Apple’s iPad Air lineup is getting an M3 refresh. The chip upgrade boosts the performance of the latest iPads while promising the same battery life. This enhancement aligns with Apple’s ongoing efforts to integrate advanced technologies, such as Apple Intelligence, into the company’s devices.
“iPad Air is so popular because of its unmatched combination of powerful performance, portability, and support for advanced accessories, all at an affordable price,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. If you’re looking for a comparison with Apple’s flagship models, explore this iPad Pro M3 review for more details.
2025 iPad Air sports an M3 refresh
Apple refreshed its iPad Pro lineup with an M4 chip in May 2024, introducing notable performance and efficiency gains. It brought the same chip to its Mac lineup later in the year. But with the 2025 iPad Air refresh, Apple is bringing the older M3 chip to its more affordable tablets.
The latest iPad Air retains the same design as its predecessor, with the only notable upgrade being the M3 chip. Like before, the M3 iPad Air series consists of an 11-inch and a 13-inch model.
“Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable while on the go, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for more room to be creative and productive,” says Apple in its announcement.
Photo: Apple
The M3 chip inside the iPad Air features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. The latter supports dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and ray tracing for superior graphics quality. Apple says the M3 iPad Air is almost twice 2x fast as the M1 version. Compared to the A14 Bionic-powered iPad Air, the new model is up to 3.5x faster. For those using Apple devices, performance and efficiency remain key, much like how users can optimize connectivity with features such as Low Data Mode on iPhone.
The M3 chip’s Neural Engine is even more powerful, delivering a 60% performance boost over the M1 model. This should help the M3 iPad Air process Apple Intelligence and other AI-related tasks faster.
Apple is already accepting pre-orders for the M3 iPad Air starting today, with retail availability scheduled for March 12. Prices remain the same, starting from $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch variant.
Pre-order from: Apple
M3 iPad Air launches alongside new Magic Keyboard
Photo: Apple
Apple also unveiled a redesigned Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air. It features a larger trackpad and a 14-key Fn row for quick access to screen brightness, search, media playback, and more.
The iPad Air’s new Magic Keyboard uses a Smart Connector for power and data transfer. It also magnetically attaches to the iPad, ensuring quick and easy removal when needed. With this iPad refresh, Apple continues to refine its tablet lineup, bringing improvements that enhance both usability and functionality.
Despite the updated design, Apple lowered the price of the revamped Magic Keyboard. The 11-inch model costs $269, while the 13-inch model is available for $319.
For those in the market for a stylus, the M3 iPad Air supports both the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C).
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
