Originally published at: Apple Speed Bumps iPads: iPad Air Goes M3, iPad Gets an A16 - TidBITS
Apple has released incremental speed bump updates to the iPad Air and the base-level iPad, making few changes other than faster chips. In both cases, Apple seems to be updating the chip mainly to keep the models feeling fresh. The new models are available for pre-order now and will be available on 12 March 2025.
iPad Air Swaps M2 for M3, Gains New Magic Keyboard
With the 7th-generation iPad Air, which is in many ways now the flagship of the iPad line, Apple replaced the M2 chip with the M3, claiming nearly double the performance compared to the iPad Air with an M1 chip and up to 3.5 times the performance of the previous model featuring the A14 Bionic. Improvements come from the M3’s 9-core GPU (up from the 8-core GPU in the 6th-generation iPad Air’s M2) and the addition of hardware-accelerated ray tracing, hardware acceleration for ProRes and ProRes RAW formats, a ProRes encode and decode engine, and AV1 decode capabilities.
The added performance should translate to real-world benefits for gaming and video creation. While it’s hard to recommend upgrading from the previous M2 model, these enhancements make moving up from earlier models more appealing for users who regularly push their iPads with demanding creative work or gaming. The starting price remains $599 for 128 GB of storage.
Apple also introduced a new Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air, adding a 14-key function row and increasing the size of the built-in trackpad while retaining the floating cantilever design. At Six Colors, Dan Moren reports that it lacks the backlit keys and trackpad haptics of the previous Magic Keyboard. As before, the Magic Keyboard attaches magnetically to the iPad, using the Smart Connector for power and data. The aluminum hinge continues to feature a USB-C connector for pass-through charging.
Apple reduced the price by $30, making the new Magic Keyboard $269 for the 11-inch iPad Air and $319 for the 13-inch model. It’s available only in white, not in the space gray of the previous version. Although Apple is coy about this, the earlier model remains available at the higher price for older iPad Pro models and anyone who doesn’t want the function keys or larger trackpad.
The only other changes I could glean from the iPad Air tech specs pages are that the new models claim a sapphire crystal lens cover for the rear camera and are 1 gram (13-inch) or 2 grams (11-inch) lighter.
iPad Jumps from A14 Bionic to A16, Doubles Starting Storage
Apple made less fuss over its updates to the base-level iPad. The company upgraded the new 11th-generation iPad to the A16 chip, a minor improvement over the 10th-generation iPad’s A14 Bionic chip but still two generations behind the current A18. Apple says that the A16 is nearly 30% faster than the A14 Bionic and about 50% faster than the A13 Bionic that powers the 9th-generation iPad.
It’s an odd upgrade because the A16 doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, which seems to have been a key factor in many of Apple’s recent hardware upgrades. Perhaps the 11th-generation iPad is merely a stopgap update designed to boost sales until Apple can implement a more substantial redesign to accommodate Apple Intelligence. Or perhaps Apple’s market research suggests that the iPad’s target audience doesn’t care about Apple Intelligence.
Frankly, I can’t see that many people with functional iPads purchased in the last four or five years will benefit greatly from upgrading to a newer model. Either their current iPad still works well enough, or performance issues will push them towards the iPad Air.
However, as an affordable entry point to the lineup, the 11th-generation iPad becomes even more appealing with the A16 chip and 128 GB of storage (up from 64 GB) for the $349 base model. It’s a great device for a child or anyone who intends to do little beyond browsing the Web, reading email, and using basic apps, but it won’t run some recent games. Apple also added a 512 GB storage level.
In other changes, the new iPad eliminates the Nano-SIM slot and goes all-in on eSIM for the Wi-Fi + Cellular models. Additionally, it includes minor wireless enhancements, including Bluetooth 5.3 (up from 5.2), improved Wi-Fi 6 capabilities, and several more 5G NR bands.
There is one other notable change. Although the screen size has not changed—it still measures 9.79-by-7.07 inches, with a 2360-by-1640-pixel resolution at 264 ppi—Apple is now referring to it as “11-inch” instead of “10.9-inch.” Yes, Spinal Tap fans, the 11th-generation iPad goes to 11.