The iPad Air with the M3 chip takes performance and portability to a new level.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA – Apple today introduced the fastest and most powerful iPad Air yet, featuring the M3 chip and designed for Apple Intelligence. The iPad Air with the M3 chip brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to iPad Air for the first time, taking its incredible combination of energy efficiency, performance, and portability to a new level. The M3-powered iPad Air is nearly twice as fast as the M1 iPad Air and up to 3.5 times faster than the iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip. Users will feel the speed of the M3 in everything they do, from creating engaging content faster than ever to enjoying demanding games with advanced graphics.
Available in two sizes and four stunning finishes that will captivate users, the 11-inch iPad Air is ultra-portable for on-the-go use, while the 13-inch model offers an even larger display to maximize creativity and productivity. Designed for iPad Air, the new Magic Keyboard enhances its versatility and adds more capabilities. And with iPadOS 18, Apple Intelligence, advanced cameras, fast 5G wireless connectivity, and support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), the new iPad Air delivers an unparalleled experience.
The new iPad Air maintains its impressive starting price of just $599 (USD) for the 11-inch model and $799 (USD) for the 13-inch model. For education, the starting price is $549 (USD) for the 11-inch iPad Air and $749 (USD) for the 13-inch version. Customers in the United States can pre-order the new iPad Air with the M3 chip and the Magic Keyboard starting today. Devices will be available beginning Wednesday, March 12. To check availability in your country, visit apple.com/co.
“What makes iPad Air so popular is its unmatched combination of powerful performance, great portability, and support for advanced accessories—all at an incredible price,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s Vice President of Product Marketing. “For everyone, from college students taking notes with the Apple Pencil Pro to travelers and content creators who need to stay productive wherever they are, the iPad Air with the M3 chip, Apple Intelligence, and the new Magic Keyboard takes versatility and value to the next level.”
The iPad Air with the M3 chip offers an unprecedented experience, while the new Magic Keyboard introduces advanced features.
A Performance Boost with M3 Superpowers
The M3-powered iPad Air empowers users to unleash their productivity and creativity anywhere—whether they’re early-career creatives using demanding apps and working with large files or travelers editing content on the go. The powerful M3 chip delivers significant improvements compared to the M1 and previous-generation models.
The M3 features a more powerful 8-core CPU, making it up to 35% faster for multi-threaded CPU workloads than the M1. It also includes a 9-core GPU, delivering up to 40% faster graphics performance than the M1. The M3 chip brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to iPad Air for the first time, featuring Dynamic Caching, along with Mesh Shading and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. For advanced graphics workflows, the M3-powered iPad Air offers up to 4x faster performance than the M1 iPad Air, enabling more precise lighting, reflections, and shadows, as well as highly realistic gaming experiences.
The M3 chip brings Apple’s advanced graphics architecture to the iPad Air for the first time, allowing users to enjoy stunningly detailed games like Where Winds Meet, which will be available later this
The M3 chip also features Apple’s fastest Neural Engine, allowing iPad Air users to enjoy even more AI-powered capabilities in iPadOS. Compared to the M1, the M3’s Neural Engine is up to 60% faster for AI-driven workloads. Other improvements over iPads with A-series chips include the introduction of Apple Intelligence, the option to choose between two display sizes (11 and 13 inches), and support for advanced accessories like the new Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro.
Users can enjoy even more spectacular performance when using Apple Intelligence and iPadOS, thanks to the M3 chip’s faster Neural Engine.
iPad Air: Designed for Apple Intelligence
iPad Air is built for Apple Intelligence, a personal intelligence system that delivers helpful and relevant AI-driven features. In the Photos app, removing unwanted elements from images is easy with the new Erase tool, while natural language search helps users find any photo or video just by describing what they’re looking for. In the Notes app, Magic Image lets users enhance their notes by transforming sketches into stunning visuals—simply by circling a drawing with the Apple Pencil. Users can also create an image in an empty note space, and Magic Image will generate a relevant image to complement the note.
In the Photos app, removing intrusive elements from images is very easy with the Eraser tool.
Apple Intelligence offers users new ways to express themselves visually with Image Playground, create the perfect emojis with Genmoji, and make their writing more dynamic with Writing Tools. Additionally, users can now type to Siri, which can maintain conversations and understand requests even if users stumble over their words. Siri also has an extensive knowledge of Apple products, allowing it to answer thousands of questions about features and settings, such as how to record a screen. Plus, it can retain context from one request to another.
Image Playground offers users new ways to express themselves visually.
Since ChatGPT is fully integrated into Writing Tools and Siri, users can access its knowledge without switching between apps, making tasks faster and easier. Users can access ChatGPT for free without creating an account, and built-in privacy protections ensure that IP addresses are hidden and OpenAI does not store requests. Users have the option to enable ChatGPT integration and control when and how they use it.
Apple Intelligence is designed to protect users’ privacy at all times, utilizing on-device processing for many of its AI models. For requests that require access to larger models, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of iPad to the cloud for even more intelligence. When using Private Cloud Compute, user data is never stored or shared with Apple—it is used solely to complete the request.
New Magic Keyboard for iPad Air
The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air expands users’ capabilities. The larger built-in trackpad provides greater precision for detailed tasks, while a new 14-key function row offers quick access to features like screen brightness and volume controls. The new Magic Keyboard magnetically attaches to iPad Air, with the Smart Connector instantly enabling power and data transfer—no Bluetooth pairing required. Additionally, the machined aluminum hinge includes a USB-C port for charging.
The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air starts at just $269 (USD) for the 11-inch model and $319 (USD) for the 13-inch model. It features the popular floating design and is available in white.
