Last week, Apple unveiled the new M3 iPad Air. With the same chassis as the M2, iPad Air introduced less than a year ago, this new tablet features two main differences: the M3 processor and a revamped Magic Keyboard. Here’s what reviewers have been saying about the M3 iPad Air ahead of its release on March 12.
In its review, Wired praises the new M3 chip of the iPad Air, which might be great to lure “more creatives.” However, the publication didn’t feel much difference between the past two iPad Air tablets:
For starters, it goes hand in hand with the M3 chip’s graphics architecture. This iPad will attract a lot more creatives who are in the market for a powerful tablet (and a large screen). To fully leverage the processor, it’s intended to be used with apps like Adobe Photoshop or Final Cut Pro. (…) As great as this sound, you probably won’t notice much of a difference compared to last year’s model in terms of basic usage. As far as stats go, Apple claims CPU performance is up to 35 percent faster than the iPad Air with M1. (…) I still have both the M1 and M2 versions and honestly, it was tough to spot a distinction in performance between all three. The M3 felt a bit snappier than the M1, but you’ll likely only see a noticeable change if you’re coming from an older A-series chip.
The Verge‘s review talks about the difference in size. Since last year, Apple has offered the iPad Air in two versions, and the publication says the experience is very different between an 11-inch and a 13-inch model.
It might seem silly to say that a 13-inch iPad is very different from an 11-inch iPad, but those two inches of screen size really do change everything. When I use a 13-inch iPad, which is mostly what I’ve been testing recently, I hardly ever pick it up; it’s a desk-bound, keyboard-attached thing. An 11-inch model, on the other hand, is so much easier to hold in two hands (or even in one) that I find myself carrying it around a lot more.
Engadget praises the new Magic Keyboard, which is more similar to the one available with the M4 iPad Pro. In addition, it’s cheaper:
Apple also fixed one of my two major complaints about the last iPad Air. It has a new Magic Keyboard modeled after the much-improved one that was introduced alongside the iPad Pro M4. 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 replace
CNET believes Apple shouldn’t call this tablet “iPad Air” as it continues not to be lighter or thinner than the iPad Pro. Still, it might be the perfect tablet for most people:
Apple removed the “iPad Air” from the back of this iPad Air. There’s just an Apple logo now. Maybe it’s a sign. Air doesn’t mean anything right now in Apple’s iPad universe. The Air is very good, and at the right config, this could very well be the futureproofed, more affordable iPad that’s perfect for you — especially if you’re interested in pushing the iPad hard for tools that will need the M3 performance. Don’t overspend, and you’ll be happy.
You can also read M3 iPad Air reviews by Tom’s Guide and TechRadar.
M3 iPad Air reviews, hands-on, and unboxing in video
Some YouTubers also released their M3 iPad Air reviews, hands-on, and unboxing videos. These are some options for you to check out:
