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The repairability staff calls the slate “a formidable little bit of expertise”, however the Pencil Professional known as “a disposable piece of …”, so there you have got it.
On the show
As pill (and Apple) aficionados know, the 13-inch iPad Professional M4 (2024) boasts a Tandem OLED, also referred to as the Extremely Retina panel. This show is accessible solely by way of the display, very similar to its LCD predecessors. Though the adhesive securing the display isn’t overly aggressive, the restore course of stays daunting and never for the faint of coronary heart. The Extremely Retina panel is prone to be pricey to exchange, posing a danger of harm throughout repairs.The brand new panel is a exceptional feat of engineering. Manufactured by Samsung and LG, the Tandem OLED panel affords a peak SDR brightness of 1000 nits, a considerable improve from the 600 nits on the sixth era iPad Professional. The distinction ratio can be doubled, leading to brighter whites and darker blacks.
Apple’s rationalization of the expertise simplifies its complexity. As a substitute of stacking two OLED panels, the normal OLED stack has been modified to incorporate extra electroluminescence layers inside every diode. This enhancement boosts the sunshine and coloration transmission, mimicking the impact of stacked OLEDs however sustaining a single OLED on the board. Moreover, Tandem OLEDs have an extended lifespan, making their inclusion a wise alternative.
On the battery
A big win for repairability within the iPad Professional 13 is the improved battery substitute course of. For the primary time, the battery might be accessed instantly after eradicating the display. Whereas there are nonetheless some screws and brackets to navigate, it is a huge enchancment over earlier fashions:
There’s nonetheless some screws and brackets however it is a main enchancment over earlier era iPad’s the place a 2-3 hour ordeal noticed the logic board and the kitchen sink eliminated earlier than the battery could possibly be accessed.
–Shahram Mokhtari, iFixit, Could 18, 2024
Regardless of being the thinnest system Apple has ever produced, the brand new iPad Professional prioritizes battery substitute, which is nothing wanting nice information.
Regardless of the victory with battery substitute, the iPad Professional 13’s ultra-thin design brings vital repairability challenges. A number of elements, together with the daughterboard*, audio system, and coax cables, are glued down on account of house constraints. Which means that making an attempt to take away these components dangers damaging them, as they don’t seem to be secured with screws. The fragile nature of those elements provides a layer of problem to repairs.
*The motherboard is the principle circuit board in a tool that homes the first elements, such because the processor and reminiscence. A daughterboard is a smaller circuit board that connects to the motherboard to offer extra features or options. Basically, the daughterboard extends the capabilities of the motherboard with out taking on an excessive amount of house.
The Pencil Professional scenario (and general impressions)
The Pencil Professional, although a sophisticated instrument, poses vital restore challenges. Its battery shouldn’t be simply replaceable, making the Pencil Professional a disposable merchandise as soon as the battery dies. That is disappointing given its capabilities.Nonetheless, this does not cease iFixit’s creator from concluding the next:
Everyone seems to be already celebrating the technological wonders of this system, it’s certainly a factor of magnificence, however we’re additionally completely happy to see Apple prioritize repairability. It’s nice to see the battery being designed for accessibility and substitute and but that victory is soured a bit by the compromises required to create a needlessly thinner system.
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