Google Pixel Tablet review: Something of a Hard Sell

Worth When Reviewed

$499 (128GB) | $599 (256GB)

Greatest Costs Immediately: Google Pixel Pill

Google’s first pill since 2018’s Pixel Slate has lastly arrived, however the Pixel Pill is a transfer in a very new route. It comes bundled with a Charging Speaker Dock which makes it simply as a lot a sensible show as it’s a common Android pill. 

Android tablets have definitely had their ups and downs over time, from the highs of the Nexus 7 which Google constructed with Asus to the lows of appalling efforts from the likes of Alcatel.

They nonetheless have a spot available in the market however with iPads nonetheless being the standard go-to selection, has Google give you a nifty technique to stand out? 

The Pixel Pill is undeniably fascinating, regardless that we’ve seen docking tablets just like the Lenovo Good Tab P10 up to now. In some ways, the Pixel Pill is a Google Nest Hub Max the place the display screen comes off nevertheless it’s additionally very completely different, too. 

For the proper consumer, will probably be an actual boon however for others, it received’t make sense in any respect.

Design & Construct 

• Pill and dock bundle 
• Matt nano-ceramic coating 
• Three colors in some markets 

On the entire, the Pixel Pill appears and feels as I anticipated since Google first teased it final 12 months. The truth is, it’s extra premium than I believed, largely due to its uncommon nano-ceramic coating. 

This provides it a beautiful tactile texture that feels good to the touch – it’s a bit just like the underside of a mug the place there’s no glaze however not as tough. Its matt end appears clear and trendy and provides the Pill an excellent quantity of grip. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

It’s suitably skinny and lightweight at 8.1mm and 493g, solely marginally greater than the most recent common iPad which has a equally sized display screen. Not everyone seems to be a fan of a bezel across the show nevertheless it’s rather a lot smaller than the Nest Hub Max’s and provides you house to carry the slate with out interfering. 

A fingerprint scanner resides within the energy button and works effectively should you get an excellent scan (I did mine a second time to enhance recognition). It’s price noting that there’s no bodily swap to disable the mics and digicam like on Google’s sensible shows so that you’ll want to make use of the short settings shortcut for every.  

The Pixel Pill comes bundled with the Speaker Charging Dock – there’s no choice to purchase the Pill by itself, although you’ll be able to decide up extra Docks. The Dock is available in an identical color and is very similar to the bottom a part of Nest Hubs, lined in cloth and with a grippy rubber base. 

Each are well-made and the pill is constructed with over 30% recycled supplies (primarily based on weight) and the aluminum chassis is 100% recycled. 

Magnets permit the Pixel Pill to simply snap onto the dock and the 4 metallic pogo pin contacts on the again of the slate join the 2 collectively seamlessly. It’s a neat system till you come to take the pill off. 

Curiously, this isn’t one thing Google offers any directions for (exterior of the journalist reviewer’s information) so it was a little bit of trial and error for me till I developed a way. Merely decide the pill up and the dock comes with it, push it down and it slams into the floor it’s on. There are rubber ft on the underside fringe of the pill to put it aside from injury, although Google tells me they’re to assist with leaning it towards issues. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Ultimately, I discovered the easiest way is to grip the pill on the highest edge within the center or with each fingers at both finish, and push away utilizing the highest of the dock as a pivot level. This enables the 2 to separate with out a lot drama. It will be good to carry onto the dock with the opposite hand, nevertheless it’s obscured behind the pill an excessive amount of. 

This provides the phantasm of the pill floating whereas docked which is kind of good however isn’t probably the most sensible. It’s additionally price noting that the angle of the display screen is extra upright than the Nest Hub sensible shows. I didn’t discover it an issue on my desk nevertheless it’s not excellent when it’s on a kitchen worktop if you end up wanting down on the show. 

