iPad Pro Early Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro

[IllusiveMan]

it’ll be interesting to know what it weighs in comparison to the previous Magic Keyboard.

I think a lot of people are curious about the exact weight, so breaking out a scale would be nice!

After confirming by getting a scale, the weight is roughly 580 grams

 

[Ludatyk]

You are right that the size difference isn’t that big. But for example the 11” got 2.1 mm taller (in portrait orientation), which means they would have needed to position the Smart Connector 2.1 mm higher in order to still align properly relative to the camera bump. In addition, if you look at the Accessory Design Guidelines, the magnets are arranged in a fine alternating grid of 4.5 mm. In the new iPad Pros the magnets would have to be repositioned very carefully, and slightly less symmetrically relative to the frame, to still match the old layout relative to the camera bump and Smart Connector. Not impossible, but also not trivial.

I get all that, but I would have preferred Apple to not have repositioned the magnets... design with the current MKB in mind. That's the point I'm trying to make.

And the OP just stated, it wasn't the camera bump... and if that align properly then I don't think repositioned was necessary.

And it's not as if I'm against Apple or anything, excited to get my OLED 13-inch iPad Pro on Wednesday... while I'm glad the new MKB exist (heck, I would have picked one up later on). I don't like this move by Apple.

 

[klasma]

After confirming by getting a scale, the weight is roughly 580 grams

That’s incidentally the 13” iPad Pro weight. And it means that the MKB more than doubles the weight of the respective iPad. For the 13”, the combined weight is probably similar to a MacBook Air 13” (1.24 kg).

 

[klasma]

And it's not as if I'm against Apple or anything, excited to get my OLED 13-inch iPad Pro on Wednesday... while I'm glad the new MKB exist (heck, I would have picked one up later on). I don't like this move by Apple.

I’m not an Apple apologist (I use Windows and Samsung as well), and of course compatibility would have been preferable. However in this case it seems plausible to me that it would have required technical compromises that Apple didn’t want to make.

The real solution would have been to not change the size of the iPads. That was arguably gratuitous and without a compelling reason.

 

[IllusiveMan]

That’s incidentally the 13” iPad Pro weight. And it means that the MKB more than doubles the weight of the respective iPad. For the 13”, the combined weight is probably similar to a MacBook Air 13” (1.24 kg).

It is however lighter than the current Magic Keyboard (601 grams) and also has aluminum build quality. So, although it will double the weight, the MKB and the overall lighter iPad Pro combined are still much lighter than the current models combined.

 

[jeroenvip]

Can you use this to burn witches at the stake when it gets to hot ?

 

[ndouglas]

I guess it’s been posted already but I was gonna share this link which says the older 11” keyboard is 601g vs. the 580g for the new one

Apple's Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro: Everything You Need to Know

Apple in the spring of 2020 unveiled and released the first Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, which is similar to a Smart Keyboard for iPad but with a...

www.macrumors.com

So that’s good, decent, 21g lower… add it to the device being 15 (?) gram lighter... I forget how many exactly… but it’s something. I’ll wait a while myself, but it is tempting since I use the ipad and keyboard a lot (2021 models) and the pencil… not a lot but enough to want one now that I’m used to having one. Sigh, $1500 or so tho, and only get $370 or so trade-in… tough decision.

OP, thanks for sharing the pics and info!

 

[ndouglas]

I’m not an Apple apologist (I use Windows and Samsung as well), and of course compatibility would have been preferable. However in this case it seems plausible to me that it would have required technical compromises that Apple didn’t want to make.

The real solution would have been to not change the size of the iPads. That was arguably gratuitous and without a compelling reason.

Agree, if they made the new keyboard fit my current 2021 ipad I’d be likely to buy it!. Damn…

 

[Wizec]

Adding up the published weights and this measurement, it appears that the combined weight difference of the 11” and respective Magic Keyboard is 43 grams lighter for the latest gen. That converts to about 1.5 ounces. The northern cardinal weighs about 1.5 ounces. I don’t think I will feel this difference personally.

 

[Isengardtom]

The difference will be more noticeable on the larger 13”

 

[Sami13496]

US? UK?


