iPad Air M3 Review: Once Again, the Pro iPad for Most
We’re now halfway through the 2020s, and the iPad still feels as usual: a very good tablet that can be a laptop replacement if you can tweak it slightly software. Once again, the “iPad Air” is still the wrong name: it’s not the thinnest iPad. But, for most people, it’s a budget “Pro”.
iPad Air and iPad Pro were updated a year ago; iPad Air has an M2 processor,and iPad Pro gets M4 And a comprehensive makeover, including a beautiful new OLED display. The iPad Pro has not been refreshed this year and is priced at $999 and above. Meanwhile, the air brings chip bumps to the M3 processor and has modified and cheap magic keyboards. It starts at $599, the same as before.
These updates are not exciting. Actually, it’s hard to think that I’m not so excited about the iPad update. This doesn’t mean that collision performance that does not increase costs is not welcome, but it just doesn’t introduce anything new at all.
A year ago, I called the iPad Air “the iPad Pro you should buy.” So obviously, my feelings remain the same. Just as the M4 iPad Pro might be, now that it already has a lot of stuff, it costs $400 to ask a lot. The iPad Air may be a bit thick and lacks face ID… There is also a LIDAR on the back… There is an M4 chip… There is an OLED display… But the air performs very well and it can still be used with the Pencil Poly Pro. Are these compromises OK?
8.5
iPad Air (2025, M3)
like
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Fast M3 processor
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Prices haven’t risen
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New, cheaper magic keyboard options
dislike
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OLED display lacking Pro model
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Configuration may become expensive
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Apple intelligence is still not necessary
Again, for most people, there is another iPad to consider: the basic iPad. New entry iPadand it also arrives at the same time as this air, which sounds far from enough. I haven’t tested one yet (Apple hasn’t sent a review at the same time with this air), but with 128GB of storage and a better A16 processor (can’t run Apple Intelligence), it’s a good option worth considering. If you want to use a pencil professional and plan to use AI or graphics features on your iPad, then air is your budget choice.
I reviewed the 13-inch iPad air configuration Apple brought me to 1TB of storage. That was an expensive iPad ($1299), and at that price, I was just thinking about upgrading the pros. However, the 11-inch model I’m considering (less on-board storage space) would be one. (The display aspect ratio of this 13-inch model is in heavy mailbox film anyway, so it’s much less than you might think).
Again, the Air, Pro and Mini models are your portals that are compatible with the Pencil Pro.
Air vs iPad: Another $250 gives you some upgrades
There is reason to spend more iPads on this air, even if you spend $250 to get it, you will spend more iPads. These two big ones are M3 chip and Pencil Pro ($129, sold separately) compatibility.
The M3 boost on the A16 chip remains to be seen (as I said, I haven’t tested the new iPad yet), but the M3 is a huge jump in graphics, AI capabilities and speed and won’t get out of date anytime soon. Most iPad owners don’t need horsepower, but you may feel more at ease over the long term as Apple cuts off a standard iPad from Apple Intelligence compatibility again.
The same goes for the Pencil Pro Pro with Apple’s better stylus. It’s a more functional packaging tool than the regular pencils used with iPads, and it’s why artists make the air effortless.
It feels like Apple deliberately cuts the chips of pencil professional support and Apple’s intelligence capabilities to make the temptation clearer, which is annoying, but that’s how it goes this year.
Watch the following: First check out the iPad Air M3 and the new iPad
Air vs Pro: Pro’s advantages are reduced
It’s hard to justify the expenses of iPad Pro now. Compared with last year’s M2-to-M4 GAP, the performance gap between M3 and M4 chips has narrowed. The iPad Air also has the same type of magic keyboard and pencil professionals this year. If you care about these things, the iPad Pro offers you a high-contrast HDR custom OLED display, a thinner design, a facial ID camera, and a LiDar, but these features are priced at $400. To me, this makes no sense.
Apple Intelligence needs more features to make it a must-have, but one of its sets of tools is likely to grow.
