Google really nailed it with the Pixelbook. The laptop-tablet hybrid was a bit steep at $1,000, but boy was it one helluva fun work and play machine. Google’s just-announced Pixel Slate is a departure from the Pixelbook and its flippable screen. With an attachable keyboard, the Chrome OS-powered tablet is more Microsoft Surface Pro and iPad Pro than clamshell laptop, which might not sit well with some people. The circle-shaped keys are also a particularly an odd choice. In just a couple of years, Google has established itself as competent hardware company capable of making very premium phones and laptops with a high level of polish. Premium fit and finish The Pixel Slate is yet another Google device that looks and feels great. The tablet’s remarkably thin at 0.27 inches and the metal construction feels as sturdy as any premium tablet. Though it's thin, it's not super light; it's dense and you will feel the weight in one hand. Google’s bumped up the screen resolution on the 3:2 12.3-inch display to 3,000 x 2,000 (up from the 2,400 x 1,600 on the Pixelbook) and reduced the bezels around it for a more modern look. With a 12.3-inch screen, the Slate's a big tablet. Image: raymond wong/mashable At first ogle, it’s a very bright and sharp screen. But that’s not really saying much since I didn’t feel the Pixelbook’s screen and resolution was inadequate in any way besides the thick bezels. Embedded into one of the bezels is an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. Around back, there’s also an 8-megapixel camera. Like on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3, the cameras can shoot portrait-style shots with a blurred-out background without needing a dual camera system. The 8-megapixel cameras on the front and back can take portrait-style shots. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE There's no face unlock of any kind on the tablet. However, there's a fingerprint reader built into the side power button. The tablet has two USB-C ports for connecting accessories or to a display. But just like on the Pixel 3 phones, there's no headphone jack. I suppose it's time to invest in a pair of wireless headphones or get wired USB-C headphones (or a dongle). The power button doubles as a fingerprint reader. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE There's two USB-C ports on the Slate — one on each side. No headphone jack, though. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE Embedded into two of the bezels is a pair of front-firing stereo speakers. Google says these can get really loud. I couldn't really get a sense of their quality in the noisy demo area. Choose your performance If there was one thing that made the Pixelbook and Pixel laptops a tough sell, it was their sky-high prices. $1,000+ for a Chromebook (even a really nice one) is ridiculously pricey for many people. And a big reason for why those past Google laptops were so expensive was performance. They came in fast (Intel Core i5 processor) and really fast (Intel Core i7 processor) — overkill for running mostly Chrome. To hit a lower price point, Google’s Pixel Slate comes in more modest configurations. At the entry-level is a Slate with an Intel Celeron processor (you read that right) with 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM starting at $599; there's also a version with 64GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for more (Google's site doesn't list how much more). Moving up from that is an 8th-gen Intel Core processor with 64GB of storage and 8GB of RAM starting at $799. For the more demanding user, there’s a Slate with an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 chip with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for $999, and a model with a screaming 8th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM for $1,599. Google only had the two higher-end models available for demo so I can't tell you how well the Slates with the punier Celeron and m3 chips perform (my guess is not very fast). I noticed some touchscreen latency on the demo units. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE The i5 and i7 models are fast, but I still noticed some touchscreen latency on a couple of the devices. Scrolling was sometimes jittery and the touchscreen responsiveness wasn't as smooth on an iPad Pro. Of course, these weren't retail units so the software can still be tweaked before launch. If you've used a Chromebook you'll be right at home with Chrome OS on the Slate. Android apps work even better than they did a year ago, too. Google says battery life is up to 12 hours of "mixed use" and I'll definitely be testing those claims soon. Not sure about the keyboard I absolutely loved typing on the Pixelbook’s satisfyingly clicky keyboard, which is why I’m so conflicted over the keys on the new attachable keyboard cover (sold separately). For whatever reason, they keys are rounded. The letter keys are circles and other keys like the function row buttons, space bar, and enter key are pill-shaped. They match the Material Design look of the Chrome OS and Android software, but they’re not very practical on a keyboard. Ugh. Round keys. