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Would you take a plastic back if it meant 50g in weight reduction?

K

Kendo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
2,363
922
I was looking at the tech specs of the iPad 2 and the GALAXY Tab 10.1 and found that as light as the iPad 2 is at 601 grams, the GALAXY Tab 10.1 weights in at 565 grams. I can only imagine this is due to the plastic back.

I remember playing around with the Samsung model and it did feel a little cheap but was pretty darn light. Since the new iPad weights considerably more due to the bigger battery at 652 grams, would you have taken an aesthetic hit to the iPad by having a plastic back instead of aluminum if it meant it would weigh less?
 
Why would you want something with a plastic back when you could have aluminum? 50 extra grams isn't going to kill you.
 
For some reason, I tend to like heavier things. I know weight does not always equal quality, but it is a perception I have. I dislike plastic. So for me, I would not give up the aluminum back to save weight.
 
Having used an unreleased version of a Galaxy Tab (black plastic with an 8 MP camera) for a couple of days, all I can say is, there's more to this than the mass weight.

I couldn't wait to get back to my iPad 1.
 
Out of curiosity I weighed stuff to see what 50g feels like.. Turns out three CDRs weigh 48g... I weighed a spindle of cds and got it to 650g.. then pulled off 3 CDs.. not really noticeable.
I'd keep the metal. :)
 
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No. It would cheapen the whole feel of the device. It would feel like a Kindle.
 
The entire back assembly including case, board, and battery only weighs 337.40g. The plastic would have to be much thicker or carbon fiber in order to maintain structural integrity. I doubt we'd see a 50g savings. I think the weight difference is mostly battery.
 
Wouldn't even give it consideration. The weight is just right imo, and even if it was a tad heavy I'd probably still keep the back its just nice.
 
No. No plastic back please. :eek:

The black model may be fine, but plastic + white model .... maybe you can take a look at the white 3G/3GS, after a few years, the white looks like crap... (no offence)
 
Even if it was hardened carbon fiber, the reduction of weight and the feel of the device would change. I would even go so far as to say a gold or platinum case would make it feel even heavier and better.
 
nope, i like the feel of the aluminium, aluminium and glass just feels full of quality especially compared to plastic and plexiglass.

my first iPhone was an iPhone 4, and a lot was based off the fact it was made from glass and steel, not crappy plastic.

also, plastic scratches easier than aluminium.
 
Lukeyy19 said:
also, plastic scratches easier than aluminium.
Click to expand...

I take it you've never owned an iPad? You can scratch the back QUITE easily just by placing it on a table that you haven't thoroughly wiped down. I don't understand why, but even a tiny piece of dust will scratch the back of the iPad if you move it on the table.
 
I guess it would depend on how heavy I feel the current iPad is. Sometimes lighter isn't necessarily better. Samsung's phones have always been criticized for their perceived lack in quality (compared to say, HTC or the iPhone). I think part of that is how light they make their phones. There's something about weight an it's correlation with quality (for me at least).
 
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Yeah it's not even close for me. The aluminum has such a high quality feel to it. It's part of the experience and luxury of owning a Mac product. In fact, that is one of the big reasons (along with others) that I can't stand almost all android devices......they feel cheap and chinsy to me, even some of the higher end ones. A smart phone/device is a luxury device and should feel like it. The weight difference between plastic and metal is nominal, but the overall feel and perception of quality is not even close.
 
Oddly a huge number of Apple disciples are very narrow minded and falsely assume plastic is inferior, or think about a plastic item they may have found less that durable and assume Apple would duplicate that experience. How quickly they forget the fact that Apple uses highly skilled engineers & premium materials on the products they make.

Alluminum as used for MBA's & MBP's was chosen by Steve Jobs ego, so as to fulfill the burning desire he had to brag, to be different, to claim superiority, and to make it obvious. Yes it looks nice, yet composite carbon fiber has much better thermal dynamics. Has the ability to take a hit without denting or scratching, and is much lighter. Those are but a few of it's many advantages.

The greatest drawback is it was already being successfully used for ThinkPads, thereby eliminating Apples ability to claim they were first, and all other bragging points they relish.

It's the same reason Apple crippled the iPhone with a tiny display year after year. Ever the mastermind manipulator, he convinced iPhone users it was the only worthwhile size. He certainly was not about to admit that larger sizes as Androids are using are actually worthwhile.

Such was much of his ego driven decision making. Cook will not make these same errors.
 
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I completely disagree with the iPhone size argument. One of the reason the iPhone screen size is the way it is is because of ergonomics. The average person should be able to palm the iPhone with one hand and pivot the thumb to easily touch both the top left corner to bottom right corner (if holding with left hand, vice versa for right). That is increasingly difficult with 4 inch screens or or larger. iPhone size is perfect IMO.


As far as think pads using aluminum, who the hell remembers that they were first?!?! You and a select others. However, in the eyes of the average consumer, Apple was the first and still one of the only that does it. That's what matters. The think pads failed at achieving this level of notoriety for a countless number of reasons and thusly, no one knows that they might have been and if told that they were first, they wouldn't care.
 
If 50 grams of weight was considered a burden I'd seriously have to consider a gym membership.
wpid-girly-man-republican.jpg
 
DeathChill said:
I take it you've never owned an iPad? You can scratch the back QUITE easily just by placing it on a table that you haven't thoroughly wiped down. I don't understand why, but even a tiny piece of dust will scratch the back of the iPad if you move it on the table.
Click to expand...

i have an iPad, I've had it for about 18 months, it rarely goes in a case, and there's not one scratch on it.
 
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