Apple iPad Air M3 review: All the power you need

Apple first introduced the iPad Air line again in 2013, three years after the introduction of the iPad. It was designed to be a slimmer and lighter model of the iPad, and whereas there’s much less to distinguish it from the usual mannequin lately, it nonetheless has these traits 12 years later. 

The iPad Air (M3) sits in the midst of Apple’s pill portfolio, changing the iPad Air (M2) which solely launched in Might 2024, and sitting between the common iPad (A16) and the all-singing, all-dancing iPad Professional (M4). In 2023, Apple launched a 13-inch mannequin of the iPad Air, matching the sizes accessible within the iPad Professional line, and whereas nothing has modified on the design entrance for this 12 months, a brand new Magic Keyboard was introduced for the Air and it’s had an influence improve. 

With a beginning value of just about double that of the common iPad (A16) nonetheless, is it value upgrading to the iPad Air (M3)? I’ve been utilizing it for over a month to search out out.

Design & Construct

• Identical design
• 4 colors 
• Aluminium construct

The iPad Air (M3) is equivalent to its predecessor, the iPad Air (M2), however don’t mistake that for a criticism. There was little or no flawed with the iPad Air (M2)’s design, with a slim and slender construct, a premium aluminium unibody and uniform bezel surrounding the show, all combining to make a great-looking pill.

The design has remained just about the identical for the iPad Air since 2020, however a couple of tweaks have been launched in these 5 years. A type of is the 13-inch measurement possibility I discussed above, which is pictured on this evaluation, and the opposite is the repositioning of the entrance digital camera to a panorama orientation. Each of these tweaks had been new for the 2024 mannequin quite than the iPad Air (M3), however naturally, they’ve made their means onto this mannequin too.

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The color choices – Starlight, Purple, Blue and Area Gray – additionally switch throughout from the 2024 mannequin, as does USB-C for charging and the Contact ID fingerprint sensor throughout the energy button. If I had any criticism of the iPad Air (M3), it could be that it’s about time Face ID was launched on this mannequin, matching the dearer iPad Professional (M4).

In any other case, even the 13-inch mannequin is moveable by way of weight, hitting the scales at 616g, whereas the 11-inch mannequin is 460g. The flat-edged, 6.1mm slim body is comfy to carry, even for prolonged durations of time, whereas the bezel across the show makes an important resting place to your thumbs when watching content material. There’s no IP ranking as there may be on Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs, however until you’re planning on swimming along with your iPad or taking it within the bathtub, that gained’t be an excessive amount of of a problem.

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When you invested within the iPad Air (M2), there’s completely no motive to improve to the iPad Air (M3) from a design viewpoint, however in case you’re wanting on the 2025 mannequin with recent eyes, it has a stunning design and a very good construct high quality that’s exhausting to fault.

Display & Audio system

• 11-inch or 13-inch choices
• IPS LCD
• Pencil Professional assist
• Stereo audio system

The iPad Air (M3) both has an 11-inch Liquid Retina show, or a 13-inch Liquid Retina show, relying on the mannequin you select. There was a time when the bigger mannequin of the iPad Professional line supplied a mini-LED panel, whereas the smaller iPad Professional retained an LCD display. That’s now not the case with the iPad Professional (M4) and the iPad Air doesn’t give any particular remedy to the bigger mannequin both. 

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I’d like to have seen the outdated iPad Professional’s mini-LED panel transcend to the iPad Air, however the IPS LCD display on supply right here nonetheless does an important job. It’s inferior to the iPad Professional (M4) and its Tandem OLED panel, with these fashions noticeably brighter and punchier by way of color illustration, however the iPad Air has respectable distinction, sharp element, and nice color and vibrancy.

All the pieces from the newest TV sequence I used to be watching to the morning information regarded sensible and, whereas the iPad Air (M3) would profit from upping the refresh charge from 60Hz for a smoother gaming and scrolling expertise, you’ll be able to nearly forgive that shortcoming for now.

It’s a totally laminated show and there’s an anti-reflective coating too, each of which make a distinction in use. The usual iPad (A16) has neither and the iPad Air’s show is considerably extra pure to work together with because of the lamination, and higher exterior due to anti-reflective coating. Positive, the anti-reflective coating doesn’t have something on the Nano-texture glass possibility you’ll discover on the iPad Professional and MacBook Professional, but it surely nonetheless helps to minimise glare from the spring solar.

