How is the new Google Pixel Slate M3?
While the Google pixel slate m3 at $599 with an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage, we tested the $999 configuration that offers an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage. With an 8th Gen Intel Core M3 processor and 8GB of RAM, the Google Pixel Slate should be fast enough.
Configurations:
On the Geekbench 4 general performance test (performed using Android emulation courtesy of the Google Play Store), the Pixel Slate scored a less than impressive 8071, which is below the premium laptop average of 12792 and outperforms the Pixelbook 7927 (Core i5-7Y57 with 8GB RAM). The new Core m3 base model is worth talking about now, as it’s the cheapest option available, which means it’s all about performance.
It features a 3000 x 2000 resolution molecular display, an Intel Core m3 processor, 8GB RAM and 64GB SSD storage. The 3000 x 2000 pixel “Molecular Display” is fantastic and bright. This screen size is large enough for tablets but small for subnotebooks.
What do customers say?
I’ve also spent some time with the device purely as a tablet, and the performance is more than adequate. Another notable test was when using the device primarily as a video tablet, where it efficiently ran for about 6 hours on just half a charge while streaming video and music at total capacity. After streaming HD video for 15 minutes on the Pixel Slate, our heat gun detected temperatures of 80 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad and 82 degrees on the replacement keyboard (optional, while the back of the tablet hit 94 degrees, the only point even close to our 95-degree comfort threshold.
Controlling classic Doom was a little tricky given the touch controls, but Stardew Valley was incredibly fun to play on such a large tablet, especially with the Pixel Book stylus. I’m not yet a fan of Chrome OS without a keyboard and mouse, but the machine handles web browsing and Android apps without too much trouble. If the Pixelbook showed the potential of Chrome OS as a laptop, the Pixel Slate proves that Google’s Android experience is great for touch. The Pixel Slate’s 12.3-inch screen provided accurate tactile recognition as I browsed the web and scrolled smoothly while browsing the Google Doc for this review.
What all Google has put into this new product?
The Pixelbook Pen’s implementation of Google Assistant is practical, allowing text and images to be highlighted for search and other functions. The Pixel phone lineup takes excellent photos with the best Google cameras on any device.
Google has been investing Google’s money in software, and it’s excelled at that in recent years. Google hasn’t changed much in hardware design since it launched its first Pixel laptop last year. While the Google Pixel Slate was sold as a tablet, it was the first Chromebook to focus on a full desktop version of the Google Chrome browser, while Apple spent years refining the $999 Apple iPad into the first with limited functionality tablet as a desktop device. Select.
It’s definitely not as smooth, but the tablet (m3) photos work great and complement the Google experience. We have no idea how well creativity will work in real life, but we love that Google is trying something new. This is an excellent question since the HP Chromebook X2 has a Core m3 processor, and in the short time I’ve had it, I’ve found it to perform exceptionally well.
Chrome OS is designed to be used in tandem with cloud services and the Google ecosystem, so it’s no surprise that battery life on a device like Google’s Pixel Slate m3 isn’t as strong as an iPad Pro or even rival Chromebooks. When using a Chrome OS device such as the Google Pixel m3 Slate, apps running Android apps must be downloaded from a separate tab in the Google Play Store and will not appear in the app drawer until you download them.