Apple today introduced new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models powered by its M3 chip, as well as an updated Magic Keyboard for the device.
Apple says the iPad Air with M3 is nearly 2x faster compared to iPad Air with M1,1 and up to 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic. The M3 chip should offer as much as 20% better performance than the M2 chip, which has been used in the iPad Air since May 2024. The M3 chip also brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to the iPad Air for the first time, providing improved graphics rendering in games.
Other than the M3 chip, the iPad Air is pretty much unchanged when it comes to features, as both the 11-inch and 13-inch model continue to be equipped with a 12-megapixel Center Stage front camera, a 12-megapixel Wide rear camera, a Touch ID power button, a USB-C port with up to 10 Gbps data transfer speeds, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. Storage options remain unchanged, ranging from 128GB and 1TB, and the iPad Air’s battery life is also unchanged compared to the previous model.
The new M3-powered iPad Air is available for pre-order starting today, and it will hit store shelves on March 12. In the U.S., the 11-inch model continues to have a $599 starting price, while the 13-inch model’s base price continues to be $799. The tablet is available in the same Space Gray, Starlight, Blue, and Purple color options as the previous model.
Apple also unveiled a new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air, which boasts a larger trackpad, and the keyboard includes a 14‑key function row, a USB‑C connector for pass‑through charging. The new Magic Keyboard attaches to the iPad Air magnetically, and the Smart Connector immediately connects power and data without the need for Bluetooth.
The new Magic Keyboard is available in white. In the U.S., it is priced at $269 for the 11-inch iPad Air, and at $319 for the 13-inch iPad Air.