If need a extra versatile stand, you should buy the Google-approved Wasserstein Adjustable Stand for Google Pixel Pill for $39.99. It lets you swivel and tilt the dock and pill collectively. Google additionally has an official case full with kickstand which doesn’t must be eliminated to nonetheless use the dock for $79/£89.

Within the UK, the Pixel Pill is available in two colors: Porcelain and Hazel. I’ve examined the latter which I personally desire, largely as a result of it has a black bezel across the display screen reasonably than white. Within the US, it’s additionally obtainable in a 3rd colourway referred to as Rose which I’d describe as pastel peach.

Display & Audio system 

• 11in LCD panel 
• Quad pill audio system 
• Docking station offers full-range driver 

As is changing into fairly frequent for tablets, Google has gone for an 11in show right here. It’s technically 10.95in once you take the rounded corners into consideration, however that minuscule sacrifice is price it for aesthetics. 

It’s suitably crisp at 2560×1600 in decision and has a large 16:10 side ratio. Different particulars embrace an anti-smudge coating and assist for USI 2.0 stylus pens – that’s the most recent model from the Common Stylus Initiative. 

Google has opted for an LCD panel right here reasonably than OLED, which on paper isn’t nearly as good however I’d say most customers received’t discover the distinction or be dissatisfied. The Pixel Pill a lot vivid – I measured it at 523 nits which is greater than the five hundred Google quotes – wealthy and vibrant to supply an pleasurable expertise, even when OLED can present higher distinction and color copy. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

LCD tech additionally helps with battery life which I’ll come to later. Lastly, the Ambient EQ function additionally discovered on Google’s Nest Hubs makes use of a light-weight sensor to mechanically modify the brightness and color temperature primarily based on the environment and works very effectively.  

When it comes to audio, there are two choices right here because the pill itself has a quad-speaker array with two drivers on both aspect (when in panorama mode) whereas the docking station has a 43.5mm full-range driver. 

The audio from the Charging Speaker Dock is cheap. It’s not ‘room-filling’ as Google suggests as a result of that may require pumping the amount and introducing plenty of distortion and a harsh tonal shift.  

I discover it too bass- and mid-range targeted, so it has a slight boomy sound and you’ll’t modify the tone. It feels like an affordable radio and I’ve examined loads of funds Bluetooth audio system that sound significantly higher. 

It’s unusual as a result of contemplating the Nest Hub Max is basically the Pixel Pill however mounted to the dock, that system has a a lot better sound system with two tweeters and a woofer making a fuller and extra dynamic sound. Google ought to have simply repurposed this right into a magnetic dock particularly given the asking worth of the Dock as a separate accent. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

It’s price noting that when the pill is undocked, you’ll be able to’t use the docking station as a speaker, not through Bluetooth, Google Solid or in any other case. When docking and undocking, any audio enjoying will mechanically transfer between the 2 audio programs. 

Specs & Efficiency 

• Tensor G2 chip 
• 8GB RAM 
• 128- or 256GB storage 

The Pixel Pill is powered by Google’s personal Tensor G2 chipset, the identical one discovered within the Pixel 7 smartphones. There’s 8GB of RAM and this mix is greater than as much as the duty of working issues day by day. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The one selection it’s important to make is whether or not to purchase 128- or 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. With cloud storage (all Google customers get 15GB without cost) and streaming companies, I’d say most customers will probably be high-quality with the smaller quantity however have a give it some thought as a result of there’s no microSD card slot right here so as to add extra. 

Elsewhere, there’s Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2 and an ultra-wideband chip “for correct ranging” although Google doesn’t clarify precisely what this implies. Word that’s there’s no 4G or 5G mobile mannequin. 

It’s immensely extra highly effective than Google’s Nest Hub sensible shows and benchmarks effectively up towards premium rivals such because the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 and OnePlus Pad. I’ve definitely not had any efficiency points with the Pixel Pill throughout my time with it.

