Summary
- Apple has announced the new M3 iPad Air starting at $599 and a new 11th generation iPad with the A16 chipset starting at $349.
- Both the new tablets are available for pre-order now on Apple’s website, and launch March 12.
- A new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air was also unveiled by Apple, with an added function row for easy access to features like screen brightness and volume control.
Apple has officially unveiled the new M3 iPad Air and 11th generation iPad.
The M3 iPad Air retains the same starting price as the previous M2 iPad Air, with the 11-inch model starting at $599 and the 13-inch model beginning at $799. Apple asserts that the M3 iPad Air is twice as fast as the M1 iPad Air and 3.5 times faster than the iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip. Apple didn’t compare the M3 iPad Air to the previous M2 model, likely due to their similar performance levels.
Apple also announced a new 11th generation iPad. It has an upgraded A16 chipset and doubles the starting storage amount, from 64GB on the 10th generation to 128GB on the latest model. Unfortunately, since the new 11th generation iPad only has the A16 chipset, it does not support Apple Intelligence. However, according to Apple, it offers a 50 percent performance improvement over the A13 Bionic iPad. The 128GB 11th generation iPad starts at $349.
The M3 iPad Air and the 11th generation iPad are available for pre-order now and will launch on March 12.
-
Apple iPad Air (M3)
- Brand
- Apple
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- CPU
- M3
- Operating System
- iPadOS 18
- Ports
- USB-C
- Size
- 11-inch, 13-inch
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Colors
- Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Grey
- Front Camera
- 12-megapixel center stage camera, ƒ/2.0 aperture
- Rear Camera
- 12-megapixel wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture
-
iPad 11th generation
- Brand
- Apple
- Storage
- 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- CPU
- A16 chip
- Operating System
- iPadOS 18
- Ports
- USB-C
- Size
- 11-inch
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6
- Colors
- Blue, Pink, Yellow, Silver
- Front Camera
- 12-megapixel center stage camera, ƒ/2.4 aperture
- Rear Camera
- 12-megapixel wide camera, ƒ/1.8 aperture
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A new Magic Keyboard is here
Apple boasts the M3 iPad Air’s performance
Apple
Apple has introduced a new Magic Keyboard to accompany the latest iPad Air. Available in white, this keyboard features a 14-key function row for easy access to functions such as screen brightness and volume controls. The price is $269 for the 11-inch iPad Air and $319 for the 13-inch version.
Apple emphasizes the M3 chipset as a significant selling point of the new iPad Air. While it’s not as cutting-edge as the M4 chipset, it still offers ample performance for a tablet. The M3 chip in this device boasts an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU, which supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Furthermore, the tablet comes with 8GB of RAM.
“iPad Air is so popular because of its unmatched combination of powerful performance, portability, and support for advanced accessories, all at an affordable price,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing in a press release.
The new iPad Air is a solid upgrade for those with an older iPad lacking an M series chipset; however, if you own an M2 iPad Air, there’s hardly a reason to upgrade. It’s also disappointing that the new 11th generation iPad does not support Apple Intelligence, but it’s still a powerful budget tablet nonetheless. The M3 iPad Air starts at $599, while the 11th generation iPad starts at $349. Both are available for pre-order now and will launch on March 12.
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