Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) vs Apple iPad Air (4th generation)
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) ($500) vs Apple iPad Air (4th generation) ($206) — side-by-side specs, weight, pros and cons to help you pick the right tablet.
Spec-by-spec
| Spec | Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) | Apple iPad Air (4th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | $206 |
| Weight | 460g | 458g |
| Chip | M3 | A14 Bionic |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina, 60Hz | 10.9" Liquid Retina |
| Ports | USB-C | — |
| Pencil | Apple Pencil Pro | 2nd generation Apple Pencil |
| Audio | Landscape stereo speakers | — |
| Weight | 460g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) | 458g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Port | — | USB-C |
| TouchID | — | Top button |
Pros & Cons
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3)
- M3 with hardware ray tracing
- Apple Pencil Pro support
- 460g, the sweet spot for holding
- Much cheaper than a Pro
- 60Hz display after years of 120Hz Pros
- No OLED
- Chip is overkill for what most Airs do
Apple iPad Air (4th generation)
- First iPad Air with the edge-to-edge design later iPads copied
- 2nd-gen Apple Pencil, magnetic attach and wireless charge
- USB-C port for a design that finally caught up
- A14 chip still handles current iPadOS comfortably
- No ProMotion, 60Hz display like the base iPad
- Single rear camera, no Ultra Wide
- 458g, heavier than the mini for a similarly-aged chip
- Costs close to the newer base iPad used, worth comparing both
Apple iPad Air (4th generation) is the better value at $206. Both are part of our curated tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
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