M2 iPad Air vs. M3 iPad Air Buyer's Guide

[MacRumors]

The seventh-generation iPad Air arrives just ten months after the previous model. Last year, the biggest change was the introduction of an all-new 13-inch model. With the latest refresh, the most significant upgrade is the move to the M3 chip.

The ‌2024 iPad Air models have now been discontinued by Apple, but they may still be found refurbished and with third-party resellers for lower prices. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to buy the 2024 ‌iPad Air or the new 2025 models. The iPad Airs from 2024 and 2025 share most of their key features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the older model to save money?

iPad Air (2024)	iPad Air (2025)
Introduced in May 2024	Introduced in March 2025
M2 chip (2022)	M3 chip (2023)
Made with TSMC's 5nm (N5P) process	Made with TSMC's 3nm (N3B) process
20 billion transistors	25 billion transistors
	All-new GPU architecture with dynamic caching, mesh shading, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing
	Support for AV1 video decode

Every other aspect of the device is the same between the two models. The upgrade from the 2022 to 2024 iPad Air was more significant, headlining with a larger size option for the first time, bringing it in line with devices like the iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, which are available in two sizes. For a deeper dive on the specific differences between the M2 and M3 chips, see our other guide.

Given the iterative nature of a single, generation-to-generation chip upgrade, with no enhancements to design, cameras, or display technology, it is almost certainly not worth upgrading from the M2 to the M3 iPad Air. Likewise, if the M2 iPad Air can be found at significantly lower price than the M3 model, this device is still a worthwhile buy. The M3 iPad Air is primarily aimed at those with an A14-based fourth-generation iPad Air or older.

Article Link: M2 iPad Air vs. M3 iPad Air Buyer's Guide

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

My A8X powered iPad Air 2 is very much ready to be replaced by an M3!

 

[Tr55]

I have the M2 Air 13.

Very impressive machine, I have only one minor complaint, not really a complaint really, more an observation.

Battery life could be better. Yes it does last 10 hours per charge, but not more. The effects of the M3 here in real life would be very interesting.

 

[Astuces iOS]

The seventh-generation iPad Air arrives just ten months after the previous model. Last year, the biggest change was the introduction of an all-new 13-inch model. With the latest refresh, the most significant upgrade is the move to the M3 chip.

The ‌2024 iPad Air models have now been discontinued by Apple, but they may still be found refurbished and with third-party resellers for lower prices. As such, some customers may be weighing up whether to buy the 2024 ‌iPad Air or the new 2025 models. The iPad Airs from 2024 and 2025 share most of their key features, so should you consider buying or sticking with the older model to save money?

iPad Air (2024)	iPad Air (2025)
Introduced in May 2024	Introduced in March 2025
M2 chip (2022)	M3 chip (2023)
Made with TSMC's 5nm (N5P) process	Made with TSMC's 3nm (N3B) process
20 billion transistors	25 billion transistors
	All-new GPU architecture with dynamic caching, mesh shading, and hardware-accelerated ray tracing
	Support for AV1 video decode

Every other aspect of the device is the same between the two models. The upgrade from the 2022 to 2024 iPad Air was more significant, headlining with a larger size option for the first time, bringing it in line with devices like the iPad Pro, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, which are available in two sizes. For a deeper dive on the specific differences between the M2 and M3 chips, see our other guide.

Given the iterative nature of a single, generation-to-generation chip upgrade, with no enhancements to design, cameras, or display technology, it is almost certainly not worth upgrading from the M2 to the M3 iPad Air. Likewise, if the M2 iPad Air can be found at significantly lower price than the M3 model, this device is still a worthwhile buy. The M3 iPad Air is primarily aimed at those with an A14-based fourth-generation iPad Air or older.

Article Link: M2 iPad Air vs. M3 iPad Air Buyer's Guide

Huge upgrade… we couldn’t have better!!

 

[Galley]

I bought the M2 iPad Air two days ago, as I wasn’t expecting a new version. I did get a $100 discount however, and I don’t really need the processor upgrade.

 

[frownface]

discontinued after 10 months, aside from ipad 3 (when they ditched 30 pin for lightning), i can't think of an apple product with a shorter life

 

[MacMikePro]

The thing that surprised me today is the new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air. Not that it just creates more fragmentation across the iPad keyboard lineup, I mean do they really need a different keyboard for each iPad? But that I remember thinking that the benefit of making the M4 iPad Pros so thin and light was that that was the only way they could add the function row keys to the Magic Keyboard without it toppling over, but this new keyboard proves that theory wrong.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Spoiler: one has M2, one has M3

 

[EugW]

The M2 iPad Air is fine if you can get a good deal on it, because it only came out last year, meaning it will last a long time in terms of iPadOS updates. However, I do wonder how important the AV1 decode support of M3 will be in the coming years.

