The Google Pixel Slate: first look at Google's new tablet

Google Pixel Slate

Google pixels wait it's Google's first own-branded tablet in three years and it's running a new tablet-friendly version of Chrome OS designed to fill the gap left by the now-defunct tablet version of Android.

So first the basic size and shape it's a 12.3 inch tablet with the 3 by 2 aspect ratio and reasonably svelte bezels that still even if room for grip at the sides the displays are gorgeous super sharp LCD panel at three thousand by two thousand (3000 by 2000) resolution rivaling the display of the pixel book and because this device is for play as well as work you get a pretty powerful set of front-facing speakers as well those two key specs should make it an ideal YouTube or Netflix machine even with all of our audio-visual goodness packed in the slate weighs amid 1.6 pounds with a thickness of just 7 millimeters.

It's just as easy to one-hand this thing as it isn't iPad pro so obviously any judgment on battery life is going to have to wait until our full review around the back you'll find some simple google branding again not unlike the pixel book only now with an eight megapixel rear camera looking around the back for when for whatever reason a tablet seems like the best way to take a photo at least a front facing camera makes a bit more sense on the slate with larger pixels for enhancing low-light performance and a wide-angle lens for fitting multiple people in the shot all important features for video calls this is a Chrome OS tablet.

But it isn't like any Chrome OS you might be familiar with on earlier hardware there's a new launcher designed to be more touch-friendly but really that's just a new front end for the solid desktop OS that Google's been building up for years at this point make no mistake this is still Chrome OS under the hood but the inclusion of Android app support and a more touch-friendly desktop makes it feel more at home with touch as the primary interaction methods the Chrome browser window manager and split screen support work just as well as they do on a pixel book only.

Now the launcher is a bit more Android light with a predictive app section up top similar to what you see on a pixel phone Google's new tablet UI also brings Android holo was letting back and home keys and a more Android-like interpretation of the quick settings area and favorites tray the software we used today in London was very early and honestly quite slow and janky to use it's hard to get a feel for everyday use here and the Google wraps of today's launch event told us that these devices were running very early in incomplete firmware and we'd certainly expect performance and scrolling to be less buggy in the retail product.

But still it remains to be seen whether Chrome OS is Android app support and the new tablet UI is anywhere near good enough to make this a competitive convertible speaking of which this isn't just a tablet there's also a keyboard folio and support for the pixel book pen which incidentally now comes in a matching midnight blue color either all the drawing in Google assistant features that were already possible with the pen on the pixel book point.

The planet stuff on the screen and Google will give you more information through assistance the prices to the pixel slates start at $5.99 in the US and specs vary wildly depending on what you want to spend the pixel slate starts with a basic Intel Celeron CPU with 4 gigs of RAM and 32 gigs of storage and can be configured all the way up to a Core i7 with 16 Gigs plus 256.

Conclusion 

It's very early days for the pixel slate this is the first serious push for Google into the tablet space for Chrome OS and really how much of a challenge it composed to iOS and Windows is going to depend on the polish and performance of this thing when it goes on sale because right now both are pretty rough the fundamentals like to build quality audio and display are solid we'll just have to wait and see how the software shapes up if Google can iron out the kinks this could be a great little tablet but until then we'll just have to wait.