The M3 iPad Air is here—but did we really need it?

Apple has done it again—dropped a new iPad Air, hyped it up, and left us all wondering: Do we actually need this upgrade? The latest iPad Air now packs the M3 chip, promising faster performance, better gaming, and AI-powered smarts. But here’s the catch—on the surface, it doesn’t seem all that different from last year’s model.

So, is it worth shelling out ₹59,900 for the shiny new M3 iPad Air? Or does the M2 iPad Air still hold its ground? Let’s break it down.

M3 vs. M2 iPad Air: What’s new?

At first glance, the M3 iPad Air looks… exactly like the M2 iPad Air. Same design, same 11-inch and 13-inch display options, same Touch ID (still no Face ID, Apple?), and even the same battery life.

But inside, things have changed—slightly.

But under the hood, there are some minor upgrades. Apple’s M3 chip brings a 19% jump in single-core performance and a 40% improvement in GPU power compared to the M1 model. It also supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which means better lighting and reflections in high-end games.

One of the bigger selling points is the introduction of Apple Intelligence, which rolls out with iPadOS 18. The M3’s advanced neural engine is designed to handle AI-powered features, making it particularly useful for those relying on AI-assisted workflows. That’s great news for anyone deep into AI-assisted workflows—but do you need AI on an iPad? That’s debatable.

Another change comes in the form of accessories. The M3 iPad Air supports Apple’s latest Magic Keyboard, priced at ₹26,900, along with the Apple Pencil Pro. This makes it a better tool for productivity and creativity, but there's a catch—if you already own accessories for the M2 iPad Air, they won’t be compatible with the new model. That means additional spending if you want the full M3 experience.

The real question: Do M-Series chips make sense for iPadOS?

Let’s be honest—Apple’s M-series chips are monsters when it comes to performance. But does iPadOS 18 actually need that much power?

iPadOS is still a touch-first, mobile-like experience, no matter how much Apple tries to make it feel like a Mac replacement. Even the M1 chip could handle multitasking, gaming, and pro apps with ease. So unless you’re doing serious video editing or 3D modeling, you might never feel the difference between M2 and M3.

For everyday users—emailing, streaming, note-taking—the M2 iPad Air already does it all.

Should you upgrade?

If you’re coming from an iPad Air M1 or older, the M3 is a worthy upgrade—especially if you want AI features and future-proof performance.

But if you already own the M2 iPad Air, don’t rush. The performance gap is minimal, and the older model is ₹5,000 cheaper (and might get even better discounts soon).

So, unless you’re chasing the latest and greatest tech, the M2 iPad Air still holds strong in 2025.