Google’s Pixel Slate convertible PC is the newest showcase product for its browser-based Chrome OS. Announced on Oct. 9 at the Made by Google event, it aims to<\/b>
\nGoogle\u2019s Pixel Slate convertible PC is the newest showcase product for its browser-based Chrome OS. Announced on Oct. 9 at the Made by Google event, it aims to show the world that Chromebooks are for premium users, too. Starting at $849, it\u2019s available now for pre-order from the Google Store.
The Pixel Slate isn\u2019t the first high-end Chromebook Google has released, that honor belongs to the Pixelbook, an attractive laptop that features a 360-degree hinge. The new Pixel Slate is an extension to the Chromebook family and opens the Pixel line to the convertibles frontier.
Despite its deceptively thin profile, the Pixel Slate is noticeably heavier than the average tablet. At 1.6 lbs, it weighs about the same as the Microsoft Surface Pro (1.7 lbs). Its Pixel Slate keyboard cover \u2013 a mandatory accessory if you want any sort of productivity \u2013 adds another 1.1 lbs.
The weight isn\u2019t without cause. The unit is expertly crafted from aluminum and edge-to-edge glass. Though the raw aluminum back attracted fingerprints like crazy and may be equally prone to scratches, the build of the unit does provide some assurance regarding its longevity. Though it\u2019s somewhat heavy, it\u2019s equally compact as most Ultrabooks and had no problems slipping into my backpack.
Being a convertible, the Pixel Slate can transform into a tablet by detaching the keyboard cover from the base. While it\u2019s great for great for quickly passing it to others for viewing, I had a hard time using it during my commute due to its sheer size. It\u2019s just too big for getting work done on a crowded train.
There isn\u2019t much to complain about its 12.3\u2033 display, though. Carrying a 3,000 x 2,000 resolution, its 3:2 aspect ratio is well-suited for document viewing. Google claims it covers 72 per cent of the NTSC color space, which means it doesn\u2019t cover 100 per cent of Adobe sRGB color gamut. This will dissaude photographers looking to edit on the go.
Two large magnets securely latch the Pixel Slate to the keyboard cover: one at the charging connector and one at the rear. To test its security, I dangled the unit by the cover and shook it vigorously. Fortunately, the Pixel Slate stayed firmly docked.
Circles are better than squares \u2013 at least that\u2019s the way it looks to Google. I think this is a throwback to the typing machines. Whatever the case, the keys are actually very tactile despite their shallow travel. The keys are cushioned when bottomed out, which reduces their noise and dampens the impact. They\u2019re backlit well to help visibility in the dark.
A commodious wrist rest area houses a large glass trackpad. It\u2019s fairly accurate and offers a very tactile click.
The Pixel Slate is compatible with the Pixel Pen, Google\u2019s active stylus designed specifically for the Pixel Slate. The metal barrel seats a quad-A battery and features a flush button on its side. Using it in Lightroom and Photoshop definitely beats out using my fingers, but it has issues registering when my palm rested on the screen. Though it covers angle tilting, there\u2019s no pressure sensitivity \u2013 something an artist may want in Photoshop.
The lightweight Chrome OS is perfectly content with a low-power hardware. While our review unit is loaded with a dual-core Intel Core-i5 8200Y processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, $849 base model comes with an extremely modest Intel Celeron processor. This single-core, two thread processor is coupled with 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB of storage. The hardware can be raised all the way to an Intel i7 processor, 16Gb of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $1,999.
Though the Pixel Slate doesn\u2019t use quad-core i5 processors, Lightroom still runs fairly smoothly on the Pixel Slate. When pushed to the limit, the back does get quite hot \u2013 as it should since the device is passively cooled.
The hardware, however, only deserves half the spotlight, the other half belongs to the reworked Chrome OS.
Google\u2019s Chrome OS can be broken down into two intrinsic aspects: Chrome browser and Android App support. In comparison to Windows and macOS, Chrome OS feels unpolished. It has all the right features of a modern operating system, but they can be glitchy.
For example, you can launch Google Assistant using voice or a dedicated Command button. It\u2019s a welcoming design that resembles Windows\u2019 universal search and Apple\u2019s Spotlight. but it can only launch web pages takes me to the web browser when I ask for things like \u201cOpen Gmail app\u201d or \u201cPlay song on Spotify\u201d despite these apps being fully present on the local storage.
Add the low-power chip, a light operating system, and a massive battery together and you get amazing battery life. In the two days that I\u2019ve had the device, I\u2019ve only had to charge it once. It\u2019s 3:38 PM as I\u2019m typing this article, and the Pixel Slate still has 56 per cent battery remaining from a full charge at 6 AM.
At its current stage, my time with the Google Pixel Slate has been a roller coaster. Protruding from its excellence are thorns that make my experience more painful than it should. And while the web-driven Chrome OS is enough to handle my daily writing and emails, it may be a little austere for power users coming from Windows and Linux. I\u2019ll be scrutinizing the Pixel Slate in detail in my full review.<\/p>\n