Google Pixel Tablet vs Apple iPad vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Which Reigns Supreme?

Google recently announced the Pixel Tablet during its I/O 2023 event, which comes with multitasking capabilities and smart home integration. However, it’s unclear how the tablet performs in terms of design, screen, and overall performance compared to top competitors like the iPad 10th generation and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8.

There is a limited selection of premium Android tablets available, with the exception of the newly released OnePlus Pad. We believe the new Pixel Tablet is a closer match to the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8. Both devices have similar specifications and pricing and are produced by two reputable brands in the market.

The Google Pixel Tablet can also be compared to the 10th-generation iPad released by Apple in late 2022. Apple’s affordable tablets, such as the iPad 10th gen, offer great power and iOS features. The newer model, which is priced at $449 and has a similar design to the iPad Pro and iPad Air, cuts a few corners but still offers good value.

If you’re trying to decide which tablet to buy, we can help you choose between the Pixel Tablet, iPad 10th Gen, and Galaxy Tab S8. In this Google Pixel Tablet vs Apple iPad vs and Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comparison, we’ll go over the best features of each device to help you make the best decision.

Google Pixel Tablet vs Apple iPad vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Pricing and Availability

The Google Pixel Tablet was announced on May 10th and is now available worldwide. It comes in three colors: Porcelain, Hazel and Rose, and costs $499 in the US and £599 in the UK. This puts it in the same price range as the Apple iPad (10th generation), which starts at $449 in the US and £499 in the UK and comes in four colors: Blue, Pink, Silver and Yellow.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 was launched in early 2021 and started shipping on February 25 of that year. It comes in Graphite, Silver, and Pink Gold colors and has been available for purchase in most regions since its release. The tablet is still available for purchase today. While the starting price was $699, the base model can now often be found for around $630-650.

Below is a table summarizing the specs comparison for a quick overview. However, for a more informed decision, there are additional details provided on the features and what is included with each option.

Feature	Pixel Tablet	iPad 10th Gen	Galaxy Tab S8
Operating System	Android 13	iPadOS	Samsung One UI 5
Display	10.9 inches  LCD	10.9-inch LCD	11-inch LCD
Resolution	2560 x 1600 pixels	2360 x 1640 pixels	2560 x 1600 pixels
Processor	Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)	Apple A14 Bionic	Qualcomm Snapdragon SoC
RAM	8GB	4GB	8GB
Storage Options	128GB / 256GB	128GB / 256GB + MicroSD support	128GB / 256GB + MicroSD support
Expandable Storage	No	No	Yes
Cameras	8MP rear camera, 8MP front camera	12MP rear camera, 12MP front camera	13MP + 6MP rear camera, 12MP front camera
Battery	Up to 12 hours	Up to 10 hours	8,000mAh battery
Connectivity	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C
Pricing	$499 (starting)	$449 (starting)	$649 (starting)

Pixel Tablet vs Apple iPad vs Galaxy Tab S8: What’s the difference?

Let’s take a comprehensive look at the differences and features of the Pixel Tablet, iPad 10th Gen, and Galaxy Tab S8 in order to compare them.

Design and Display

Although not Google’s first tablet, the Google Pixel Tablet has a unique approach compared to its previous offerings. It functions as a two-in-one device and has similarities to the Nest Hub Max. The tablet has a large screen with uniform bezels, a camera centrally located at the top edge in landscape mode, and a single camera lens on the top corner of the rear. The Pixel Tablet has a power button on the edge with a built-in fingerprint sensor and a volume rocker. You can charge it using USB-C, and there’s also a four-pin accessory connector available for charging, data transfer, and audio output. This connector also lets you connect to the Charging Speaker Dock, which comes with the Pixel Tablet as part of the offering.

The Apple iPad (10th generation) is lightweight and has a lovely slim aluminum build. It’s a convenient device to carry around, and you have different color options to choose from. The iPad (10th generation) has bezels that are the same size all around the display and a front camera located on the side when you hold it horizontally. This is a unique feature of this particular iPad model. The rear of the tablet features a single-lens camera situated in the top corner and a power button with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the side. The iPad (10th Generation) also has a Smart Connector that enables you to connect the Smart Keyboard and charge it through USB-C. However, there is no equivalent speaker dock for charging as the Pixel Tablet offers.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has an iPad Pro-like design with squared-off aluminum edges and visible antenna lines. However, it has a contrasting strip on one side to show where to attach the S Pen for charging and storage, which makes it stand out more. The Pixel Tablet and Galaxy Tab S8 have similar sizes and weights, and only one USB-C port each for connectivity. Both devices also feature pogo pins for accessory connection, but details about them will be discussed later.

Google’s Pixel Tablet boasts a 10.95-inch LCD screen with a pixel resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels and is compatible with USI 2.0 stylus pens. On the other hand, the 10th generation of Apple’s iPad features a 10.9-inch LCD display with a resolution of 2360 x 1640 pixels, resulting in a slightly lower pixel density of 264 ppi as compared to the Pixel Tablet. Nevertheless, this difference is undetectable to the human eye. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 has an 11-inch LTPS LCD screen with a resolution of 2560×1600. It also supports S-Pen connectivity.  

Also Read: Galaxy Tab S8 Review

Hardware and Camera

The Google Pixel Tablet uses the Google Tensor G2 chip, which is also found in the Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7a smartphone. This chip is powerful and comes with the Titan M2 security co-processor. You can choose between 128GB and 256GB storage options.

