Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) ($500) vs Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) ($412) — 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 Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | $412 |
| Weight | 460g | 466g |
| Chip | M3 | Apple M1 |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina, 60Hz | 11" Liquid Retina, 120Hz ProMotion |
| Ports | USB-C | — |
| Pencil | Apple Pencil Pro | 2nd generation Apple Pencil |
| Audio | Landscape stereo speakers | — |
| Weight | 460g (Wi-Fi, Apple published) | 466g (Apple published, Wi-Fi) |
| Port | — | Thunderbolt / USB 4 |
| Camera | — | 12MP Wide + 10MP Ultra Wide, LiDAR |
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 Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1)
- M1 chip, genuinely desktop-class performance that still feels fast
- Thunderbolt/USB 4 port supports external displays and fast storage
- 120Hz ProMotion display
- LiDAR scanner for AR and improved autofocus
- No mini-LED XDR display, that arrived on the 12.9-inch model only
- 466g plus a Magic Keyboard adds real bag weight
- M1 is now several generations behind current iPad Pro silicon
- Costs meaningfully more used than the iPad Air it visually resembles
Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation, M1) is the better value at $412. If weight matters most, Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M3) carries lighter at 460g. Both are part of our curated tablet index — tap through to check current pricing.
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