During Google’s recent Pixel Event in New York City, the company unveiled a bunch of new products, including the Pixel 4, Nest Mini, Nest Wifi, Pixelbook Go, and Pixel Buds 2. With the introduction of new tech comes the inevitable: The older ones’ prices are bound to take a serious dip. One of those that have gotten a significant markdown is the Google Pixel Slate, which is now available for $269 off on Amazon. This excellent hybrid boasts the mobility of a tablet and the wider functionality of a laptop, wrapped in a premium package that’s meant to compete with the best 2-in-1s like Apple’s iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Pro. Get it for $530 instead of its usual price of $799. And if you are approved for an Amazon Rewards Visa card you can get $50 off instantly, which brings the price down to $480.
The Google Pixel Slate feels solid and particularly well-designed. It may not have the slick two-toned look of the Pixelbook or the Pixel phone, but it still looks impressive. It is nicely light and slim, weighing in at 1.6 pounds and just 0.28 inches thick. Furthermore, the rounded edges are easy to grab and the large bezels offer a better grip if you’re using it one-handed.
Its screen is exceptionally stunning. The 12.3-inch display is packed with over 6 million pixels that are even sharper and more minutely detailed than both the Pixelbook and the Surface Pro 6, even surpassing the iPad Pro. With a 3:2 display aspect ratio, this makes the Pixel Slate the perfect tablet to watch movies with, offering stark darks and vivid colors. Even more delightful is the Pixel Slate’s set of speakers which happen to be the best we’ve ever heard on a tablet.
Unlike other tablets, the Pixel Slate runs on Chrome OS instead of Android (a lot of Android apps are available for download though). Working with an eighth-generation Core m3 processor and 8GB of RAM, this Pixel Slate is unfortunately not meant for heavy work. Still, it works fine for normal tasks like browsing the internet and streaming music, but it doesn’t fare well with graphically demanding games like Asphalt 9: Legends. The animation becomes glitchy and intermittently freezes. We blame the notoriously bad Intel graphics processor.
To optimize the Pixel Slate’s functionality (and for it to transform into a laptop as advertised), you should consider buying the Folio keyboard, which is sold separately. The keyboard is ingeniously designed for the top to fold up and magnetically attach to the back of the Slate, serving as a kickstand. Changing the angle of the screen is easy and can be done even with one hand. The keyboard is also very comfortable to use, and its large touchpad is extremely responsive.
Is the Google Pixel Slate the best laptop/tablet hybrid out in the market today? Hardly. Its awesome hardware (impeccable display, speakers, and keyboard) deserves a lot of praise, but its Android integration and performance need work.
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