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Even though it wasn’t the first Chrome tablet, the Google Pixel Slate i5 is revolutionizing the expectations of what a tablet running Chrome OS can be. Trond Wuellner, a Google employee, stated on Tuesday at the Made By Google Launch event in New York that the Pixel Slate “isn’t a laptop trying to be a tablet” or “a tablet that’s really a phone pretending to be a computer.” The Pixel Slate was introduced to the public on that day.
Chrome OS started out with desktop aspirations, and the Pixel Slate demonstrates how Google is trying to evolve Chrome OS from those roots. The Pixel Slate has a form factor that is both compact and adaptable, and it accepts input via touch, pen, and voice. The Pixel Slate has a stunning design that competes visually with that of the Apple iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S.
The Google Pixel Slate i5 is Google’s follow-up to the company’s high-end Chromebook, the Pixelbook, which debuted with Chrome OS last year. The Pixel Slate is a 12.3-inch tablet with an optional keyboard dock (beginning at $599, tested at $999).
In the following, we have highlighted the important specifications as well as the new features that we find to be the most intriguing. This article will be updated as more information about the Pixel Slate becomes available to us.
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Google Pixel Slatei5: Configuration, Specs And Price
- Price: With a starting price of $599. Google Pixel Slate i5 price is $999. Additionally the keyboard price is $199 and Pixelbook Pen costs is $99
- Processor: The Google Pixel Slate is equipped with an Intel Celeron processor Intel Core i5 processor.
- Ram And Rom: 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage.
- Accessories: Pixel Slate Keyboard and Pixelbook Pen are great options for individuals who like to write and sketch by hand.
Getting a Core i5-powered Slate with 64GB of storage may seem like overkill on the cloud-based Chrome OS, but that much space is only available in the Core m3 model. You should not rely solely on the Core m3 CPU if you intend to use this system as your primary computer.
Moreover, you may also wish to consider Google’s Preferred Care warranty in addition to the standard warranty. Also can get 24×7 tech support, an extra year of hardware coverage (on top of the 1-year manufacturer warranty), and two claims of accidental damage repair for $149 from Google. As a result, the $1,198 price tag I’ve set for the setup I recommend is reasonable.
The Google Pixel Slate i5 Performance
It was possible to get by with a Google Pixel Slate equipped with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8200Y processor and 8GB of RAM in our tests. There was no noticeable decrease in my computer’s performance when I split my screen between a YouTube video and 12 Chrome tabs (including the Google Doc for this review, Gmail and Giphy). Switching between the three open apps with the Alt+Tab keyboard shortcut maintained a steady framerate throughout the day.
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The Pixel Slate scored 146.84 on the Jetstream test for JavaScript performance, which is below average but better than the Galaxy Book 2’s score of 1,016.22. (101). However, the Surface Pro 6 (215.74) and iPad Pro (279) scored higher, while the first-generation Pixelbook got 145.09, but we retested it and it now earns a 128.66. At 101, the Samsung Galaxy Book 2
In the 5,000 fish round of the WebGL Aquarium simulation, which depicts hundreds to thousands of animated fish, the Pixel Slate ran at a frame rate of around 28. The Pixelbook also ran at the same speed. When I tested PUBG Mobile on the Slate, the lowest graphics level, I discovered the device’s gaming limits. Stuttering and clipping were still evident in the game’s pixelated setting, and the stuttering and clipping didn’t look all that great. It was a pleasure to play PinOut, a futuristic pinball game, though.
Google Play Store Android Emulation
Using the Google Play Store’s Android emulation, the Pixel Slate’s Geekbench 4 general performance score was a disappointing 8,071, well below the 12,792 average for premium laptops and only ahead of the Pixel book’s 7,927 score (Core i5-7Y57 with 8GB of RAM). The Surface Pro 6 (Core i5-8250U with 8GB of RAM) and iPad Pro (A12X Bionic chip with Neural Engine Embedded M12 coprocessor) scored higher at 13,761 and 17,995 points, respectively, while the Galaxy Book 2 scored the lowest at 3,575 points (Snapdragon 850 with 4GB of RAM).
Google Pixel Slate i5
As an office tablet, the Google Pixel Slate i5 is rich Midnight Blue color is both elegant and versatile. Furthermore, its anodized aluminum chassis feels sturdy and long-lasting. In comparison to the latest iPad Pros, the Pixel Slate’s bezels are a bit thicker, but the black bars aren’t as prominent as to make it look antiquated.
Google’s Pixel Slate (without a keyboard) is somewhat lighter than the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 (1.7 pounds, 0.3 inches) and Samsung’s Galaxy Book 2 (1.8 pounds, 0.3 inches), but heavier and thicker than the 2018 12.9-inch iPad Pro (1.2 pounds, 0.3 inches) (1.4 pounds, 0.2 inches).
When the Pixel Slate keyboard is installed, the weight and thickness of the Pixel Slate are roughly doubled, making it less portable. Using the optional keyboards from the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 and Microsoft Surface Pro 6, the Pixelbook weighs in about a pound more and is roughly half an inch thicker than those other laptops.
Google Pixel Slate Display
The 12.3-inch screen on the Google Pixel Slate provides excellent color and detail. To my delight, when watching Suspire on my Pixel Slate, I was able to see a stunningly accurate portrayal of Suzy’s crimson face, as well as bright emerald greens in her school’s lobby, thanks to Pixel Slate’s high-definition pixel technology. There were also many fine details in the Slate’s 3,000-by-2,000-pixel panel, such as tiny ripples in the school pool and blue velvet walls in the school foyer.
