Big iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is way heavier than you’d want

Apple has been positioning its iPad Pros as productivity devices that can replace a fully-fledged computer, and the recent launch of the Magic Keyboard, which has a full set of keys and a trackpad, is a big step in that direction.

You’d still expect your iPad Pro and keyboard combo to be fairly light, though, so the Magic Keyboard’s weight is a bit of an unpleasant surprise. 

Apple doesn’t officially list the Magic Keyboard’s weight on its site, but a MacRumors reader weighed the version for the bigger, 12.9-inch iPad Pro at 710 grams (1.57 lbs). 

That makes the keyboard heavier than the 12.9-inch iPad, which per Apple’s specifications weighs 641 grams (1.41 lbs) for the Wi-Fi-only model. Put the two together, and you get 1,351 grams (2.98 lbs); it’s worth noting, though, that the same MacRumors reader got a slightly different number: 1,362 grams (3 lbs).

Compare this to the 13.3-inch MacBook Air, which weighs 1,29 kg (2.8 lbs) per Apple’s specs, or a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro which weighs 1.37kg (3.02 lbs). Sure, there are numerous differences between these devices: The laptops can do many things the iPad Pro cannot do, and vice versa. But, if you’re buying an iPad/Magic Keyboard combo, its weight isn’t an advantage over similarly sized MacBooks anymore. 

The price is also a significant factor. The MacBook Air starts at $999, the 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,299, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Magic Keyboard starts at $1,298, making it significantly pricier than the MacBook Air and essentially the same price as the Pro. This isn’t new information, but when combined with the weight of the iPad Pro/Magic Keyboard combo, it should make prospective buyers think long and hard on whether they should buy an iPad-shaped laptop replacement or simply buy a laptop. 

And if you’re dead set on the iPad, but weight and practicality are big factors, maybe you should consider the 11-inch iPad Pro instead. You get less real estate, but 9to5Mac claims its Magic Keyboard weighs 601 grams (1.32 lbs), meaning that the iPad/keyboard combo weighs just 1,072 grams (2.36lbs) – significantly less than any laptop in Apple’s lineup.