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Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): One-Minute Evaluation
Apple hasn’t modified a lot with the most recent technology iPad Air, and for good cause. In 2024, Apple expanded the Air to 2 sizes, moved the front-facing digital camera, tossed in help for the Apple Pencil Professional, and upgraded it to the M2 chip.
This 12 months – and never even 12 months have handed because the final improve – Apple retains the identical costs and shade choices however equips the Air with a good higher chip – the M3. The result’s a sooner but refreshingly acquainted expertise that checks off the fitting packing containers, whether or not you desire a pill only for leisure or one for each work and play. The one caveat is that you just’ll have to spend a bit extra to get the Magic Keyboard to get probably the most out of it, significantly in case your focus is extra on productiveness.
In my 5 days with the iPad Air, I actually observed and loved the pace enhance. It stretches the worth proposition that bit additional, and places any considerations about energy – each now and certain for the foreseeable future for most individuals – just about to mattress for me. I used to be in a position to edit images in Photoshop and Pixelmator, draw my wildest desires in ProCreate, and even edit a film in Last Minimize Professional, and export these media recordsdata swiftly, with the Air generally outpacing a MacBook Air.
When it was time to get to work, I may dive into Slack, Safari, Gmail, and Google Docs to shortly write, edit, and produce tales to get them reside with out lacking a beat. And I may additionally slot in time for a FaceTime name, a fast recreation – be it a AAA title or an Apple Arcade one – and stream any TV present or film on the providers I subscribe to.
All that is to say that the most recent technology iPad Air blurs the road between who that is for and who the iPad Professional is for. Sure, it’s extra highly effective than the iPad mini or the entry-level iPad, however it lacks a few of the aptitude of the iPad Professional. When you want the best-in-range display screen from Apple, and for some cause want much more energy than the brand new Air, or really need the ultra-thin appear and feel, the Professional is price consideration when you can afford it.
In any other case, the most recent iPad Air is likely to be a bit thicker and heavier, however it makes much less of a dent in your pockets – and actually isn’t that heavy. I usually would have opted for the larger-screen possibility, however the 11-inch iPad Air stretched its mileage for me. It’s proved to be a wonderful working companion when teamed with the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Professional, permitting me to go away my Mac at house and greater than get by with simply the super-portable combo.
When you invested within the iPad Air with M2 you gained’t have to make the soar simply but, however when you have an M1 or older iPad Air, or personal an entry-level iPad and really feel the necessity for extra energy, now’s a wonderful time to improve.
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
iPad Air 11-inch |
iPad Air 13-inch |
|
Beginning value |
$599 / £599 / AU$999 |
$799 / £799 / AU$1,299 |
|
Working system |
iPadOS 18 |
iPadOS 18 |
|
Chipset |
M3 |
M3 |
|
Reminiscence (RAM) |
8GB |
8GB |
|
Storage |
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
|
Show |
11-inch LED Backlit (2360 x 1640) IPS LCD |
13-inch LED Backlit (2732 x 2048) IPS LCD |
|
Cameras |
12MP extensive most important, 12MP ultrawidefront |
12MP extensive most important, 12MP ultrawidefront |
|
Battery |
28.93Wh |
36.59Wh |
|
Connectivity |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. 5G Sub-6Ghz and Gigabit LTE on Mobile fashions. |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. 5G Sub-6Ghz and Gigabit LTE on Mobile fashions. |
|
Weight |
460g |
617g |
|
Dimensions |
247.6mm x 178.5mm x 6.1mm |
280.6mm x 214.9mm x 6.1mm |
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Worth and Availability
- How a lot does it price: $599 / £599 / AU$999 for the 11-inch or $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch
- When does it ship: Apple’s iPad Air with M3 in each sizes formally launches on March 12, 2025.
Right here’s some excellent news: Apple’s 11-inch iPad Air with M3 begins at $599 / £599 / AU$999, and the 13-inch at $799 / £799 / AU$1,299, which is identical value as final 12 months’s M2 mannequin. Each begin at 128GB however might be configured with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage when you’re prepared to spend the cash.