This is in contrast to the iPad 10, which came out way back in 2022. It's roughly halfway through its iPadOS update cycle.

My A8X powered iPad Air 2 is very much ready to be replaced by an M3!

My kid's A8X powered iPad Air 2 will be replaced by an iPad (A16).

A8X Geekbench 6 ~ 450/1050 Binned 5-core A16 should be roughly 5X as fast.

Plus the iPad (A16) has a bigger screen, landscape camera, and stereo speakers in landscape mode.

 

[clive27]

discontinued after 10 months, aside from ipad 3 (when they ditched 30 pin for lightning), i can't think of an apple product with a shorter life

M2 Macbook Pro was replaced by M3 in 9 months.

 

[Astuces iOS]

Spoiler: one has M2, one has M3

Spoiler: M3 is around 20% faster 😜

 

[Bungaree.Chubbins]

The M2 iPad Air is fine if you can get a good deal on it, because it only came out last year, meaning it will last a long time in terms of iPadOS updates. However, I do wonder how important the AV1 decode support of M3 will be in the coming years.

This is in contrast to the iPad 10, which came out way back in 2022. It's roughly halfway through its iPadOS update cycle.


My kid's A8X powered iPad Air 2 will be replaced by an iPad (A16).

A8X Geekbench 6 ~ 450/1050 Binned 5-core A16 should be roughly 5X as fast.

Plus the iPad (A16) has a bigger screen, landscape camera, and stereo speakers in landscape mode.

I'm aiming for a 13" M3 iPad Air. I'll finally be able to use my iPad for all the things I want to do. And I'll be able to read my chord charts while playing bass.

 

[Timpetus]

My A8X powered iPad Air 2 is very much ready to be replaced by an M3!

I have one of those, and I also have an iPad 4 and iPad 2. I don't really get any use out of the iPad 2 any more, but the other two get fairly regular use. Unfortunately, 16GB storage on both is really limiting!

 

[ELman]

I still have 2 more months of payments on my last gen air😞

 

[Lioness~]

I am skipping a gen whatever iPad - don't use them enough, and have enough Apple gears.
iPad mini 6 will do until mini 8 or M4 iPadAir comes 🙂

 

[BigDO]

A good article about the software and hardware relationship of the iPad, and how meaningful this evolution is in real use cases:

Apple's Software Quality Crisis: When Premium Hardware Meets Subpar Software

Tim, I think we are not cooking

www.eliseomartelli.it

 

[MikeSmoke]

No reason here to update from a base M1 iPad Air 5.

 

[baconcat_8964]

Same dimension, same weight, same colour.

 

[scoti5]

Sorry, but until they improve the refresh rate of iPad Air to 120, there's no real reason to buy it.
I'm writing this with pain after last year I tried replacing my 2020 iPad Pro with an M2 iPad Air, the the downgrade from 120 to 60 is impossible.

 

[Astuces iOS]

No reason here to update from a base M1 iPad Air 5.

I agree… I would only recommend the iPad Air M3 for users who still aren’t on M series chip iPad (depends usage of course)

 

[svish]

Buying a M2 iPad is totally fine. Only thing to keep in mind is that since it is an older device, the software updates will be available for a shorter period. But with discounts, M2 version still makes a great buy.

 

[Astuces iOS]

Buying a M2 iPad is totally fine. Only thing to keep in mind is that since it is an older device, the software updates will be available for a shorter period. But with discounts, M2 version still makes a great buy.

Um you might loose a year but iPads seams to have a very large period of software updates support !

 

[frownface]

M2 Macbook Pro was replaced by M3 in 9 months.

Crazy stuff

 

[PlayUltimate]

Sorry, but until they improve the refresh rate of iPad Air to 120, there's no real reason to buy it.
I'm writing this with pain after last year I tried replacing my 2020 iPad Pro with an M2 iPad Air, the the downgrade from 120 to 60 is impossible.

I still have an 2020 iPP. I was thinking of updating to a new Air. what did you end up doing ?

 

[AriaAmaris]

Seems like there is very little interest. I agree. Zzz