second issue is even worse: sometimes the Bluetooth setting in the options menu just disappeared. Opening the Settings app doesn't help, as Bluetooth wouldn't turn on there either. The only solution is to the reboot the Pixel Slate.

A Google representative said "We've received reports about intermittent Bluetooth issues with select headsets and are working on a fix as soon as possible." I expect the company to solve these issues soon, as they're not the kind of issue you should have on a tablet that starts at $599 and costs up to $1,599. While these bugs are pretty surprising when Pixel phones don't exhibit this issue, Google's Pixel C tablet did have Bluetooth issues related to its keyboard.

Pixel Slate price:

1. $499: 8th Gen Intel Core m3, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD
2. $599: 8th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD
3. $899: 8th Gen Intel Core i7, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD 

Google pushed both entertainment and productivity use cases for its tablet. The latter was aided by an official keyboard case that connected via pins and had round chiclet keys. The USB-C ports supported 4K display output for a docked configuration. Design-wise, all units were available in Midnight Blue, and the device weighed 1.6 pounds for a svelte 7mm thickness.

Overall, standalone Chromebook tablets — versus convertible 2-in-1s — have yet to take off as a form factor. Android apps were the primary appeal, but the experience was lacking, and more optimized experiences were found on the web. Chrome OS tablets will likely have more luck on the low-end.

Around eight months after the Pixel Slate was announced, Google confirmed that it was moving away from first-party tablets and focusing on laptops as seen by the Pixelbook Go. The Pixel Slate no longer being available for sale comes as the original Pixelbook met a similar status back in September.

The Pixel Slate is currently “out of stock” in the US and Canada, while it’s listed as “No longer available” in the UK. We’ve reached out to Google for confirmation on the Pixel Slate getting discontinued.

Conclusion:

Hopefully we are waiting to hear from the manufacturer of the Google Pixel Slate if there will be more production as the demands hit very hard, more will be discussed on smarttech on the ongoing development. Although we have no clue on why the device is out of stock on most countries.

There so much features about the Google Pixel Slate to love, including its beautiful screen, comfortable keyboard, great sound and long battery life. Unfortunately, this machine comes with a few asterisks, including some notable bugs that Google should fix soon. It will take longer, though, for Google Play apps to feel like native tablet apps.

If performance and battery life are your top priorities, check out the 12.9-inch iPad Pro ($999 with optional $199 keyboard), but realize that iOS may not have everything you need to replace your current laptop, especially if you use external storage or prefer to have a touchpad. If you prefer Windows, check out the Surface Pro 6, which costs $1,128 with keyboard and pen.

Right now, I'd say that the Pixel Slate feels like a device for the adventurous types who love Android and Chrome, and are OK with some first-gen bugs. Once those issues are cleared, though, Google's got an excellent 2-in-1 on its hands.