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Will the iPad 5 be lighter than the iPad 2?

  • Lighter

    Votes: 153 81.4%
  • Heavier

    Votes: 19 10.1%
  • Quite magically, the same exact weight

    Votes: 16 8.5%

  • Total voters
    188

sebseb81

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
88
3
Lighter than iPad 3/4 is a given, I think. But lighter than the iPad 2? What say ye?
 

A Hebrew

macrumors 6502a
Jan 7, 2012
846
2
Minnesota
If they are trimming down the bezel, I don't see how they could get it heavier without packing a huge battery in it.
 

MythicFrost

macrumors 68040
Mar 11, 2009
3,940
38
Australia
Thinner and lighter is almost guaranteed with Apple. Considering the Mini, and that the iPad 5 is strongly rumoured to use the same design, it's definitely going to be thinner.
 

raccoonboy

macrumors 6502a
Oct 22, 2012
918
5
I would love it if its thinner and lighter.

My Ipad 2 used to be a breeze to hold but lately maybe im getting older. I can't seem to hold and use it in bed so comfortably anymore. Just so heavy for portrait use so i have to lie on my stomach to use the device. Starting to make me angry.
 

smoking monkey

macrumors 68020
Mar 5, 2008
2,335
1,468
I HUNGER
I would love it if its thinner and lighter.

My Ipad 2 used to be a breeze to hold but lately maybe im getting older. I can't seem to hold and use it in bed so comfortably anymore. Just so heavy for portrait use so i have to lie on my stomach to use the device. Starting to make me angry.

Maybe you're getting older??? Unless you've found the Fountain of Youth, you are DEFINITELY getting older!!

Seriously, Unless you are 50+ or have had an injury recently, getting at most 2 years older won't have anything to do with it. Perhaps you are just getting bored with it and are more likely to find fault with it because of this...

I'm still using a 2 and do notice the weight now more than I did before. I think it's just time for an upgrade...
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
I would presume the iPad 5 would something around 500-525g, giving a leverage of 100g for the retina and 125g for the bigger screen, ( compared to the mini).

Reasons for such a drastic drop

New design, reduced dimensions
Thinner Bezels
GF/2 Display tech
single LED
IGZO should help reduce glass thickness
Thinner / Lighter Battery
Smaller sized SoC, as well as other internal parts.
 

Samtb

macrumors 65816
Jan 6, 2013
1,490
32
I agree, around 500 grams. Do you think you'd feel the difference between 500g and 650g just out of interest?
 

poloponies

Suspended
May 3, 2010
2,661
1,366
I would presume the iPad 5 would something around 500-525g, giving a leverage of 100g for the retina and 125g for the bigger screen, ( compared to the mini).

Reasons for such a drastic drop

New design, reduced dimensions
Thinner Bezels
GF/2 Display tech
single LED
IGZO should help reduce glass thickness
Thinner / Lighter Battery
Smaller sized SoC, as well as other internal parts.

THAT would be quite the engineering feat. Roughly 10 ounces of the iPad's weight is attributable to the rear case and battery. The bulk of the remainder is in the display/glass. The board weighs less than an ounce.

Apple shaved 80 grams off the front end in subsequent iterations but lost savings to the increased battery demands of the high-res display. Dropping the whole device to 500grams would need a much lighter back and battery.
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
THAT would be quite the engineering feat. Roughly 10 ounces of the iPad's weight is attributable to the rear case and battery. The bulk of the remainder is in the display/glass. The board weighs less than an ounce.

Apple shaved 80 grams off the front end in subsequent iterations but lost savings to the increased battery demands of the high-res display. Dropping the whole device to 500grams would need a much lighter back and battery.

Not necessarily. The ipad mini is around 310g. Considering they have reduced the overall size of device..its going to equate into some weight savings. While the thickness of the glass is defintely coming down thanks to gf/ 2 ditto tech and mostly with the combination of igzo..I wld say a saving of at least 100g. With smaller case and thinner profile and new display tech..they wouldnt require such a large battery of around 42Whr..expect a 1/3 reduction to hit around 28.33whr battery. Shaving of at least 30g..along with sum other minor reductions...around 10-12g..combining to make around around 130-150g..which shld put it in btwn that 500- 525g
 

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,978
9,541
Atlanta, GA
I would love it if its thinner and lighter.

My Ipad 2 used to be a breeze to hold but lately maybe im getting older. I can't seem to hold and use it in bed so comfortably anymore. Just so heavy for portrait use so i have to lie on my stomach to use the device. Starting to make me angry.

Don't blame aging. Jack LaLanne would have no problem holding the iPad 2.
 

sebseb81

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
88
3
Thinner and lighter is almost guaranteed with Apple.

Almost but not always: consider that the iPad 3/4 were both heavier/thicker than the iPad 2.

Everyone else: thanks for the comments, quite insightful weight calculations there. Here's to hoping Apple is able to best the iPad 2's weight with their next generation.
 

MythicFrost

macrumors 68040
Mar 11, 2009
3,940
38
Australia
Almost but not always: consider that the iPad 3/4 were both heavier/thicker than the iPad 2.

