Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Acorn

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jan 2, 2009
2,644
358
macrumors
I am speculating that most if not all the ipad weight is its battery. when you look at how the air is made and how small the motherboard can get. the ipad should be thinner. the air has specs of a higher heat cpu chip and faster graphics chip yet still wields a thinner case. but at the same time if you examine the air despite being more powerful its slightly larger case size is 99% battery related. I have high hopes of a lighter ipad just like everyone else but given the ipad is likely mostly battery weight like the air I dont see it getting very much lighter without a material change. maybe this is obvious and i didnt see it before?
 
I am speculating that most if not all the ipad weight is its battery. when you look at how the air is made and how small the motherboard can get. the ipad should be thinner. the air has specs of a higher heat cpu chip and faster graphics chip yet still wields a thinner case. but at the same time if you examine the air despite being more powerful its slightly larger case size is 99% battery related. I have high hopes of a lighter ipad just like everyone else but given the ipad is likely mostly battery weight like the air I dont see it getting very much lighter without a material change. maybe this is obvious and i didnt see it before?

Not quite "most":

* Aluminum back 138 grams
* Battery 148 grams
* LCD 153 grams
* Glass (and frame) 193 grams
* Speaker: 17 grams
* Main board: 21 grams
* Everything else: 27 grams
 
I always figured the glass and the display were the culprits and if poloponies figures are correct then that's in line with my thinking
 
I would have thought logicaly and obviously the screen/glass would be the heaviest.

Besides all that.. its not even that heavy :S I dont understand why people think its heavy... seriously are we getting that unfit in todays world? Its a good weight makes it a solid feeling device.
 
Apple could possibly shave some weight off the aluminum back, and perhaps the glass could be thinner?
 
I would have thought logicaly and obviously the screen/glass would be the heaviest.

Besides all that.. its not even that heavy :S I dont understand why people think its heavy... seriously are we getting that unfit in todays world? Its a good weight makes it a solid feeling device.

Hey, now! I'm a small person with tiny wrists and hands ;)
I do agree, the weight does make it feel nice and solid. I love the weight of my phone (4). But I do wish it was a smidge lighter. It hurts my hands to hold the iPad with one hand.
 
Besides all that.. its not even that heavy :S I dont understand why people think its heavy... seriously are we getting that unfit in todays world? Its a good weight makes it a solid feeling device.
I don't think it's so much to do with people's differing levels of fitness, I think that it's more to do with people's differing usage patterns for their iPads.

I just did an experiment with some 8kg dumbbells that I sometimes use and if this was the weight of my iPad then I could still use it with no problem ... for a few minutes ... and then I'd be in trouble. OK, maybe there are some really strong people out there (I'm not one of them), but for me at least the current iPad's weight isn't an issue when I'm only using it for half an hour or an hour but if I use it for 5 or 6 hours in a session, often held one-handed so there's a definite twisting action on one's wrist to keep it at the right angle, then I would really like it to be significantly lighter.

Yes, I can and sometimes do hold my iPad differently, but it's a shame that the weight sometimes forces me to hold it in some way other than the way I naturally and instinctively want to hold it.

- Julian
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.