Google’s Pixel C Tablet may look familiar to tech consumers out there since it borrows the footprint Microsoft’s Surface line is known for. Moreover, along the way of creating this laptop convertible, Google decided to formally ditch the Chrome OS and instead give the device a full Android treatment, making it not only a competitor of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, but also a rival of Apple’s iPad Pro.
The Pixel C Tablet is a 10.2-inch Android tablet with detachable keyboard, and again, it isn't running on Chrome OS, so don't even for a second think that the C stands for Chrome. Nonetheless, it's clear that the tablet borrows attributes of the Chromebook Pixel, AnandTech noted.
The confirmed specifications and features of the Pixel C Tablet sound promising. There's the 2560 x 1800 display which has a really commendable pixel density of 308 ppi.
Google's new tablet-laptop hybrid comes with an NVIDIA Tegra X1 SoC that is strategically packing a quarter of ARM Cortex A57 cores supported by 2MB of L2 cache and four A53 cores that are backed by 523KB. The end result is a tablet that can deliver quality performance without draining the battery quickly.
The 2-in-1 tablet is also gorgeous all thanks to its anodized aluminum body that is quite thin at 7mm. However, Engadget believes that the Android device is too thin that it felt like it would slip out of the hand easily. The smooth surface also does not help in preventing the tablet from slipping.
In terms of camera technology, the Pixel C Tablet sports a decent 8-megapixel rear-facing shooter and a 2-megapixel front-facing snapper.
The hybrid's removable keyboard attaches easily with magnets. Aside from sticking to the tablet in a laptop-like configuration, the detachable keyboard can stick to the back of the device, leaving the screen on full display. There is also a hinge that makes it possible for the tablet to stand between 100 degrees and 190 degrees.
Though it's a given that the app ecosystem of Android is massive, Arstechnica believes app support is still lackluster if not inadequate. The site noted that most Android tablet apps are just "blown up" phone apps that do not really adjust to the aspect ratios of tablet devices. Hopefully, Google is going go address this issue.
For interested consumers, Google's Pixel C Tablet costs $499 for its base model with 32GB of memory. The detachable keyboard is sold separately for $149. It is set for release this holiday season.
