Pixel Tablet: The worst Android tablet Google could make is the best one Apple, Samsung never made

Samsung and Apple’s tablets don’t offer better displays than the Pixel Tablet; you’ll need a OnePlus or Xiaomi tablet to get the best display for $500 (or less)

That being said, considering the $500 price of the Pixel Tablet and the fact that it comes with a bundled dock (worth $129 according to Google), the 60Hz LCD display might not be all that shocking after all. In fact, the closest competitors to the Pixel Tablet (made by Samsung and Apple) don’t offer significantly better displays either…

• Priced at $500 for 128GB of storage, the Pixel Tablet has an 11-inch IPS LCD display with 500 nits of peak brightness, 60Hz refresh rate

• Priced at $500 for 128GB of storage, the Galaxy Tab S7 FE has a 12.4-inch TFT LCD display with 500 nits of peak brightness, 60Hz refresh rate (the pricier Galaxy Tab S8 has a similar display, which is 11-inches big)

• Both of Apple’s iPad (10th Gen) and iPad Air (5th Gen) come with 11-inch LCD displays with 500 nits of peak brightness, 60Hz refresh rate; the iPad 10 goes for $450 but that’s for 64GB of storage (the next option is 256GB at $600); the iPad Air 5 starts at $600 for $64GB of storage ($750 gets you 256GB)

Is this 1990, Google? The Pixel Tablet’s Charging Speaker Dock isn’t exactly the Nest Hub replacement some hoped for; a charging station with an average speaker and no Bluetooth support

Now... This one could be blamed on my personal expectations (since Google never promised anything), but by far the most disappointing thing about the Pixel Tablet must be the fact that this one isn’t exactly the Nest Hub replacement some might’ve hoped for (some = me).

As it turns out, instead of glueing a Pixel Tablet and a Nest Hub together, Google’s decided to severely limit the functionality of the Pixel Tablet’s Charging Speaker Dock down to exactly what the name suggests. Apparently, the Charging Speaker Dock won’t be able to do much on its own (like a Nest Hub), as according to Google’s website:

• The Charging Speaker Dock won’t be able to connect to a second dock (for a more immersive sound experience, suggestion the dock will lack a basic Bluetooth connection

• The Charging Speaker Dock also won’t be able to connect to other Google-enabled smart speakers or Nest Hubs

• As it turns out, the speaker driver found in the Pixel Tablet’s dock will measure 43.5mm, which is the same size driver as the one in the smaller Nest Hub, which isn’t exactly known for its incredible sound quality.

Bear in mind, we don’t know any other details about the speaker situation on the Pixel Tablet, like the output in watts, and whether Google’s made any improvements to the speaker unit itself, or the sound stage created by the physical speaker housing. I suppose I’m trying to say we shouldn’t be disappointed. At least not yet.

Deal-breaker? Crazy-high prices outside of the US for Pixel Tablet make absolutely no sense considering Google's affordable Pixel phones

Finally, apart from the average display and the severely limited dock functionality, the Pixel Tablet’s last notable weakness is the high price of the tablet in some regions of the world. Ironically, in spite of the awesome $500 price for the Pixel Tablet-dock bundle in the US, those in Europe and the UK won’t be able to enjoy the same amazing deal - not even close. The Pixel Tablet starts at £600 in the UK, and a whopping €680 in Germany and across the rest of Europe. But hey, at least Google sells the Pixel Tablet in those countries in the first place. Availability of Google devices is limited as always.

The reason those prices make little to no sense (at least to me) is because Google’s pricing strategy for their Pixel phone lineup is a polar opposite to what we see with the tablet. Take the Pixel 7a, which made its global debut alongside the Pixel Tablet:

• Pixel 7a starts at $500 in the US, £450 in the UK, and €510 in Europe

• Pixel Tablet starts at the same $500 in the US, £600 in the UK, and €680 in Europe

Speaking of pricing, the price of the Pixel Tablet’s Charging Speaker Dock (let’s assume you want to buy an additional one, or a replacement) is $129, which seems ridiculously steep considering (as we established) the dock doesn’t have any of the functionality of a Nest Hub ($99) when the Pixel Tablet isn’t attached to it, or even a basic Bluetooth connection. The practical Pixel Tablet case/stand accessory Google introduced is also rather pricey ($80).

In the end, the lack of a basic Bluetooth connection which makes connecting the Charging Speaker Dock to a second dock, a Nest Hub, Nest Audio, or Nest Mini impossible means the dock (which was supposed to make the Pixel Tablet special) will likely be practically useless when the tablet isn’t attached to it. And that’s no bueno.

And while I can forgive the small speaker driver, I’m unable to understand why Google wouldn’t give the Pixel Tablet Dock a basic Bluetooth connection so you can do basic things like listening to music wirelessly, or connecting the dock to another speaker for a more immersive sonic experience. What is this, Google? 1990?

Nevertheless, I’m still eager to give the Pixel Tablet a try, as I find the dock idea quite intriguing. Giving a tablet a dedicated home base, where it lives and charges when it’s not in use seems like a brilliant move. And who knows - perhaps Google is holding on to the advanced version of the Charging Speaker Dock and high-refresh-rate display for the 2nd Gen Pixel Tablet?