Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) vs Apple iPad mini (6th generation)
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) ($500) vs Apple iPad mini (6th generation) ($270) — 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 mini (6th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | $270 |
| Weight | 460g | 293g |
| Chip | M3 | A15 Bionic |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina, 60Hz | 8.3" Liquid Retina |
| Ports | USB-C | — |
| Pencil | Apple Pencil Pro | 2nd generation Apple Pencil |
| Audio | Landscape stereo speakers | — |
| Weight | 460g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) | 293g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Port | — | USB-C |
| Camera | — | 12MP Ultra Wide front + rear |
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 mini (6th generation)
- Lightest and most pocketable iPad on this whole list
- A15 chip still comfortably handles current iPadOS
- 2nd-gen Apple Pencil support with magnetic attach and charge
- USB-C port, no adapters needed
- 8.3-inch display is cramped for split-screen multitasking
- No ProMotion, 60Hz only
- Jelly scrolling complaints on some units, a known 6th-gen quirk
- Costs more used than the base iPad despite less screen
Apple iPad mini (6th generation) is the better value at $270. Both are part of our curated tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
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