Aluminum vs Plastic Tablet Bodies: Durability and Heat

Weight and portability

Aluminum is a denser material than the plastics used in tablet bodies, so an aluminum chassis usually weighs a bit more than an equivalent plastic one at the same internal hardware. The difference, in most cases, closes to tens of grams, which is not something you will feel in a case, but it becomes noticeable on long commutes or while reading one-handed.

Tablets with smaller displays often use plastic to keep the weight down. Plastics are also easier to mold into curves, which lets the body get thinner at the edges without adding material. If a lightweight slate is your priority, see the best 8 to 9.9 inch tablets guide for the lightest picks in the compact class.

• Aluminum: denser, slightly heavier, feels solid in the hand.
• Plastic or polycarbonate: lighter, easier to mold, common on budget models.
• The weight gap matters most on 11-inch and larger tablets.

Heat dissipation: metal spreads, plastic holds

Aluminum has much higher thermal conductivity than plastic. When the system-on-chip works hard, an aluminum back panel acts as a large heat spreader and moves heat away from the processor to the whole surface. The tablet gets warm evenly, and that may be more comfortable than a single hot spot on a plastic body.

Plastic, by contrast, is an insulator. Long gaming sessions or sustained video exports can let heat build up near the processor, which may cause performance to throttle sooner than it would in an aluminum chassis. If you plan to run demanding apps, look for a tablet with a metal body; you can compare performance considerations in the tablet processor performance article.

That is not to say a plastic tablet always runs hot. Internal heat pipes and graphite sheets are common on mid-range models, and they work well in many cases. But at equal thermal design, a metal chassis is a clear advantage for heat dissipation.

Drop resistance: dent vs flex

Dropping a tablet is not a question of if, but when. The two materials respond differently to impact. Aluminum is stiff, so a hard fall can dent or gouge the corner, and the metal may crease in a way that is hard to push back out. The display glass may crack on impact even if the frame stays intact.

Plastic bodies flex on impact, and the material absorbs some of the energy as it bends. That means the frame survives many low-to-mid height drops with no visible damage, and the display is sometimes better protected because the flexing chassis cushions the glass. On the other hand, plastic scratches more easily, and a deep scratch can look worse than a small aluminum dent.

For tablets used around children, a plastic body with a thick bumper case is a very reasonable pairing. See the best kids tablets guide for models built with that kind of use in mind.

Premium feel and perceived quality

Aluminum is the material you will find on flagship tablets. It gives the device a cold, dense, machined feel that most people associate with quality. The surface is usually finished with an anodized coating that resists fingerprints, and the unibody construction leaves few visible seams.

Plastic bodies, including the polycarbonate used on many mid-range and budget models, can feel hollow or creak under pressure if the frame is not rigid enough. Well-designed plastic bodies are stiff and tactile, but they rarely match the perceived quality of a metal unibody.

If the feel in the hand is a top priority, an Apple tablet or a high-end Samsung tablet with an aluminum body will satisfy you more than a comparable plastic model. The premium feel is worth the extra weight when you hold the tablet for long reading or drawing sessions.

What to pick for your use

There is no single best material. The right choice depends on how you use the tablet, where you carry it, and what matters more to you: light weight and impact forgiveness or heat performance and a premium feel.

For office work and stationary use, an aluminum body is a comfortable recommendation. The better heat dissipation matters if you run video calls, presentations, or any sustained workload. For outdoor or field work, a rugged tablet with a plastic or rubberized housing is a safer bet, and you can see the options in the best rugged tablets guide.

On larger tablets, the weight difference between the two materials becomes more pronounced. If you want a big screen, decide first whether the extra weight is acceptable, and then compare chassis materials. The guides below are a good starting point for each size class.

What to pick for your use

Questions

Which tablet body material dissipates heat better?

Aluminum dissipates heat significantly better than plastic because it has much higher thermal conductivity. A metal back spreads heat across the whole surface, while plastic holds heat near the processor.

Do plastic tablets crack more easily when dropped?

Plastic tends to flex on impact and absorb energy, so it often survives a drop without visible damage. Aluminum is stiff and may dent or crease. However, plastic scratches more easily over time.

Is a heavier aluminum tablet harder to hold for reading?

The difference is usually tens of grams, which is minor for a 10-inch tablet but noticeable on a 12-inch-plus model. For long one-handed reading, a lighter plastic body is more comfortable.

Are all premium tablets made with aluminum?

Most flagship tablets use aluminum or a metal alloy. Some premium mid-range models use a high-rigidity polycarbonate to keep weight down, but the overall feel is not the same as metal.

Does a plastic body affect the price of a tablet?

Plastic is less expensive to tool and manufacture, so budget tablets almost always use plastic. But the body is only one factor in the price; the display, chipset, and memory matter as much or more.