M3 chip? Of course, this is a good upgrade
Apple’s M-series chips do well, but I think their achievements on iPad are harder to appreciate unless you’re Power Town, unless you’re a Power user studying AI, graphics, video or photography. The M3 bump seems to offer another nice improvement: on the Geekbench 6, the multi-door scored 11,643, while the M4 iPad Pro scored 14,672, while the M2 iPad Air scored 9,894 last year. This makes the iPad Air M3 about 18% faster than last year’s M2 iPad Air. On paper, the M4 iPad Pro is 26% faster than the M3 iPad Air in multitasking.
However, even Apple has not compared the growth of M chips. Compared to M2, it is incremental. If you’re using an M-series iPad for the first time, it will feel like a huge leap.
Strangely, the weirdness of these two modified magic keyboards (Air M3, left and iPad Pro M4, right) is still slightly different. Keyboard and function keys, but one has a larger trackpad.
Magic Keyboard: A better option now than now
If you happen to be using the M2 iPad Air Magic keyboard with the M3 model last year, you don’t need a new magic keyboard. However, the new Magic keyboard costs slightly less ($269 and up) and adds a row of function keys to make it a better option (even if it still doesn’t work back in group mode). That said, this is my favorite iPad tweaking feature.
However, the magic keyboard is heavy and also adds the thickness of the iPad. I’m used to it, but on the 13-inch iPad Air, it’s heavier than the MacBook Air. Just a warning. However, there are some differences between the iPad Air and iPad Pro Magic keyboards. For some reason, the Pro’s trackpad area is larger and the keyboard is more mobile while maintaining the same size. I prefer the keyboard layout of the iPad Pro and have no idea why the air can’t do the same.
But there are more differences: the air keyboard lacks the professional version of the backlight. And, the interior materials are not as aluminum as professionals do. The smaller trackpad uses a physical click mechanism instead of the tactile clicks of the Pro version. It has a USB-C port that passes like the Pro One, but Corners are cut in a variety of ways here.
Watch the following: I’m broken by iPad’s choices, chaos and subscriptions – but, cool dinosaur toys | Technological Therapy
iPad, as always
Apple Smart The past year has been Apple’s biggest software focus, and just like last year, the iPad Air can run all the generation AI features Apple has invested in iPados. At the moment, these features are not too magical…or useful. Summarizing messages and notifications can become annoying or even misleading. Image playground and Genmoji image generation are not as good as the generation of AI image tools you can get in other applications. You can also use Chatgpt in your Chatgpt app when Chatgpt is integrated into Siri. And there are reports that Apple promises to transform Siri Postponed againit seems that there is no rush to adopt Apple intelligence into your life. It’s still a set of features that feel like in Beta.
You know, iPads are versatile. It can run a large number of applications. It can multitask (some extent), M series chips can be made Even with a connected monitor. It feels like a laptop. It could be a full computer experience if you want. It is Unlike MacHowever, this drives me crazy. Again, I write this review on the iPad Air, but I will submit a review on my MacBook, as using CMS on the iPad is not always that easy. They are different from Macs. The split identity of Apple’s computer lineup continues, and you again have to decide whether you’re an iPad or a Mac or both.
You all can, I am. But in this case you don’t want to spend a lot of money on that iPad, right? The price of the portal iPad is casual accessories, and if you run into storage (with a maximum of 1TB configuration), the iPad Air price spans the price of a high-end laptop ($599), or add accessories like the Apple Pencil Polin Pro or Magic keyboard.
iPad air is well made, but not the thinnest iPad.
Next time, maybe don’t call it air?
Apple has removed the “iPad Air” from the back of the iPad Air. There is only one Apple logo now. Maybe a sign. Air in Apple’s iPad Universe doesn’t mean anything. The air is very good, and in the right configuration, this is likely to be a future, more affordable iPad that is perfect for you – especially if you are interested in pushing hard on the iPad that requires the M3 performance. Don’t overspend, you’ll be happy.
What do I really want here? Well, I’ve said it before, I hope these adorable keyboards with powerful iPads can be a Mac with buttons. That will help me. And, of course, the OLED display will be great. But the air covers all the rest of the base I need. If they aren’t ready to get into a MacOS convertible, I just can’t prove that they are super expensive. Apple is focusing on low and mid-range iPads this time, which may mean they agree. Or, the professionals’ M5 chip is not ready yet.