The Apple iPad (10th generation) is equipped with the A14 Bionic chip, which features a 6-core CPU, 4-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. This powerful chip can handle both simple and complex tasks with ease. The storage options are 64GB and 256GB, which is less than the Pixel Tablet, but this is reflected in the device’s lower price.

Both the Galaxy Tab S8 and Pixel Tablet have the same processors as their contemporary smartphones. However, the Galaxy Tab S8 uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset from the Galaxy S22 lineup, which is still quite impressive for an Android tablet and outperforms most competitors. Although the Pixel Tablet has a newer processor on paper, in reality, both tablets will likely perform similarly, especially for typical tablet usage.

Google’s Tensor G2 may not outperform the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in most benchmarks when it comes to raw performance. However, it offers advantages in machine learning capabilities, particularly in powering Google’s advanced computational photography features on Pixel phones. As tablets do not require such features as much, it remains to be seen how the Galaxy Tab S8 and Pixel Tablet will fare in gaming and streaming performance. The Galaxy Tab comes in 128GB and 256GB storage options. The Galaxy Tab S8 has a microSD card slot onboard which allows for expandable storage. However, the Pixel Tablet does not support SD cards and only has integrated storage.

The camera features on the Google Pixel Tablet include 8MP front and rear cameras that can record 1080p video at 30fps. The Galaxy Tab S8 has a dual-rear camera consisting of a 13MP standard lens and a 6MP ultra-wide lens, as well as a 12MP front camera. Both front and rear cameras on the Galaxy Tab S8 can record 4K video up to 30fps.

In comparison, the Apple iPad (10th generation) has a 12MP rear camera and a 12MP front camera. The rear camera can record 4K videos at 60fps, and the front camera can record up to 1080p at 60fps.

Also Read: Apple iPad 10 Review

Software and Battery

The Pixel Tablet is an Android tablet with additional features like Hub Mode that lets you control your smart home. It provides a pure Android experience and can be used for various purposes. The tablet comes with one dock, but you can purchase additional ones separately to move it around your home. The Google Pixel Tablet comes with the Google TV app and Google Chromecast already installed. This enables you to easily cast music and videos from your Pixel phone to your tablet that’s docked, with just a few taps.

The Apple iPad uses iPadOS 16 which has various useful features including excellent multi-tasking abilities, a user-friendly interface, and the capability to perform tasks like the Pixel Tablet. However, unlike the Pixel Tablet, the iPad doesn’t have a docking station or a specialized smart home control mode.

On the other hand, the iPad does have the Home app which enables the user to manage compatible smart home devices. The iPad offers additional benefits including access to a greater selection of apps that are designed specifically for the larger screen. Additionally, there are options for apps such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Although Chromecast is not integrated into the iPad, you can use AirPlay to achieve a similar function with just a few taps. AirPlay is built into iOS devices, unlike Pixel devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 comes with Android 12 and One UI 4 skin installed. The tablet has a customized interface that offers various customization options and features. Additionally, it comes with a feature called DeX Mode, which is similar to a laptop mode for tablets. The Galaxy Tab also has a pre-installed “Smart View” feature that allows users to mirror their phone’s screen on their Samsung smart TV or vice versa.

When it comes to battery, the Google Pixel Tablet is promising up to 12 hours of video streaming, which is a couple of hours longer than Apple promises from its iPad (10th generation), which sits at around 10.

We haven’t tested the Pixel Tablet as yet so at the moment, it’s not clear if this claim is also the reality, but the 10 hours for the iPad (10th gen) is about right since in our battery test, the iPad 10 got a runtime of 5.5 hours. We tested the battery by looping an HD YouTube video at maximum brightness. Considering that the display is very bright, this is a solid result, but not a great one. On moderate usage, the iPad 10th gen can last around 10 hours on a single charge.

To clarify, the Galaxy Tab S8 has an 8000mAh battery and supports 45W wired charging if you buy a compatible charger, as it does not come with one included. In our battery test, the S8 lasted longer than the iPad 10 – 7.5 hours compared to 5.5 hours.

Since all three tablets support USB-C charging, it is easy to charge them.

The Verdict

If you’re looking for a tablet, we recommend the Google Pixel Tablet for most people. It’s more affordable and comes with a charging speaker dock that adds extra features to the tablet. When docked, the Pixel Tablet can serve as a smart speaker, a control hub for smart home devices, a Chromecast display, and more. The Galaxy Tab S8 and iPad, on the other hand, don’t offer these features. When the Pixel Tablet is undocked, it still delivers great tablet performance and optimized software. We haven’t tested the Pixel Tablet yet, but we will provide our experience with it once we do. However, we have high expectations for its performance.

If you already own Apple devices, the iPad is the better choice between the two tablets as it works well with your other technology and provides a great user experience. However, unlike the other tablet, it does not have a home hub mode. Nonetheless, the iPad has excellent multitasking capabilities and many optimized applications, making it a powerful device that can handle a wide range of tasks.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 also has its advantages. It has more impressive cameras and more of them, making it the better option if you want to take pictures with a tablet. Additionally, don’t forget that you can increase storage with a microSD card. The Tab S8 will cost you more than the Pixel Tablet but if affordability is not the criteria for you, it does give a solid competition to both iPad and Pixel tablet and is arguably one of the best tablets by till date. Of course, it’s high-end variants, Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra and Plus hold more power and punch, but they also cost a lot more!