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The iPad Air can be appropriate with the Apple Pencil Professional, which is beautiful to make use of. After I’ve returned to utilizing the Apple Pencil (USB-C) on the usual iPad, I’ve missed the squeeze gesture on the Professional mannequin. 

There are two audio system on the sting of the iPad Air (M3) when held in a horizontal orientation and whereas I’d all the time suggest utilizing headphones for the most effective expertise, there’s good efficiency from the inbuilt stereo providing right here. Flip them up too loud and issues get a bit of distorted however at a low or mid-volume, you’ll don’t have any downside catching up on the newest episode of no matter you’re at the moment into.

Specs & Efficiency

• Apple M3 processor 
• 128GB beginning storage 
• Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

With the design and show remaining the identical because the iPad Air (M2), lots of the causes for this iPad Air (M3) to exist in any respect lie below the hood. The iPad Air (M3) runs on Apple’s M3 silicon chip, which is constructed on a 3nm course of and it’s made up of an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU. 

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It’s rather less highly effective than the iPad Professional (M4), which runs on the M4 processor with as much as a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, however for almost all of individuals, the iPad Air (M3) can have extra energy than they’ll want. It makes mild work of something you throw at it, from streaming content material and taking part in video games, to shopping the net and dealing on the transfer. 

Multitasking is easy, with the iPad Air (M3) operating two apps side-by-side with none indicators of battle, whereas switching between apps is seamless. It may well deal with heavier-duty duties too, from picture modifying to graphics-intensive video games.

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There’s 128GB of storage within the entry-level mannequin, although there are alternatives of 256GB, 512GB and 1TB do you have to want to improve. Remember the fact that iPads don’t have microSD assist for storage enlargement so in case you’re somebody who downloads giant apps or needs to retailer your film assortment in your pill, you’ll have to issue that in. 

Elsewhere, there’s assist for Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and there’s the choice of Wi-Fi solely or Wi-Fi and Mobile utilizing eSIM, all of which utilized to the iPad Air (M2) too.

Cameras

• 12Mp rear, f/1.8
• 12Mp entrance, f/2.0
• Heart Stage

I can’t say I’d suggest taking images with a pill in case you can keep away from it. Smartphones supply a considerably higher expertise total, however do you have to actually need to take a couple of snaps utilizing the iPad Air (M3)’s rear digital camera, it’ll supply adequate outcomes. 

It may well turn out to be useful for scanning paperwork or taking a fast image so as to add to a be aware for instance, however I actually would suggest utilizing your smartphone for any images you may want notably good high quality from.

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The entrance digital camera is a barely completely different story on an iPad (in comparison with the rear) as that would be the one used for any video calls you would possibly make, whether or not with household, pals or work colleagues. As I discussed, the entrance digital camera is now positioned in a panorama orientation because it was on the iPad Air (M2), which makes way more sense than the earlier portrait place.

Extra folks match within the body if you’re on a gaggle name, whereas on an expert name, extra of your surrounding atmosphere suits in, quite than exhibiting solely your physique and the ceiling. The entrance digital camera on the iPad Air (M2) is sweet, supporting 1080p video, and it affords Apple’s Heart Stage function, protecting you in body even in case you transfer round.

Battery Life & Charging

• 10 hours 
• 20W charging 

Apple touts 10 hours of battery life for all of its iPad fashions. It doesn’t matter if it’s the iPad mini 7, or the iPad Professional (M4) you’re speaking about, all are claimed to ship 10 hours of video watching and 9 hours shopping the net. What’s fairly amusing is that the declare is just about on the cash for the all iPad fashions too, together with the iPad Air (M3). 

When you spend money on the brand new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air (M3) with its bigger trackpad and new row of operate keys and also you begin typing for a few hours, you’ll discover the battery depletes quicker. However, for informal shopping, checking emails, streaming content material and making notes, you’ll get effectively over a working time out of the iPad Air (M3). It’s a strong performer, like Apple’s different iPads, whether or not you’re engaged on the transfer or watching content material on a long-haul flight. 

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What you do want to contemplate is that when the battery is flat, there’s no assist for quick charging as you’ll get on some Android tablets, together with the Oppo Pad 3 Professional or the OnePlus Pad 2. The iPad Air (M3) additionally doesn’t include a charging brick within the field, so if you wish to profit from its assist for 20W charging, you’ll want to purchase your personal charging block to ship that. 