The new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air features a row of 14 function keys and a larger trackpad, expanding the possibilities of what users can do.
iPad Refresh with Double the Storage and A16 Chip
Apple also announced an updated iPad, featuring double the base storage and the A16 chip, delivering even more value to users. The A16 chip offers a significant performance boost for everyday tasks and iPadOS experiences without compromising all-day battery life. Compared to the previous generation, the updated iPad with the A16 chip is nearly 30% faster. In fact, compared to the iPad with the A13 Bionic chip, users will experience up to a 50% improvement in overall perforNew, Powerful, and Intelligent Features with iPadOS 18
The iPad with the A16 chip delivers a performance boost for apps like Morpholio Trace compared to the previous generation, without compromising all-day battery life.
New, powerful, and intelligent features with iPadOS 18.
PadOS 18 brings powerful features that enhance the entire iPad experience, making it more versatile and intelligent than ever before.
Designed specifically for the iPad’s unique capabilities, the Calculator introduces an entirely new way to use the Apple Pencil for solving mathematical expressions. With Math Notes, users can now type or write equations and see them instantly solved in handwriting that mimics their own. They can also create and use variables, as well as add equations to generate graphs. Additionally, Math Notes are accessible within the Notes app, allowing users to apply all mathematical functionalities within any of their notes.
In the Notes app, handwritten notes are now smoother and more flexible. Smart Script introduces powerful features that allow users to edit handwritten text by adding spaces or pasting typed text in their own handwriting style. While writing with the Apple Pencil, handwritten text is automatically refined in real-time, making it easier to read.
With new audio recording and transcription features, the iPad can now record a lecture or conversation, and the transcriptions sync with the audio, enabling users to find the exact moment they want to listen to.
Users now have even more ways to express themselves on the Home Screen. App icons and widgets get a fresh look with dark and color effects, and they can be enlarged for a seamless experience. The redesigned Control Center provides easy access to everyday tasks, including the ability to organize new third-party app controls.
Better for the Environment
The new iPad Air and redesigned iPad were created with the environment in mind. As part of the Apple 2030 plan—Apple’s ambitious goal to be carbon-neutral across all operations by the end of this decade—the company is transitioning to renewable energy in its manufacturing process. Apple is also investing in solar and wind energy projects worldwide, ensuring that all Apple products, including the new iPad Air and iPad, are powered by clean energy. Today, all Apple facilities, including Apple Intelligence data centers, operate on 100% renewable energy.
To achieve the Apple 2030 plan, the company is designing products with more recycled and renewable materials, further reducing its carbon footprint. Both the new iPad Air and iPad contain at least 30% recycled content, with 100% recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. The batteries feature 100% recycled cobalt, and for the first time in an iPad, over 95% recycled lithium. The new iPad Air and iPad meet Apple’s stringent energy efficiency standards and are free of mercury, brominated flame retardants, and PVC. The packaging is made entirely from fiber, bringing Apple closer to its goal of eliminating plastic from packaging by the end of the year.
Pricing and Availability
Customers in the United States can pre-order the new iPad Air with the M3 chip starting today, March 4, at apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 29 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin shipping to customers and be available in Apple Stores and authorized resellers starting March 12. To check availability in your country, visit apple.com/co.
The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air with the M3 chip will be available in Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray, with configurations of 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
- The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599 (USD) for the Wi-Fi model and $749 (USD) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
- The 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799 (USD) for the Wi-Fi model and $949 (USD) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
For education:
- The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549 (USD), and the 13-inch model starts at $749 (USD).
- Special education pricing is available for incoming and current college students, their parents, faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers at all education levels. For more details, visit apple.com/us-hed/shop.
The new Magic Keyboard, available in white, is compatible with both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models.
- The 11-inch Magic Keyboard is priced at $269 (USD), and the 13-inch Magic Keyboard is priced at $319 (USD).
- For education, the 11-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $249 (USD), while the 13-inch version is $299 (USD).
Customers in the U.S. can also pre-order the new iPad with the A16 chip starting today, March 4, at apple.com/store and in the Apple Store app in 29 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will start shipping and become available in Apple Stores and authorized resellers on March 12. To check availability in your country, visit apple.com/co.
The new iPad starts with 128GB of storage and offers configurations of 256GB or the new 512GB option.
Available in Blue, Pink, Yellow, and Silver, pricing is as follows:
- The Wi-Fi model starts at $349 (USD), while the Wi-Fi + Cellular model starts at $499 (USD).
- For education, the Wi-Fi model is priced at $329 (USD), and the Wi-Fi + Cellular model starts at $479 (USD).
The Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad is available for $249 (USD) in white.
- The education price for the Magic Keyboard Folio is $229 (USD).
The Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are compatible with the new iPad Air. The Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil (1st generation) are compatible with the new iPad.
- The Apple Pencil Pro is priced at $129 (USD) and $119 (USD) for education.
- The Apple Pencil (USB-C) is available for $79 (USD) and $69 (USD) for education.
Trade-in and Payment Options
Apple offers multiple ways to save on the latest iPad. Customers in the U.S. can trade in their current iPad for credit toward a new one by visiting the Apple Store online, the Apple Store app, or an Apple Store location. To check the trade-in value of your device and review terms and conditions, visit apple.com/shop/trade-in.
Customers in the U.S. who purchase through Apple using Apple Card can take advantage of 0% APR monthly installments with Apple Card Monthly Installments, plus 3% Daily Cash back upfront.
For more details, including eligibility, exclusions, and terms of Apple Card, visit apple.com.