The Pixel Tablet is a reminder that not every tablet needs to be a computer

Ben Schoon | Jul 2 2023 - 9:00 am PT

Google’s Pixel Tablet is a unique product and a good reminder that not every tablet needs to double as a full-on computer.

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Our full review of the Google Pixel Tablet went live last week. In it, our Abner Li calls the device a “fundamentally good Android tablet.” After a week of using it myself, it’s an opinion I most certainly agree with. While I have my complaints, I’ve also been super pleased with the device. Hub Mode gives it a utility that goes beyond how I was using my iPad Pro previously, and as a tablet on its own, it’s one I surprisingly really enjoy.

But this week, as I really got to know the Pixel Tablet, I realized why I’m enjoying it so much. Unlike basically every other tablet I’ve tried in the past few years, it’s not trying to replace my laptop.

Apple’s infamous “What’s a Computer” ad for the iPad has perfectly represented how the company treats the form factor. The iPad is very much meant to be a productivity device in Apple’s eyes, especially on everything but the base model. And, because Apple is Apple, that viewpoint has bled into the rest of the industry. Even Amazon, which has long profited from super-cheap content consumption tablets, just made its own iPad competitor, which angles its entire existence on the point of being a productivity device.

For me, I’ve not really wanted that for a while now.

My use of a tablet usually boils down to content consumption. For years, I’ve had an iPad Pro stationed at my desk, acting as a secondary device to my PC primarily for displaying content. When I unplugged the iPad and took it on the go, it largely served as a device for carrying that media with me, such as on a flight. The ability to be productive on that tablet came in handy, of course, with it being a great grab-and-go option for taking notes or even writing articles for 9to5Google while away from home, but I’ve always preferred to turn to a laptop for that sort of thing.

The Pixel Tablet doesn’t focus on this side of the device but instead builds its whole design and feel around content consumption and being helpful.

It’s not that the Pixel Tablet is incapable of being used as a full computer. Android 13’s solid multitasking features, ongoing tablet app optimizations, and the power of the web open the slate up to a lot of productivity work. But the experience on the tablet and the narrative Google has built around it both just make it feel like a device that isn’t meant for those tasks.

Ahead of the Pixel Tablet’s launch, a friend asked me about buying an Android tablet to go with their Pixel 6a. They had heard about the Pixel Tablet coming and were curious if it would be any good. At the time and even now, my first thought was just how it would be used. If the goal of a tablet purchase is to get a device to consume content, the Pixel Tablet is really quite good. However, if the goal is to have a pseudo-computer, it’s not as easy to recommend because there are no useful peripherals to take advantage of those functions. The OnePlus Pad serves that use case far better at this time and in the same price bracket.

I do look forward to the day when the Pixel Tablet, or some future “Pixel Tablet Pro,” can better serve the productivity use case. But, for now, I’m delighted by the fact that, for once, there’s a tablet focusing on something other than being a computer.

This Week’s Top Stories

Google Pixel Fold review and launch

The Google Pixel Fold made its splash this week, as reviews went live on Monday, and first shipments started being delivered through the week. The consensus so far? Most people seem pleased, including our own review, but a lot of people are rightfully frustrated with delayed shipments and more.

More of our Pixel Fold coverage from this week follows:

Android is getting a (logo) makeover

Google confirmed this week that Android is getting a slight makeover to its logo and branding. As our Abner Li reports, this includes a new wordmark and a 3D robot head to accompany it, as pictured below. We’ve actually been seeing hints of this for a while, but Google has only now confirmed some key details.