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At Google I/O on 10th May, the company announced three new hardware products. The Pixel Tablet was one among the Pixel 7A and the Pixel Fold. Google also announced Help Me Write, a worldwide rollout for Bard, AI code help, a redesign to Google Maps, AI in Google Workspace, new Android 14 features, and more.
The Pixel Tablet has a unique position in the market. It’s an interesting product since it’s a hybrid that tries to replicate the function of two devices. Whether it’s good as an individual tablet is up to personal preference. It doesn’t have high-end specifications, so it doesn’t compete with the Galaxy Tab S8 or Apple’s M1 iPad Air.
This isn’t meant for students since no official Google Stylus or focused Notes app exists. This also isn’t for performance. Gamers can steer clear, and anyone looking to edit photos and videos can skip the Pixel Tablet. The screen and performance are not good enough. It also can’t replace a laptop, and it’s not made for that.
So, what is the Pixel Tablet made for? It’s for family multimedia consumption. As a secondary function, it also acts as a digital slideshow or photo frame. Remember the StandBy feature from iOS 17? The Pixel Tablet does this when you’re not using it, though it’s always on.
It plugs directly into a speaker, and the speaker dock also acts as a wireless charger. The Tablet also supports multiple user accounts, and it’s good if others will also use this. It’s suitable for multimedia consumption with the speaker dock, like listening to music or watching content at home.
Google Pixel Tablet: Specifications & Price
The Google Pixel Tablet doesn’t have any high-end specs. It has a mediocre 10.95″ 60Hz IPS LCD panel with 276 PPI. The resolution is 1600*2560, slightly above 2K (1400P), so the content should look sharp enough. This screen is better than the base iPad but isn’t as good as Samsung’s Tab S8 or the iPad Air.
It tops at around 430 Nits of brightness and covers 105% of the sRGB color gamut. Disappointingly, it only covers about 75% of the DCIP3 color gamut, and the OnePlus Pad and Galaxy Tab S8 pull ahead here. Even the iPad Air covers 80%, slightly better than the Pixel Tablet. Overall, the screen isn’t the most color-accurate for photo editing or hardcore video editing.
It ships with Android 13 out of the box, and the Tensor G2 chip powers it. The G2 is relatively weak with efficiency and thermals since it uses Samsung’s 5nm fabrication process. You can get it in 128 or 256GB of storage, and both models have 8GB RAM. There are two eight-megapixel cameras on the front and rear. It also has a ~7020 mAh battery (27 Wh).
In the US, the price is respectable at 499$, including the speaker/ charging dock. However, it’s 599 Pounds in the UK, which is a whopping 765 USD when directly converted. This is awful pricing for such lackluster specifications. In Europe, the Tablet is 679 Euros, which is about 745 USD. That’s over 250$ more than the US pricing.
The heavy price discrepancy sparks an apparent debate among consumers. Some argue that it’s because of distribution channels, the value of the US Dollar, and VAT, while others claim the difference is too high even after factoring in everything.
What Do Consumers Think of the Pixel Tablet Price?
Consumers demand a proper explanation from Google for why the prices are so startlingly high in the markets. Some people highly anticipated this Tablet’s release but chose not to purchase it after the shocking price reveal. Potential buyers call the Tablet a ridiculous deal and have found the concept practical before. This abysmal price kills the excitement for a lot of customers.
Since the price is so high, many are contemplating canceling the order since the competition is just better at these flagship prices. A Reddit user contacted Pixel’s support in Canada since the price is too high there as well. The answer from support was somewhat vague, and they just said it depends on currency value and product demand and that it depends on the marketing team.
It’s interesting to note that the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro, which are also subject to the same terms, aren’t priced drastically higher. It’s 599$/ 899$ in the USA, 599 Pounds/ 849 Pounds in the UK, and 649 Euros/ 899 Euros. There’s still a difference, but not as drastic as the Tablet, which raises some eyebrows. We hope Google clarifies the reason for this price difference or discounts the Tablet soon in these markets.
