Apple’s iPad line is still the best choice for most people when it comes to tablets. It has high-end hardware and software that works perfectly together. The 2025 iPad Air, which was announced in a surprise press release on March 4 and went on sale on March 12, is a good example of this idea, but with a twist. The 2024 model gets an iterative update, with the M3 chip replacing the old one. This gives the device a small boost in performance and efficiency, but the design, display, and core features stay mostly the same. The 11-inch model starts at $599 and the 13-inch model starts at $799. This mid-range tablet is aimed at students, creators, and casual multitaskers who want Pro-level power without the Pro price tag.
Does the M3 upgrade make you want to buy a new one, or does it feel like déjà vu? After reading reviews from tech sites and watching user unboxings, it’s clear that the iPad Air 2025 is still a great tablet, but it needs to be more innovative next time.
Design and Build: Timeless, but thinner competitors are calling
The 2025 iPad Air looks just like the one that came before it at first glance. Apple has kept the flat-edged aluminum chassis that came out in 2024. It comes in the same four colors: Blue, Purple, Space Gray, and Starlight. The 11-inch version is 9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches and weighs 1.01 pounds. The 13-inch version is 11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches and weighs 1.36 pounds. It is light enough to scroll with one hand but heavy enough to feel solid on a desk.
The quality of the build is, as always, perfect: it’s sturdy, doesn’t show fingerprints, and is comfortable to use for long periods of time. The 12MP front camera with Center Stage keeps you in frame during video calls, and the 12MP rear camera takes casual photos with ease, though it’s not as good as a dedicated smartphone. The Touch ID in the power button still works, but the lack of Face ID is still annoying, especially since Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 FE offers it for a similar price.
One thing that came up in a lot of reviews was the bezels. They’re not as thick as they used to be, but when slimmer Android tablets are the norm in 2025, the Air will feel old. There is no IP rating for water resistance, so keep it away from spills. Overall, it’s a high-end device that you can take with you and use in many different ways. When you pair it with the new Magic Keyboard ($299 for 11-inch, $349 for 13-inch), which has a bigger trackpad and function row, it becomes a laptop-lite.
Display: Solid Liquid Retina, but no Refresh Rate Magic
The Liquid Retina IPS LCD panel is still the best part of the show, just like last year. The 11-inch model has a 10.86-inch (diagonal) screen with a resolution of 2360 x 1640 (264 ppi), and the 13-inch model has a screen with a resolution of 2732 x 2048 (264 ppi). Both have P3 wide color, True Tone for adjusting warmth, and an anti-reflective coating that works well in bright places. The 500-nit brightness is great for using outside without washing out, and colors stand out clearly when you stream Netflix or edit photos in Lightroom.
That said, the refresh rate is still 60Hz, which is smooth for most tasks but noticeably stuttery next to the iPad Pro’s 120Hz ProMotion or even some cheap Androids. There are no OLED or mini-LED screens here, so you won’t be able to see very deep blacks. It’s great for watching videos and doing light creative work, but gamers or people who like to scroll might want more fluidity.
Performance: The M3 chip works, but it’s not a game-changer.
The M3 chip, which comes from 2023 MacBooks, is the only big change under the hood. This 3nm SoC has an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, a 16-core Neural Engine, and 8GB of unified RAM. This is enough to run Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools and Image Playground right away on iPadOS 18.4 (which can be upgraded to iPadOS 26 by late 2025).
In multi-threaded tasks, it is about 15–20% faster than the M2. For ray-traced games like Resident Evil Village, graphics are up 40%. Apple says that all-day workflows are up to 35% more efficient, and in real life, apps like Procreate and DaVinci Resolve fly. Multitasking with Stage Manager feels faster. The storage space starts at 128GB (up from 64GB on older models) and goes up to 256GB ($699/$899), 512GB ($899/$1,099), and 1TB ($1,099/$1,299). That’s a lot of space, but those upgrades add up quickly.
It’s a monster for students who need to mark up PDFs or people who need to make 4K edits. Casual users won’t notice the jump from M2, but the M4 iPad Pro has more raw power. There have been no reports of overheating, and Bluetooth 5.3 works with the Apple Pencil Pro ($129), which lets you draw with hover and squeeze gestures.
Charging and battery life: dependable, but not exciting
Apple’s promise of 10 hours is true: you can expect 9 to 10 hours of mixed use (web, video, light editing) on Wi-Fi. In some tests, the M3’s better efficiency gives it an extra hour over the M2, but don’t expect miracles. 5G models (add $150) use data without using up the tank.
Charging is the weak point: it takes about two hours to fully charge with USB-C at 20W, and there is no charger included. It works well for overnight routines, but not as well as 45W competitors. The standby drain is very low, and iPadOS’s optimized battery charging helps the battery last longer.
Software and Ecosystem: iPadOS is great, but it needs to multitask.
On M3 silicon, iPadOS 18.4 is as smooth as butter, and Apple Intelligence unlocks AI features like Genmoji and a smarter Siri. There are a lot of optimized apps in the App Store, and Stage Manager’s windowed apps make it a good laptop alternative, especially with the Pencil for taking notes in GoodNotes.
But it still feels like “iPhone OS with a bigger screen.” Managing files is hard, support for external monitors is limited, and getting external drives to work requires extra steps. It’s the best if you’re really into Apple’s ecosystem (pair it with a Mac for Continuity), but Android’s file flexibility might be tempting if you’re not.
Camera and audio: Better than expected
The 12MP rear camera with 4K video and Smart HDR is too much for a tablet, but it’s great for quick scans or family photos. The Center Stage feature on the front camera automatically frames you, which is great for Zoom classes. Dual landscape speakers with Dolby Atmos support provide rich, spatial sound that rivals more expensive models for movie nights.
If you’re upgrading from an older model, buy it.
The 2025 iPad Air gets a great 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s the best mid-range tablet for most people because it has a lot of power, is easy to carry, and looks great. If you have a 2024 Air, wait for the rumored M5 update in 2026; the M3 bump isn’t a big deal. But for anyone getting rid of an old iPad or switching from Android, this is the best price between the $349 base iPad (no AI) and the $999 Pro (too much for basic use).
Apple plays it safe in a year of AI hype, but safe sells. This Air is great for students who are sketching ideas, professionals who are always on the go, and people who watch a lot of TV. Don’t expect fireworks; this is evolution, not revolution.