The dearth of quick charging isn’t a deal-breaker – and it’s higher for the battery lifespan total – however simply be sure to cost this pill the night time earlier than you’re taking it someplace quite than 10 minutes earlier than you permit your home. 

Software program & Apps

• iPadOS 18
• Apple Intelligence

The iPad Air (M3) runs on iPadOS 18, which is an excellent expertise by way of pill interfaces. There are some methods by which Android is best – predominately by way of permitting for extra apps to run concurrently – however iPadOS remains to be the higher expertise on the entire, with extra apps within the App Retailer optimised for bigger screens too. 

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The more moderen software program additionally launched extra customisation, with the flexibility to maneuver icons within the Management Centre round extra freely and get faster entry to extra settings you may want, in addition to the choice to use a color tint to all apps do you have to need to make your iPad Dwelling Display extra uniform.

There’s assist for Apple Intelligence right here too – one thing you gained’t discover on the usual iPad (A16) and, whereas Apple Intelligence remains to be discovering its ft by way of precise usefulness, there are a few options value having.

I’m a giant fan of the Precedence Notifications, which places an important notifications on the high of the stack within the Notification Centre, whereas Clear Up in Images means I now not should ship a photograph to my Google Pixel if I need to take away somebody or one thing from the background of a picture. 

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Apple Intelligence isn’t the only motive to spend money on the iPad Air (M3), however because it improves over the subsequent couple of years, it may be one thing you’ll need to have entry to. Apple doesn’t specify precisely for a way lengthy it’ll supply basic software program assist, but it surely’s often round seven years, so this iPad Air (M3) ought to proceed to get new software program options till at the very least 2030, if not past that.

I’m not simply speaking about Apple Intelligence options both: a number of the greatest software program options launched final 12 months are exterior of Apple Intelligence, together with Good Script, which tidies up your handwriting in actual time and the Calculator app, which has come to iPad for the primary time.

Value & Availability 

The iPad Air (M3) begins at £599/$599, which is for the 11-inch mannequin with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. The 13-inch mannequin with the identical storage and connectivity prices £799/$799. Each may be upgraded to incorporate 5G connectivity, in addition to to storage choices of 256GB, 512GB or 1TB. 

The high quality iPad Air (M3) with 1TB of storage and Wi-Fi and Mobile prices £1,249/$1,249 for the 11-inch mannequin and £1,449/$1,449 for the 13-inch mannequin. Including equipment will set you again £129/$129 for the Apple Pencil Professional and from £299/$269 for the Magic Keyboard. 

Apple merchandise are hardly ever discounted however sometimes you would possibly discover a small quantity off the iPad Air (M3) itself, or the equipment. You should buy an iPad Air (M3) from the same old locations together with Amazon, Currys and Argos within the UK. Discover it on Amazon and BestBuy within the US.

Try our suggestions for the most effective iPads and greatest tablets to see extra choices.

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Must you purchase the iPad Air (M3)?

The Apple iPad Air (M3) is an excellent pill and in case you purchase one, I don’t suppose you’ll remorse it. In its favour is its construct high quality, show, efficiency and a strong battery life, all elevated by Apple’s iPadOS software program.

There’s no denying the iPad Air (M3) is a major funding – particularly contemplating the common iPad (A16) is almost half the value – so it’s value contemplating how a lot energy you actually need and whether or not this iPad is overkill. You’ll additionally want to contemplate how a lot storage you’ll want and whether or not you need equipment, such because the Apple Pencil Professional, all of that are bought individually, driving up the fee.

If energy and portability are high of your want record nonetheless, the iPad Air (M3) is a pill I’ve completely no hesitation in recommending. It’s sensible. 

Specs

• iPadOS 18
• 11in or 13in IPS LCD show
• 11in: 2360 x 1640 (264ppi) / 13in: 2732 x 2048 (264ppi)
• Stereo audio system
• Contact ID
• 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB storage
• Apple M3 
• 5G mobile (elective)
• eSIM
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3
• 12Mp Panorama front-facing digital camera with Heart Stage
• 12Mp rear digital camera
• USB-C port
• 28.93Wh battery (11in) / 36.59Wh battery (13in)
• Obtainable in Area Gray, Starlight, Blue, Purple
• 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm (11in) / 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm (13in)
• 460g (11in, Wi-Fi) / 616g (13in, Wi-Fi)