Tesla Model S Plaid Infotainment System Review: A Laptop on Wheels

Climb aboard the updated Tesla Model S, and the first thing you notice is a bright 17.0-inch touchscreen. (Well, the first thing other than the new controversial steering yoke.) Tesla designed the Model S to be drivable without having to fiddle with the infotainment screen, but indeed you must use it to access most of the car's functions and settings. Additionally, Tesla also introduced a redesigned user interface (UI), making the idea that the Tesla Model S is a laptop on wheels a somewhat accurate description. It's also one hell of a performer.

The touchscreen of the updated Tesla Model S boasts 2,200 x 1,300 resolution, a total of 2.86 megapixels, making it a bit higher than 1080p but not quite Quad-HD 1440p. Pixel density is 150 PPI. This is all good enough to display crisp, sharp images and text, considering the screen is mounted in the center of the dash and the viewing distance isn't as close as it would be if you were using a handheld iPad. Colors appear vibrant, and the system responds well to touch inputs. Since the screen doesn't tilt (a feature Tesla promised originally but ended up on the chopping block), you always view it at an angle, unless you're sitting in the middle of the rear bench. However, the viewing angle is excellent, and we experienced no noticeable color shift when looking at it from any seat.

The heart of this "laptop" is a system from AMD that sports the latest Navi 23 GPU for graphic-intensive tasks. The APU also handles average day-to-day tasks. Detailed specs for this chipset are scarce, but Tesla claims it has a total of 10 teraflops of processing power to enable gaming performance on par with Sony's PlayStation 5. This new chipset is a big step up from the older Intel Atom technology found in Tesla's Model 3 and Model Y, as well as older Model S and Model X vehicles, boosting system performance from that of a budget notebook to a proper midrange gaming laptop.

In terms of connectivity, the system features four USB-C ports that support up to 35-watt output, plus four wireless charging slots for phones: two up front under the center screen, two in the rear armrest. Multi-device Bluetooth is supported with the ability to set a preferred device. The system can connect to the internet through Wi-Fi, and it comes with 4G LTE for one year (and $10 per month thereafter).

The new user interface found in the Tesla Model S is an evolution from what you see in today's Model 3 and Model Y. It's also a new experience if you are coming from an older Model S Model X, since Tesla switched from a screen with portrait orientation to this new one with landscape orientation. On the default home-screen layout, a navigation map takes up the majority of the screen's real estate. You can input or search your destination (including car-charging locations) in the bar at the top. Often you don't have to type out the entire address, as it offers suggestions just like Google Maps does.

On the left side of the screen, there's a gear strip for selecting Park, Drive, or Reverse when you need to overwrite the auto-select decision. On the right is a resizable media player: make it smaller, and you can see more of the navigation map. A black bar at the bottom of the layout hosts shortcuts for various functions.

From left to right, you find things such as driver-side climate control, My App, App launcher, recent apps, passenger-side climate control, and volume control. Depending on settings, you can switch the position of a displayed app (such as media) from left to right and vice versa. For instance, the driver can set the media control closer to their side of the car instead of its default far-right position.

You can also access a list of all vehicle-related settings, including common things such as lock and unlock, trunk, glove box, mirrors, etc. There are also options for pedals and steering, suspension, charging, Autopilot, lights, and more. It seems like a long list, but the large screen makes the layout clear with easily accessible functions. Meanwhile, Tesla sticks with a minimalistic theme (the same as the older UI) with black and white text and blue toggles, so there are no unnecessary distractions.

My App, App launcher, and an option for recent apps are new in this UI. It's notable that this new UI considers any non-driving-related features—such as browser, radio, arcade, etc.—to be apps. Tesla also implemented a familiar swipe-to-close-app gesture in the new setup, instead of tapping the "X" button as the old UI required.

In true Tesla fashion, the system comes with some quirky Easter eggs, such as fart noises, playing various sound effects through the external pedestrian-warning speakers, and a sketchpad. The latter is handy when you need to jot down a quick note. The new system also includes two secondary screens, an instrument panel, and an 8.0-inch screen for rear passengers. Rear-screen features are limited to media controls, games, and climate controls.

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