We don’t get the opportunity to do versus videos as often as I’d like, but we’re ready to try and change that in the coming months. The truth is, with review units it is pretty difficult to catch two interesting devices in the office at the same time. Right now we have quite a few around, so we want to take full advantage of that fact and begin with probably the most-requested versus video of all: the Pixelbook vs. Pixel Slate.

Sure, the Pixel Slate offers quite a few clear upgrades over the Pixelbook, but it doesn’t take much looking around the internet to notice a ton of users still loving their Pixelbook and a ton of reviews that aren’t great about the Pixel Slate.

What we want to do in our new series of versus videos is go through the hardware and experience of both devices in much the same way we do for our reviews: build quality, screen, input methods, internals/ports and overall usability and feel. At the end of those categories, we’ll identify a winner in each, tally up the wins, and declare a winner.

So, without any further ado, let’s get into the Pixelbook vs. Pixel Slate.

Build

We’re going to keep this pretty short, simple and straightforward. If you want, you can watch the full review of the Pixelbook or the Pixel Slate if you want a deeper look into either device. For now, bullets will suffice.

PIXELBOOK

Pros Well built (glass and aluminum) Thin and light Modern Firm and attractive Great hinges

Cons Palm rests and feet discolor over time with no clear way to fix it



PIXEL SLATE

Pros Well built (glass and aluminum) Thin and light Modern Firm and attractive Great balance

Cons Fingerprint are out of control Keyboard construction is flimsy and expensive



WINNER: Pixelbook

Screen

PIXELBOOK

Pros High-res (2400×1600) Brightest of all Chromebooks Colorful with punchy colors 3:2 ratio

Cons Large bezels Tad washed out compared with the Pixel Slate



PIXEL SLATE

Pros High-res (3000×2000) Bright Colorful with punchy colors 3:2 ratio perfectly symmetrical bezels

Cons Not quite as bright as the Pixelbook



WINNER: Pixel Slate

Keyboard Trackpad

PIXELBOOK

Pros Of all keyboards ever made, this is my favorite Click, travel and feel are better than any other keyboard I’ve used Trackpad is smooth glass with a satisfying click After a year and a half, both still hold up

Cons Trackpad click is a bit loud



PIXEL SLATE

Pros Round keys are interesting and accurate Keys are super-quiet Backlighting around round keys looks amazing For a folio type keyboard, inputs are really great Trackpad is smooth and has a great click when on a table Addition of the Brydge G-Type Keyboard adds interesting options Plug and play of the Google Keyboard is solid and works as expected

Cons Can feel flimsy in your lap Not as productive in all environments Keys feel a tad mushy Brydge keyboard is good, but not as good as the Pixelbook Biggest issue here? It’s not the Pixelbook keyboard



WINNER: Pixelbook

Internals & Ports

PIXELBOOK

Pros Performance is fast on the upper-spec models Storage is good at 128GB and up USB-C is great for most things Headphone jack is still present

Cons No SD Card Slot No USB-A ports Mediocre speakers



PIXEL SLATE

Pros Performance is fast on the upper-spec models Storage is adequate if you get the 128GB and up versions USB-C is great for most things Fingerprint scanner is a fantastic add-on Speakers are insanely good

Cons No SD Card Slot No USB-A ports No headphone jack



WINNER: Pixel Slate

Feel & Usability

Let’s be honest, both of these devices feel great in the hand and feel great to use on a daily basis. They perform well, look great, and inspire confidence. I honestly love both of them!

However, I also have to look at this from the perspective of getting work done and the device being the one I want to use when push comes to shove and I have a choice.

For me, when it is time to buckle down and get stuff done, I still reach for my Pixelbook. With the keyboard options on the Slate still not living up to the keyboard/trackpad of the Pixelbook, the great speakers and fingerprint log in aren’t enough to push me over to the Slate. The Pixelbook simply inspires confidence that it is, without doubt, the best tool for most jobs.

WINNER: Pixelbook

Wrap Up

So, if you’ve kept score, the Pixelbook is our winner

Not a blowout and not a one-sided affair, this versus comes down to practicality over features and we said we’d pick a definitive winner. For some of you, however, media consumption will be higher on your list than it is on mine, and you may covet those sweet speakers more than I would. In that case, maybe the Slate is a better fit for you.

But, if you are like me and your Chromebook is the machine you work and play on, I still think the Pixelbook is the better overall option.