The iPad Air strikes the balance between the budget baseline iPad and top-end iPad Pro. An M3 chip and new Magic Keyboard sweetens the deal.

Last updated in May, the iPad Air sees a surprisingly early update. With an M3 and new Magic Keyboard, the update is largely a spec bump, aimed at those with older iPads.

iPad Air is so popular because of its unmatched combination of powerful performance, portability, and support for advanced accessories, all at an affordable price. For everyone from college students taking notes with Apple Pencil Pro, to travelers and content creators who need powerful productivity on the go, iPad Air with M3, Apple Intelligence, and the new Magic Keyboard take versatility and value to the next level

Bob Borchers, vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, Apple

The M3 replaces the M2 processor on last year’s iPad Air. This upgrade brings Apple’s advance graphics architecture to the iPad Air for the first time. As with all of Apple’s M-series silicon chips, the M3 is power-efficient, especially important for such a compact device as the iPad Air. M3 features an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU, nearly 2x faster compared to iPad Air with M1 and 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic. Notably, all of Apple’s comparisons on this device are to older devices. This shows who Apple aren’t expecting many upgrades over last year’s iPad Air.

The other upgrade that comes with this new iPad Air is a new Magic Keyboard. The new Magic Keyboard has a larger build-in trackpad, new 14-key function row and lower price. The function row, previously only available on the iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard, enables users to quickly adjust screen brightness, volume and more. As before, the Magic Keyboard attaches magnetically to the Smart Connector on the iPad Air, which provides power and data, no need for Bluetooth. This magnetic design gives the iPad Air a floating illusion. The machined aluminum hinge has a USB-C connector for charging. The new Magic Keyboard comes in White and is now $269 for the 11-inch model and $319 for the 13-inch model, a $30 saving over the previous Magic Keyboard. There is an additional $20 discount available for education.

Image Credit: Apple

Across the board, the M3 iPad Air is the same as the M2 iPad Air from the price, to spec, finishes, storage options, features and iPadOS.

The iPad Air starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model. There is a $50 discount available for education. Pre-orders are open now and the device will be available Wednesday, March 12. Unfortunately, there is very little competition in the higher-end tablet space, meaning this is an easy recommendation if it fits your budget.

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