When we reviewed the Celeron-powered Pixel Slate late last year, we found it to be a giant identity crisis that made it not so good as either a laptop or a tablet. Well, if you do appreciate whatever form factor Google was trying to go for there and are happy to play with better specs to avoid much of the sluggishness that was reported on the poor 'ol entry-level model, you can get a Slate for $250 off for a limited time.If you're looking for a tablet to watch stuff with and browse the web, Chrome OS gets you most of the way there with a speedy web browsing experience, which we strongly recommend over using Android apps except where absolutely necessary. It's got a 12.3" LCD panel and front-facing speakers that provide one of the best media consumption experiences in the ecosystem (though that's not saying too much). There are also two USB-C ports, a fingerprint sensor, and a nice 10-hour battery. In the end, though, you'll likely be paying for the lightweight, low-maintenance nature of a Chromebook in a pleasantly-designed body.
As of now, the Slate is available sans keyboard and stylus in three configurations and both Amazon and Best Buy are taking $250 off their MSRPs. The Google Store is also offering the same discount, but only if you buy a Pixel Slate keyboard or Brydge G-Type keyboard — the $160 Brydge board might be a better idea to laptop-ify this thing, if that's your wont.
- Intel Core m3 / 8GB RAM / 64GB storage: $549
- Intel Core i5-Y / 8GB RAM / 128GB storage: $749
- Intel Core i7-Y / 16GB RAM / 256GB storage: $1.349
The Google Store deal should last through August 18, which should give you an indication as to how long these prices may last at the other stores — Amazon and Best Buy do not have published deadlines.
Buy: Amazon (m3), (i5), (i7) / Best Buy (m3), (i5), (i7) / Google Store