1 min readJust a year after the last iPad Air was released, there is now a new one with an M3 chipset. Overnight Apple announced the new device, complete with a spec bump and of course, Apple Intelligence.
This is a quick turn around for the latest iPad Air. Although the cadence does change, Apple has released a new iPad Air every two years since 2020. Why the brand decided to break this streak is a bit of a head scratcher, especially with how incremental the upgrades are.
Instead of last year's M2 chipset, the latest Air has the M3. This isn't the fastest of Apple's silicon, but its close. When we reviewed the M2 iPad Air we found it was a marked improvement from the A series chips, but there wasn't too much of a practical need for that kind of power. It was great for larger Procreate files though.
Apple is, once again, pushing the new device as an Apple Intelligence machine, and while it is possible the extra compute power is aimed to make this a more seamless experience, the old iPad Air can still run AI features. iPads as far back as the iPad Pro from 2021 gained access to Apple Intelligence via iPad OS updates this year. A new iPad isn't really neccessary if you want the latest AI experience.
Although you still won't get it if you opt for the 11th generation iPad announced alongside the iPad Air. Running the A16 chipset, the budget tablet still isn't eligible for Apple Intelligence. It does however have double the amount of storage as the 10th gen, and should be noticeably faster for everyday usage.
Both devices are available to pre-order now ahead of a March 12 release date. The 11-inch iPad Air starts from $999, and the 13-inch from $1,349, while the 11th gen iPad starts from $599.