With a color gamut of 120 percent of sRGB, the Pixel Slate’s screen edges over the Pixelbook’s 116 percent average and 117 percent rating by a hair. Surface Pro 6 (136%) and iPad Pro (128%) had somewhat higher ratings, but the Galaxy Book 2’s screen received a far higher 200% rating.
At 337 nits, the Pixel Slate outshines the average premium laptop and comes close to the Galaxy Book 2’s 350 nits. With the Surface Pro 6 (408 nits), iPad Pro (484 nits), and Pixelbook (408 nits), we found the brightest screens (421 nits). In my testing, I found that viewing the Pixel Slate from an angle of 35 degrees to the left or right did not dim the colours in any way.
With its 12.3-inch screen, the Pixel Slate exhibited precise touch recognition and smooth scrolling as I browsed the web for this review. To view all open apps and enable split-screen mode (only when in tablet mode), it responds to swipe-up movements from both the bottom and the top of the screen.
It appears that Google will address the sluggish tablet performance issue that some users have been experiencing in Chrome OS 75.
Google Pixel Slate: Keyboard
The 4.0 x 2.8-inch touchpad on the Pixel Slate Keyboard did an excellent job of tracking my input. Along with smooth scrolling, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it responded to three-finger swipe motions for viewing all open windows, which was an interesting test of whether Google was trying to catch up with Windows 10 and macOS in terms of usability when writing this review.
Using Pixel Slate Keyboard with its reclining folds, you can get closer to the kickstand-based Surface Pro in terms of possible typing positions. As a result, the Smart Keyboard Folio for the iPad Pro may be adjusted from 135 degrees to nearly 90 degrees.
Google Pixel Slate: Operating System
Chrome OS’s potential as a laptop was demonstrated by the Pixelbook, while Google’s Android experience was demonstrated by the Pixel Slate. One of the most notable changes is to the settings and notifications menu, which can be accessed by tapping the time bubble in the bottom right corner. It now resembles a Pixel phone’s pull-down settings menu, and the system notifications also appear like those on an Android device.
Chrome OS’s on-screen keyboard is my favorite new feature. Use the little squiggle in tablet mode to access handwriting mode, which lets you type by drawing (or doodling) letters with your finger or stylus. This feature is only available in tablet mode, so don’t neglect it. When I saw it translate text on the fly, faster than Windows does in its comparable mode, it was fascinating.
There are also new skills to learn if you have an iPhone or Pixel (I don’t). A single tap unlocks any Chromebook or Pixel Slate owned by the same individual, for example, thanks to the integration of Android Messages into Chrome OS. These are the kinds of benefits that Apple users are used to, and Google users will appreciate them.
Compatibility
The Pixel Slate’s Type-C connection, which is compatible with a wide range of external devices, is one of the main reasons I think it’s a good laptop replacement. As soon as I connected the Slate with a Type-C to USB 3.0 converter, my external devices, my Blue Yeti USB Microphone, and my Audioengine 2+ speakers all appeared. Many of those things are possible on the iPad Pro, but the lack of external storage means that everyone who uses external drives is left out in the cold.
Port
The Pixel Slate’s dual USB Type-C connections could teach Apple a thing or two. Unlike the new iPad Pros, which only support onboard storage, the Pixel Slate can be used with an external storage device, allowing it to be integrated into a modern office environment rather than relying solely on cloud storage. Despite this, both machines outperform the Surface Pro 6, which requires an additional $80 for a Type-C port adapter to function.
That support for external devices, however, has one little hiccup: after importing huge files to the Pixel Slate, the screen goes dark for a few seconds before displaying a blank Chrome tab. However, the file transfer is working fine. It has a custom Pogo connection on the bottom edge that you may use to connect the Pixel Slate and Pixel Slate Keyboard. To compensate for the lack of a headphone port, Google provides a Type-C to 3.5mm audio converter.
Chrome Browser
For browsing on-the-go, there’s no better option than Google’s Chrome browser on the Pixel Slate. That offers a more full experience than the iPad Pro’s Mobile Safari. As soon as I started using the iPad Pro as my primary computer. I had a slew of problems connecting to our servers and accessing the websites on which we host our material. Page loads on the Pixel Slate were a breeze.
Google’s updates and security will also be a big factor to switch from Windows to Chrome OS. All system-level maintenance is carried out in the background. While updates are only applied when the system is restarted to ensure that you never lose any data.
The only problem is that Android app emulation on Chrome OS makes you feel like you’re using a massive phone instead of a tablet, especially with such a large screen. You can only use full-screen mode on some apps (like Instagram, the game Alto’s Odyssey, and Pin Out), while touch targets are sometimes too small for casual touches and made me feel like I was shooting an arrow at a tiny target. Discord’s typeface is also too small for the Pixel Slate’s display.
Google Pixel Slate’s audio capabilities.
The Google Pixel Slate is a well-built music player. Idles’ strong riffs and belting vocals filled a dining room, as well as two adjacent rooms, and even muffled the laundry machines going upstairs when I streamed music on the slate.
Google Pixel Slate Battery Life
The Google Pixel Slate has a long-lasting battery life that you can count on. Pixel Slate lasted 9 hours and 51 minutes in Laptop Mag Battery Test, beating the 8:13 average by more than 1.5 hours. Specifically When compared to the iPad Pro (13:14). The Galaxy Book 2, the Surface Pro 6 (9:20) was half an hour late. Even when tested at a lower luminance level (100 nits), the Pixelbook ran out of battery life after only 7 minutes and 43 seconds.
Camera Result
The Google Pixel Slate’s lenses capture decent images, but no one with any sense will ever argue that you should use a tablet as your primary camera. The illumination from the truck produced blown-out regions. My hair was perfectly captured in the Slate’s 8-megapixel selfie camera. As well as the texture of my bag’s woven strap.
