HP launched and released the Pro Slate 12 in January this year, and the device has attracted many customers looking for a large 12-inch tablet. The question that piques the prospective buyer is whether the tablet is worth the price tag.
The HP Pro Slate 12 sports a 12.3-inch IPS display with a 1,600 x 1,200 pixel resolution. Under the hood is a powerful quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor clocked at 2.3GHz and 2GB RAM. The tablet comes with 32GB of internal storage; customers can expand the memory using a microSD card.
The HP offering is equipped with an 8MP primary camera and a 2MP front-facing camera. The tablet runs on Android 4.4 KitKat straight out of the box. The HP Pro Slate 12 comes with a Duet Pen that enhances productivity. The tablet is available for $529.
The HP Pro Slate 12 has impressive features. Here are some reviews of the tablet:
Sandra Vogel of ZDNet: "The build is excellent. A tablet this large and this thin could feel flimsy and bendable, but the metal casing guards against that. In fact, the Pro Slate 12 feels solid in the hands. The metal edges are ever so slightly angled outwards towards the back and the shiny silver strip that sits all around the screen's border is distinctive without being intrusive."
Juan Martinez of Techradar: "If you're a student, or if you take minutes at meetings, the ability to turn written notes into simultaneous digital copies is magical. But this device isn't a one-trick pony: it features a speedy processor, a sleek design and it's incredibly light and portable. For only $529, the HP Pro Slate 12 is an ideal tablet for productivity."
Sean O'Kane of The Verge: "It's a 12.3-inch behemoth that is surprisingly easy to handle. At 850 grams—just under two pounds—it's not necessarily light, but it doesn't feel heavy, either. You could hold it one-handed if you'd like, just probably not for very long. What helps the device feel smaller than it should is the extremely thin profile."
John Anon of Android Headlines: "The Pro Slate 12 does immediately make its tablet presence known. The Duet Pen is also a very interesting addition and does differentiate the Pro Slate 12 from other pen-oriented devices. This was partly due to its high emphasis as an actual pen, instead of a stylus. Therefore, for those who HP are probably marketing the Slate 12 towards, this is an excellent option. If you see the point to having a large screen device and a pen which can translate text from paper to digital, then you cannot go wrong with the Pro Slate 12."
Competitors of the HP Pro Slate 12 such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 has a price tag of $799 while the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 12.2 is available for $547.99.
Many customers looking for a tablet with a large screen and decent hardware may find the HP Pro Slate 12 worth the money.
