The new Apple iPad Air has arrived, and along with it, come exciting additions like the powerful M3 chip, stunning screen, and additional accessories to take productivity to new heights. Whatever your usage need is – that of a recreational user, game player, or professional seeking a workhorse tablet for workplace usage – this new iPad Air promises to leave you impressed by its performance. Let’s jump into the inner workings of this highly anticipated product.
Unboxing the iPad Air M3: First Impressions
Apple never disappoints us with its sleek designs and color schemes. This time, the iPad Air comes in a stunning Purple, among other colors. Here is what you get inside the box:
- The iPad Air M3 itself
- A USB-C charging cable
- A charging brick
On the surface level, the purple color scheme just looks stunning. It is testimony to Apple’s emphasis on designing aesthetic details.
Display and Design: Still Stunning
The new iPad Air comes in two sizes:
- 11-inch Liquid Retina Display
- 13-inch Liquid Retina Display
Both models are backed by P3 wide color, True Tone technology, and anti-reflective coating to deliver a rich and immersive visual experience.
The iPad Air M3 keeps the same 11-inch and 13-inch display sizes. It is available in Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight. The design and feel remain slim and modern. One noticeable drawback, however, still applies: the screen remains capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. For more responsive scrolling and feel, the iPad Pro’s 120Hz ProMotion screen remains the choice.
New Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio
Aside from the iPad Air, Apple also introduced a refreshed Magic Keyboard and Smart Folio that matches the device color. The keyboard includes a 14-key function row for convenient access to controls. The larger trackpad provides more precise navigation for the iPad Air, making it feel more like a laptop.
Apart from this, the keyboard magnetically attaches and supports USB-C passthrough charging, so it is all the more convenient for those who work on their iPads for extended periods.
M3 Chip: A Performance Powerhouse
The biggest change in this new iPad Air is the M3 chip, which significantly boosts performance. Compared to previous models:
| Chipset | Performance Boost |
|---|---|
| M1 | 2x Faster |
| A14 Bionic | 3.5x Faster |
With the M3 chip, users can experience:
- Smoother multitasking
- Faster launch of applications
- Improved gaming and graphics performance
- Seamless app content creation
Hardware-accelerated ray tracing adds more realistic reflections, shadows, and lighting, providing games and graphics-intensive apps with an unrivaled appearance.
| Component | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Chip | Apple M3 chip |
| CPU | 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores |
| GPU | 9-core GPU |
| Ray Tracing | Hardware-accelerated ray tracing |
| Neural Engine | 16-core Neural Engine |
| RAM | 8GB RAM |
| Video Decoding | Hardware-accelerated 8K HEVC, 4K H.264 |
| Video Encoding | Video encode engine |
| ProRes Support | ProRes and ProRes RAW encode and decode engine |
| AV1 Decoding | AV1 decode |
This format provides a simple and visually appealing way to understand the specifications. Let me know if you’d like additional tweaks!
Gaming on the iPad Air M3
Apple keeps pushing the iPad family closer to being a gaming-only device. With ray tracing, solid graphics, and controller support, iPad Air M3 gaming doesn’t get any better. Whether you’re gaming with console-quality titles or casual mobile games, the performance is silky smooth.
Camera
The iPad Air M3 is impressive with its convenient camera system. The 12MP Wide rear camera captures high-definition photos with advanced features like Smart HDR 4, autofocus with Focus Pixels, and wide color capture with vibrant colors. Video enthusiasts will appreciate that the device supports 4K recording at up to 60 fps, cinematic stabilization, and hardware-accelerated effects like extended dynamic range, making it ideal for everyday and creative use.
The 12MP Center Stage front camera is perfect for video calls, with Smart HDR 4, Retina Flash, and lens correction for pro-level results. With time-lapse, slow-motion video, and video formats like HEIF and H.264, this tablet strikes a balance between work and play. From taking photos, recording videos, and even holding virtual meetings, the iPad Air M3 camera system is an all-around good solution.
