Android tablets, no matter what company makes them, have continuously struggled to be relevant alongside the iPad's dominance. And Google's history wi

The Google Pixel C was the best Android tablet ever made

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2024-09-01 17:00:05

Android tablets, no matter what company makes them, have continuously struggled to be relevant alongside the iPad's dominance. And Google's history with tablets, Android and Chrome OS alike, is even rougher — it's often argued that everything went downhill after the second Nexus 7. But I'll forever remember a different tablet, the Google Pixel C, as the best Android tablet ever made.

But the funniest thing about the Pixel C is that I only have these positive feelings about it when it's paired with its metal keyboard accessory — which, at the time, ran you $150 on top of the $500 tablet. Without it, the Pixel C is rather forgettable and even boring. That's because the keyboard — and that's only the metal keyboard — is an exceptional piece of hardware design, and the way it all came together was pure perfection. And it deserves more praise.

The stark "slab of metal" isn't particularly unique, but was a huge upgrade from the Nexus 9 and other Android tablets of the time, and perhaps unsurprisingly makes this design continue to feel modern in 2020. The flat edges, smooth back, perfectly-drilled stereo speaker slots and simple buttons are still great. And the multi-color LED light bar on the back is just a fantastic touch. And it gives you one of the best features ever put in a tablet: double-tap the back while it's sleeping, and the light bar shows you the battery level. It's the little things.