Apple unveils the smarter, faster iPad Air

By Hannah Geremia

Last updated 05 March 2025

Apple has unveiled the latest upgrades it plans to bring to the base model iPad and the iPad Air.

The all-new iPad Air will come with an M3 chip processor, just ten months after its upgrade to the M2. The base model iPad is also getting a much-needed enhancement, with an upgrade from an A14 chip to an A16 and an additional storage tier.

The M3 in the iPad Air and the A16 in the base model iPad will bring a jump in performance without compromising their all-day battery life. iPads with an M3 chip are up to twice as fast as those with an M1 chip, standard in the 5th generation iPad Air. In comparison, iPads with an A16 chip are up to 30% faster than those with the previous A14 chip. The result is faster performance, especially when playing graphic intensive games or working with massive files in apps like Final Cut Pro.

Even though it's not as powerful as the M4 chip found in the iPad Pro, it's still a major bump in performance and speed capabilities. When it comes to running Apple Intelligence, the M3 is a 60% jump in speed compared to devices with the M1.

Along with the much needed chip upgrade, the iPad base model also has twice the starting storage at 128GB. While the A16 chip is certainly a performance upgrade from the A14, it's not enough to run Apple Intelligence. This is the first new Apple device to not include Apple Intelligence. Which is strange, since Apple has been working to ensure a sizeable catalogue of its devices are compatible with the artificial intelligence suite.

The biggest surprise of all is that with the improved performance, the price tag remains the same.

The iPad Air will come in 11-inch and 13-inch models with four colour options (blue, purple, starlight, and space grey). For the iPad, you’ve got four options when it comes to colours (blue, pink, yellow and silver), and three storage tiers (128GB, 256GB, and 512GB). Here’s how much they’ll cost when they reach Singapore shores:

Apple iPad Air 11-inch: $899
Apple iPad Air 13-inch: $1,199
Apple iPad 11-inch 128GB: $499
Apple iPad 11-inch 256GB: $649
Apple iPad 11-inch 512GB: $949

Preorder is available now through Apple for the iPad and iPad Air. However, you won’t be able to get your hands on them until they release in Singapore on Wednesday, March 12.