Unveiled at its Nexus event in September, Google’s Pixel C is finally official. It’s a tablet that wants to be a laptop — and it’s built by the same team that made the widely praised, albeit expensive, Chromebook Pixel. Since 2012, Google has released a tablet each year alongside its Nexus phones, beginning with the Nexus 7 (2012) to the Nexus 9 (2014).
Though the search giant didn’t showcase a Nexus-branded tablet when it released the Nexus 6P and 5X this year, it did offer a peek at the Pixel C. With the tablet available now, the Pixel C has a high price for top hardware, but it may still be lacking as a productivity tool running Android 6.0.1.
Updated on 12-08-2015 by Julian Chokkattu: Added official news about the Pixel C launch, as well as more detailed specifications.
A high price
The Google Pixel C tablet will cost $500 for 32GB of storage, and $600 for 64GB. The company is offering two full-size keyboard variants to pair with the device for an additional $150, which means it will cost a you a minimum of $650 for this tablet-laptop combo — a steep price. Google is also offering various USB Type-C cables and adapters to suit your charging needs as accessories for the device, such as the USB Type-C to USB Standard-A plug cable. Included with the device is a standard USB Type-C charger.
All powerful specs
The 10.2-inch Pixel C, made of anodized aluminum, sports a 3:4 aspect ratio, packs in 2,560 x 1,800 pixels (with 308 pixels-per-inch), and is powered by a Nvidia Tegra X1 with a Maxwell GPU, and has 3GB of RAM. The tablet weighs a hefty 1.13 pounds and does not have a GPS or NFC sensor.
A sleek tablet and keyboard combo
In our hands-on of the Pixel C back in September, we found that the Pixel C has a beautiful aluminum design and looks very much like a union of the Nexus 9 and the Chromebook Pixel. Google is pushing the tablet as a productivity device, with two keyboard variants that connect with the Pixel C via magnets and pair through Bluetooth. The Pixel C Folio Keyboard is a full-grain leather keyboard that not only props up the device, but also protects it when you close it up like a laptop. The regular keyboard simply props the device up, but you’ll have to separate and tuck it away using the magnets when you want to be on the move. The magnets are strong enough to keep the pair together, and it is easy to pull apart with little effort. The keys on the keyboard have enough travel and give plenty of click and feedback.
The highlight feature of the duo, though, is that the keyboard will charge itself when connected to the tablet. Google says the keyboard battery will last a month, and the Pixel C should get you a little more than 10 hours of use before it’s drained.
The Pixel C uses a USB Type-C charger, like the Nexus 6P and 5X, and also brings in a feature from the Chromebook Pixel, where if you tap the tablet, LEDs will light up showing how much battery is left. You can grab the Pixel C on the Google Store now, and it ships within two to three business days.
