Google Pixel Tablet Review: The Verdict
The most compelling argument for Google's Pixel Tablet is the included dock. It's a genuinely meaningful innovation that addresses so many typical tablet pain points.
What we love
- The speaker dock is a very clever innovation
- Snappy performance
- Nice screen
What could be improved
- Aspect ratio awkward beyond entertainment
- Android tablet app ecosystem is limited
- More functionality when docked would be neat
70/100
$899
Google's first tablet in almost a decade can't escape the fact it's still an Android tablet. The Pixel Tablet runs into the same old limitations we continue to see with the form factor, but almost achieves greatness thanks to its bundled dock.
It might seem simple, but the dock is an innovation that addresses a number of pain points with the tablets as a category. It's so good that it's inevitable the competition will follow.
The dock
To start, the Pixel Tablet's dock means the device always has charge. My partner and I both have the problem of finding our respective tablets are dead when we actually try and use them. Having the Pixel Tablet docked entirely mitigates this problem. The battery was always almost full whenever I removed the Pixel Tablet from its dock (the charge is typically limited to around 90% to preserve battery health).
The dock itself is quite nice. Docking and undocking the Pixel Tablet is seamless, although you need to lift the tablet at the right angle to actually get it to detach. The magnets are strong enough that it won't just slide off.
Google's kitted out the dock with speakers, which pair with the ones in the Pixel Tablet. This results in a much clearer sound quality. It's not going to rival a higher-end speaker like a Sonos Era 100, but the docked Pixel Tablet is more than good enough for casual listening.
The dock also effectively turns the Pixel Tablet into a smart display when you're not using it - making it a lot more useful when you're not using it. It's a pretty basic implementation - it has a screen saver (a photo frame mode effectively), smart home controls, and Google Assistant waiting in the background. You can also Chromecast to the Pixel Tablet when it's docked, although in most cases it probably makes more sense to run the app on the tablet itself.
This effectively mirrors Google's Nest Hub smart displays (albeit without features like sleep tracking) but I'd love to see a bit more functionality here. Even just being able to add widgets like your calendar would make the docked tablet much more useful at a glance.
While Google's dock implementation is a bit first gen, Apple and Samsung will almost certainly borrow this idea. Apple already lets you turn your iPhone into a smart display-esque device with StandBy in iOS 17, so it makes sense similar functionality would come to iPad alongside a dock. And if Apple and Google are both selling tablets you can turn into smart displays, Samsung isn't going to want to be left out.
The tablet
When not docked, the Pixel Tablet is very much designed as a consumption device, rather than being a productivity play. There are no official keyboard or stylus accessories, but it does support select third-party styluses. First and foremost, the Pixel Tablet is for entertainment.
Given heaps of apps still kinda suck on Android tablets, that's not necessarily the worst thing. Streaming services and games all run great on the Pixel Tablet, especially since they're largely full-screen experiences.
While there's nothing stopping you from taking the Pixel Tablet out and about, it feels made for the home, rather than taking it out and about. There's no option for mobile connectivity, and the official case doesn't cover the screen when not in use. It might not be the kind of device you want to just shove in your backpack.
The Pixel Tablet is perfectly fine when it comes to actually using it. The screen is very nice, if not quite at the same standard you'll find on an iPad or Samsung's tablet portfolio. It's still an LCD display so you don’t get the deeper blacks and higher contrast offered by MiniLED in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro or the AMOLED displays Samsung uses in its Tab S series.
I've also found the 16:10 aspect ratio a bit clunky. While it's great for watching movies and gaming, it's clunky for reading and browsing the web. When in landscape, the Pixel Tablet is far too narrow - websites get cramped. When you swap to portrait, it's too tall - a lot of hand movement is required to navigate the device.
You'll find the same Tensor G2 processor in the Pixel 7 family powering the Pixel Tablet. While not the fastest chip on the market, it's still very zippy and results in a snappy user experience. There's also enough grunt to use the Pixel Tablet for gaming; it had no issues running Diablo Immortal at high settings.
Google says the Pixel Tablet will last up to 12 hours per charge. Your actual mileage can vary quite a bit - Diablo Immortal drained the tablet's battery at a much faster rate than just browsing the web, for example. Since I was religiously docking the tablet in between use, battery life was much less of a concern.
On the design front, the Pixel Tablet feels nice enough. It has an aluminium build, but the coating almost makes it feel plasticy. It doesn't have the same premium feel as an iPad Air, or even Google's Pixel 7 Pro to be honest.
Google Pixel Tablet - Final Thoughts
The Pixel Tablet is the logical evolution of the smart display. While it's naturally a pricier purchase than a smart display, it’s much more versatile. It's a tablet that's useful when you're not using it.
Even if it's not perfect, the Pixel Tablet is a great restart in the category for Google - and the dock elevates the product in such a meaningful way that copycats are inevitable. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all.
Alex Choros
