Apple’s M3 iPad Air arrives this week, and the first reviews just dropped. Here’s a roundup of the key points you should know about the upgraded new iPad Air.
M3 vs M2 chip: Does it make a difference?
Last year Apple upgraded the iPad Air in a big way. The 2024 model introduced a 13-inch version for the first time, providing an iPad Pro-like experience on an iPad Air. It also came equipped with a powerful M2 chip.
This year, aside from an improved accessory, the new iPad Air has one difference: an M3 instead of M2.
Here’s what reviewers have to say about that chip upgrade.
David Pierce at The Verge:
I don’t notice the difference. At all. Apps open at the same speed, games look and play the same, even apps like Procreate and Logic are equally responsive.
None of that is a problem with the M3, really, just a statement about how good the M2 already was. In general, I’d say the M3 seems closer to the M2 in performance than the M4 iPad Pro, which is still a half-beat faster on just about everything.
Scott Stein at CNET:
Apple’s M series chips are fantastic performers, but I’d argue that their achievements on iPad are harder to appreciate unless you’re a power user diving into AI, graphics or video or photo work…But even Apple doesn’t compare M chip gains year over year. Versus the M2, it’s incremental. It’ll feel like a big leap if it’s your first time using an M-series iPad.
The new and improved Magic Keyboard
Last year when the M4 iPad Pro debuted with an upgraded Magic Keyboard, I was instantly a big fan. Thanks to the addition of a function row, larger trackpad, aluminum palm rest, and more, Apple improved on the prior Magic Keyboard in every single way.
Now, the iPad Air’s new Magic Keyboard benefits from most of those improvements too. The lack of aluminum palm rest is a disappointment, but the other major upgrades of the iPad Pro’s keyboard are now included here.
Nathan Ingraham at Engadget:
It’s thinner and lighter than the old iPad Air keyboard, has a row of useful function keys and the trackpad is a bit bigger. These aren’t major changes, but they are enough to make me much happier with the keyboard experience this year. It doesn’t have a few niceties you’ll find on the iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, though: The top case is smooth plastic rather than aluminum, the keys aren’t backlit and the trackpad has a physical click rather than haptic feedback. However, this keyboard is also $30 cheaper than the one it replaces.
Tony Polanco at Tom’s Guide:
The typing experience isn’t half bad, even if you have big hands like I do. The snappy keys have nice travel distance, and the responsive touchpad also feels good to use. This is a great peripheral if you need to use the iPad Air as a laptop replacement. […]
The biggest downside of these otherwise fantastic peripherals is their respective prices.
Wrap-up and video reviews
After reading a variety of M3 iPad Air reviews, the basic message I found boils down to: it’s a fantastic tablet, just like the M2 Air was last year. Meaning, just like it, because it’s pretty much the same device.
Also worth noting: if you already own an M2 model, the new Magic Keyboard is fully compatible.
The only real complaints reviewers had essentially had to do with the iPad Air not having more iPad Pro features. For example, Nathan Ingraham wrote:
I don’t like that it still relies on Touch ID instead of Face ID, and I think it’s time the iPad Air had a better display.
Overall though, if you’re in the market for an iPad Air, now you can get an even more future-proof model than before. And with a Magic Keyboard that will serve you better than before for full-time computing.
The M3 iPad Air is currently available at a discount for both the 11-inch and 13-inch models.
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