Apple additionally gives an LTE mannequin with 5G connectivity when you want it. The iPad Air is available in Purple, Blue, Area Grey, or Starlight no matter connectivity or storage dimension.
My check unit is an 11-inch iPad Air with M3 with mobile connectivity and 1TB of storage in a beautiful shade of purple.
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Design
- The 11-inch dimension could be very moveable with out compromising on options or energy
- It is a almost equivalent construct to the 2024 mannequin except for barely much less branding
Contemplating that Apple up to date the design of the iPad Air in 2024 and rolled out a brand new super-sized 13-inch mannequin, there isn’t a complete lot new in regards to the M3 iPad Air design-wise. In any case, probably the most vital change does lie inside the title.
The scale 12 months over 12 months for each sizes stay basically the identical. The 11-inch iPad Air I’ve been utilizing is 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm and weighs 460 grams – that’s really two grams lighter than final 12 months’s mannequin, however the distinction is indiscernible in on a regular basis use.
For these conserving monitor, that’s heavier and thicker than the 11-inch iPad Professional, however the iPad Air nonetheless feels effortlessly trendy. I nonetheless dig the pastel-y shade of purple that it is available in and admire that, because of its matte aluminum end, the rear will get simply coated in fingerprints. That distinct shade of purple can even change relying on how the sunshine hits it.
Probably the most noticeable design change that Apple has made to the iPad Air is eradicating the title from the pill’s rear. On earlier fashions, ‘iPad Air’ was stamped above the Good Connectors on the rear (when held vertically, it was centered on the underside), however that’s now not the case. Now, the entire rear is kind of clear, except for a shiny Apple brand within the heart and a 12-megapixel digital camera aperture within the upper-right nook (when held vertically).
Little has modified by way of button and port placement, which is to be anticipated, particularly because the energy button with the embedded Contact ID sensor was already in a location that works nice for both orientation. When the Air is held horizontally or docked within the Magic Keyboard, that button lives on the prime on the left-hand aspect, making it simple to unlock the iPad and authenticate for purchases or password fill-ins, and once you’re holding the pill held vertically Contact ID is a beat away on the prime on the right-hand aspect.
Contact ID is quick right here, and I’d extremely advocate organising a finger from every of your arms, because it makes it a bit simpler to get probably the most out of the button in each orientations; it should additionally prevent from enjoying Tornado relating to unlocking. You’ll additionally discover the stereo audio system – which get fairly loud – on the shorter sides of the iPad Air, so on the highest and backside when it’s vertical or left and proper when horizontal. It makes this pill glorious for having fun with content material, be it in an episode of Bluey with my niece, the most recent episode of Severance, or Bruce Springsteen’s Street Diary on Disney Plus.
The speaker quantity is managed by the up and down buttons which might be on the highest when horizontal or proper aspect when vertical, or by way of Management Heart. For charging or information transfers, the USB-C port continues to be on the underside when the pill is vertical or on the fitting aspect when it’s horizontal. You get a USB-C to USB-C cable and wall plug within the field.
Proper under the amount controls is the magnetic connector for the Apple Pencil. The iPad Air helps each the Apple Pencil Professional or Apple Pencil with USB-C, however I’d advocate the previous when you can afford it, as it should wirelessly cost when connected to the aspect. As we famous with the 2024 refresh of the iPad Air, reconfiguring the wi-fi charging spot right here required some heavy lifting on Apple’s half.
Apple has made this transformation not solely to facilitate simpler Pencil charging, but in addition in order that it may transfer the front-facing 12-megapixel extensive digital camera that helps CenterStage, which is now in a greater place once you’re utilizing the iPad Air horizontally. The microphone now sits immediately subsequent to it, and also you gained’t threat muddying up the lens with fingerprints, which might be a difficulty provided that the bezels on tablets are comparatively thick. The bezels are equivalent in dimension to these on the 2024 mannequin, and regardless of their relative thickness and the Liquid Retina show right here, which I’ll speak about extra within the subsequent part, is sort of all display screen.
