Pixel Tablet: Google’s iPad rival is out to prove that Android tablets aren’t rubbish

Topping off the series of Pixel devices announced at Google I/O is the Pixel Tablet, first teased last year. This is Mountain View’s first tablet since the disastrous ChromeOS-powered Pixel Slate was discontinued in 2021, and as ever, it has the iPad right in its sights.

The 11-inch tablet is around the same size as an iPad Air or a tenth-generation iPad, although it is a bit thicker (at 8.1mm) and appears to have slightly larger bezels. It is narrower (or shorter, depending on how you hold it), however, thanks the 10.95-inch display having a 16:10 aspect ratio; it’s an LCD panel with a 2,560×1,600 pixel (276 PPI) resolution and up to 500 nits of brightness. It also supports Universal Stylus Initiative (USI) 2.0 styluses out of the box.

Like all of the latest Pixel models, the Pixel Tablet uses the Tensor G2 chip paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and either 128 or 256GB of storage. This powers a suite of Pixel-exclusive features like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur and Google Assistant voice typing. The device also shares the Pixel Fold’s split-screen multitasking with up to two apps side-by-side, replete with a handy drag-and-drop function.

The Pixel Tablet will benefit from Google’s drive (haha geddit?) to bring tablet-sized apps to Android, helping it close the gap to iPadOS. There are over 50 optimised Google apps such as YouTube, Google TV and Google Meet, and the company has also worked with developers on third-party apps like Spotify and Disney+.

Around the back, you’ll find an 8MP camera with a 1/4-inch sensor and an f/2.0 aperture. The same camera is fitted to the front of the device, and just like the tenth-gen iPad, it’s mounted to the long side, making it ideal for video calls in landscape. All this is powered by a 27Wh battery that provides up to 12 hours of video playback.

Notably, the magnetic charging dock, which uses pogo pins to deliver up to 15W of power and comes with its own speakers, is included with every purchase. It costs USD 129 (around RM578) separately.

Other features include WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity, quad speakers and a power button fingerprint sensor. Google has promised five years of security patches for the Pixel Tablet, which should also come with three years of major Android updates like its other siblings. The device is available in either Porcelain or Rose aluminium finishes with white bezels or Hazel with black bezels. Priced at USD 499 (around RM2,227), it is available to pre-order now and will go on sale (not in Malaysia, sadly) on June 20.