Why many tablets forgo a chassis purely made of metal
Every tablet designer surely dreams of making their tablet from the highest quality materials possible. But there are limitations, as the material must be able to withstand heat, be durable and protect the sensitive components inside. It must also be easy to work with and, of course, be reasonably priced.
Plastic, glass and metal are usually the materials of choice for a tablet. A metal unibody is usually considered the most valuable material in which to encase a tablet, not least because of Apple's iPads, which made it famous.
The issue with metal: It blocks
Inside a tablet, there are not only components that need to be protected and shielded from interference, but also those that need to communicate with the outside world. In addition to the tracking module, which needs to establish a connection to satellites, these include the antennas for Wi-Fi and, in some cases, mobile phone reception.
The problem with metal and glass is that they interfere with these radio signals, thus hindering the tablet in some of its most important functions.
Various approaches
Apple has devised a rather ingenious solution in attaching printed antennas to the outside of the metal casing. This solution, by the way, is now also popular in cars.
But why don't all tablets do this? Well, printed antennas require special processes and are quite expensive, and there is also a simpler solution.
Plastic helps
We recently reviewed the OnePlus Pad Lite. This relatively inexpensive tablet costs the equivalent of around $230.
Printable antennas are likely too expensive for product designers, so OnePlus opts for a different solution by replacing the upper fifth of the metal casing with plastic. This hardly interferes with the antennas inside and also creates a design element thanks to the slightly different color and feel.
Other tablets often do this more discreetly, but OnePlus opted for a relatively large plastic strip, perhaps to save on the more expensive metal.
The OnePlus Pad Lite has even more special features
Nevertheless, in our extensive review, the OnePlus Pad Lite proves to be a device with great value for money. The battery life in particular is outstanding.
Source(s)
