Apple iPad Air (M3, 2025) Review: All The Power You Need

Price When Reviewed

$599

Best Prices Today: Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3, 2025)

Apple first announced the iPad Air line back in 2013, three years after the introduction of the iPad. It was designed to be a slimmer and lighter version of the iPad, and while there’s less to differentiate it from the standard model these days, it still has those characteristics 12 years later.

The iPad Air (M3) sits in the middle of Apple’s tablet portfolio, replacing the iPad Air (M2) which only launched in May 2024, and sitting between the regular iPad (A16) and the all-singing, all-dancing iPad Pro (M4). In 2023, Apple introduced a 13-inch model of the iPad Air, matching the sizes available in the iPad Pro line, and while nothing has changed on the design front for this year, a new Magic Keyboard was announced for the Air and it’s had a power upgrade.

With a starting price of almost double that of the regular iPad (A16) however, is it worth upgrading to the iPad Air (M3)? I’ve been using it for over a month to find out.

Design & Build

• Same design
• Four colours
• Aluminium build

The iPad Air (M3) is identical to its predecessor, the iPad Air (M2), but don’t mistake that for a criticism. There was very little wrong with the iPad Air (M2)’s design, with a slim and slender build, a premium aluminium unibody and uniform bezel surrounding the display, all combining to make a great-looking tablet.

Britta O’Boyle

The design has remained pretty much the same for the iPad Air since 2020, but a few tweaks have been introduced in those five years. One of those is the 13-inch size option I mentioned above, which is pictured in this review, and the other is the repositioning of the front camera to a landscape orientation. Both of those tweaks were new for the 2024 model rather than the iPad Air (M3), but naturally, they’ve made their way onto this model too.

The colour options – Starlight, Purple, Blue and Space Grey – also transfer across from the 2024 model, as does USB-C for charging and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor within the power button. If I had any criticism of the iPad Air (M3), it would be that it’s about time Face ID was introduced on this model, matching the more expensive iPad Pro (M4).

Otherwise, even the 13-inch model is portable in terms of weight, hitting the scales at 616g, while the 11-inch model is 460g. The flat-edged, 6.1mm slim frame is comfortable to hold, even for extended periods of time, while the bezel around the display makes a great resting place for your thumbs when watching content. There’s no IP rating as there is on Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs, but unless you’re planning on swimming with your iPad or taking it in the bath, that won’t be too much of an issue.

Britta O’Boyle

If you invested in the iPad Air (M2), there’s absolutely no reason to upgrade to the iPad Air (M3) from a design point of view, but if you’re looking at the 2025 model with fresh eyes, it has a gorgeous design and an excellent build quality that’s hard to fault.

Screen & Speakers

• 11-inch or 13-inch options
• IPS LCD
• Pencil Pro support
• Stereo speakers

The iPad Air (M3) either has an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, or a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, depending on the model you choose. There was a time when the larger model of the iPad Pro line offered a mini-LED panel, while the smaller iPad Pro retained an LCD screen. That’s no longer the case with the iPad Pro (M4) and the iPad Air doesn’t give any special treatment to the larger model either.

Britta O’Boyle

I would love to have seen the old iPad Pro’s mini-LED panel transcend to the iPad Air, but the IPS LCD screen on offer here still does a great job. It’s not as good as the iPad Pro (M4) and its Tandem OLED panel, with those models noticeably brighter and punchier in terms of color representation, but the iPad Air has decent contrast, sharp detail, and great color and vibrancy.

Everything from the latest TV series I was watching to the morning news looked brilliant and, while the iPad Air (M3) would benefit from upping the refresh rate from 60Hz for a smoother gaming and scrolling experience, you can just about forgive that shortcoming for now.

It’s a fully laminated display and there’s an anti-reflective coating too, both of which make a difference in use. The standard iPad (A16) has neither and the iPad Air’s display is significantly more natural to interact with as a result of the lamination, and better outside thanks to anti-reflective coating. Sure, the anti-reflective coating doesn’t have anything on the Nano-texture glass option you’ll find on the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, but it still helps to minimize glare from the spring sun.

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