Google didn't give an official release date for the Pixel Slate when it unveiled the device earlier this October. But preorders are now live on the Google Store and Best Buy.
Customers can snag one for $599, but those looking for a bit more oomph can max out the specs and pay up to $1,599 for the most powerful variant, which comes with 256 GB of onboard storage and 16 GB of RAM.
Google Pixel Slate Release Date
The release date is still very much up in the air, but Best Buy lists shipping for Nov. 22, while Google says the device will arrive in two to three weeks' time. Additionally, the Pixel Slate keyboard is available to purchase now through the Google Store for a cool $199.
Pixel Slate Specs
The Pixel Slate is Google's detachable Chrome OS tablet. This device is notable for being one of the very first Google-made tablets to sport Chrome OS instead of a tablet-specific flavor of Android.
It sports a 12.3-inch screen that Google says is faster and more efficient than traditional LCD displays. There are front-firing stereo speakers, 8-megapixel front and rear cameras, and a fingerprint sensor, as well. Unfortunately, no headphone jack this time around.
Google's Mighty Tablet
Though it's technically just a tablet, this thing can get pretty powerful given the choice of specs. Users can opt for eight-generation Intel processors that go up to a Core i7, which is remarkable numbers for a tablet. Clearly, Google is attempting to outpunch Apple's iPad Pro line, though whether it can achieve such a feat remains to be seen.
While the product can be used on its own, it's meant to be paired with the aforementioned keyboard cover, which features a set of stylish circular keycaps. It features backlighting too, which should be pretty much standard for something that costs a couple of hundred bucks. Artists will also have a field day with the Pixel Slate, as it supports the Pixelbook Pen, which came out last year.
This is Google's sophomore attempt at a tablet after the Pixel C. That thing ran Android and was worse for it. Though excellent on phones, Android is lackluster when blown up on tablets, the most notable shortcoming being that a lot of apps aren't really optimized for those devices. The Pixel Slate could be turning point thanks to the fact that it runs Chrome OS, which supports most Android apps, works well on laptops, and is optimized for touch-based navigation — making it undoubtedly far more capable than its sibling.
Should You Get The Google Pixel Slate?
There are a lot of factors as to why it would be wise to get the Pixel Slate. The fact that it runs Chrome OS should be the number one selling point for many because that essentially makes it a Chromebook in tablet form. That being said, there are far cheaper Chromebooks than this one, although users have to contend with the many compromises of going for the cheap.
The best thing to do is wait until a bunch of reviews come out. More importantly, it's best to just hold off a bit in case there are some hardware problems, which, unfortunately, has been a recurring issue on Google's more recent releases.
