*** The Google Pixel Slate Thread ***

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I've just put an order in for the m3 version, delivery is mid December though!

I'm guessing no one else has ordered as no actual thread :o

Copied from Chromeunboxed

Since the official announcement of the Google Pixel Slate, we’ve all been hungering for the nitty gritty. Luckily, Google has provided us with every detail of Google Pixel Slate specs that you could ever want.


Google Pixel Slate specs
You have five models to choose from when shopping for a Google Pixel Slate. Each upgrade is a sensible one, combining processor (and therefore graphics), RAM and storage, with no unexpected price jumps between them.

The starter model features an 8th Gen Intel® Celeron® processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of SSD storage, for a mere $599. For $100 more, or $699, the second model doubles both the RAM and SSD space, to 8GB and 64GB respectively.

For the middle model, ringing in at $799, you get an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ m3 processor, 8GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage space. The next model up doubles the SSD space again to 128GB and includes an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor, for $999.

The top-tier model, for those who want to own a true beast of a tablet with no compromises, boasting an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a massive 256GB in SSD storage, will cost you quite a pretty penny at $1599.

Beyond these differences, everything else stays the same across models.

To recap:

  • Intel® Celeron® processor, 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD – $599
  • Intel® Celeron® processor, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD – $699
  • Intel® Core™ m3 processor, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD – $799
  • Intel® Core™ i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD – $999
  • Intel® Core™ i7 processor, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD – $1599
Screen
Google has packed a massive 3000×2000 Molecular Display™ touchscreen inside of the 12.3″ device, giving the device a 293ppi ratio, with LTPS LCD technology to help extend battery life.

Fingerprint Authentication
Hidden away in the power button, the Google Pixel Slate features a Pixel Imprint™ fingerprint scanner with dedicated fingerprint sensor to securely unlock your device. This is a new feature for Chrome OS, and should be reasonably more secure than the phone-based Smart Lock currently available.

Cameras
The Pixel Slate features two cameras, one in the front, one in the rear. While both Sony cameras weigh in at 8MP, the front-facing camera has a wider field of view, for video calls and taking group photos.

Backing up this hardware is native support for the Pixel-exclusive Google Camera app for Android, including Portrait mode.

Audio
Like the other devices in this year’s Pixel lineup, the Google Pixel Slate does not feature a headphone jack. Google has done a few things to compensate for this. The Pixel Slate features two dual-coil, front-firing speakers, embedded in the bezel and powered by Waves MaxxAudio. The device also includes a USB-C to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter.

Additionally, for your Google Assistant and video calling needs, the Pixel Slate will feature dual microphones with echo cancellation.

Battery life
The Google Pixel Slate is equipped with a 48WHr battery that will be capable of up to 10 hours of usage on a single charge. This means the Pixel Slate will last you through the work day, with a little bit of juice left for play at home.

Full specs
Here’s the full sheet of Google Pixel Slate specs:

  • Chrome OS
  • Dimensions: 202.04mm x 290.85 mm x 7.0mm
  • Weight: 1.6lbs / .7kg
  • Midnight Blue, anodized aluminum body
  • 12.3″ Molecular Display™
  • 3000×2000 resolution LTPS LCD
  • Corning® Gorilla® Glass 5
  • Touchscreen with Pixelbook Pen support
  • 8-megapixel front camera, ƒ/1.9 aperture, 1.4um pixel size, wide field of view, 1080p 30fps video
  • 8-megapixel rear camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture, 1.12um pixel size, Auto Focus, 1080p 30fps video
  • 8th Gen Intel® Core™ m3, i5 or i7 Processor, or Intel® Celeron® Processor
  • RAM: 4GB, 8GB, or 16GB
  • SSD Storage: 32GB, 64GB, 128GB or 256GB
  • Dual front-firing speakers
  • Two microphones for improved noise cancellation
  • 48WHr battery, capable of 10 hours of usage
  • WiFI 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, 2×2 MIMO, dual-band
  • Bluetooth® 4.2
  • Pixel Imprint™ fingerprint sensor w/ dedicated microcontroller
  • Titan C security chip
Click to expand...
 
