The new iPad Air M3 is good value but Id still buy this iPad Pro model instead

Date:
Wed, 05 Mar 2025 12:43:44 +0000

Description:
Upgrading the M3 iPad Air puts it close to the iPad Pro, which offers more
for almost the same price.

FULL STORY ======================================================================The new M3 iPad Air offers good value at $599 / 599 / AU$999 But it becomes less attractive when you start adding upgrades If youre doing that, buying an iPad Pro might make more sense

Apple has just launched a new iPad Air with M3 chip , updating the mid-range tablet while keeping its $599 / 599 / AU$999 starting price the same as the
M2 edition a nice little boost for Apple fans. Yet Ive been having a look at the different configuration options (see the full list below), and pretty quickly you run into a problem: the iPad Pro .

Heres an example. If it was me and I had my heart set on buying an iPad Air,
I would probably want to get the 13-inch model over the 11-inch version. Not only does this get you a more expansive screen which is fantastic for watching movies and editing videos but its actually brighter than the
11-inch iPad Air. Whereas that device goes up to 500 nits of brightness, the 13-inch iPad Air maxes out at 600 nits.

But picking that upgrade pushes the iPad Airs price up to $799 / 799 / AU$1,349. Add in a storage upgrade from the base 128GB to 256GB and youre looking at a grand total of $899. Thats fairly pricey for a mid-range tablet, and it means the iPad Air loses some of its luster. A pricing problem (Image credit: Future)

If youre spending this much money, it might actually be worth considering the 11-inch iPad Pro , which starts at just $100 more ($999 / 999 / AU$1,699).

That gets you an excellent tandem OLED display , Face ID, ProMotion refresh rates, up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness, and the M4 chip , among other benefits. Thats a lot of extra oomph for not much more cash. The main
drawback is youre getting a smaller 11-inch screen, as the 13-inch iPad Pro starts at the more expensive asking price of $1,299 / 1,299 / $2,199.

But if you can live with the 11-inch display (which is still a fantastic screen thanks to that tandem OLED), youre getting one of the best tablets money can buy for only a little more than a less-advanced iPad Air. And, ironically, the iPad Pro is even thinner than the iPad Air, despite the latters name implying that it should be the most lightweight option.

Its a tricky position to be in. Dont get me wrong, the base-level $599 / 599
/ AU$999 iPad Air is great value, and you get a lot of tablet for your money thanks to its featherweight design and M3 chip. But once you start adding on the upgrades, its much less attractive compared to the iPad Pro.

Deciding which device is right for you comes down to personal preference, but if I was looking at the iPad Air and adding a few upgrades, Id find myself drifting inexorably towards the iPad Pro.

Maybe thats Apple upselling people by being clever with its pricing, or maybe its an oversight thats undercutting the iPad Air. Either way, the new iPad
Air makes the most sense when you dont add any upgrades to it. You might also like Apple updates iPad Air with powerful M3 chip and pairs it with Pro-level Magic Keyboard iPad Pro 13-inch (2024) review: an absolute powerhouse of a tablet The iPad Pro 2024's new Tandem OLED screen explained: why it's important, and why it took so long to come



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/tablets/ipad-air/the-new-ipad-air-m3-is-good-value-b ut-id-still-buy-this-ipad-pro-model-instead


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