Google Pixel Slate vs. Microsoft Surface Pro 6: Is the Pixel Slate just a Surface Pro 6 knockoff?

With Google recently releasing its Pixel Slate tablet, there’s plenty to wonder on how it stacks up against the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. From the design, keyboards, or operating systems, there is a lot that is initially similar---but also different--- between the two.

In this side by side comparison piece, we stack the two newest tablets against each other helping you decide which one is best for you.

Google’s Pixel Slate is thin and light, crafted with rounded corners and coming in at 1.6 pounds. The Surface Pro 6 keeps a similar simplistic design but is slightly heavier at 1.7 pounds without the keyboard.

Though it feels solid, durable and is easy to grab as a tablet, we weren't exactly a fan of the overall design of the Google Pixel Slate. Compared to the Surface, it is still a bit too drab and only comes in one Midnight Blue color and aluminum material, not fitting in with Google's other hardware like the Pixel 3.

Just as with the iPad Pro, the other key differentiating element between the two devices is the kickstand. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 6 has a fully articulating kickstand with movement up to 165 degrees, but the Google Pixel Slate depends on its keyboard cover to stay propped up. In both cases, the keyboard is separate, $199 for the Pixel Slate, and $159 with the Surface Pro 6. We still found the folio keyboard on the Pixel Slate as innovative, since it emulates the feel of a real kickstand and allowed us to change the angle of the screen with just one hand.

Finally, with the display, both Google and Microsoft are packing in plenty of pixels for an impressive viewing experience. Google promises that you’ll get a resolution of 3,000 x 2,000 with the 12.3-inch display on board the Pixel Slate, adding up to 293 PPI. The same size screen on the Surface Pro 6, though, gets you 2,736 x 1,824 resolution, for 267 PPI.

Both are at a 3:2 aspect ratio, but Google is packing more pixels, a cooler tint, and a sharper image with the Pixel Slate screen. We found it was perfect for watching movies, especially since brightness maxes out beyond 400 nits.

All similarities between the Pixel Slate and the Surface Pro 6 end with the performance, specs, and operating systems. Google’s Pixel Slate is powered by Chrome OS 70 which now looks a lot like Android and makes it feel like an awesome tablet. The Surface Pro 6, on the other hand, is powered by Windows 10 and comes in different processor and RAM configurations for better laptop experience and performance across the OS.

The entry-level $599 Pixel Slate comes with an Intel Celeron Processor, with 4GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. That sounds great, but in the long term, those specs might not hold up and the processor will slow you. On the other side, the entry-level $899 Surface Pro 6 starts with an 8th-gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128 GB of storage. Picking those same specs on the Pixel State would cost you $999, so it’s obvious that the Surface Pro 6 wins here for the price.

We reviewed the Google Pixel Slate with the dual-core Core i5-8200Y processor and found it was fast enough for most tasks we threw at it, including playing a wide range of Android games. Chrome OS is lighter than Windows, and web browsing with fifteen or twenty tabs open was not an issue. We still think that you'll eventually hit a multi-tasking wall with the Slate, and for the price, a Surface Pro 6 with a quad-core processor is definitely the better performer.

Pricing aside, Google does look to get a lot done with Chrome OS on the Pixel Slate, mainly since you get two operating systems (a web browser and tablet mode) on one device. With features like the Google Play Store and Split Screen, we found that it has high ambitions to resurrect the Android tablet. Unfortunately, not all Android apps are optimized for the Pixel Slate experience, but it still comes a far way and places it ahead of what Microsoft has done with tablet mode on Windows 10 with the Surface Pro 6.

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[ibenzawla]

The Surface Pro 6 doesn't need mobile apps. It's a fully functional Windows computer.

[MrHammer]

This was supposed to be a vs, video but other than taking out the Surface Pro 6 they did very little compare.

[sterlingharris]

Off topic....This round table with the square designs of the background is really bothering me. Why not a rectangular table stained to match the shelves?

[Jmpaul]

It all boils down to your use case. I won't dismiss the Pixel Slate, but having had an Asus ME400C, then Surface 3, and now SP5, while watching family members have android tablets, I can easily say that my preference has remained towards full Windows tablets.

The Slate beats the iPad by having a full desktop browser, but the Surface already had that. The Play store is a better app library, but clearly the apps are still geared towards phones. Meanwhile high dev support for the App store keeps the iPad Pro more relevant than if it were under any other company.

Overall, I believe the three leading tablets are all limited by software, one way or another. iPad Pro lacks cursor functionality despite all its touch-friendly and lite-version app support; Pixel Slate has said cursor support but lags in app support and is unable to run x86 programs to help compensate. The Surface is completely limited by dev support for apps and Windows 10's regressive touch experience. And honestly, if MS could figure out the touch experience, the lack of app support, as they hoped when they made W10 universal, wouldn't matter anymore.

P.S. - Is it just me who hasn't had security issues with W10? What websites and e-mails are folks visiting that compromise their machines so badly?

[yifeiren]

You are wrong. Surface pro 6 has. Install Microsoft launcher on your phone!

[SHADWHL]

Why no mention of Linux apps on ChromeOS using Crostini when you say you cannot use desktop apps?

[StBatu]

4:20
Tablet computers are an independent category of computers (with varying degree of laptop capabilities) but whose pricing are independent of whether or not they can replace your laptop... I think.

[AXTerminator]

Does this support micro SD cards to expand on storage?

[martineri]

How serious is the integration of Android apps in pixel slate ? I mean, let's say I install an app that uses a camera, like, Skype or hangouts or something like that, would it detect my camera on the slate ?

[Vall_Ey]

Surface pro 6 with dual boot Android x86 or Remix, problem solved.

[vchen]

The Samsung Galaxy tablet had the same magnet form factor a year ago

[personcalledjames]

A knockoff of a device would not have a completely custom OS that has been worked on for years, based off of one of the leading products provided by the company providing the "knockoff". Your title is a load of bullshit.

[trestenpool]

Why does everyone who reviews a Chromebook fail to mention Linux apps now enabled out of the box!! The addition of Linux apps make it possible to run any Linux app you want. This makes it a true competitor to the surface pro

[wendelynmusic]

When I'm at home I use the speakers on my Pixelbook all the time and so I would with the Slate if I got one. Having great speakers is a real plus....

[mateuszptaszynski]

Surface is too desktop-y and ipad is to mobile-y, Pixel Slate is exactly in between, perfectly balanced

[Tiggaknock]

Is it just me or is every tablet-top device "nearly" great. Do they purposefully leave things like a certain software or usb-c out to piss people off on purpose or what is the motive? They obviously know about these especially in surface's case they put usb-c in the surface go.

[maribethwester]

How come you guys NEVER mention the HP chromebook X2 as a competitor to the Slate?!! It COME WITH keyboard, pen, for just $500! I just got it, and it is fantastic - speakers ROCK, etc. Plus, Google HAS done tablets

[MohamedAhmed-fmvm]

I don't like comparing windows to mobile os, both are great products but non-comparable.

[goheadoncentral]

Samsung started the magnetic folio cases with the tab S3...nothing new.

[greaterwith]

This is ad for pixel slate, not compare