Question 1

Is the M3 iPad Air worth it over the iPad Pro?

Accepted Answer

If you don’t care about ProMotion and OLED, I genuinely think the M3 iPad Air is the move. In normal day-to-day use, it felt basically on par with my M4 iPad Pro performance-wise. The Pro is still better in every way when it comes to the display, but the Air gets dangerously close to “pro-level” for a lot less money.

Question 2

Does the M3 iPad Air feel fast enough for work and multitasking?

Accepted Answer

Yes—this is a Mac chip inside an iPad, and it’s been rock solid for me. My workflow is heavy on Split View and Slide Over with Safari, Mail, iA Writer, Things 3, Files, Canva, and Photomator always open. It stayed smooth and reliable the entire time.

Question 3

Is the 60Hz display on the iPad Air a dealbreaker?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you’re used to. I notice the 60Hz LCD every single time I pick up the Air because I’ve been on iPad Pro for years, but once I get into my flow state it matters less. If you’ve never lived on 120Hz ProMotion, you’ll probably be totally fine.

Question 4

Should I get the 11-inch or 13-inch M3 iPad Air?

Accepted Answer

The 11-inch is surprisingly good once you settle in, but I did have moments where I wanted more screen. If you’re trying to use it like a laptop, I’d lean 13-inch—mainly because you get the full-size Magic Keyboard deck. On the 11-inch keyboard, I made more typing mistakes just because it feels a bit cramped.

Question 5

How good is the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air?

Accepted Answer

The upgrades are real: bigger trackpad, a full function row, and more viewing angles. But I hate that there’s still no backlighting, and the trackpad is a physical click instead of Force Touch, so it’s louder and doesn’t feel as smooth. Typing is still fantastic though—honestly some of Apple’s best.

Question 6

Does Apple Pencil work well on the M3 iPad Air?

Accepted Answer

It supports both the USB-C Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil Pro, which is awesome. Even though the Air is capped at 60Hz, you’re not going to notice a difference versus the Pro for Pencil use—it’s still super fluid and responsive. I like mapping the new squeeze gesture to a Shortcuts action, which is actually really useful.

Question 7

Is the M3 iPad Air good for gaming?

Accepted Answer

Yeah—iPads are peak gaming devices in Apple’s lineup, and this one is no exception. I played Call of Duty Mobile with an Xbox controller, maxed settings, and didn’t see a single dropped frame or even feel it get warm. It’s basically a console-level experience, I just wish there were more AAA games on iPad.

Question 8

What’s the best iPad to buy if I want to save money?

Accepted Answer

My biggest recommendation is simple: get an iPad with an M-chip inside—M1, M2, M3, or M4. iPadOS means even older M-chip iPads can do like 90% of what the newest Pros can do. Find the best deal you can, and you’ll still get the full iPad experience without overspending.

Is the M3 iPad Air the Best 'Air' Yet? A Complete Review

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