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Google
Google Pixel Tablet
Our top pick
The Google Pixel Tablet is designed to fit seamlessly into your smart home setup. It comes bundled with a charging dock that doubles up as a smart speaker, essentially turning this versatile slab into a Nest Hub display. Then when you want to use it as a tablet, just pop it off the dock and away you go.
Pros- Handy charging speaker dock included
- First-party software optimisation
- Great integration with Google Home
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Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
An excellent alternative
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 is a little older, having launched in early 2022, but it still packs a punch, and the price is starting to come down a bit, too. It has plenty of advantages of its own, including S Pen support, expandable storage and an optional keyboard case accessory that turns it into a laptop.
Pros- Expandable storage with microSD
- S Pen is included in the box
- Can be used as a laptop replacement
Cons- Very similar to its predecessor
Google’s long-awaited tablet is finally here, and it’s looking like an excellent choice for Android fans in need of a larger display.
There aren’t too many Android tablets to choose from, at least at the more premium end of the spectrum. There is, of course, the recently released OnePlus Pad, but we think the new Pixel Tablet is more closely matched with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8.
The two slates share similar specifications, similar pricing and they come from two of the most trusted brands in the business.
So, which one should you go for? We’ve tested out both of these devices and compared their features to help you decide which one is right for your needs.
Specs, availability and price
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 was launched early last year and began shipping on February 25 2022. It has been available to purchase in most regions since then and is still available to purchase today.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 originally started at $699 but is now often found at prices around $630-650 for the base model.
The Google Pixel Tablet was officially launched on May 10 2023 and is available to purchase now.
The Google Pixel Tablet retails for $499, in its base specification, or $599 if you opt for the 256GB variant. At present, all Google Pixel Tablets come with the speaker dock included.
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Google Pixel Tablet Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Storage 128GB / 256GB 128GB / 256GB + MicroSD CPU Google Tensor G2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Memory 8GB 8GB LPDDR5 Operating System Android 13 Samsung One UI 5 Tab Battery Up to 12 hours 8000 mAh Ports USB-C only USB-C only Camera (Rear, Front) 8MP f/2.0 rear / 8MP f/2.0 front landscape 13MP + 6MP rear, 12MP front Display (Size, Resolution) 10.95-inch, 2560 x 1600, 500 nits, LCD 11-inch, 2560×1600, 600 nits, LCD Colors Porcelain, Hazel, Rose Graphite, Pink Gold, Silver
Design
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has a design that’s fairly similar to the iPad Pro. It has squared-off aluminium edges, with visible antenna lines throughout. What sets it apart a little more, though, is the contrasting strip along one side of the device, which highlights the area in which you can attach the S Pen for charging and storage.
It’s available in three colourways, Graphite, Pink Gold and Silver. Pink Gold is the most striking of the bunch, and likely the one to choose if you like to make a statement, with the other two colourways looking rather subdued and professional.
The Google Pixel tablet goes for a more friendly, curvaceous look. It has a new nano-ceramic coating on the back which makes the aluminium housing more grippy and textured.
As usual, Google’s unusual pastel colour palette is applied here. The Pixel Tablet is available in Porcelain, which is an off-white colour, Hazel, which is a kind of green-grey option and Rose, which is a pale pink, almost beige option.
Both tablets are quite similar in size and weight and both have only a singular USB-C port for connectivity. There are pogo pins on both devices for connecting to accessories, but we’ll talk more about those later.
Display and speakers
Both tablets have LCD displays with 2560×1600 resolutions, the Samsung display is very slightly larger, but this is not something you’re likely to notice in the real world. It also claims to be slightly brighter, but these marketing numbers often differ from real-world performance – in any case, they should both be bright enough to compete with sunny days.
Both tablets have quad-speaker arrays. When testing the Tab S8, we found that the speakers were capable of some serious volume, but lacked some low-end performance and it’s the same story with the Pixel Tablet – plenty of clarity and volume, but some more bass would be nice.
The biggest advantage of the Google Pixel is that it comes bundled with a charging dock with integrated speakers. If you know anything about speakers, you’ll know that a physically larger driver is going to deliver more impressive results – and that’s the case with this product, too. It’s a huge boost to the audio performance, and while we don’t think it can compete with the best Bluetooth speakers, it’s a very solid listening experience.
Hardware and performance
Both tablets utilise chipsets that are found in flagship smartphones, the Tab S8 uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, and the Pixel Tablet uses a Tensor G2 chip.
The S8’s Snapdragon SoC is the older of the two, but it’s a very solid performer. The Tensor G2, on the other hand, launched inside the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, and is also a very capable chip.
The secret sauce with Tensor chips is that Google uses software optimisation to get the best performance it can from the hardware, so many tasks will complete faster, even though the Qualcomm SoC is more powerful on paper.
For mobile gaming, we’ve had the best results with Snapdragon SoCs, but the Pixel Tablet handles titles like Call of Duty Mobile without issue. The form factor doesn’t lend itself to gaming too well, but you can always pair a game controller for the best experience.
It’s also worth noting that the Galaxy Tab S8 has expandable storage in the form of an onboard microSD card slot. The Pixel Tablet doesn’t support SD cards, so you’re stuck with the integrated storage.
Accessories
As we’ve mentioned, the Google Pixel Tablet comes bundled with a docking station and essentially doubles up as a Google Nest Hub display when it’s docked. This dock has speakers built-in and greatly enhances the audio performance of the tablet.
No such dock is available for the Galaxy Tab S8, but you do get an S Pen included in the box. Depending on your priorities, one could be much more useful than the other. Aspiring artists aren’t likely to get as much use from the Pixel Tablets smart home integrations, but they will love using the S Pen – and of course, if you’re not a doodler then the opposite could be true.
Samsung
Samsung also sells a keyboard cover for the Tab S8, which effectively allows it to be used as a laptop replacement and Google has yet to announce such an accessory for the Pixel Tablet.
There’s no first-party stylus, either. However, Google says the Pixel Tablet is compatible with USI 2.0 stylus pens. These are typically sold as Chromebook accessories, and some good options are available from brands such as Lenovo.
Conclusion
For most people, we think the Google Pixel Tablet is the one to go for. It’s available for significantly less money, and the charging speaker dock adds lots of functionality that will mean the tablet gets used more frequently.
Google / Pocket-lint
The Pixel Tablet, when docked, can be used as a smart speaker, a hub for your smart home controls, a small Chromecast display and a digital picture frame – all things that aren’t really achievable with the Galaxy Tab S8. Plus, when it’s undocked, you get similar tablet performance and very well-optimised software.
That said, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has advantages of its own, too. The cameras are more impressive, and there are more of them, which means it’s the obvious choice if you want to take pictures with your tablet. The fact that you can add more storage with a microSD card shouldn’t be overlooked either.
Samsung
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8
For Android fans who want a beautiful design paired with uncompromising power, the Tab S8 is an outstanding choice.
There’s also the fact that the Tab S8 comes bundled with the S Pen, which is widely regarded as one of the best Android styluses around. Google hasn’t announced a stylus yet, and while compatibility with third-party pens is included, we can’t imagine them performing at Samsung’s level.
As always, the right tablet for you all depends on your individual needs. The Pixel Tablet is designed to live at home and be picked up when needed, whereas the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 is more of a go-anywhere productivity tool.
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