Welp, that's not good news. Won't magnetically attach nor connect to the pins... yeah, it appears I really have to sell off my current MKB.

I'm guessing Apple really made sure we will have to get new accessories this time around, I'd love to hear their reasoning behind it.

How about money ☺️

 

[Macintosh101]

So the M4 iPad Pro 11” weight with Magic Keyboard = 1.024kg

For comparison, the Macbook Air weighs 1.24 kg

And for further reference, the 12" retina MacBook weighed 0.92 kg

 

[escargot3]

No, it wasn't pretty clear.

It was completely clear, as it was widely reported and explicitly and clearly stated on Apple’s website.

 

[madmin]

M1 iPad Pro 11" with MKB == 1.075kg

keyboard == 0.607kg
iPad == 0.468kg


(non-cellular 256G)

 

[Seanm87]

Does anyone know the combined weight of the MKB and new 13 inch iPad compared to the older combination.

 

[aevan]

The only testing I have is an M2 iPad Pro, which doesnt fit properly. However, after closing and opening, it doesnt seem to be an issue. Its almost the exact same material as the laptops, and I have never had issues with those.

MacBooks have a rubbery ridge on the lid that creates a small gap between the screen and the metal/keyboard.

Still, I’m sure Apple tested it thoroughly and that it won’t be an issue.

 

[Macintosh101]

MacBooks have a rubbery ridge on the lid that creates a small gap between the screen and the metal/keyboard.

Still, I’m sure Apple tested it thoroughly and that it won’t be an issue.

The new Magic Keyboard has a similar rubber gasket that goes around the edge of the keyboard part, presumably to stop the screen and the keyboard coming into contact.

 

[Isengardtom]

I’m going to guess and say 1.19 kg for the 13” (keyboard + iPad Pro) @Seanm87

iPad : 579 grams
keyboard : 607 grams


Edit : might be a bit too optimistic - 1.23 kg is my modified guess

 

[aevan]

The new Magic Keyboard has a similar rubber gasket that goes around the edge of the keyboard part, presumably to stop the screen and the keyboard coming into contact.

Oh? Great, good to know.

 

[Macintosh101]

Oh? Great, good to know.

No worries. if you zoom into OPs photos, you can see a black rubber gasket around the keyboard tray.

 

[ZombiePete]

No worries. if you zoom into OPs photos, you can see a black rubber gasket around the keyboard tray. View attachment 2377184

Not sure how I feel about it being around the keyboard and not the edge; I am concerned it’s going to contact the aluminum in the top edge of the iPad when closed and picked up.

 

[Macintosh101]

Not sure how I feel about it being around the keyboard and not the edge; I am concerned it’s going to contact the aluminum in the top edge of the iPad when closed and picked up.

Good point. Will be interesting to see how to works in person. I’m picking mine up Wednesday 👍🏼

 

[giggles]

I get all that, but I would have preferred Apple to not have repositioned the magnets... design with the current MKB in mind. That's the point I'm trying to make.

Personally, as a user eager to see new device designs iterate as fast as possible (life is short), I would hope that for a once-in-6-years major redesign of their high end tablet Apple wouldn’t feel constrained in any way by the kind of backward compatibility considerations you’re advocating for. Their way of tackling backward compatibility is keeping old accessories on sale for a long time. (and tech commentators find ways to complain even about that: “Too many Pencils! It’s confusing!”)

 

[ZombiePete]

Good point. Will be interesting to see how to works in person. I’m picking mine up Wednesday 👍🏼

Same; I got the 13” so I am expecting it to be pretty flexible.

 

[ZombiePete]

Personally, as a user eager to see new device designs iterate as fast as possible (life is short), I would hope that for a once-in-6-years major redesign of their high end tablet Apple wouldn’t feel constrained in any way by the kind of backward compatibility considerations you’re advocating for. Their way of tackling backward compatibility is keeping old accessories on sale for a long time. (and tech commentators find ways to complain even about that: “Too many Pencils! It’s confusing!”)

I think some people expect too much at times; Apple made some pretty big revisions to this iPad aside from thinness - moving the front-facing camera surely required some internal shifting of hardware that necessitated changes and it’s understandable to me why accessories had to change along with them.