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE Poorly designed keys will ruin any device that’s supposed to be used for typing. Microsoft sold the terrible Touch Cover keyboard for the original Surface tablets and almost everyone hates the flat keys on Apple’s MacBook Pros. While I’m hesitant to say the rounded keys on the Slate keyboard are bad because I haven’t spent enough time typing on it — the keyboard is at least spacious and the keys have a good amount of travel to them — there’s a reason why rounded keys aren’t really a thing on keyboards: Square and rectangle keys are larger and better for accuracy. I’ve had some experience typing on keyboards with rounded keys. I’ve used Logitech’s K380 Bluetooth keyboard before and, well… it didn’t last more than a day on my desk before I tossed it back into our gadget closet. The keyboard attaches via these magnetic pins. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE On the bright side, if you don’t like Google’s official Slate keyboard, you can pick up a third-party keyboard like the new Brydge G-Type, which turns the tablet into more of a clamshell device and has proper non-rounded keys. The trackpad on the other hand is really responsive. I also really appreciate that the palm rest is no longer made of a weird rubbery texture that’s easily stained. The trackpad is excellent. Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE Another thing I wasn't a fan of on Google's keyboard folio: lapability. Microsoft perfected its Touch Cover Keyboard for the Surface Pro by having it snap onto the display's bottom bezel, which makes the tablet and keyboard easier to prop on your lap. With a folded backside (adjustable at various angles, but still) instead of a proper kickstand and a flopping keyboard, I almost dropped the Slate several times while trying to type with it on my lap. I'm calling it now: The Slate and keyboard are only good as a combo on a flat surface. Like the Pixelbook, you can also pick up a stylus (sold separately of course) if you’re the doodling or note-taking type. The numbers don't completely add up RIP Surface Pro? Image: RAYMOND WONG/MASHABLE The iPad is still the best tablet, and the Surface Pro (with a keyboard) is the best laptop replacement that also happens to be a handy tablet. The Pixel Slate, however, seems to split the difference between the iPad Pro and Surface Pro. It’s certainly a very nice tablet that runs Android apps and with a keyboard and the desktop version of Chrome (extensions and all), but I'm concerned about performance (especially with the slower processors), the keys, and the poor lapability. There's no question that $599 seems like a better value than the $1,000 Pixelbook. But when you add in Google's keyboard, which is another $199, the total for the entry-level Slate balloons up to $800.<doc-sep>Google has officially unveiled some already-pretty-seriously-leaked Pixel devices, without much to offer in the way of surprises. One of those new Pixels is the Slate, a 2-in-1 hybrid similar to the fresh Surface Pro 6, which in turn was launched just a week ago by Microsoft. So what's the difference, and which of these new convertibles is best for you? Google Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Which is the best new convertible tablet? The Pixel Slate may have unsurprisingly been overshadowed by the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL at the Made by Google 2018 launch event, but the new convertible tablet is definitely worth checking out for anyone who needs a flexible work or entertainment device for taking on the road. How does it compare to stiff competition like the Microsoft Surface Pro 6? Let’s take a look. The Slate’s smart design and premium features will hopefully make it an ideal laptop replacement, especially if you have strict demands for performance and portability. Of course, Microsoft has already launched one of the Pixel Slate’s strongest rivals, the Surface Pro 6. This 2018 update of last year’s ‘All-New’ Surface Pro offers similar advantages, as well as many of the same drawbacks. Yet the two devices are also very different when it comes to certain specs and features. Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Overview Pull it out of the box and the Pixel Slate looks like your typical tablet. However, you can also connect an optional magnetic keyboard dock to instantly convert this tab into a makeshift laptop. Definitely handy if you want the creative freedom of a touchscreen device, plus the typing abilities of a proper physical keyboard. That’s the same setup enjoyed by Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6, launched exactly one week prior. The latest 2018 version of the Surface Pro sports premium specs, just like the Pixel Slate, so you can stay productive with creative apps, or keep yourself entertained with movies and the latest games. Plus, both the Pixel Slate and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 support an official (and optional) stylus, for sketching on the fly or editing docs. However, the platforms running on these two convertibles are very different. While the Pixel Slate uses Google’s Chrome OS, which is similar to the mobile Android OS, Microsoft’s new Surface Pro sports full Windows 10. Related: Pixel Slate vs iPad Pro Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Specs Starting with design, the Pixel Slate sports a similar build to the Surface Pro 6. Google’s tablet is a mite lighter at 721g, compared with the 775g Microsoft model, while both devices rock a 12.3-inch display. That screen is sharper on the Pixel Slate, thanks to the 3000×2000 pixel resolution. The Surface Pro 6 still offers crisp 2736×1824 visuals, but the 267 pixels-per-inch won’t deliver as much detail as the Pixel’s 293 ppi. Both displays should be fine for creative professionals however, offering strong colour reproduction and contrast. And if it’s entertainment you’re after, these convertibles will serve well. Although we reckon the Pixel Slate may win for audio performance, thanks to its powerful front-firing stereo speakers. That said, the Surface Pro is no slouch with its own 1.6W blasters and you only get 3.5mm headphone support on Microsoft’s device; with Google’s tablet, you’ll need a Type-C USB dongle. The Microsoft Surface Pro 6 comes with a choice of 8th-Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 chipsets, for premium performance no matter your needs. These are backed by 8 or 16GB of RAM, depending on your SKU. Likewise, the Pixel Slate also crams in those 8th-Gen chipsets, with 8 to 16GB of RAM to keep things smooth even when multi-tasking. However, the base Slate model is a Celeron device with just 4 to 8GB of memory. If you want those Core versions, you’ll need to up your budget. When it comes to storage, the Surface Pro is the big daddy. The most basic model sports 128GB, rising to 1TB for the best-specced version. And in all cases, you have microSDXC memory card support also. In the Pixel Slate, you can get as little as 32GB of space, in SSD form. At the top end, only 256GB is available. Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Features These two convertibles use very different platforms, offering a different user experience. That Pixel Slate uses Google’s own Chrome OS, a simplified mobile-style operating system that’s similar to Android, but customised to work on laptops and other wide-screen devices. This can run apps downloaded from Google’s online store as well as Linux-based software with a bit of fiddling. In comparison, the Surface Pro runs Microsoft’s Windows 10 OS. This allows users to download any software they like, from the web. It’s a lot more flexible but still well suited to touch in its Tablet Mode. And like Chrome OS, you have all of the usual built-in functionality like a voice assistant and security features. When it comes to ports, you get a very different offering depending on your choice. The Pixel Slate boasts not one but two Type-C USB connections, for hooking up peripherals and powering the device back up. Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 6 sadly doesn’t have any Type-C ports, although you do get Type-A USB 3.0, plus Mini DisplayPort and that microSDXC memory card reader. Neither convertible offers SIM support, although of course you have WiFi to stay connected. Forget entering passwords every time you wish to unlock these devices. Google has slapped a fingerprint sensor onto that edge-mounted power button, while the Surface Pro supports Windows Hello face recognition. That front-facing camera on Microsoft’s model is a 5-megapixel snapper, which should be perfectly sharp for Skype chats and the rest. However, the Pixel Slate upgrades that to an 8-megapixel lens, with a wider field of view. Both hybrids also serve up an 8-megapixel rear camera, with the ability to shoot up to Full HD video. Related: Surface Pro 6 vs Surface Pro 5 Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Price The Pixel Slate will cost you from £549 here in the UK, if you grab the basic Celeron model. You’ll pay more for the Intel Core models, while the keyboard and pen also cost extra. In the US, the Pixel Slate costs from $599 for its base model. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 begins at the more expensive £749, although bear in mind that this is a Core i5 device. For that kind of smarts in the Pixel, you’ll need to up your budget. Related: Google Home Hub Pixel Slate vs Surface Pro 6 – Release date and availability The Surface Pro 6 is set to go on sale from October 16th, while the Pixel Slate will be available before the end of 2018. We don’t have a precise release date just yet.