Will be interested to hear your impressions.

I’m currently rocking an iPad 10.5, but I’m more of a google user, and there are a few elements of the iPad that annoy me, mainly the lack of desktop browser, not getting phone notifications and so on. That said though it is an awesome machine and proving hard to replace!

I am interested in this but having used android phones for years and quite a few chromebooks (also a Pixel C), I’m expecting it to be promising in many areas but frustrating in many others. I was looking into the Pixelbook but I’ve read of a few pretty serious flaws. Typical google it seems, innovative but unfinished.

I might buy if this is finally be the year they produce a truly useful and polished device but I am not holding my breath! :)
 
I've been using a old Acer Cx2 Chromebox for a few years now so instead of buying another box I thought I would try the the tablet. The Acer is Celeron machine with only 2GB so the slate should fly!
 
I had a chromebook a while back, and it soon annoyed me. To be honest, at the price you'd need to pay for adequate performance it's hard to pick this over the new ipad pro or even the surface pro 6 (and that's taking into account how bad windows is).

I'm heavily invested into the google ecosystem, and usually buy all the new gadgets going....yet even I'm thinking twice about it.

Still, let us know your thoughts.

Google should have included the keyboard.
 
TheOracle said:
I had a chromebook a while back, and it soon annoyed me. To be honest, at the price you'd need to pay for adequate performance it's hard to pick this over the new ipad pro or even the surface pro 6 (and that's taking into account how bad windows is).

I'm heavily invested into the google ecosystem, and usually buy all the new gadgets going....yet even I'm thinking twice about it.

Still, let us know your thoughts.

Google should have included the keyboard.
Click to expand...

I think a lot of people are also wary of Google's poor quality control, I know I am. It's a lot of money for a device that could have bugs in the software, substandard hardware quality, and questionable support (see Pixel C for more).

I really want to like this device but I can see I'm not alone with my concerns.
 
Yep, as above it is just too much for a 'Google product'. They're pricing themselves in Apple's back garden without the solid software to back it up.

Owner of a Pixel C, a 6P and a useless Google Home here, the latter of which is a clusterduck of a mess thanks to ever broken software. The Pixel C is imo the best tablet they ever had and mine has been flawless...under Lineage. Google's 'support' for it was absolutely poor. Imo google products equate to one thing = you're the beta tester for their software, and if you've got issues - well good luck.
 
Kainz said:
Yep, as above it is just too much for a 'Google product'. They're pricing themselves in Apple's back garden without the solid software to back it up.

Owner of a Pixel C, a 6P and a useless Google Home here, the latter of which is a clusterduck of a mess thanks to ever broken software. The Pixel C is imo the best tablet they ever had and mine has been flawless...under Lineage. Google's 'support' for it was absolutely poor. Imo google products equate to one thing = you're the beta tester for their software, and if you've got issues - well good luck.
Click to expand...

Hit the nail on the head with the Beta comment. Googles products and services are always in a state of Beta. It's a shame as they are cutting edge, and I am very reliant on them.
 
I've been waiting for someone to make this thread. I'm torn between getting a slate or a Samsung galaxy tab s4.

I have to confess I don't know anything about the Chromebook OS. But I have read that android tablets are becoming obsolete. And with an aversion to Apple products the pixel slate could be the future.
 
rebel rebel said:
I've been waiting for someone to make this thread. I'm torn between getting a slate or a Samsung galaxy tab s4.

I have to confess I don't know anything about the Chromebook OS. But I have read that android tablets are becoming obsolete. And with an aversion to Apple products the pixel slate could be the future.
Click to expand...

Save your money....chrome os is in a terrible state, as is android os for tablets. The only tablets worth buying are the ipads (and I'm not keen on ios), or the 2in1 surface pro (and I'm not keen on windows either lol)

Basically ask yourself this......can you do 100% of your work via the chrome browser? You'll find the limitations within the first hour of use.

