I used the Google Pixel Tablet as my smart home display – and here's how it performed

Googles Pixel tablet marked the company's return to the tablet market after several years (previous efforts included the Pixel C and Pixel Slate). Although it was highly praised as a near-perfect Android tablet, the response was disappointing.

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The Google Pixel Tablet is an 11-inch Android tablet with a charging dock that doubles as a speaker. When you place the tablet in the dock to charge, it transforms into a customizable smart display, like an iPhone in standby mode or a Fire tablet in show mode. Charging your Pixel tablet is similar to the Nest Hub Max experience, but not quite as good.

As a smart home user, I decided to try out the smart display feature of this tablet. I love smart panels more than tablets. I don't often turn to my tablet for entertainment – I rely on my phone for that – so I use a smart display or the smart home apps on my phone more often and for longer than I do on a tablet.

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The problem many reviewers have with the Pixel tablet is that it's a simpleton among its competitors – and not in a bad way. Google didn't design this tablet to be the next iPad Pro, capable of handling intense video editing sessions and occasionally replacing your laptop.

The Pixel tablet is an entertainment device that allows you to check the latest game scores or scroll through TikTok while taking a break from writing in a Word document.

However, it is a tablet that offers a clean Android experience and you can forget whether you are an iOS or Android team. As a loyal iOS user for six years, I sometimes feel disoriented when using an Android device. The strange navigation errors and lags remind me why I gave up on Android years ago.

These errors are rare on the Google Pixel tablet. While the Pixel tablet did have some glitches in navigation and day-to-day use, these were far fewer than those I experienced with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, although they were far more common than those I experienced on my iPad.

The Pixel tablet worked surprisingly well as a smart home display, but still left a lot to be desired.

Here's what makes the Pixel Tablet good

When I started using this Pixel tablet as a smart home panel for Google Home compatible products in my house, I noticed that Google Assistant seemed to be a lot smarter than Siri and Alexa. This is a close race with all three continually improving, especially now that generative AI is being brought into the mix. However, Google Home runs smoothly on the Pixel tablet.

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Additionally, unlike smart displays like the Google Nest Hub and Echo Hub, the Pixel Tablet is a portable device. You can pick it up almost anywhere to read the news or play a game. I've taken mine to my kids' after-school activities to play or watch while I wait. Having a multi-purpose display at the center of a smart home is like having two tablets in one.

Here's what the Pixel Tablet could do better

The Pixel tablet is faulty. All smart displays have their faults, but after testing multiple Echo Show devices and using the Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home app on iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, I've gotten more out of the smart home features. Control functions of the Pixel tablet expected.

Google is reportedly working on a new Nest speaker and a Nest Hub Max that will launch later this year. So we don't think the company will abandon these smart devices in favor of the Pixel tablet.

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While Google Home runs well on the Pixel tablet, Nanoleaf products were the hardest to get running smoothly on Google Home. I'm having some connection issues with certain Cree smart devices that don't always respond through Google Home even though they work well with Alexa.

The far-field microphone experience also left something to be desired for me, especially since I'm surrounded by far too many Echo devices and a HomePod mini. The Pixel tablet could hear me well from across the room, even when I moved away most of the time. But — unlike my Echo devices — the Pixel Tablet couldn't hear me in our open floor plan when I was in the kitchen, suggesting it would work best in a bedroom or smaller living room. (My HomePod mini can hear me from a story away.)

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The dock also feels a bit awkward when you pick up the device. It's not difficult to dock the Pixel tablet to charge it, especially once you get used to the feel, but you have to grip it just right to undock it. Google recommends lifting it by the bottom edge to undock and lift it up. However, lifting it in almost any other way can cause the dock to pull up with the tablet.

ZDNET's buying guide

Should you choose a? Pixel tablet to be used as a smart home panel via a Echo Hub or Google Nest Hub Max? Comparing the two, the Pixel Tablet is a portable device while the Google Nest Hub and Echo Hub are stationary smart displays.

Although many users prefer the $229 Nest Hub Max's feature as a dedicated smart display, I like having a multi-purpose display at the center of the smart home with the 2-in-1 Pixel tablet. When I grab the fully charged tablet on the way out the door or upstairs, it's easier to use than other tablets. Turning it into a smart display gives it a second life when it's idle while other tablets are turned off or stored away.

The Echo Hub is specifically designed as a smart home display for Amazon Alexa. If you prefer the Alexa voice assistant and already own other Echo devices, a $180 Echo Hub would probably be a better addition to your smart home than a Pixel tablet.