<doc-sep>If you’re looking for a super premium 2-in-1 this holiday season, the iPad Pro, Google Pixel Slate, and Microsoft Surface Pro 6 are the top three ways to go. All three look pretty similar on the surface, but have different takes on what it means to be a true 2-in-1. With the fresh release of the Google Pixel Slate, we’re diving a bit deeper to compare it to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Design The design of premium tablets is common these days, and both the Pixel Slate and the iPad Pro are initially hard to tell apart. The Google Pixel Slate is thin and light, crafted with rounded corners and comes in at 1.6 pounds, making it slightly heavier than this year’s slimmed down 1.4-pound iPad Pro. Both devices lack an integrated kickstand and depend on the use of a separately purchased keyboard cover to stay propped up. The keyboard cover on the Pixel Slate is more advanced, allowing the tablet to adjust to different screen angles, and the rounded keys are also backlit, making it easier to type in the dark. Another advantage with the Pixel Slate’s keyboard cover is that it includes a trackpad whereas the iPad Pro requires you to move your hands away from the keyboard to tap on things using the touchscreen. Both keyboards, however, suffer from shallow key travel, so you may experience finger fatigue if you type long documents or emails. The displays on the two devices are also similar, and both Apple and Google want to make sure you have the best Netflix viewing pleasure. Apple’s 12.9-inch has 2,732 x 2,048 resolution, which works out to 264 pixels per inch across a 12.9-inch screen. The Pixel Slate has 3,000 x 2,000 resolution, which is 293 pixels per inch across a 12.3-inch screen. The Pixel Slate has a sharp display, which we found to be big, bright, and colorful in our review, making it a winner. Google could improve the Pixel Slate next year by making the bezels smaller, similar to what Apple has done on the 2018 iPad Pro. There’s also a difference in aspect ratio. The iPad has a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the Slate has a 3:2 aspect ratio. In practice, that means the iPad is a little closer to a square and feels more like the size of a piece of paper. The Slate’s aspect ratio is a bit wider, so 16:9 videos will have smaller black bars surrounding them. Performance Under the hood, the Google Slate is powered by a touch-centric new version of Chrome OS, whereas the iPad Pro is powered by iOS 12. Both operating systems are mobile-centric, so your choice of the tablet just depends on which platform you prefer. Though iOS has no mouse support (and Chrome OS does) you’ll find similar apps and multi-tasking features across both platforms. Given how mature iOS is on tablets, the iPad Pro delivers a more polished experience. Many of the apps on the Pixel Slate didn’t support Google’s split-screen multitasking feature at this time, and even the swiping gestures didn’t work all the time. Greater differences can be found in the hardware. For $999, you’re getting a 12.9 inch iPad Pro with 4GB of RAM, 64GB, of storage, an A12X chip with 64‑bit architecture, and embedded M12 co-processor. The Pixel Slate starts at a lower $599, but you’re getting a weaker Intel Celeron Processor, 4GB RAM, and 32GB of storage. The Intel Celeron Processor found on most cheaper Chromebooks feels slow when multitasking and doing more demanding tasks. To match the performance of the iPad, you’ll need to upgrade the Pixel Slate to a more expensive configuration, which tops out with an 8th-Generation Intel Core i7 processor. Even our review unit, which was equipped with an upgraded Core M processor, felt clunky, suffering from performance issues that could be chalked up to early software bugs. Keep in mind that both devices can be purchased with an optional pen. Apple’s is $99 and so is the one from Google. Considering the specifications, there are not many differences between them both, and both work fine for inking, drawing, and other tasks. Portability When considering the portability of the Google Pixel Slate and the iPad Pro 12.9 inch, you need to consider their dimensions. The iPad Pro measures 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.23 inches, and the Pixel Slate comes in at 11.45 inches x 7.95 inches x .27 inches. Both are truly light and portable, but we think that the smaller length on the Google Pixel makes it easier to pack away when traveling. The iPad Pro is lighter and thinner, though both are a bit too big to comfortably hold for extended amounts of time. As for battery life, Google promises that you’ll get up to 12 hours with mixed usage on the Pixel Slate. In our testing, we got up to 10 hours on the iPad, which is still good. iOS is also known for excellent standby time — it uses little battery when not actively used. We don’t yet know how the Slate’s standby time will compare, but Chrome OS devices usually don’t handle standby as well as an iPad. Coming down to the connectivity while on the go, the Pixel Slate looks to be the winner. Though Apple has replaced the Lightning connector on this year’s iPad Pro with a USB-C connector, the port’s functionality is limited, and you won’t be able to connect devices like external drives or a mouse. The Pixel Slate comes with