About Chromebooks

Chromebook, ChromeOS and Google Chrome browser news

Minecraft on Chromebooks can run on the Pixel Slate

Amazon deal offers nearly $450 off on Google Pixel Slate and keyboard bundle

If your only major knock against the Google Pixel Slate was the high price, you just ran out of excuses to buy one. Amazon is selling all three Pixel Slate models at a discount and including a free Google Pixel Slate keyboard.

The largest bang for the buck is on the Intel Core m3 model with 8 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage. Its normal price is $799 without the keyboard. This deal gets you both the Pixel Slate and $199 keyboard for $549.

The higher-performing models are also discounted by $250. For example, the $999 Core i5 model with 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage – the same one I bought at that price last year – is down to $749 with the included keyboard; an extra $199 value.

And for those who want the best of the best, the normal $1,599 Core i7 option doubles up on memory and storage from the Core i5 and includes the Google Pixel Slate keyboard for $1,349. Note that Google is also selling these bundles at the same price and give you the option of including the Brydge G-Type keyboard.

Should you buy one? Only you can answer that, of course, but I think that for some people, this is too good a deal to pass up.

Those people want solid performance for everyday browsing, which all of these devices offer. Android app performance should be fine as well, in my experience. Just keep in mind that if you rely heavily on Android apps, not all of them are well optimized to run on a tablet. That hasn’t bothered me since you can use split-screen mode, which can help. And when the keyboard is attached, you can generally resize an Android app.

Multiple Chrome tabs a PWA Google Play Music Android app and Linux humming along

If you want to dabble with Linux and Project Crostini, again any of these will do. But if you’re going to use Linux desktop apps on a fairly regular basis, I’d opt for at least the Core i5 model: That will provide more storage space for the Linux container and installed applications. Until recently, I used that model for my Computer Science and programming classes and it handled everything I needed to do.

While Google is now officially out of the Chrome tablet business, the Pixel Slate has continued to improve through software updates roughly every six weeks. It still has the best speakers and display, in my opinion, as well as all-day battery life. Put another way: Many of the issues found in initial reviews have been fixed.

Thanks, Derek for the tip!

author avatar
Kevin C. Tofel

2 thoughts on “Amazon deal offers nearly $450 off on Google Pixel Slate and keyboard bundle

  1. Following the price revisions and the Overview Mode software bug fixes I want to make this callout to Google. The only reason I am not going to buy the Pixel Slate (Core m3 model) which I very much would like to acquire is Google’s own marketing strategy of limiting the Slate to the North American market rather than having made it widely available internationally. In my neck of the woods, Australia, there is growing interest in Google branded products and growing frustration that the more interesting computers for consumers never make it to our shores (except by way of woefully overpriced parallel imports). I would even be happy to consider an international purchase but I don’t want to have to jump through hoops for that privilege – delivery to a US location for onward freight isn’t something I want to waste my time with.

    From my point of view the Pixel Slate is a very nice piece of hardware, even though I think a processor like a Qualcomm Snapdragon would make more sense in a device of this sort – lower power profile, better thermals, more energy efficient, better battery life and an LTE (or 5G) modem built in. A tablet incorporating a SoC designed to support full mobility would also allow for ‘always on always connected’ computing that I think would make for a compelling package.

    Google may have had its own reasons for distancing itself from the tablet market but as a user I am disappointed.

  2. I’m pulling the trigger on the Core i5 with the Brydge option from Google Store. I used to always have a laptop or bulky desktop but my at computer usage has evolved. I prefer lightweight and portable and ease of being able to go into tablet mode w/o a keyboard.

    You’d think I’d go iPad Pro or Surface Pro. However, I don’t like the restrictions inherent in iOS and doing comp-sci work is out without a built-in terminal. Microsoft still hasn’t figured out how to blend tablet experiences with Windows and Crostini gives you a more pure Linux environment.

    Since it is clear I’m not getting a Surface style kickstand nor a slim bezel 13″ display on a Pixelbook 2. I also dislike the chunkiness of the non-Pixelbook convertible laptops. It seems the Pixel Slate + Brydge Keyboard is the winner for now!

Comments are closed.

Scroll to top