Joe Maring / Android Authority
I don’t know if there’s ever been a Pixel more disappointing than the Google Pixel Tablet. I reviewed the Pixel Tablet for another publication in 2023 and, at the time, called it “the worst Pixel I’ve ever used” — thanks to its lackluster specs, poor design choices, and messy software.
I stopped using the Pixel Tablet in December 2023, and for all of 2024 and most of 2025, it was boxed up and stored in my parents’ basement. But about a month ago, I decided to dig out the Pixel Tablet and put it back in my apartment. And … I kind of love it.
To be clear, the Pixel Tablet is still an extremely flawed product. However, after using the Pixel Tablet again, I’ve developed a new appreciation for it, and I don’t plan to put it away any time soon.
Are you still using the Pixel Tablet in 2025? 64 votes Yes, and I like it. 48 % Yes, but I dislike it. 3 % No, I stopped using it. 0 % No, I never owned it. 48 %
Why I’m coming around to the Pixel Tablet
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Before I put the Pixel Tablet back in my kitchen, I was using an Amazon Echo Show 15. My smart display use is pretty barebones, with my Echo Show mainly used to watch YouTube, set timers, check the weather, and control some smart lights. It was fine for all of that, but after a month of using the Pixel Tablet again, I have to admit that the way I use a smart display is better on the Pixel.
Media consumption is a perfect example of this. I often watch YouTube or YouTube TV in the kitchen while making dinner, and both are frustrating to use on the Echo Show. There’s a dedicated YouTube TV app on the Echo, but you have to use an on-screen touchpad to navigate it, which is never not frustrating. And to watch YouTube, you have to use the YouTube website in the built-in browser, which isn’t great either.
What about on the Pixel Tablet? Since it runs Android, I can simply use the native YouTube TV and YouTube Android apps — both of which are well-optimized for the Pixel Tablet’s large display and are so much nicer to interact with. I don’t have to fiddle with awkward touchscreen controls or a clunky smart display browser. Instead, I get the full Android app experience on the big screen, and it’s better in every way.
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