two USB-C ports for charging, 4K display output, and data transfer. Like the iPad Pro, there’s no headphone jack on the Pixel Slate, but there are killer dual-firing speakers for better surround sound. You’ll need a dongle or Bluetooth headphones with either tablet. Get the iPad At the end of the day, if you need a high-end tablet, the iPad Pro is the clear winner, delivering polished performance and ease of use. While Google’s Pixel Slate may be the more capable laptop replacement, the device still suffers from some performance issues and buggy software. It might offer the more complete 2-in-1 experience, the iPad Pro benefits from a robust ecosystem of apps, a solid user experience, and optional integrated LTE for on-the-go connectivity. Editors' Recommendations<doc-sep>
With Google recently releasing its Pixel Slate tablet, there’s plenty to wonder on how it stacks up against the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. From the design, keyboards, or operating systems, there is a lot that is initially similar—but also different— between the two. In this side by side comparison piece, we stack the two newest tablets against each other helping you decide which one is best for you. Design Google’s Pixel Slate is thin and light, crafted with rounded corners and coming in at 1.6 pounds. The Surface Pro 6 keeps a similar simplistic design but is slightly heavier at 1.7 pounds without the keyboard. Though it feels solid, durable and is easy to grab as a tablet, we weren’t exactly a fan of the overall design of the Google Pixel Slate. Compared to the Surface, it is still a bit too drab and only comes in one Midnight Blue color and aluminum material, not fitting in with Google’s other hardware like the Pixel 3. Just as with the iPad Pro, the other key differentiating element between the two devices is the kickstand. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 has a fully articulating kickstand with movement up to 165 degrees, but the Google Pixel Slate depends on its keyboard cover to stay propped up. In both cases, the keyboard is separate, $199 for the Pixel Slate, and $159 with the Surface Pro 6. We still found the folio keyboard on the Pixel Slate as innovative, since it emulates the feel of a real kickstand and allowed us to change the angle of the screen with just one hand. Finally, with the display, both Google and Microsoft are packing in plenty of pixels for an impressive viewing experience. Google promises that you’ll get a resolution of 3,000 x 2,000 with the 12.3-inch display on board the Pixel Slate, adding up to 293 PPI. The same size screen on the Surface Pro 6, though, gets you 2,736 x 1,824 resolution, for 267 PPI. Both are at a 3:2 aspect ratio, but Google is packing more pixels, a cooler tint, and a sharper image with the Pixel Slate screen. We found it was perfect for watching movies, especially since brightness maxes out beyond 400 nits. Performance All similarities between the Pixel Slate and the Surface Pro 6 end with the performance, specs, and operating systems. Google’s Pixel Slate is powered by Chrome OS 70 which now looks a lot like Android and makes it feel like an awesome tablet. The Surface Pro 6, on the other hand, is powered by Windows 10 and comes in different processor and RAM configurations for better laptop experience and performance across the OS. The entry-level $599 Pixel Slate comes with an Intel Celeron Processor, with 4GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. That sounds great, but in the long term, those specs might not hold up and the processor will slow you. On the other side, the entry-level $899 Surface Pro 6 starts with an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage. Picking those same specs on the Pixel State would cost you $999, so it’s obvious that the Surface Pro 6 wins here for the price. We reviewed the Google Pixel Slate with the dual-core Core i5-8200Y processor and found it was fast enough for most tasks we threw at it, including playing a wide range of Android games. Chrome OS is lighter than Windows, and web browsing with fifteen or twenty tabs open was not an issue. We still think that you’ll eventually hit a multi-tasking wall with the Slate, and for the price, a Surface Pro 6 with a quad-core processor is definitely the better performer. Pricing aside, Google does look to get a lot done with Chrome OS on the Pixel Slate, mainly since you get two operating systems (a web browser and tablet mode) on one device. With features like the Google Play Store and Split Screen, we found that it has high ambitions to resurrect the Android tablet. Unfortunately, not all Android apps are optimized for the Pixel Slate experience, but it still comes a far way and places it ahead of what Microsoft has done with tablet mode on Windows 10 with the Surface Pro 6. Elsewhere in performance, both the Surface Pro 6 and the Pixel Slate come with pens that are separate $99 purchases. The Google Pen has an Aluminum rear body, poly-carbonate front body and button, and glass-filled tip.