“Thinnest iPad Ever” – WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

Summary

In this tech review, the ultra-thin 13-inch M4 iPad Pro is put to the test for durability and everyday practicality. With a thickness of only 5.1 millimeters, Apple's thinnest device yet features a tandem OLED display for enhanced brightness and a pressure-sensitive Apple Pencil Pro. Despite its slim profile, the iPad Pro shows impressive structural integrity against horizontal bends, but a vertical bend test reveals a weakness at the charging port. The video also explores the device's build quality, hardware, and protective measures, including the use of tempered glass and anodized aluminum in the Magic Keyboard.

Takeaways

• 📦 The new 13-inch M4 iPad Pro comes in a box with a color-matched USB-C cable and a 20-watt charging brick.
• 🔍 The device is incredibly thin, being the thinnest Apple device ever, which makes it difficult to pick up and potentially prone to slight warping.
• 🤔 The thinness raises questions about the durability and ability to withstand everyday use.
• 📊 The iPad Pro is only 5.1 millimeters thick, comparable to the thickness of three stacked quarters or a third of a Ben and Jerry's lid width.
• 🛠️ Apple has added a central cowling over the main logic board to increase structural integrity despite the reduced thickness.
• 🖥️ A significant technological advancement is the introduction of a tandem OLED display, which stacks two OLED screens to enhance brightness and image quality.
• 🎨 The Apple Pencil Pro has an updated design with a pressure-sensitive ribbon and a taptic engine for a realistic button feel.
• 🔨 The iPad's screen is protected by a thin tempered glass that scratches at a level 6 on the Mohs hardness scale.
• 💻 The Magic Keyboard, made from anodized aluminum and plastic keys, is designed to protect against aluminum contact allergies and is unlikely to scratch the iPad's glass.
• 📹 The iPad Pro features a 12-megapixel selfie camera and a single 12-megapixel rear camera with a time-of-flight 3D LiDAR scanner.
• 💪 Despite its thinness, the iPad Pro shows impressive structural integrity when bent from the back, but is vulnerable to damage at the charging port when bent vertically.

Q & A

What is the thickness of the new 13-inch M4 iPad Pro?

The new 13-inch M4 iPad Pro is 5.1 millimeters thick, which is about the same thickness as 3 quarters, 7 razor blades, or 1/3 the width of a Ben and Jerry's lid.

What is included in the box with the M4 iPad Pro?

Inside the box, you get a color-matched USB-C cable and a 20-watt charging brick.

Is there a noticeable issue with the iPad Pro's housing when it arrives?

The iPad Pro may arrive with a slight bow in the housing, which is likely due to heat treating and warping during the manufacturing process.

What structural feature did Apple add to the M4 iPad Pro to increase its overall structure with decreased thickness?

Apple added a cowling over the main logic board that runs through the center of the iPad, which can be felt as a central rib through the top class.

What is the technological advancement in the display of the M4 iPad Pro?

The most impressive technological addition is the tandem OLED display, which stacks two OLED screens on top of each other, providing 1000 nits of HDR brightness with a 1600 nits peak.

How does the Apple Pencil Pro differ from its predecessors?

The Apple Pencil Pro has a removable tip with a pressure-sensitive ribbon inside that can sense minute pressure differences from your fingers, and it triggers a taptic engine to make it feel like an actual button is being clicked.

What is the Mohs hardness level of the glass used in the M4 iPad Pro's display?

The glass used in the M4 iPad Pro's display scratches at a level 6 with deeper grooves at a level 7 on the Mohs hardness scale.

What material is the Apple Magic Keyboard made of, and why is anodization necessary?

The Apple Magic Keyboard is made from anodized aluminum to provide material protection, aesthetics, and to prevent allergic reactions in the 1% of the human population that has a bare aluminum contact allergy.

How does the M4 iPad Pro fare in terms of durability when subjected to bending?

When bent from the back, the M4 iPad Pro holds up surprisingly well, showing structural integrity. However, vertical bends at the charging port can lead to catastrophic failure and damage.

What is the M4 iPad Pro's camera setup like, and what changes were made compared to previous models?

The M4 iPad Pro has a single 12-megapixel rear camera with a single color diffused LED flash and a lower time of flight 3D LiDAR scanner. One of the camera lenses has been removed, but it is not expected to be noticeable.

What is the significance of the double diodes in the tandem OLED display of the M4 iPad Pro?

The double diodes in the tandem OLED display mean that each pixel doesn't have to run at maximum load, leading to less power usage and a longer lifespan for the screen.