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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

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
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.

Definitely, its going to be thinner, as we have seen from the case leaks.

But what's the reason behind thinking that it wont be lighter than the ipad 2. Looking back at history, Apple has always tried to make their devices thinner and lighter, with some exceptions being the ipad 3 & 4. Even then, the ipad 3 & 4 is marginally lighter than the original ipad.

Now coming back to the main point, the weight is definitely heading downwards.The overall dimensions of the device will be shrunk ( yes, I agree thinner bezels is one of the main elements of that). That itself will help reduce the weight. In this case, let's b really pessimistic and assume just a 50g reduction is all they get. Next, its sure that they are going to utilise the GF/2 manufacturing process to the ipad 5 as well. Let's again, undervalue the weight reduction and just put in a minor 10g. Last but not least, we have learnt that the A6X SoC is now mostly going to move on to a 28nm process from a 32nm.With that and some minor tweaks, let's presume they save about 5g. Now the total is 70g.

(I am only referring to Wi-fi models here)
ipad 1 - 680
ipad 2 - 600
ipad 3/4 - 652
ipad 5 - 587g (logically anticipated with these scenarios?)

Here, I haven't event assumed that Apple is going to utilise IGZO, and therefore would require a thinner / lighter glass, and perhaps even move onto a single LED unit. Similarly, IGZO should help reduce power consumption massively ( claims are there upto 90%, but I would like to think of it as just a 50% reduction in real life). If that is the case, you don't require such a massive battery and my previous posts would tell you, a 1/3 reduction in the battery size is the logical way to press forward. I haven't even considered a smaller / thinner battery in the above scenario, while technically speaking it shld b because the overall device is thinner and smaller, and therefore it is guaranteed they are making the battery thinner /lighter to. If you consider the, the weight should go down even further from what I mentioned above.

I don't care how heavy it is, I just don't want another massive battery.

Well, according to the case leaks, and rumours from the industry, it looks like the battery size is definitely coming down, and thereby helping reduce long charging time. Reduced weight is given then. Let's keep our fingers crossed and see how successfully they implemented our wishes.
 

sebseb81

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
88
3
Ming-Chi Kuo votes for 500g

Ming-Chi Kuo (which I believe is Tim Cook's Chinese name, given this guy is right so often) on the iPad 5:

"We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15% thinner than iPad 4. The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25% lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4’s (front HD, rear 5MP). The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini’s."
 

daywiz

macrumors regular
Nov 12, 2012
128
0
Ming-Chi Kuo (which I believe is Tim Cook's Chinese name, given this guy is right so often) on the iPad 5:

"We think the tablet will, at 7.5-8.0mm, be 15% thinner than iPad 4. The new device will likely be about 500 grams, or some 25% lighter than iPad 4, run on an A7X processor, and sport cameras with similar specs to the iPad 4’s (front HD, rear 5MP). The casing shape and color (silver and black) and narrow bezel design will be similar to the iPad mini’s."

Looks more in line with what I mentioned in the beginning :) .. 500-525g. its defintely happening.

Lighter, I wish. My bets are same weight (+/- 5 %) or heavier, though.

Anticipating 663g or above for the ipad 5 is simply wrong. At worst, it will be about 75g lighter. At best about 150-160g lighter. Just look at the leaks, and the kind of rumours along with logical progression to anticipate the weight.
 

DesertEagle

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2012
609
8
/home @ 127.0.0.1
Anticipating 663g or above for the ipad 5 is simply wrong. At worst, it will be about 75g lighter. At best about 150-160g lighter. Just look at the leaks, and the kind of rumours along with logical progression to anticipate the weight.

I hope you're right. It will be interesting to see how Apple is going to make a retina iPad with same battery life (and performance) as the 4 yet lighter than the 2.
 

sebseb81

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 12, 2010
88
3
Last chance to vote!

Hey everyone, last chance to weigh on the iPad 5's weight before the big show on Tuesday!
 

addictzz

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2012
392
30
most people predict 500g. Call me crazy but I hope they would go lower to 450g.

After using ipad mini which I thought was a cheap-feel device, now I'm totally sold to it. Weight is in fact important to determine the convenience of usage.
 

Macalway

macrumors 68040
Aug 7, 2013
3,832
2,344
I think this whole thing is very exciting

I am really curious as to how both of these new models compare to the iPad I have now, which I like bunches.

We shall see
 

Ladybug

macrumors 68000
Apr 13, 2006
1,874
1,013
Well this should be fun. My guess is 499.9g to bring just under 500g. :D
 

Saturn1217

macrumors 65816
Apr 28, 2008
1,264
832
Curious, what's the currently lightest/thinnest tablet with a 1080p or higher res screen? You can probably bet that Apple can beat whatever it is.

I think that would be the Sony Xperia tablet Z and that weighs 495 grams but also isn't made of metal (I don't think?). So I'm guessing 500g is probably around the limit for weight reduction for the ipad 5. I've never used a full sized tablet before so I hope that a 500g iPad 5 will be light enough.
 

Robster3

macrumors 68000
Dec 13, 2012
1,987
0
If they can fix the heat and light bleed problem would be good, i have had it on 2 iPad 3's and 2 iPad 4's.
 
S

syd430

Guest
If the iPad 5 is the same weight or heavier than the iPad 2, I will literally fly to OP's house and kiss his feet while wearing a tutu.

I don't have to worry about that though, because the chance of the iPad 5 being the same weight or heavier than the iPad 2 is exactly zero.
 

Fairchild

macrumors regular
Oct 6, 2011
112
27
What many of you don't realize is we'll be saying goodbye to the double glass panels which exude quality and durability. My only complaint with the ipad mini (outside of the non-retina display) was the the feel of the touch screen compared to the bigger ipads; it feels spongier for some reason. In an attempt to reduce as much weight as possible, i expect the ipad 5 to have the single layer glass that is used by the current mini. all of the other new features will hopefully make up for this predicted shortcoming.
 

Macalway

macrumors 68040
Aug 7, 2013
3,832
2,344
What many of you don't realize is we'll be saying goodbye to the double glass panels which exude quality and durability. My only complaint with the ipad mini (outside of the non-retina display) was the the feel of the touch screen compared to the bigger ipads; it feels spongier for some reason. In an attempt to reduce as much weight as possible, i expect the ipad 5 to have the single layer glass that is used by the current mini. all of the other new features will hopefully make up for this predicted shortcoming.

I've read a number of places its not glass, but something they call "thin film"

When I first read this I was a bit alarmed as I don't know of any material with the (exact) same optical properties as glass. But we shall see. It won't take long for the **** to hit the fan if there is ANY downgrade.

As a matter of fact, it makes me a little nervous as this forum would get really ugly :D

Anyway, I still have my 4 so it's not going until I can get a grip on what's what.

Another thing. If they screw up the iPad I would have to move on to other things and wait and see if they fixed it down the road. It would be a real drag, but that's life.
 

Freida

Suspended
Oct 22, 2010
4,077
5,868
those that think it will be same or heavier are out of their minds.

See you in 4 hours to confirm that. I think we are looking something between 500-550g
 

Centris 650

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2002
576
308
Near Charleston, SC
I say lighter. Thinner, smaller and supposed change in the screen construction, I think we will see a decent change in weight.

My prediction: Around iPad 2 weight. ~600grams
 

addictzz

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2012
392
30
most people predict 500g. Call me crazy but I hope they would go lower to 450g.

After using ipad mini which I thought was a cheap-feel device, now I'm totally sold to it. Weight is in fact important to determine the convenience of usage.

Nailed it! 450g ;)
 
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