Apple is keeping fans on their toes with its releases this year, and to understand the latest product on offer, we’re back with an iPad Air M3 review. The iPad Air was only just refreshed last year when the Cupertino company upgraded the device to the M2 chip to offer the better end of their technological capabilities, but the company is back to show off the iPad Air’s M3 performance this week.
The iPad Air M3’s 2025 release doesn’t come as too big of a surprise as many had assumed the company was working on a launch. While we predicted that Apple would host a spring event for launches like the iPhone 16E and the iPad Air, the company is now keeping fans busy with smaller drops every few weeks.
Just days ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted a vague message on Twitter/X, “There’s something in the air” Early predictions suggested this would be the M4 MacBook Air—and it’s still possible that the laptop will be launched in 2025—we saw the iPad Air M3 release materialize instead. Let’s take a look at the iPad Air M3’s specs and how the M3 chip fits into the picture.
Image: The iPad Air M3 release has left consumers confused about its purpose and target audience.
iPad Air M3 Review: Everything Apple Revealed With Its Latest iPad Lineup
As with all things technology in 2025, the iPad Air’s M3 performance hinges largely on its ability to support AI—or Apple Intelligence, to be specific. The M4 chip is currently the most advanced version of the chip so you would think the reworked iPad Air would see its integration, but Apple has played it a little safe and saved it for another day.
On March 4, 2025, Apple released the iPad Air M3, a stunning, sleek new companion for everyone who is in the market for a new tablet. The iPad Air M3 has always promised a phenomenal user experience and it doesn’t look like things are any different with the latest release, even if it doesn’t do enough to warrant an upgrade from the iPads with the M1 chip.
iPad Air M3 Chip Performance: What’s at the Heart of the New Tablet?
The M3 chip was released in the fall of 2023 and marked the third generation of the company’s internally produced ARM-based system on a chip (SoC). Apple’s old M3 chip promises 35% faster multithreaded CPU workflows and a 9-core GPU delivering up to 40% faster graphics than the original M1 chip.
iPad Air with M3 is nearly 2x faster compared to iPad Air with M1,1 and up to 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic.
—Apple
The M3 also introduces Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to the iPad Air M3 for the first time. From what we know, advanced features like dynamic caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing are well supported on the new system.
The upgrades improve the iPad Air M3’s ability to handle workloads and other demanding tasks with ease, ensuring that users aren’t met with a dip in quality with heavier tasks. The iPad Air’s M3 performance comes in handy for tasks like gaming and video editing, especially for powering AI capabilities. The improved Neural Engine in M3 also makes AI more accessible.
Image: What’s the point of an iPad Air M3 review without a look at its specs? There aren’t too many changes from the 2024 release, unfortunately.
Apple iPad Air M3 Specs: A Detailed Breakdown
The new M3 chip sits at the center of the iPad Air, but that’s not the only point of the iPad Air 2025 specs that you should care about. The device comes with displays of two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch. Along with the 8GB RAM, there are a range of storage capabilities that you can expect, from 128GB to 1TB, so you can pick what works best for you.
The Liquid Retina LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display promises a satisfying viewing experience, and the support for Apple Pencil ensures ease of use. The iPad also has a 12MP wide-rear camera and a 12MP front camera, but we rarely use the cameras on an iPad, so they can stay rudimentary without bothering us too much.
New M3 iPad Air
Spec for spec this is only a M2-to-M3 chip update. New M3 Air has the same colours, same battery life, same Bluetooth and cellular options, same cameras and memory.
Oh… but it’s also 1-2 grams lighter than the M2. pic.twitter.com/qk7XlgOQfl
— Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy) March 4, 2025
Here’s a full list of the Apple iPad Air M3 specs.
| Specifications | Apple iPad Air M3 Specs |
| Chip | Apple M3 Chip with 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU |
| OS | iPadOS 18 |
| Size |
|
| Display | Liquid Retina display, LED-backlit Multi‑Touch display with IPS technology |
| Display Features |
|
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Camera | 12MP Wide camera with 5x digital zoom, smart HDR 4, auto image stabilization,4K and 1080p HD video recording |
| Front Camera | 12MP center stage camera with Smart HDR 4, 1080p HD video recording at 25/30/60 fps, Auto image stabilization |
| Battery |
|
| SIM | eSIM Card (not compatible with physical SIMs) |
| Colors | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Grey |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C charging |
| Compatible With | Apple Pencil and Apple Pencil Pro, new Magic Keyboard, one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz |
Apple Intelligence: AI Enhancements in the iPad Air M3 Release
For the OS on the iPad Air M3, you get access to iPadOS 18, which supports Apple Intelligence. While this naming game still irks us, it’s better than the Awesome Intelligence we just saw Samsung debut on the new Galaxy A56 smartphone, so we’ve made peace with this expansion of AI.
AI features in photo editing make up a large portion of the appeal when combined with the iPad Air M3’s expansive screen. Image generation from sketch to completion, Genmoji capabilities, improved Siri functionality, and easy access to ChatGPT’s writing tools are just some of the benefits of AI’s on-device processing.
