Android may be our main passion here at AC, but we're just as excited by all things Chrome OS. From tips and tricks to buying advice, we're here to help you find the Chromebook that's right for you!
Google Pixelbook
Our pick
Pros
- Modern design
- Fantastic keyboard
- Solid specs
- Great display
- Better value
Cons
- Thicker bezels
- No fingerprint sensor
Despite being over a year old, the Pixelbook is still one of the best Chromebooks that money can buy. It has a great design, one of the best keyboards we've ever tested, and can easily be folded back into a makeshift tablet. The lack of a fingerprint sensor, however, can get irritating.
Google Pixel Slate
Google's latest tablet
Pros
- Detachable form factor
- Beautiful screen
- Powerful spec configurations
- Built-in fingerprint sensor
Cons
- Keyboard sold separately
- Chrome OS still feels clunky on a tablet
The best way to think of the Pixel Slate is first and foremost as a tablet. We love its gorgeous display, front-facing speakers, and powerful specs, but the official keyboard leaves a lot to be desired and Chrome OS still has a few kinks to be worked out for this form factor.
If you want a Chromebook that you can use for school, work, and play, the Pixelbook delivers a better overall experience and is a much better value for the money. If you really want a Chrome OS tablet and like the detachable form factor of the Pixel Slate, be prepared to pay a pretty penny.
The Pixelbook is still the better choice for most people
If you're looking to buy your first Chrome OS machine, it's hard to go wrong with Google's own products. Similar to the Pixel phones, Pixel Chromebooks often deliver the best experience possible thanks to the melding of hardware and software.
Usually.
The Pixelbook was released in the fall of 2017, and although it's over a year old at the time of publication, we still stand behind it as a sleek and powerful machine. Sure, the bezels are a little thick by today's standards and the lack of a fingerprint sensor isn't ideal, but those are about the only real issues we can think of for the Pixelbook.
The Pixelbook continues to be a force to be reckoned with over a year later.
Its aluminum and glass design still looks downright fantastic, the 12.3-inch LCD screen is sharp and colorful, and the backlit keyboard is ridiculously good. The keys have good travel, the backlighting works well, and the soft touch finish is a joy. If I could use the rest of this article to rave about the typing experience on the Pixelbook, I would. It's that good.
The rests below the keyboard give your wrists a nice place to relax while cranking out email after email, and while the trackpad does work well, it is a little on the small side for my liking.
| Category | Google Pixelbook | Google Pixel Slate |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 12.3-inch LCD 2400 x 1600 |
12.3-inch Mollecular LCD 3000 x 2000 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 or i7 7th Generation |
Intel Celeron, m3, i5, or i7 8th Generation |
| Storage | 128GB SSD 256GB SSD 512GB NVMe SSD |
32GB SSD 64GB SSD 128GB SSD 256GB SSD |
| RAM | 8GB 16GB |
4GB 8GB 16GB |
| Battery | 41 Whr Up to 10 hours |
48 Whr Up to 12 hours |
| Charging | Up to 2 hours after 15 minutes | Up to 2 hours after 15 minutes |
| Connectivity | USB-C (x2) 3.5mm headphone jack |
USB-C (x2) |
| Security | None | Fingerprint sensor |
| Price | $999 — $1649 | $599 — $1599 $199 for keyboard |
Chrome OS runs really well on the Pixelbook, and unlike something like the iPad Pro, you've got access to the full desktop version of Chrome for all of your web browsing needs. You can also download just about any Android app you'd like, making the argument that Chrome OS isn't a real operating system moot in late 2018.
Along with the thick bezels and lack of a fingerprint sensor, the only other thing that could prove to be a downside is that the Pixelbook is using older Intel 7th Gen Series processors. They're still plenty fast, but if you want the very latest and greatest silicon that's available, you'll want to look at the Pixel Slate.
While the Pixelbook is a laptop that can also be used as a tablet, the Pixel Slate is a tablet that can be used as a laptop. As repetitive as that sounds, it makes a big difference in day-to-day use. The Pixelbook is a phenomenal laptop, but when used as a tablet, it's just OK. With the Pixel Slate, you get a fine laptop experience and, unfortunately, a tablet that's held back by software bugs.
Chrome OS was designed to be used on laptops and just recently started being put on devices with a tablet form factor. As such, it's currently going through a lot of growing pains. Not all of the UI elements are optimized for touch, animations in tablet mode are choppy, and everything just feels like it could use a few more minutes in the oven. These are things that can be fixed over time, but right now, it makes using the Pixel Slate a bit aggravating.
Google's Pixel Slate will either live or die by future software updates.
Something else we're not too keen on is that you have to throw down another $199 for Google's official keyboard cover. The circular keys are backlit, have decent travel, and hardly make any noise when used. It's a good typing experience, but only if you're using the Pixel Slate on a desk or table. The folio design that Google went for makes it virtually impossible to use the Pixel Slate with its keyboard on your lap, which isn't great for commuting.
It may sound like I'm ragging a lot on the Pixel Slate, but it does have a few redeeming qualities. For one thing, its display is fantastic. Google calls it a 12.3-inch Molecular Display, but all you really need to know is that it's a bright, colorful, and crisp LCD panel that's a real pleasure to look at for browsing the web, watching videos, and playing games.
The Pixel Slate also delivers full support for the Pixelbook Pen, 12 hours of battery life, and the excellent build quality we've come to expect from Google's hardware.
Do you want a laptop or a tablet?
A lot of this decision really boils down to what you want to buy. If you want a laptop, the Pixelbook is an easy recommendation — not only when compared to other Chromebooks, but even when stacked up against Windows and macOS machines.
If you want a tablet, it's difficult to give the Pixel Slate the same unwavering recommendation. It's not all bad, don't get me wrong, but there are just better ways to spend your money. Apple's iPad Pro is still the leader for that form factor, and honestly, the Pixelbook delivers a good enough tablet experience for those times when you just want to browse the web or watch some YouTube videos.
Along with all that, there's also the matter of price. The Pixelbook costs $999 when it's not on sale (which happens frequently) for the base model with an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128GB of storage. You'll pay the same price for the same spec configuration for the Pixel Slate, but then you also need to add on an additional $199 for the keyboard. The Pixel Slate does cost as little as $599 on its own for the cheapest configuration (there are five, by the way), but with an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage, it's seriously underpowered.
Google Pixelbook
Our pick
One of the best Chromebooks you can buy
We loved the Pixelbook when it was first released and still love it just as much today. It's got good looks, capable internals, a gorgeous display, and a great typing experience. Plus, with frequent sales that pop up, there's never been a better time to buy.
Google Pixel Slate
Google's latest tablet
A valiant effort with room to improve
The Pixel Slate is the first tablet Google's released since 2013, and while it has excellent hardware, software limitations with Chrome OS hold it back from being something great.
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