The iPad Air 5 was unveiled to the public at Apple’s Peek Performance event earlier this month. Although it isn’t a major upgrade from its predecessor, the latest iPad Air packs some new features such as the new M1 chip and a better camera with Center Stage support. Now, following its release, multiple customers are complaining about build quality issues, with some saying that the aluminum backplate is too thin and feels ‘hollow’ in the hand.

Several iPad Air 5 users complained about the thin back panel that made “creaking noises” when held. The post that sparked the iPad build discussion on the Reddit thread notes:

“I ordered and received two blue iPad Air 2022 today and I’m a bit shocked. The aluminium backplate is a lot thinner than on the iPad 4 which I also have. You can almost feel the battery through the plate when you hold the device. Both iPads have the same feeling and are making creaking noises when you hold them. This did not happen on the iPad Air 4. Both are going back but is it just me? I also asked a second person and she felt it too.”

Many other Redditors chimed in to say that they faced similar issues with the device. One user said that applying light pressure on the back caused the screen to warp. Another user claimed that the aluminum back is so flimsy that it “feels like I can feel the inside from the back.” However, some iPad Air 5 owners said they didn’t face such an issue.

Just last week, popular YouTubers and tech publications reviewed the iPad Air 5. It’s strange that none of them spoke about issues with build quality. The new iPad Air 5 is powered by the M1 Apple silicon processor and features a new 12MP front-facing camera. The Wi-Fi + Cellular variant comes with support for 5G. Apart from these features, the overall design is essentially the same as the previous model.