NEW IPAD AIR WITH M3 CHIP LAUNCHES: POWER AND STYLE TAKE FLIGHT

Apple unveiled a refreshed iPad Air earlier this week, bringing the powerful M3 chip and a sleek new Magic Keyboard to its mid-tier tablet lineup, a move that’s already sparking buzz among tech enthusiasts and casual users alike.

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Announced in a press release on the Apple, this latest iPad Air comes in familiar 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, blending robust performance upgrades with design refinements that cater to creatives, students, and professionals on the go. Available for order now on Apple’s official site, the device promises to elevate everyday tasks with faster processing, enhanced graphics, and compatibility with Apple Intelligence features— all starting at $599 for the 11-inch model.

This week’s launch builds on the iPad Air’s legacy as Apple’s sweet spot—more capable than the entry-level iPad, yet more affordable than the iPad Pro—while introducing hardware that narrows the gap with its pricier sibling. TechCrunch noted that the M3 chip marks a significant leap over the previous M1-powered Air, positioning this tablet as a powerhouse for everything from photo editing to multitasking. With a new Magic Keyboard in tow and subtle but meaningful tweaks, Apple’s aiming to keep the iPad Air a top contender in a crowded market. What’s new under the hood, how does it look and feel, and what does it mean for users today? Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s iPad Air debut, straight from Apple and the tech world’s front lines.

PERFORMANCE SOARS WITH THE M³ CHIP

Apple pulled the curtain back on the star of this week’s show: the M3 chip, now powering both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models. According to the Apple press release, this silicon—previously seen in Macs and the latest iPad Pro—delivers a substantial boost over the M1 chip found in the 2022 iPad Air, with up to 35 percent faster multithreaded CPU performance and a 40 percent jump in graphics capabilities. The M3 packs an 8-core CPU—four performance cores and four efficiency cores— alongside a 9-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, clocking in at 24 trillion operations per second for AI tasks, Apple detailed on its iPad Air product page.