Even when it’s now not the thinnest or lightest iPad, the 11-inch iPad Air was by no means a chore to take with me. Whereas I normally use a 13-inch iPad Professional, I actually like the pliability this dimension of iPad affords – I may simply toss it in a bag or backpack wrapped in both the Good Folio or the Magic Keyboard. It’s going to simply match on a tray desk on an airplane, however extra importantly, it didn’t take up an excessive amount of house after I was working in a restaurant or at a kitchen island. The 11-inch dimension has its perks.
So, the iPad Air continues to be the title, however perhaps ‘Air’ displays the price more than the design. Both approach, the iPad Air continues to be a modern-looking pill that has all of the buttons in the fitting locations and is gained’t weigh you down, whether or not you’re utilizing it to observe one thing in mattress, working at your desk or from the kitchen, or touting it round in a bag.
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Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Show
- The Liquid Retina show continues to be glorious with punchy colours
- No ProMotion excessive refresh charge right here
I’ll reduce to the chase right here: the 11-inch Liquid Retina show is superb. No, it’s not a Dynamic OLED like on the iPad Professional, however it’s greater than sufficient for every thing from streaming content material to enhancing images or movies or drawing in Procreate, enjoying video games like Asphalt 9 or Mini Metro, looking the online, and responding to emails in between the entire above. The colours are vibrant and punchy, distinction is nice, and whether or not it was typed or handwritten by way of an Apple Pencil, textual content is wealthy and inky.
Apple can be among the best at creating anti-reflective coatings for its screens, and the oleophobic coating right here successfully blocks fingerprints from being seen once you’re utilizing the pill. That’s one thing that I feel is fairly essential – and keep in mind, the 11-inch Air solely hits 500 nits at its peak (that’s up by 100 to 600 nits on the 13-inch iPad Air), so the coating is doing its factor right here.
As on the 2024 mannequin, this 12 months’s show nonetheless has a 2360 x 1640 decision at 264 pixels per inch, with help for the P3 Large Colour Gamut and Apple’s True Tone tech.
For the lower cost, I feel the Liquid Retina show right here isn’t an excessive amount of of a concession – it’s an important pill display screen that allows you to profit from iPadOS and your varied apps.
The one factor lacking is a better refresh charge courtesy of the ProMotion designation, however as on the iPhone and Mac, Apple reserves that for its higher-tier merchandise.
Nonetheless, whether or not you’re utilizing the 11-inch iPad Air for training, work, or play, you’ll be proud of the display screen right here. And in order for you a super-sized expertise, the 13-inch Air offers you a extra expansive canvas.
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Cameras
- No main upgrades to both the entrance or rear digital camera
- Heart Stage continues to be nice for video calls
Like each different iPad in Apple’s lineup, the iPad Air options two cameras, and as on each different mannequin however the iPad mini, the entrance digital camera is on the panorama/horizontal aspect. It’s nonetheless a 12-megapixel digital camera that helps Heart Stage, Apple’s onboard software program that responds swiftly to maintain you within the heart of the body for video calls. That, plus the higher location for the digital camera, particularly when you use it docked within the Magic Keyboard, makes this a wonderful gadget for video calls or at-home recording.
As an illustration, one night time, whereas cooking dinner, I rested the iPad Air on the counter in a single place. As I moved round to the range and again to the countertop, together with draining a pot whereas cooking pasta, Heart Stage stored me within the body whereas on a FaceTime name with mates.
The rear digital camera on the brand new iPad Air continues to be a 12-megapixel extensive lens that may zoom in as much as 5 instances digitally and helps video recording at as much as 4K at 60 frames per second. It performs fairly properly, and contemplating some of us insist on taking images with an iPad, the Air does a superb job right here.
