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Black Friday 2019 deal: Pixel Slate with keyboard and pen, starting at $449

If you want a Chrome OS tablet, I don’t think you’ll see a better deal any time soon on the Pixel Slate bundle deals that went live today. You can choose either the Core m3, i5 or i7 Pixel Slate, each with a $350 discount and get both a free Pixel Slate keyboard and Pixelbook pen.

This deal went live today in the U.S. at Best Buy, although there’s a similar deal at the Google Store with just one difference that I’ll mention in a bit.

With the bundle, for example, you can choose the base Core m3 model of the Pixel Slate, which typically retails for $799, and snag it for $449. That alone is a super deal but Best Buy also includes the $199 Google Pixel Slate Keyboard and the $99 Google Pixelbook Pen.

So for just a little more than half-price of the typical Pixel Slate cost, you’re getting the Slate, keyboard, and stylus. For most Chromebook users, I’d say this model is more than adequate with its 8 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage.

Folks who plan to rely on Linux apps for a good portion of their day may want to consider stepping up to the Core i5; it has the same 8 GB of RAM but doubles the local storage capacity and adds a slight bit more CPU performance.

I mentioned the Google Store as having a very similar deal. And it does, but with one difference. You still get the Pixel Slate, keyboard and pen, however, you can choose which keyboard you want: Either the Google Pixel Slate keyboard or the Brydge G-Type keyboard. If you plan to use your Pixel Slate on a desk for most or all of the time, I like the latter. But if you want a comfortable device to use on your lap, I’d go with the Brydge.

In either case, you’re getting a solid device at a bundled price I never expected to see.

Should you be concerned that Google won’t be making Chrome OS tablets in the future? I don’t see why because that has nothing to do with the Chrome OS tablet they make now.

The Pixel Slate will have Chrome OS software updates through June 2026, meaning it will continue to get new features, security patches, and other software improvements. And all of those software bits are needed for the many 2-in-1 Chromebooks on the market since they all run in a tablet-only mode when the keyboard is folded behind the display.

author avatar
Kevin C. Tofel

14 thoughts on “Black Friday 2019 deal: Pixel Slate with keyboard and pen, starting at $449

  1. Hi Kevin, I could not figure out how to access this deal at Google store. Is it available now? Really appreciate your reply. Elena

    1. Jumped on the i5 model yesterday! I’m prepared to invest the time to learn how to best go back and forth between laptop and tablet modes, and learn how to use Linux. Haven’t been able to update my old PC with the latest Windows 10 patches so its days are numbered. Hope my excitement is rewarded. Now to look up the Android apps that work well in tablet mode, and Linux apps to replace MS Office. Onward!

  2. Greetings from the UK where we have adopted the Black Friday concept: I just got myself a Slate plus keyboard all for £449.

    I don’t why this device got “slated” (sorry for the terrible pun) when it was released, I just don’t see the problem. In fact, on the contrary, I am absolutely thrilled with my purchase. I think it might be better than the Pixelbook – it is great to handhold for reading documents in portrait mode, something I do a lot of. And if that all weren’t good enough, the EOL is now in June 2026 – technically beyond my retirement age! This could be the gadget to see me out, what a grim thought.

    If Google can produce tablets of this quality, I don’t see why they should not do another one, Chrome OS is mature enough to handle it.

    1. Congrats on the purchase! To be fair, there were some software issues at launch, most of not all now fixed. The original reviews focused on those problems and few reviewers ever took a second look at the improved device. A shame really.

  3. I’ve got a Pixelbook, so I absolutely don’t need this device. But at that price point with all the accessories, it is really tempting.

    1. I would not hesitate if I were you – it has a use case for use as a tablet, which it does much better than the PB, which is rather heavy for that use. I really am thrilled with mine, screen is better than the PB, the folio keyboard and trackpad are not so good admittedly, can’t comment about the Brydge variant, spoil yourself!

  4. Thanks Kevin and I think I’m gonna go for the Core i5 for for $649 at
    https://store.google.com/config/pixel_slate .

    Do you think the Core i7 at $1,248 is a decent value, or not?

    BTW, do you mean ‘former’ in the sentence below, I think?

    “`
    “Either the Google Pixel Slate keyboard or the Brydge G-Type keyboard. If you plan to use your Pixel Slate on a desk for most or all of the time, I like the latter. But if you want a comfortable device to use on your lap, I’d go with the Brydge.”
    “`

    1. Indeed I did! I’ll fix that. I don’t see the value in the i7 at that price difference.

  5. I might add that the battery life on this thing is amazing: I started working on it at 10am and went through the day leaving it turned on (but not working on it all the time – just leaving it on). I stopped at around 6pm, now at 11:30pm it has 27% left. A real champ. I am so pleased I got this little thing.

  6. Enjoying the slate so far. i5 deal from Best Buy.

    Surprised to learn that I can’t run Assistant routines yet on the slate. Any idea when the function will come to Chrome OS?

    Anybody know of a good tips and tricks website for the slate? Or do we need to start one ourselves.

  7. The Pixel Slate Good Friday deal is back at the Google Store. All 3 slates, and your choice of keyboard.

    The choice is to whether get the m3 at $449, or a Pixelbook Go at $550 on my local Craigslist.

    Thoughts?

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