On the images entrance, the Pixel Pill has entrance and rear 8Mp cameras and, they’re first rate sufficient for the sorts of belongings you’d use a pill digicam for. Colors are vibrant and there’s cheap element in good lighting until you must crop right into a small part. The front-facing digicam has a portrait mode and when used for Google Meet, the software program mechanically adjusts the picture for lighting and framing.

Battery Life & Charging 

• 27Wh battery 
• Mediocre charging velocity 
• No USB-C adapter/cable provided 

Contained in the Pixel Pill is a 27Wh battery and Google says you’ll get 12 hours of video streaming. That’s a pre-production take a look at streaming 1080p video through YouTube at a set 82% display screen brightness.  

I haven’t discovered it to be fairly that good within the real-world nevertheless it’s not too far off. Utilizing it as a video child monitor for an hour appears to sometimes wipe off round 10% of the battery. In our traditional PCMark for Android battery take a look at, the Pixel Pill lasted a formidable 14 hours and 19 minutes.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Charging is a barely difficult scenario right here. On the one hand, it’s easy because the Charging Speaker Dock – because the title provides away – will cost the system each time it’s docked. It’ll do that at a reasonably sluggish 15W fee providing you with simply 21% cost from useless in half-hour.

The Pixel Pill does even have a USB-C port for conventional charging however there’s no wall adapter within the field and Google doesn’t state the charging velocity of this technique. The equipment part of the shop does counsel its personal 30W charger, however this doesn’t imply it’s going to cost at that velocity. 

The truth is, Google has instructed me that it’s going to take an identical time to the docking station (2-3 hours to full) and gave me a advice of an 18W charger.

Software program & Options 

• Android 13 
• Hub Mode 
• Google Solid 

As you’d anticipate, the Pixel Pill ships with Android 13 and, being Google’s personal pill, is the pure vanilla version at a base stage with the Materials You UI as per Pixel telephones. 

There are a number of additions which are particular to this system that make it serviceable as each a pill and a Nest Hub-style sensible show. Fortunately that is extra than simply the Google TV widget that’s on the house display screen by default. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The principle factor is named Hub Mode; the standing the Pixel Pill is in when hooked up to the Charging Speaker Dock. There’s a satisfying animation and notification sound once you dock and undock. 

It’s to not be confused with how the Subsequent Hub sensible shows work as they run Fuchsia OS as an alternative of Android. Maybe it’s as a result of I’ve three Nest Hubs dotted round the home and use all of them nearly day by day, however I discover Hub Mode on the Pixel Pill a bit lackluster.  

Fuchsia OS is customized made for sensible shows and has an intuitive interface with tiles for every kind of knowledge and content material in addition to fast entry to settings like display screen brightness. 

Nevertheless, Google’s chosen to go down a unique route right here by providing you with a small number of options, however then it’s basically an Android pill on a stand when you unlock it (which you’ll be able to’t do together with your face, frustratingly). 

One of many important issues Hub Mode does is provide you with a screensaver with a selection of choices together with Google’s climate forecast full with charming frog or Google Images integration turning it right into a digital picture body. 

I discover it massively disappointing that some options discovered on the Subsequent Hub Max are lacking right here. They’re made potential on the Max utilizing its front-facing digicam so there’s no purpose why the Pixel Pill shouldn’t have the ability to do the identical issues. 

Ben Patterson/Foundry

The Subsequent Hub Max can recognise customers with Face Match to provide you a personalised expertise and the digicam may also be used for gesture instructions comparable to holding your hand as much as pause/resume music. In the meantime, the Nest Hub 2nd-gen has Sleep Sensing in-built through Soli radar which is nowhere to be seen on the Pixel Pill.

You do get hands-free Google Assistant – although that’s no huge deal – in addition to sensible house controls for devices like lights and thermostats in case you have them and that is accessible through a shortcut within the nook of the screensaver or lockscreen. It’s not rather more than a shortcut to the Google Dwelling app, although. 

