It was an undoubtedly gorgeous tablet, but why is it the same size as the Pixelbook?
Why is there no headphone jack?
Why does the keyboard cost $199 when the tablet starts at $ 599?
The Pixel Slate lies somewhere between Microsofts Surface and Apples iPad in terms of functionality.
Its design is reflective of this duality, though aesthetically, its a bit closer to the iPad Pro.
Its a stunning slab clad in a navy blue anodized aluminum.
The buzzwordy Molecular Display is bright and super sharp.
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Youre definitely going to lose that dongle though.
Theres no kickstand, so the Pixel slate relies on a keyboard cover to stay upright.
This cover issoclose to being excellent, but major flaws make it a frustrating experience half the time.
Lets start with the good.
It has a neat soft-touch finish in a matching blue.
The keys feel nice, and their circular shape doesnt bother me at all.
The trackpad is large and works smoothly.
Its great if you only ever use it on a flat surface.
It happens very often and is supremely annoying.
It could use a magnet or two to keep things shut.
Its worth noting Google included the $160 Bridge G-pop in Keyboard with my review unit.
Still, Id pick this over Googles solution.
The Pixelbook Pen is okay.
It exhibits more latency than the Apple Pencil or Surface Pen, although this depends on the app.
A magnetic strip a la Surface or iPad Pro wouldve been nice.
you might drag apps to the side to enter split screen mode.
Simple enough, but it feels less fleshed out than Windows.
While the Pixel Slate never felt particularly slow, it never felt particularly smooth either.
Ive seen better performance from Chromebooks with worse specs, so it seems to be an optimization problem here.
But with the Pixel Slate, Im not sure the company has done enough to deserve your hard-earned money.
If you want a premium Chrome OS machine, Googles ownPixelbookcan be found foraround $800 new.
And thats without even getting into Apples iPads or the myriad of other PC and Chrome OS options.
The Pixel C was an excellent piece of hardware without the software to match.
For all but Chrome OS diehards, the Pixel Slate does not.
