iPad comparison
iPad Air 11-inch M2 vs iPad Air M3
Compare iPad Air 11-inch M2 vs iPad Air M3 side by side: chip, memory, storage, display, ports, launch price and how each fits in Apple history.
iPad Air 11" (M2)The Air moved to the M2, doubled base storage to 128 GB, relocated the camera to the landscape edge, and (for the first time) offered a choice of sizes.
iPad Air (M3)A speed bump to the M3 (in both 11" and 13"), adding ray tracing and a faster GPU while keeping the Air’s value pricing.At a glance
Released 1 year apart — the iPad Air (M3) is the newer model. 5 of 13 specs differ.
Going from the iPad Air 11" (M2) to the iPad Air (M3), the chip changes from the Apple M2 to the Apple M3 and it gets lighter, 462 g to 460 g. Both launched at $599.
- ChipApple M2Apple M3
- Weight462 g460 g
Unchanged launch price, memory, storage, ports.
Specs side by side
| Spec | iPad Air 11" (M2) | iPad Air (M3) |
|---|---|---|
| Release | May 15, 2024 | March 12, 2025 |
| Launch priceSame | $599 | $599 |
| Price todaySame | $605 | $605 |
| Chip | Apple M2 · 3.49 GHz | Apple M3 · 4.05 GHz |
| GraphicsSame | Apple 9-core GPU | Apple 9-core GPU |
| CPU coresSame | 8 | 8 |
| MemorySame | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| StorageSame | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina, 2360×1640 | 11" or 13" Liquid Retina, up to 2732×2048 |
| Weight | 462 g | 460 g |
| DimensionsSame | 247.6×178.5×6.1 mm | 247.6×178.5×6.1 mm |
| PortsSame | USB-C | USB-C |
| Operating system | iPadOS 17.5 | iPadOS 18.3 |
Highlighted cells win clear more-is-better specs (memory, storage, lighter weight). Historical pricing uses approximate US CPI; clock speeds are not full real-world performance.
Why each matters
First time the Air came in two sizes.
Brought hardware ray tracing and dynamic caching to the Air via the M3.
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Last updated: 2026-08-18