Apple iPad Air 11" Blue Review

So, you're looking at the new iPad Air with the M3 chip. It's Apple's middle child, sitting between the basic iPad and the ultra-premium iPad Pro. This 11-inch model is the one most people will pick up, and it's easy to see why. It's incredibly light at just over a pound, has that classic iPad feel, and now packs the same processor that was in last year's MacBook Air. That's a big deal.

Who is this for? Honestly, it's for a lot of people. If you're a student, a creative who uses apps like Procreate or Lightroom, or just someone who wants a super-responsive tablet for browsing, streaming, and light work, this is your sweet spot. It's powerful enough to feel like a real computer for many tasks, but it's still fundamentally an iPad. The big story here is Apple Intelligence, the new AI system that's coming later this year. The M3 chip is built specifically to run those features on-device, which is a future-proofing move.

What makes it interesting is the balance. You're getting near-Pro level performance from the M3—its CPU and GPU scores are in the mid-80s percentile, which is seriously fast for a tablet—without paying the Pro's sky-high price. But you're also making some clear compromises to hit that price point, especially with the screen and the base storage. It's a classic Apple play: give you incredible core performance, then ask you to think hard about the extras.

Let's talk about that M3 chip. With CPU and GPU performance landing in the 85th and 84th percentiles respectively, this thing is a rocket. For context, that means it's faster than the vast majority of tablets out there, including many Windows hybrids. In real-world use, that translates to buttery-smooth scrolling in apps with tons of layers, instant app launches, and the ability to handle 4K video editing in LumaFusion without breaking a sweat. Gaming is also excellent; titles like 'Divinity: Original Sin 2' or 'Resident Evil Village' run flawlessly at high settings.

But benchmarks only tell part of the story. The real test is multitasking, and here the iPad Air shows a slight crack. While the M3 breezes through processing tasks, the RAM score is in a much lower percentile. What does that mean? You might notice apps reloading a bit more often if you have a dozen Safari tabs, a note-taking app, and a video playing all at once. It's not a deal-breaker for most, but power users who live in Split View and Slide Over will feel the limit sooner than they'd like. The performance is there, but the system's ability to keep everything in memory isn't quite as robust.

Here's the tricky part: Apple doesn't list the price in our data, but we know the iPad Air sits in that premium mid-range. You're paying for that M3 engine and the Apple ecosystem. When you stack it up against the competition, the value proposition is all about that performance-per-dollar. You get a chip that rivals laptops in a tablet form factor.

However, the base model starts at 128GB of storage, which lands in the 53rd percentile—just average. For anyone planning to use this for work or creative projects, you'll almost certainly need to jump to a higher storage tier, which bumps the price significantly. Compared to something like a base iPad, you're paying a premium for performance. Compared to an iPad Pro, you're saving money but accepting a lesser screen and fewer pro features like ProMotion. It's a calculated middle ground.

You've got a few strong options here. The most direct competitor is the Microsoft Surface Pro 11. It runs full Windows 11, has a fantastic keyboard, and that Copilot+ AI is available now. If you need a true desktop OS for specific software, the Surface wins. But the iPad Air's M3 likely has a raw performance edge, and iPadOS is much simpler for tablet-first use.

Then there's the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+. Its screen is probably better than the iPad Air's (which scores in the 30th percentile), it has more RAM, and it supports expandable storage. It's a media consumption beast. But app optimization on Android tablets still isn't as consistent as on iPadOS, especially for pro creative apps. For a seamless, powerful tablet experience within a walled garden, the iPad Air is tougher to beat.

And of course, there's the iPad Pro with the M5 chip. It's in another league on price, but it also has a sublime 120Hz ProMotion display, more storage options, and better speakers. If the screen quality and absolute top-tier performance are non-negotiable and money is no object, the Pro is the move. For everyone else, the Air offers most of the Pro's speed for a lot less cash.

If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and want a powerful, portable tablet for creativity, note-taking, and consumption, the iPad Air with M3 is an easy recommendation. It's the best balance of power and price in the iPad lineup. The performance is fantastic, and the support for Apple Pencil and a keyboard makes it wildly flexible.

But, be honest about your needs. If you just want a tablet for reading books, browsing the web, and watching videos, the base iPad is a better value. If you're a digital artist or videographer who stares at a screen all day, the iPad Pro's superior display is worth the upgrade. And if you need to run full desktop applications like Excel or specific engineering software, you should really be looking at a Windows device like the Surface Pro. The iPad Air is brilliant, but it's brilliant at being a very good iPad.