Did anyone ask for a new iPad Air generation? Not really? It doesn't matter, as Apple just quietly unveiled one such product anyway, immediately replacing the 2024 edition with it and kicking off pre-orders at prices of $599 and up.
In line with a number of rumors from the last few months... that some of you may have had trouble believing, the iPad Air (2025) packs Apple M3 processing power, otherwise making very few obvious changes to last year's M2-based 11 and 13-inch duo.
A massive upgrade in speed... over the 2022 iPad Air
This is kind of weird, but Apple is almost acting like the iPad Air (2024) never existed, only comparing the latest addition to the family to older Air-branded tablets.
Naturally, that makes the new iPad Air duo sound like a pretty exciting upgrade, which offers "nearly" double the speed of the M1-powered 10.9-incher from 2022 and a whopping 3.5x improvement in the same department over the 2020-released iPad Air with A14 Bionic.
The M3 processor is clearly the 2025 iPad Air's main claim to fame. | Image Credit -- Apple
I guess we probably won't find out exactly how much faster the 2025 generation is compared to the 2024 edition until we actually get our hands on the M3-powered product for a comprehensive review. For the time being, of course, it's fairly obvious that last year's M4-based iPad Pros remain the best tablets a hardcore Apple fan can buy... if money is not a problem.
The Apple M3 chip, mind you, has never been used on a mobile device before, instead debuting inside a 14-inch MacBook Pro and a 24-inch iMac back in the fall of 2023 and then expanding to the MacBook Air lineup in the spring of 2024. That all but guarantees that you're looking at a remarkable processor by (almost) any tablet standards, making it even harder for companies like Samsung or Lenovo to compete in the mid-range segment.
Granted, the M3 used on the 2025 iPad Air is unlikely to be quite as sophisticated as the variant powering some of those aforementioned computers, employing a 9-core rather than a full 10-core GPU and a presumably state-of-the-art 8-core CPU. Then you've got a Neural Engine advertised as "up to 60 percent faster for AI-based workloads" than the same component on the Apple M1-powered iPad Air, so I don't think there's any risk of being wrong if I assume that we're dealing with the snappiest tablet... available at $599 and up right now.
Two screen sizes, one very familiar design, and a totally unchanged pricing structure
Yes, the 11-inch iPad Air (M3) costs $599 in a Wi-Fi-only variant with 128GB storage. And yes, there's also a 13-inch model that starts at $799 in an identical storage configuration sans cellular connectivity.
If you want 5G support, you'll unsurprisingly have to pay at least $749 for a more compact tablet and $949 and up for a 13-incher with Apple M3 power. Pre-orders are already underway, with the earliest adopters only having to wait until next Wednesday, March 12 to take the upgraded iPad Air(s) for a spin.
A new and improved optional keyboard is one of the new iPad Air's key selling points. | Image Credit -- Apple
But are the two tablets upgraded enough to be worth your attention and hard-earned money? If you own a 2024 edition, probably not. If you don't, you should definitely consider a purchase, especially if you want to try out those groundbreaking Apple Intelligence tools, which the iPad Air (2025) naturally and fully supports right out the box.
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Apple also hopes that an "all-new" Magic Keyboard priced at $269 for the 11-inch model and $319 for the 13-inch iPad Air (M3) will help seal the deal. Believe it or not, this purportedly improved productivity-enhancing accessory is cheaper than its forerunners while somehow rocking a "larger" built-in trackpad and a new 14-key function row with easy access to screen brightness, volume controls, and more.
That's the kind of subtle but undoubtedly important change you may wish the iPad Air (2025) itself would have gotten in more than one department, but alas, that doesn't appear to be the case. Even the exact dimensions and weight numbers of the "new" 11 and 13-inch mid-rangers seem to have gone completely unchanged, not to mention the overall design language and key features like stereo speakers, battery capacity, screen resolution, and camera resolution.
If you're looking for true innovation, you'll have to look elsewhere. If you want amazing raw power at a reasonable price, look no further.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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