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Main Camera | 12MP Wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture |
| Digital Zoom | Up to 5x |
| Autofocus | Autofocus with Focus Pixels |
| HDR | Smart HDR 4 |
| 4K Recording | 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps |
| 1080p HD Recording | 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps |
| 720p HD Recording | 30 fps |
| Stabilization | Cinematic video stabilization (4K, 1080p, 720p) |
| Video Formats | HEVC and H.264 |
| Front Camera | Landscape 12MP Center Stage camera |
| Flash | Retina Flash with True Tone |
Apple Pencil Pro Support
The iPad Air M3 is also compatible with the new Apple Pencil Pro as well as the USB-C Apple Pencil. With Apple Pencil Pro, you will have access to even more features including:
- Double tap for faster actions
- Squeeze gesture for added controls
- Barrel roll for increased creativity
- Haptic feedback for an improved feel
- Find My Support (so you will never lose your Apple Pencil again!)
Apple Intelligence and iPadOS
The new iPad Air M3 is powered by iPadOS with Apple Intelligence, introducing new AI-driven features:
- Writing tools to help summarize and enhance text
- Image Cleanup in the Photos app
- New Siri with ChatGPT integration
- Custom AI-generated J emojis
For those who rely on their iPads for productivity, Apple Intelligence makes everyday tasks much smoother and more efficient.
Final Thoughts: Is the iPad Air M3 Worth It?
Following its review of the new iPad Air, it is clear that Apple has provided a great kick without charging users too much. The M3 chip sets it on quicker and more efficient terms, and the Apple Pencil Pro and new Magic Keyboard add additional productivity and creative boosts.
If you’re upgrading from an M1 iPad Air or before, this is an excellent upgrade. But if you’ve got an M2 iPad Pro already, you might not notice too big of a difference unless you really need the M3’s graphics capabilities.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| M3 chip with enhanced performance for quicker response | More expensive than before |
| Hardware-accelerated ray tracing for graphics & gaming | Still no Face ID |
| Supports Apple Pencil Pro with enhanced capabilities | Base storage at 64GB, which seems old-fashioned |
| New Magic Keyboard with function keys & bigger trackpad | |
| Excellent battery life |
Pricing and Availability
The new iPad Air M3 is available at the following prices:
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| 11-inch iPad Air | $599 |
| 13-inch iPad Air | $799 |
| Magic Keyboard (11-inch) | $269 |
| Magic Keyboard (13-inch) | $319 |
Though the prices are higher than average, the performance gains and new features are worth the cost for anyone seeking a high-performance tablet.
Final Verdict: A Future-Proof Tablet
The iPad Air M3 is an incredibly fast, versatile, and gorgeous-looking tablet that’s great for a wide range of consumers. If you’re a student, a creative professional, or simply someone who wants a convenient second device, the iPad Air provides Pro-caliber performance without the iPad Pro price tag.
If you’re looking for a future-proof tablet that strikes the ideal balance between power and portability, the latest iPad Air M3 is well worth looking into.
FAQs
- What’s new in the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro?
The Magic Keyboard has function keys and USB-C passthrough charging, while the Apple Pencil Pro adds gestures, haptic feedback, and Find My support. - Is the iPad Air M3 good for gaming?
Yes, with ray tracing, fast performance, and controller support, it’s great for gaming! - What are the display specs?
The iPad Air M3 has 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina displays with True Tone and P3 color, but it’s capped at a 60Hz refresh rate. - How’s the camera system?
The 12MP rear and front cameras support Smart HDR, 4K recording, and features like Center Stage for video calls. - What’s the price?
Starts at $599 for the 11-inch and $799 for the 13-inch models. - Can it replace a laptop?
For most tasks like productivity, gaming, and creative work, yes! - What accessories work with it?
The new Apple Pencil Pro, USB-C Pencil, and Magic Keyboard are all compatible. - Should I upgrade?
If you’re using an older iPad, definitely worth it. If you have an M2 iPad, only upgrade if you need better graphics.