It's one of those pieces of technology which I really want to like, but just can't. Plus it's very expensive for a secondary device you'll hardly use.
 
TheOracle said:
Save your money....chrome os is in a terrible state, as is android os for tablets. The only tablets worth buying are the ipads (and I'm not keen on ios), or the 2in1 surface pro (and I'm not keen on windows either lol)

Basically ask yourself this......can you do 100% of your work via the chrome browser? You'll find the limitations within the first hour of use.

It's one of those pieces of technology which I really want to like, but just can't. Plus it's very expensive for a secondary device you'll hardly use.
Click to expand...

I think you are probably right regarding the slate limitations, and no microsd slot either apparently. But I did like my Xperia tablet, I used it as my main device, my PC had never been off so much. What don't you like about android tablets?
 
rebel rebel said:
I think you are probably right regarding the slate limitations, and no microsd slot either apparently. But I did like my Xperia tablet, I used it as my main device, my PC had never been off so much. What don't you like about android tablets?
Click to expand...

I think the one thing which annoyed me wasn't so much the tablets themselves (although finding a high spec stock device was a challenge) but the apps.
 
TheOracle said:
I think the one thing which annoyed me wasn't so much the tablets themselves (although finding a high spec stock device was a challenge) but the apps.
Click to expand...

Aren't the apps basically the same as iPad apps though?

I need to make a decision in the next few weeks, as I'm due to start kidney dialysis and will be spending 4 hours in a hospital 3 times a week. I think a laptop would be too cumbersome to take in.

Another question to maybe make me mind up would be... Which OS has the best art app, and stylus?
 
rebel rebel said:
Aren't the apps basically the same as iPad apps though?

I need to make a decision in the next few weeks, as I'm due to start kidney dialysis and will be spending 4 hours in a hospital 3 times a week. I think a laptop would be too cumbersome to take in.

Another question to maybe make me mind up would be... Which OS has the best art app, and stylus?
Click to expand...

No, a lot of ios apps are specifically designed for tablet use
 
TheOracle said:
Save your money....chrome os is in a terrible state, as is android os for tablets. The only tablets worth buying are the ipads (and I'm not keen on ios), or the 2in1 surface pro (and I'm not keen on windows either lol)

Basically ask yourself this......can you do 100% of your work via the chrome browser? You'll find the limitations within the first hour of use.

It's one of those pieces of technology which I really want to like, but just can't. Plus it's very expensive for a secondary device you'll hardly use.
Click to expand...

This could very well have been me writing your post!

I have an iPad Pro, but ultimately, I am not completely won over by iOS for many of the same reasons as stated in the reviews of the latest iPad Pro’s i.e. they’re restrictive and unable to fully utilise the power under the bonnet. I am also a heavy user of googles services.

As such, I’ve been looking for alternatives. One such alternative was the Pixelbook, however, after a bit of research it became clear that there were a lot of deal breakers. Android apps for tablets, already poor, were running on emulators on ChromeOS, and it shows by all accounts. You can expect poorer performance and many bugs. When you bear in mind that Android tablet apps are already a very poor relation to their iPad cousins, then you can see they are not going to be a good experience. Games run poor and the machine had other deal breakers like an unstable bluetooth implementation and so on.

Other than that you’re left with the Chrome browser on a tablet. I’m not sure it’ll be a great fit. It uses much the same architecture as the Pixelbook too so there is no way it’s going to be as fluid as an iPad Pro, or even a Win10 machine in all honesty.

The only other alternative is the likes of the Surface Pro, but Windows, although powerful, is such a poor quality product these days that I simply wouldn’t enjoy using it.

I can honestly see me sticking with the iPad despite its limitations. It’s not perfect but it hits all the right notes. I fear the Slate is going to be another in a long line of also fans from Google.
 
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