Picture 1 of 3
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Software program
- It is the acquainted iPadOS expertise
- The iPad Air helps the superior Stage Supervisor multitasking mode
- It really works rather well with the brand new Magic Keyboard; it is extra laptop-like than earlier than
Simply as with the iPad, iPad mini, iPad Professional, or the iPad Air that got here earlier than this iPad Air, among the best components of the Apple pill expertise is the huge array of issues you are able to do in your gadget.
In my testing time thus far, I’ve been writing – together with this overview – on the iPad Air with it docked within the Magic Keyboard, streaming motion pictures and TV exhibits, enjoying video games like Mini Metro, RFS+ (a flight simulator), Asphalt 9, and Disney Dreamlight Valley, enhancing images and movies in Pixelmator, Photoshop, Last Minimize Professional, and Element, drawing in Procreate, practising group in Notability, and even dabbling with some 3D modeling to see what the M3 chip is able to within the likes of Uniform.
I’ve pushed iPadOS just about to the bounds, utilizing only one app, multitasking on a cut up display screen with a 3rd app hanging on the aspect, and even utilizing Stage Supervisor. iPadOS 18 continues to be a really acquainted expertise; it’s one other 12 months older, however Apple continues to be differentiating it from its different OSes – it’s not completely completely different from iOS, although it has clear advantages for the pill type issue, and nonetheless uniquely completely different from macOS. There’s adequate continuity between iPadOS and Apple’s wider ecosystem, although – I can use my Mac’s trackpad and keyboard on the iPad because of Common Management, and even prolong my show to the iPad with Sidecar.
The M3 chip right here could be very, very highly effective, and ensures that nothing a lot as stutters, aside from a bigger 4K export file in Last Minimize Professional, which took a while. For probably the most half, any typical productiveness or leisure activity actually flies, permitting you to get loads finished with the iPad Air in a little bit time – and it additionally blurs the strains as to who may want this mannequin versus the iPad Professional with the M4.
Whereas the iPad Air with M2 was launched earlier than Apple unveiled Apple Intelligence and commenced its staggered launch – one which’s nonetheless ongoing – it does help the suite of options, as does the iPad Air with M3.
Quite a lot of what you are able to do with Apple’s tackle AI proper now could be complimentary to the remainder of iPadOS – you’ll be able to take away photograph bombers and objects from images immediately within the app below ‘Clear Up’, you’ll be able to choose to have your notifications summarized, create distinctive emojis on the fly, and even have Siri route your queries by ChatGPT.
You’ll additionally discover Siri’s new look – a colourful glow that surrounds the entire show as a digital bezel – right here on the iPad Air, however the actually AI-infused Siri continues to be a promised function. On March 7, Apple introduced that the smarter Siri was taking a bit longer that anticipated, and that it will arrive “within the coming 12 months.” Each time it does come, the iPad Air with M3 will help ot, in addition to future Apple Intelligence options
One other approach wherein the iPad Air with M3 actually shines is when it’s docked into the redesigned Magic Keyboard, which prices $269 / £269 / AU$449 for the 11-inch iPad, and $319 / £299 / AU$499 for the 13-inch mannequin. No matter dimension, the brand new Magic Keyboard is barely cheaper, and also you’re getting a way more Professional expertise that nearly takes you into MacBook territory. Apple has stored the identical type issue for the Magic Keyboard, however there’s now a 14-key operate row, which provides you quick access to shortcuts like multitasking, playback management, quantity management, and even focus mode engagement. You additionally get a full QWERTY keyboard with arrow keys and a bigger trackpad. I spent two days utilizing simply the 11-inch iPad Air as my most important work gadget, tabbing between Slack, Gmail, Google Docs, and Sheets, in addition to Safari, Messages, Photoshop, Notes, FaceTime, and numerous different apps.
