The Google Pixel Tablet combines the best parts of the Amazon Echo Show and an iPad for $499

Google's third attempt at making a tablet could be a winner

(Credit: Google)

Google officially announced the Pixel Tablet at Google I/O 2023, along with the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a. You can read our Google Pixel 7a review to find out what we thought of Google’s affordable smartphone (hint: we loved it).

The Pixel Tablet combines the best parts of the Amazon Echo Show and an Apple iPad for $499. It features an 11-inch high-resolution display and is powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chip that promises long-lasting battery life and harnesses cutting-edge AI to make life a little easier.

Google said the Pixel Tablet’s camera has been optimized for video calling so you’re always in the frame and in focus. The search giant also said the Pixel Tablet is its best device for editing photos and will take full advantage of many of Google’s unique features like Magic Eraser.

➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Pixel Tablet is here

• 👀 Google has revealed the Pixel Tablet

• 👍 It works as a tablet and a home hub thanks to the charger speaker dock

• 💰 It costs $499 for the 128GB model and $599 256GB model

• 📆 It’s out on June 20, 2023

Furthermore, typing should be a breeze on the Pixel Tablet. In fact, Google doesn’t want you to necessarily type at all and instead plugged Pixel Voice, which lets you type three times as fast as tapping using speech recognition.

One of the biggest barriers that have held other Android tablets back previously is the lack of optimized apps, but Google said that shouldn’t be a problem anymore. In fact, the company has optimized 50 apps of its own and said other developers have followed suit.

What makes the Pixel Tablet more than just an iPad competitor, however, and puts it up against the Amazon Echo Show is how it transforms into a smart home hub. The device comes with a first-of-its-kind charging speaker dock, which costs $129 on its own but comes bundled with every Pixel Tablet.

You can attach the Pixel Tablet to the dock, which turns it into a useful hub that transforms it into an entertainment center, smart home controller, or video calling device. It also means that the device will always be charged whenever you need it, which can sometimes be a problem if you’ve owned a tablet in the past.

The Google Pixel Tablet also has Chromecast built-in, so you can easily move content between devices. And if you need a case, Google has that covered too. It’s similar to what we’ve seen before with a hinged stand, but thankfully it doesn’t need to be removed when you attach it to the stand. It costs $79.

The Pixel Tablet comes in two colors: Porcelain, Hazel and is available to pre-order now. It costs $499 for the 128GB model and $599 for the 256GB model. It ships on June 20, 2023. Remember, you get the $129 charging speaker dock for free.