Advanced note-taking and multitasking features are just some of the many iOS 18 features we’re happy to see.
iPad Air Magic Keyboard: What’s New With Compatibility?
A central focus of the iPad Air M3 release announcement, apart from AI, was that the iPad is compatible with the new Magic Keyboard. This makes the iPad Air M3 more versatile, allowing you to set it up like your laptop and type away on the go. The keyboard has a large trackpad and a new 14-key function row for those who rely on it for their tasks.
On the Apple iPad Air M3 update:
The biggest deal isn’t the new chip, it’s the Magic Keyboard. I know many people who wanted the better keyboard but couldn’t justify an iPad Pro to get it. Now they don’t have to. #iPadAirM3 pic.twitter.com/6BIX8LTNMv
— Jon Fingas (@jonfingas) March 4, 2025
It can be attached very easily through the magnetic Smart connector, so you’re in for a hassle-free experience in terms of setting it up. The floating design of the attachment setup is aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t get in the way of the USB-C charging function either.
If you already have a Magic Keyboard from last year’s iPad Air M2, you likely don’t need to buy a new one unless you buy a different-sized model this time. The new keyboard is backward compatible, so even if you don’t care about the new tablet, you can just invest in the keyboard for an older iPad Air.
Is the iPad Air M3 Compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro?
The iPad Air M3 is also compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), so for tasks that require you to get up close and personal, you can always whip out the pen and get down to it. These support accessories don’t come for cheap so they may not fall within everyone’s budget, but for those who like the accessibility they provide, our iPad Air M3 review gives the device a thumbs up for its integration.
Image: The iPad Air M3’s performance levels are determined by how much you care about AI.
iPad Air M3 Features That Stand Out
We have gone over some of the key capabilities of the new tablet in this iPad Air M3 review, but it can be difficult to keep track of all the details. Let’s summarize the iPad Air M3 features in one place.
- Available in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches
- Integration of the M3 chip (skips out on the M4 chip)
- iPadOS 18 with Apple Intelligence support
- Neural Engine is up to 60 percent faster than the M1
- Touch ID integrated with the power button
- Varied storage options to choose from (128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB)
- Support for hardware-accelerated mesh shading, dynamic caching, and ray tracing
- Stable 12MP back camera with 5x digital zoom, 12MP front camera
- Wi-Fi + cellular model available
- Compatibility with the new Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro, and Apple Pencil (USB-C)
- No price increases from 2024
Image: The new Magic Keyboard builds on the capabilities of its predecessor and is a key promotional point in the iPad Air M3 release announcement.
Apple iPad Air M3 Release Date & Launch Details
The Apple iPad Air M3 was released on March 4, 2025, and opened for pre-orders in 29 countries, including the U.S. For now, you can only place an order online through the Apple Store website and app. If you want a more hands-on experience before you commit to the purchase, the device will be available in physical Apple stores and with authorized resellers starting on March 12.
Apple iPad Air M3 Price: How Much Will It Cost?
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599 for the Wi-Fi-only model, but if you want cellular integration as well, the device starts at $749. The 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799 for Wi-Fi only, but an upgrade to the Wi-Fi + Cellular model will set you back by $949. These prices are for 128GB of storage, so with each upgrade in storage, the price will go up further.
The new base model iPad with the A16 chip is also going to be available as an alternative. This device starts at a price of $349 for Wi-Fi only, but Cellular integration will bring the price up to $499 for 128GB of storage.
The new Magic Keyboard is also going on sale simultaneously so if you’re interested in making a purchase, you can place your order for it as well. The new 11-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $269, while the 13-inch Magic Keyboard is available for slightly more at $299.
Final Thoughts for Our iPad Air M3 Review
The iPad Air M3 is a great product for anyone finally considering an upgrade from any of the older iPad models out there, barring the iPad Air M2 or an iPad Pro. The advanced computing power with the iPad Air M3’s performance paired with the neural engine ensures that the device can hold its own against the tasks you present it with. The attractive display and accessory compatibility make it a versatile offering and while it’s no iPad Pro, it is a good product nonetheless.
Apple also emphasized its environmental impact and how it is moving towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, which is great to see in this day and age. While we were disappointed that the “something is in the Air” announcement was not about the M4 MacBook Air, this is still a good update, even if it doesn’t substantially build up from the iPad Air M2 release last year.
realistically the iPad 11 and M3 iPad Air are fine.
the only truly “”mildly offensive”” thing is the lack of Apple Intelligence on the iPad 11… but imo Apple Intelligence still isn’t a true selling point at this point in time.
— Michael (@MasterMike88) March 4, 2025
The entry-level 11th Gen iPad in the new Apple iPad lineup is a more commendable upgrade from the older model with its A16 Bionic silicon and 128GB base storage model, but we’ll focus on that particular release separately. As far as our iPad Air M3 review is concerned, the new Air tablet gets the green light on its specs and capabilities, but only if you want to upgrade from a much older iPad.
No M4 MacBook Air yet, but we remain hopeful that it’ll get a release soon. Come back to Technowize for more insights into the latest product release. Better yet, subscribe so you can stay in tune with the world of technology.