Everyone else: thanks for the comments, quite insightful weight calculations there. Here's to hoping Apple is able to best the iPad 2's weight with their next generation.
I know, that's why I was saying almost. They were the exceptions.

I'd like to see the iPad hit 500g. That would be good.
 

obamtl

macrumors 6502a
May 24, 2010
544
836
I am far more bullish. I think the magic number is less than a pound. If the mini is at 0.7 pounds, moving to igzo or a more efficient display technology can help Apple hit that mark. Considering rumors suggest its the same form factor as the mini, and similar thickness, I'm confident Apple will hit the pound mark.
 

OSxiPro

macrumors member
Nov 17, 2012
42
0
UK
I really hope it is lighter than the iPad 2, even if its just a little bit less.
My iPad 4 and 3 are just a bit too heavy to hold all the time, and the iPad mini is probably never going to be an option because I love the size of the iPads.
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
I know, that's why I was saying almost. They were the exceptions.

I'd like to see the iPad hit 500g. That would be good.

In all probability, your wish might get granted largely but not entirely. its going to be something around 520-530g, as far as my instincts and logical reasoning is considered.

500g would be an ideal ( magical according to Apple), but like many engineering experts pointed out across various forums, its quite difficult to achieve that exactly, but maybe not impossible.
 

MythicFrost

macrumors 68040
Mar 11, 2009
3,940
38
Australia
In all probability, your wish might get granted largely but not entirely. its going to be something around 520-530g, as far as my instincts and logical reasoning is considered.

500g would be an ideal ( magical according to Apple), but like many engineering experts pointed out across various forums, its quite difficult to achieve that exactly, but maybe not impossible.
I think 500g is reachable, maybe even 450g.

The iPad 5 should have a lot less volume, as it's both smaller and thinner. On top of that, IGZO should mean the display is thinner and consumes less power, allowing for a smaller battery. I'd be pretty happy with 500g though, 450g would just be a bonus :D
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
I think 500g is reachable, maybe even 450g.

The iPad 5 should have a lot less volume, as it's both smaller and thinner. On top of that, IGZO should mean the display is thinner and consumes less power, allowing for a smaller battery. I'd be pretty happy with 500g though, 450g would just be a bonus :D

450g might seem a bit too much.

310g figure from the ipad mini is due to the fact that its 7.85" screen, and non-retina.

Add a bare minimum of 50g-60g for the bigger screen's weight
Add another 50-60g for the bigger overall shell (if not more)
Add at least a minimum of 50g due to the addition retina screen.
Add at least another 30-40g for the heavier capacity battery (even if its lighter/thinner
Add another 20g for the bigger SoC and/or better internal parts.

Should make it around 500-525g

----------

I totally agree with you. But it doesn't make a big difference in reality life.

A 100-150g in real life ( if we are estimating around 500-550g for the new ipad 5, is defintely going to make a difference in the long run.

Hauling around 0.6kg for more than half an hour can get tiring.

Let's hope for the lightest ( not necessarily the most thin) tablet
 

AFDoc

Suspended
Jun 29, 2012
2,864
629
Colorado Springs USA for now
I would love it if its thinner and lighter.

My Ipad 2 used to be a breeze to hold but lately maybe im getting older. I can't seem to hold and use it in bed so comfortably anymore. Just so heavy for portrait use so i have to lie on my stomach to use the device. Starting to make me angry.

Wow..... really the only thing I can say.


This push towards thin and light is getting stupid and expectations for thinness AND long battery life just don't jive with reality. Battery tech isn't there yet for super thin/long life, it's just not. ANY of the iPads (yes including OiPad) is a great thickness for a device that does what an iPad does. Imagine the battery life on a device about as thick as an OiPad! Put in a quad a7, Retina, gig of ram ect ect..... wouldn't most prefer that over a razor thin device? I know I would.
 

MythicFrost

macrumors 68040
Mar 11, 2009
3,940
38
Australia
450g might seem a bit too much.

310g figure from the ipad mini is due to the fact that its 7.85" screen, and non-retina.

Add a bare minimum of 50g-60g for the bigger screen's weight
Add another 50-60g for the bigger overall shell (if not more)
Add at least a minimum of 50g due to the addition retina screen.
Add at least another 30-40g for the heavier capacity battery (even if its lighter/thinner
Add another 20g for the bigger SoC and/or better internal parts.

Should make it around 500-525g
1. That could be more than 50g.
2. Same as above.
3. More like 10-20g. They'll be using IGZO so it'll be thinner and lighter than before.
4. 30g sounds reasonable.
5. More like 5g.

I'd be pretty happy with 500g anyway, but I'm still hoping for more.
 

simply stunning

macrumors regular
Oct 26, 2010
212
0
I'm not sure about thinner, but I do think lighter if only marginally. With the thought of the bezel getting thinner on the sides, that makes the device smaller. So if it is smaller it should weigh less. But I don't think will be back down to iPad 2 level, as it still has to have a battery that powers a retina display.
 
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