Apple updates the iPad Air with M3 Chip – still $999 price tag

Apple has updated it’s iPad lineup with a refreshed version of the iPad Air, now running Apple’s M3 processor for increased performance and capabilities.

The addition of the M3 makes the iPad Air 2 times faster than the model with M1.

Critically, iPad Air retains the two options for screen size with the 11 inch “standard” model, as well as the larger 13 inch for those looking for a bigger display for content consumption or productivity.

“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 vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “For everyone from college students taking notes with Apple Pencil Pro, to travellers 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.”

The Apple M3 chip has a 9-core GPU and an 8-core CPU and is the first iPad Air with Apple’s “advanced graphics architecture”.

For those using AI on iPad Air, the Neural Engine within the M3 is 60 percent faster for AI tasks.

Along with this updated iPad Air, Apple has designed a new “Magic Keyboard” with a larger trackpad and a new 14 key function row for functions like brightness and volume, but it is still a pricey $449 accessory for your iPad ($499 for the 13 inch model).

Pre-orders for the new iPad Air with M3 start today, with the device being shipped and on-sale March 12.

They come in four colours, blue, purple, starlight, and space grey, and the 11 inch iPad Air will be $999, the 13 inch starts at $1,349, adding cellular to each will increase the prices to $1,249 and $1,599.