A novel promoting level is that the Pixel Pill is the primary ever pill with Google Solid built-in. It means you’ll be able to ‘solid’ content material out of your cellphone or different gadgets to be performed on the pill. Numerous apps are supported together with Netflix, Spotify and BBC iPlayer. 

That’s what you’d anticipate from a sensible show, nevertheless it’s a disgrace Google limits this performance to when the pill is in Hub Mode. I might undoubtedly discover it helpful  in numerous conditions to solid to the pill when it’s elsewhere – comparable to when my daughter is on my lap and I wish to put an episode of Bluey on the pill however can’t attain. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Total, it’s a disgrace {that a} huge promoting level of the Pixel Pill – docking it and utilizing Hub Mode – is mediocre, particularly when it’s important to purchase the system bundled with the dock, which is over costs as a separate accent. 

On the flipside, the very fact it’s working full-blown Android means you’ll be able to set up nearly any app you need, and Google has optimised a number of apps for the Pixel Pill together with Meet, WhatsApp, Netflix, Spotify, Images and extra. You can even feasibly get a Bluetooth keyboard and use it like a small PC.  

One of many plus sides of going with Google is a minimal of 5 years of safety updates. You also needs to anticipate three years of OS updates, though Google’s replace web page for the pill presently says till no less than June 2023 which is clearly an error. 

Worth & Availability

• Bundled dock
• Elective additional docks
• Two storage capacities

There are simply two fashions of the Pixel Pill obtainable to select from and costs begin at $499/£599 for the cheaper choice. This will get you 128GB of storage, however you’ll be able to double that for $599/£699. 

Google’s worth does embrace the Charging Speaker Dock however, and right here’s the sticking level, there’s no method of shopping for the pill by itself. It’s all or nothing right here which is a disgrace for anybody who has been ready for an Android pill like this (maybe you’re a Pixel 7 and Pixel Watch consumer who needs to finish the trio) however doesn’t care concerning the dock. 

You should buy it from Google and BestBuy within the US and Google and Amazon within the UK.

It’ll little question put plenty of potential consumers off when you think about the most recent iPad (Tenth-gen) is $449/£499 – albeit with 64GB storage – and the nonetheless glorious Ninth-gen mannequin remains to be obtainable for $329/£369. 

The excellent news, if you’re into the docking system and have a wholesome financial institution steadiness, is which you can buy additional docking stations for $129/£139. This implies you’ll be able to have them positioned across the house and transfer the Pixel Pill as you go about your day. 

Nevertheless, that worth is method over the percentages and makes the ecosystem off placing – particularly when you think about that the Nest Hub 2 is $99.99/£89.99. The maths simply doesn’t add up. 

Take a look at our chart of the very best tablets for extra choices.

Verdict 

The Pixel Pill is a tough buyer and the irritating factor is that it doesn’t must be this fashion. 

I actually wished to like this system – as each a fan of older Google Nexus tablets and the Nest Hub vary of sensible shows. And in numerous methods, I do love the Pixel Pill; primarily by way of its design and construct together with premium efficiency. 

Nevertheless, Google has created an unnecessarily difficult system right here by making you purchase the pill with the Charging Speaker Dock, overcharging for added docks and limiting the sensible show expertise in comparison with, particularly, the extraordinarily comparable Nest Hub Max. 

Because it stands, the Pixel Pill ecosystem is a little bit of a tough promote. 

Specs

• Android 13
• 10.95in LCD display screen, 2560×1600, 16:10
• Tensor G2 chip
• 8GB RAM
• 128/256GB storage
• Quad audio system
• 3 mics far-field
• Fingerprint Unlock with energy button
• Wi-Fi 6
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Extremely-Wideband chip for correct ranging
• Google Solid
• Pogo pin connector for speaker dock
• USB-C
• Twin 8Mp cameras
• 12 hours video streaming
• 8.1mm
• 493g