Google Pixel Tablet In-depth Review

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Every now and then something truly unique comes along in the tech and gadget world. This month it’s the new Google Pixel Tablet. Far more than a portable screen, Pixel Tablet comes with a special charging and docking station that has a speaker, so your tablet instantly becomes a smart home hub too. I recently received a pre-release Pixel Tablet from Google to try out so in this post I’ll show you what you’re getting, how it works, and what kind of special features Google has built in here to make it unique. I’ll wrap things up by telling you if I think I can recommend the Pixel Tablet for you.
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Pixel Tablet review
Let's do a quick unboxing. Under the hood, you'll find the sleek, slim, and lightweight pixel tablet.
The device itself measures about 10 x 7 inches and is less than half an inch thick. (258 width x 169 height x 8.1 depth (mm)) and it weighs just 17 ounces or about a pound (493 g). It feels quite light but not at all cheap.
The back has a nice matte finish that’s easy to hold (Google calls it a nano-ceramic coating) and the front LCD touchscreen is 10.95 inches with an anti smudge coating and 2560 x 1600 resolution.
Also in the box is the fabric wrapped Charging Speaker Dock which is kind of self explanatory. We’ll get into some of it’s cool features in a moment.
The battery is supposed to last about 12 hours even if you’re using it to stream.
Set up
Getting this tablet set up was as simple as setting up almost any other Google device. Power it on, connect to Wi-Fi, then follow the prompts to install your Google account and email. I was ready to rock with this in less than five minutes.
You can also set up fingerprint unlock, which uses the power button as a fingerprint scanner. Set up was easy and unlocking it this way was actually quick and natural.
Special features
Charging Speaker dock
Probably the most unique thing about this tablet concept is that while the tablet is completely portable, it's also designed to dock with the included, charging speaker dock, and turn into a de facto home hub, not unlike the Google Nest Home Hub. While the home hub is not portable, this very clever concept allows you to have two devices in one. The tablet docs magnetically on the base and the connection point is made clear on the back, using for small dots. It clicks into place easily.
Detaching it is less easy; you need two hands to remove it, since the base is lightweight and the magnet is quite strong.
The charging speaker dock is fixed, and the tablet cannot be adjusted on it. My first thought about this is that it's a bit of a shame; it would be nice to be able to re-orient the tablet to either a vertical or horizontal view, but as it is, you only get one angle and one placement and that's horizontal. I can definitely see Google taking this a step further in version 2.0 and providing us with a swivelling speaker base that has a lot more movement. (Not unlike Amazon has done with its echo show 10. But I digress.)
What is Hub Mode?
When the tablet is docked, you can use it in what's called "hub mode”. Hub mode is similar to the info you’d see on a Google Nest Home Hub; you can see a screen saver with art, your Google Photos, the time, weather, and more. You customize what you see using Widgets. Just tap and hold on the screen to explore the Widgets menu.

[@lpkay]

Hi Erin, thanks for the excellent review. When I saw images of the new Pixel tablet I assumed the base would be a mini station with speakers. I also assumed the base would allow vertical orientation. Thanks to your review I am reminded never to assume! Disappointed in Google design for this tablet, although I'm happy with my Pixel smartphone.

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheDistantTrain]

You've always got the reviews I want with the details I like.

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

I appreciate that! Thanks for watching.

[@ronm6585]

Thanks for the review Erin.

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

My pleasure!

[@johnc202]

Thank you Erin, nice review, thinking about picking one up.

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sctajc]

Great review. Have now ordered mine which should arrive in a few days.

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@sctajc]

@@ErinLawrenceTV yes I love it! Just nearly perfect. Nice and light with easy grip so easy to hold. Great performance and screen and sound for every day use. The only improvement I would like is a visual and tactile marker for where the on button is.

[@perriconemdbeauty43]

Great video. Thank you, Erin . My goal was to get the Pixel Tablet. I have to say no to it. Why…. Because I have the IPad Pro 2020 version and the Samsung Tab S7 Plus. Definitely enough. I use the nest hub first and second generation display as my smart display in the kitchen and bedroom. So I don’t need the Pixel Tablet. How is the weather in Canada ? Here in Germany hot and warm for about 3 weeks. Without any rain😮😮. Mother earth is so dry. Hope you are having a fun filled day❤. Greetings Jonathan

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Thanks for the comments, Jonathan! Good to hear from you. Yes, I guess we all have our limits with technology, but this one might be a good one to keep in mind for the future. The weather has been quite pleasant actually in Calgary, where I live. Though the rest of the country seems to be suffering from very high heat.

[@wadep]

How does the sound compare to the Nest Hub Max? I see that you have both. The Nest Hub Max has 2 tweeters and a sub. While the Pixel Tablet base only has one speaker? Can you confirm which one sounds better?

[@GiuseppeBasile]

Excellent review. New sub to the channel

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Welcome aboard! 😍

[@PierAlexandreLemay]

New category? How is it different than the Motorola Zoom?

[@zaphenath6756]

seems like a third party should EASILY be able to make a dock for the dock, one that firmly holds it in place and enables rotation and tilt. maybe they could even make another version of the dock dock with motors and an app that runs on the tablet to enable following you as you move about

[@flarierza33]

The dock should use usb-c to charge as well. Also I wish there was a lighter (iPad Air equivalent) in weight.

[@Dalmado]

Great presentation 😊

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Thank you!

[@Nelson_.A]

Yeah they should have made the base a bluetooth speaker

[@TheDistantTrain]

"I would like a future iteration of the docking station, though, to have some kind of motion to it..." If they do this in Tablet 2.0, SUE, SUE, SUE... get them Google-bucks...

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

Hahahaha 😃😈

[@zaphenath6756]

on what basis would you sue? "waaaah, you made a product that doesn't have a feature that a newer version of the product has! waaaaah! give me money!"

[@10OF9OFBORG]

Very nice! I give this device a scale 1 to 10. I give it 8 because it doesn’t have adjustable and can’t follow directions our fav as you move. Great show Erin! Have an awesome day!

[@ErinLawrenceTV]

You too!

[@friendoftellus5741]

😊😊😊

[@pabloscloud]

I just want the tablet, not the speaker 😢😂

[@LeChimp-jg6fh]

Don't buy this trash. It doesn't know what it is and I don't think google does either. Where is the keyboard and touch pad? Not enough apps. No desktop mode. I bought one, returned it two days later...