Regardless that I normally use a 13-inch or 14-inch MacBook, I didn’t really feel all that cramped on the iPad Air, even on the 11-inch dimension, and that is one thing I wish to check extra whereas touring. I particularly appreciated that I may actually attain out and contact iPadOS after I wanted to, and I felt at house with the extra laptop-like expertise as properly.
One other key and wanted improve to the Magic Keyboard is an improve to the charging pace, and the keyboard’s USB-C port now helps as much as 60W charging, the identical because the iPad’s personal USB-C port. Bravo, Apple! To make room for the additional row of keys and bigger trackpad, the oval hinge – the mechanism by which the iPad attaches and the case closes – has been redesigned to accommodate the additional performance. It’s rather well designed, and my solely grievance is that the Magic Keyboard solely is available in white, which can undoubtedly get soiled.
It provides price to the iPad Air, however it’s a wonderful accent that can allow you to stretch the mileage and capabilities of the pill itself; and paired with the M3 chip inside, the superb, punchy show, and iPadOS, it should most actually allow you to get a bunch of years of use out of your gadget.
The Apple Pencil Professional can be an add-on at $129 / £129 / AU$219, and one which I discovered satisfying to make use of for note-taking, navigating iPadOS, and for inventive acts like drawing. Approach again when Apple first launched the unique Apple Pencil and super-sized 12.9-inch iPad, I ditched a Retina MacBook Professional for the iPad and used it with the Pencil and ultimately a Good Keyboard as my most important gadget combo – and the note-taking expertise continues to be easy right here, and mainly equivalent to writing on paper, with no seen latency. The addition of Squeeze to the Pencil Professional permits you to simply have interaction choices like an eraser, which is kind of useful contemplating Apple by no means added one to the highest.
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Efficiency
- M3 chip lets the iPad Air fly with almost any activity
- Much more intense video edits or AAA recreation carry out with out hiccups
- Not an evening and day distinction over the M2 iPad Air, however older fashions will see a giant enchancment
The largest change with Apple’s 2025 iPad Air refresh is the newer, sooner, and better-equipped M3 chip below the hood. It additionally blurs the strains between the iPad Air and the M4-powered iPad Professional a bit extra, as each are very highly effective – and it was already a detailed race final 12 months between the M2-powered Air and the M4 Professional. Apple’s silicon is simply very, superb.
I threw just about every thing on the M3 iPad Air, and it was virtually inconceivable even to gradual it down, by no means thoughts make it buckle. It’s not leagues higher than the iPad Air with M2, however it’s closing the hole with the Professional, and has me questioning precisely which particular use circumstances may require you to make that soar – the general thinner construct and OLED display screen is likely to be higher promoting factors for the Professional.
Contemplating that the Air in iPad Air does not imply slower speeds or a brilliant gentle construct, I feel it actually denotes that this pill is nearer by way of options and energy to the MacBook Air. The brand new iPad Air is extra inexpensive, however it nonetheless delivers a stellar expertise in almost each division, particularly efficiency. I may carry out all my day by day duties for work, from e mail to writing and enhancing written phrases, in addition to producing GIFs and enhancing images, then exporting them at my regular pace, if not sooner. I may even have a FaceTime name operating throughout this and even take a break for a fast recreation – perhaps, simply don’t inform my boss that. Testing, although, am I proper?
In my day by day expertise, the M3 iPad Air flew, and quantitatively, it additionally bettered the outcomes we acquired from the M2 iPad Air in 2024. Apple hasn’t put an underpowered model of the M3 within the iPad Air – it’s nonetheless an M3 chip with an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine in addition to 8GB of RAM – that’s loads for an iPad in just about any use case.
The chip permits hardware-accelerated ray tracing for AAA titles like Loss of life Stranding and Resident Evil. Utilizing GeekBench 6, which runs the iPad Air by a variety of assessments, the iPad Air scored very properly, attaining 3,023 single-core and 11,716 multi-core scores. That jumps previous the iPad Air with M2, which scored 2,591 on single-core and 10,046 on multi-core, and places it nearer to the iPad Professional with M4, which scored 3,700 on single-core and 14,523 on multi-core.
