Apple has officially unveiled the new iPad Air, now powered by the M3 chip and available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. This update comes less than a year after the last refresh, making it one of the quickest upgrades in the iPad Air’s history. While the design hasn’t changed much, the internal upgrades, new Magic Keyboard, and Apple Intelligence support bring some noteworthy improvements.
So, what’s new, and where does this latest model fit in Apple’s ever-expanding tablet lineup? Let’s check it out.
At first glance, the 2025 iPad Air looks just like last year’s model. It still has the same slim aluminum design, Liquid Retina display, and Touch ID sensor built into the power button. The 12MP front camera is positioned on the long edge, making landscape mode the default for video calls, while a 12MP rear camera is still on board for photos and scanning documents.
The M3 chip, though, is the biggest change this time around. Apple says the M3 iPad Air is twice as fast as the M1 model and 3.5 times faster than the A14-powered version. That’s a big jump in performance, especially for users upgrading from older iPads. However, Apple hasn’t made direct comparisons to last year’s M2-powered iPad Air, leaving a bit of a question mark about just how much of an upgrade this is over its immediate predecessor.
The M3 chip features an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. That means faster multitasking, smoother gaming, and better AI-powered features in iPadOS 18. The Neural Engine is also 60% faster than the one in the M1 model, helping to improve things like photo editing, handwriting recognition, and Apple Intelligence tools.
That said, the Pro models now have the M4 chip, which raises the question: why didn’t Apple use the M4 in the Air? While the M3 is still a solid upgrade, users with last year’s M2 iPad Air may not find enough of a difference to justify upgrading.
One of the big selling points of the new iPad Air is its support for Apple Intelligence, a set of AI-powered features built into iPadOS 18. Some of the highlights include:
While these tools sound useful, they’re still relatively new, so it remains to be seen how much they’ll impact everyday use.
One of the biggest changes is the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air. Apple has brought the MacBook-style function row and larger trackpad from the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard to the iPad Air for the first time. That means easier access to brightness and volume controls and better precision for navigation and text editing.
The Magic Keyboard attaches magnetically and connects via Smart Connector, so there’s no need to charge it separately. It comes in white only, which might not be everyone’s preference. Pricing starts at $269 for the 11-inch model and $319 for the 13-inch version.
Apple has kept pricing the same as last year’s models:
Storage starts at 128GB, with options for higher capacities for those needing more space. Pre-orders are open now, and the iPad Air officially launches on March 12, 2025.
So, is the Apple iPad Air 2025 worth it? If you’re using an older iPad Air (especially one with an A-series chip), the jump to M3 power, better graphics, and AI features could be a big deal. But if you’re already using last year’s M2 model, the upgrade might not feel as dramatic.
The addition of the Magic Keyboard at a lower price makes the iPad Air an even more appealing alternative to a laptop, but it still lacks the high-end display tech and Face ID found in the iPad Pro.
For most people, the 2025 iPad Air will be a solid, reliable tablet with plenty of power—but whether it’s worth upgrading depends on how much you use your iPad and what you use it for.
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