If you’re looking into buying a computer that runs on Chrome OS, there’s no better place to start than Google, the creator of the operating system itself. Need a Chromebook for personal or professional use? The Pixelbook is a superb device to consider. It boasts a gorgeous design, full Android app support, a surprisingly fast performance, and a day-long battery life. Or if it’s a Chrome OS tablet that you require, the Pixel Slate with its detachable keyboard is a great pick. It, too, is stunningly beautiful and comes with powerful specs, exceptionally loud speakers, and an innovative Folio keyboard (sold separately). Whichever you choose depends entirely on you, and right now you can save as much as $171 if you purchase the Pixel Slate or Pixelbook on Amazon.
GOOGLE PIXEL SLATE – $828
The Google Pixel Slate feels solid and particularly well-designed. It may not have the slick two-toned look of the Pixelbook or the Pixel phone, but it still looks impressive. It is nicely light and slim, weighing in at 1.6 pounds and just 0.28 inches thick. Furthermore, the rounded edges are easy to grab and the large bezels offer a better grip if you’re using it one-handed.
Its screen is exceptionally stunning. The 12.3-inch display is packed with over 6 million pixels that are even sharper and more minutely detailed than either the Pixelbook or the Surface Pro 6, and even surpassing the iPad Pro. With a 3:2 display aspect ratio, this makes the Pixel Slate the perfect tablet to watch movies with, offering stark darks and vivid colors. Even more delightful is the Pixel Slate’s set of speakers, which happen to be the best we’ve ever heard on a tablet.
Unlike other tablets, the Pixel Slate runs on Chrome OS instead of Android (a lot of Android apps are available for download though). Working with a Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM, this Pixel Slate is unfortunately not meant for heavy work. It works fine for normal tasks like browsing the internet and streaming music, but it doesn’t fare well with graphically demanding games like Asphalt 9: Legends. The animation becomes glitchy and intermittently freezes. We blame the notoriously bad Intel graphics processor.
To optimize the Pixel Slate’s functionality (and for it to transform into a laptop as advertised), you should consider buying the Folio keyboard, which is sold separately. The keyboard is ingeniously designed for the top to fold up and magnetically attach to the back of the Slate, serving as a kickstand. Changing the angle of the screen is easy and can be done even with one hand. The keyboard is also very comfortable to use, and its large touchpad is extremely responsive.
Is the Google Pixel Slate the best laptop/tablet hybrid out in the market today? Hardly. Its awesome hardware (impeccable display, speakers, and keyboard) deserves a lot of praise, but its Android integration and performance need work. Get it for $828 instead of its usual price of $999 on Amazon. And if you are approved for an Amazon Rewards Visa Card you can get an additional $60 off instantly, which brings the price down to $768.
GOOGLE PIXELBOOK – $900
Right off the bat, we noticed that the Pixelbook is incredibly good-looking. Like the Pixel smartphones, it has a two-toned brushed aluminum frame in silver and white that is positively eye-catching. Besides its pleasing aesthetic, the Pixelbook is only four-tenths of an inch thick. It may be extremely thin and compact, but it feels sturdy and solid.
Its 2,400 × 1,600, 12.3-inch touchscreen display folds 360 degrees, turning the laptop into a tablet. At 2.4 pounds, it is relatively featherlight for a laptop. As a tablet, though, it can be a little unwieldy and heavy for one-hand operation.
When it comes to connectivity, the Pixelbook follows the lead of Apple’s MacBook by ditching most of its ports. You can only find two USB-C ports aside from a headphone jack on it.
Since this is an ultra-thin device, we were cautious about how well its keyboard performs. We’re happy to report that the keystroke feels very responsive and precise, with a layout that is nicely arranged and brightly backlit. The glass touchpad is a bonus. While laptops are normally outfitted with a rubberized plastic touchpad, the Pixelbook’s touchpad looks extra luxurious and is wonderfully responsive to boot.
Its seventh-generation Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM ensure that the Pixelbook runs super-fast regardless of the number of tabs you have opened on the browser. You can even play online games on the Pixelbook with no noticeable lag, something that you can’t do with normal Chromebooks. Finally, despite its small battery, the device provides ample run time between charges. The Pixelbook was able to last for four hours in our continuous web-browsing test, which is a very good number. When used just for document writing and film-viewing, it was able to easily last the entire day.
With a sleek and solid build, a lightning-fast processor, and loads of features, the Google Pixelbook justifies its premium price tag with panache. Get one on Amazon for $900 instead of its normal retail price of $999. And if you order via the Amazon Rewards Visa Card and get approval, you’ll get an additional $60 off instantly, cutting the price to $840.
Google’s Pixel Slate and Pixelbook are gorgeously designed devices that boast superb performances and excellent hardware components. If it’s true value you’re after, keep in mind that you don’t have to buy a separate keyboard for the Pixelbook, unlike with the Pixel Slate, although it works fine by itself as just a tablet. Get them on Amazon today and save as much $171.
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