Suffice to say, these are spectacular numbers from Apple’s mid-range iPad, at a way more inexpensive value of $599 / £599 / AU$999 11-inch or the $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch then in contrast with the iPad Professional. You’ll additionally discover that basically any iPad activity runs properly right here, assuming you will have the app to make it occur.
Provided that it’s not an enormous leap over the M2-powered iPad Air, I don’t see any want for people who purchased that mannequin final 12 months to hurry out and improve. However when you have an older commonplace iPad, and discover your wants pushing previous its capabilities, and even an M1-powered iPad Air or older, the iPad Air with M3 makes a complete lot of sense, providing energy and efficiency that can final you for a few years to come back.
- Efficiency rating: 4.5 / 5
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Battery and Connectivity
- The iPad Air can nonetheless final a full work day on a cost
- It is the identical battery efficiency because the prior technology
- No Wi-Fi 7 help
Nonetheless powering the 11-inch iPad Air is a 28.93Wh battery (the 13-inch Air has a bigger 36.59Wh battery), and Apple once more guarantees as much as 10 hours of net browsing or watching a video on Wi-Fi. That basically interprets as all-day battery life, and that’s largely what I acquired out of the iPad Air with M3, even when docked within the Magic Keyboard, which didn’t appear to empty rather more of the battery. What battery depletion I did expertise was usually the results of a extra power-hungry course of or app – for instance, exporting a bunch of images or movies, or a AAA recreation.
I may get by between eight to 10 hours of labor with brightness at about 70% utilizing varied productiveness apps, and a few music playback and video calls in between, which is fairly good for a pill of this dimension, all issues thought-about. When wanted, I may additionally plug within the iPad Air or make the most of the port on the Magic Keyboard with a USB-C cable to cost.
Connectivity is equivalent to the earlier model, which means that Wi-Fi 7 continues to be lacking right here, with Apple choosing Wi-Fi 6E. There’s additionally Bluetooth 5.3 and, on LTE fashions, help for 5G Sub-6 GHz and Gigabit LTE.
- Battery and Connectivity rating: 4 / 5
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): Must you purchase it?
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|
Worth |
The addition of the M3 chip in an already nice iPad, makes the most recent iPad Air a good a better advice. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
There is not a redesign this 12 months, however the iPad Air continues to be a contemporary, colourful pill that may simply be introduced with you. |
4 / 5 |
|
Show |
It is nonetheless a vibrant, punchy visible expereince with a wonderful coating that helps forestall fingerprints from exhibiting in use. |
4 / 5 |
|
Cameras |
I particularly taking calls on the iPad Air because of the CenterStage performance. |
4 / 5 |
|
Software program |
It is nonetheless a well-recognized iPadOS expertise and every thing runs fairly easily on the iPad Air. |
4 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
The M3 chip gives a ton of energy for any conceivable activity, and means the iPad Air is tremendous quick. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Battery and Connectivity |
You may nonetheless get near all-day battery life on the iPad Air, although Apple did not enhance the battery dimension right here. |
4 /5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025): How I examined
I spent 5 days with the 11-inch iPad Air with M3, a Magic Keyboard, a Good Folio, and an Apple Pencil Professional. First, I unboxed the primary gadget and equipment, set the iPad Air up as new, after which downloaded my apps to make it really feel like house.
I principally put my 14-inch MacBook Professional to the aspect to place the iPad Air to the check utilizing it as my main gadget. To check the iPad Air, I used it for a number of of my day by day duties throughout productiveness and leisure classes, from responding to emails to writing tales and responding to Slack with enhancing images and movies. I additionally performed a number of video games on the gadget, from extra fundamental to AAA ones, and streamed hours of content material, together with music, TV exhibits, and films.
First reviewed March 10, 2025