It is through a simple press release that Apple has just announced the arrival of its new tablets, the iPad Air M3 and the classic ipad 2025. No revolution, but welcome and, above all, more powerful fleas.
Once again, it is without drum or trumpet that Apple announces the release of new products, even if Tim Cook had still warned the day before on network X “that there was something in the air”, with a typography close to that used for apparatus with apple using this qualifier. An amazing bit of a bit for a company that has long used industry and the public to spectacular launches – who said rowders? – with very publicized conferences – the famous Keynotes Originally established by the emblematic Steve Jobs – being the subject of countless rumors and comments. Is this a sign that the desire is no longer there, or, at least, that innovation marks the step?
The fact remains that it is by a simple press release sent this Tuesday, March 4, 2025 that the “apple firm” baptized its latest born: the new “classic” iPad Air and iPad, which can also be more simply called the iPad 11. No big changes insofar as newcomers keep the essentials of their respective predecessors, “contenting” More powerful, with some additional improvements. Nothing revolutionary, therefore, but rather soft and logical developments which rather hold the register of updates and at level, which undoubtedly explains the relative discretion of their launch.
iPad Air: M2 per m3 without changing prices
It is therefore the 7th generation iPad Air that Apple announced. Available in two screen sizes (11 and 13 inches), it is equipped with the M3 chip and it is the only material novelty of this new model. It replaces the M2 chip of the previous iPad Air, which is only in May 2024! The iPad Air M2 will therefore have only lived 10 months, which is particularly short for a tablet at Apple so far. It simply seems that Apple needed to rush a little to simply cope with stopping the production of the M2 chip. To inflate the numbers a little, Apple compares the iPad Air M3 to the M1 model, indicating that it is up to twice as fast. If you already have an iPad Air M2, the new M3 can save you from 30 to 50%. It’s good, but not necessarily enough to make you want to change so quickly.
Especially since everything else is identical. The iPad Air M3 still exist in two screen sizes, 11 and 13 inch, with identical resolutions and luminosities that on previous models: 2360 x 1640 pixels for the 11 inch and 2732 x 2048 pixels for the 13 inch. With a maximum brightness of 500 nits for the 11 inch and 600 nits for the 13 inches. The webcam, still placed on the long edge now on all iPads is also identical. The two models accuse 460 grams and 616 grams respectively on the scale (1 more gram for the cellular model… only on the 13 inch).
Note, the M3 chip for these new iPads is not exactly the same as that of MacBook Air. It does not purr 8 CPU cores and 9 GPU cores (the graphic unit) while, on the MacBook Air, you can choose between an M3 with 8 or 10 GPU cores. In other words, Apple equips its iPad with downgraded M3, which do not pass all the reliability tests of GPU hearts. A very classic technique to avoid throwing perfectly usable processors. The new iPad Air M3 are of course compatible with Apple Intelligence, Apple’s artificial intelligence tools, expected with version 18.4 of iPados whose output is imminent. But that was already the case for iPad Air M2 and even M1 models.
The other point that remains unchanged is the basic price. And that, we appreciate. With 128 GB of storage, the iPad Air M3 11 inch remains at 719 euros, and the 13 -inch model at 969 euros. If you need more storage, you have to add 130 euros to switch to 256 GB, 380 euros to go up to 512 GB and 630 euros to reach 1 TB, which is still quite expensive. You can then choose to go to 256 GB, 512 GB or even 1 TB of storage. Just add 130 euros. Memory fleas are still as expensive at Apple.
With the iPad Air M3, Apple also announced a new Magic Keyboard, which so far lacked the range of iPad Air. This case which, closed, covers both the front and rear side of the iPad offers, once open, a complete keyboard and a touchpad to almost transform the iPad into a laptop. This Magic Keyboard has two main particularities: it is compatible with the iPad Air of previous generations … and it is still as expensive: 329 euros for the 11 -inch and 349 euros model for the 13 inch – the price of a complete entry -level portable PC! It is always attached through the magnets hidden in the back of the iPad and still weighs as heavy, to give the whole sufficient stability. Note also that in terms of accessories, these two new iPad Air are of course compatible with the Apple Pencil Pro and the Apple Pencil USB-C.
iPad 2025: faster and cheaper but without Apple Intelligence
In the same press release, at the bottom, we are almost surprised to learn the release of a new entry -level iPad, the one who is therefore simply iPad. As this is the 11th generation since the release of the very first iPad of 2010, it is commonly called the iPad 11. The latter therefore replaces the iPad 10 which, the least we can say, had disappointed a lot, especially because of its high price of almost 600 euros, for only 64 GB of storage.
For its renewal, the iPad 11 corrects these youth faults by being equipped as standard of 128 GB of storage, for a starting price of 409 euros. This is better. For the rest, the design is absolutely identical with an 11-inch screen resolution of 2,360 x 1,640 pixels and an aluminum body on a flat board, inspired by the iPad Air and inaugurated by the iPad 10. And it remains compatible with the first generation Apple Pencil which remember is equipped with a lightning socket to be recharged, while the iPad 11 is of course provided with a USB-C port.
But the unpleasant surprise of the side of the processor. The ancient iPad A13 Bionic is replaced here by the very good A16 which equipped the iPhone 14 Pro and 15. And therefore, Patatras, while Apple insists on its Apple Intelligence tools, the entry -level iPad 11 will therefore remain the only machine that cannot benefit from it. An astonishing decision to say the least since even the iPad Mini 7, launched in October 2024, can take advantage of it thanks to its A17 Pro chip. An essential compromise certainly to offer an iPad at floor prices (in Apple fashion) especially intended for the education market. If necessary, you can also choose an iPad 11 with 256 or 512 GB of storage (respectively 539 euros and 789 euros.
In addition to the official announcement, Apple has updated its site by presenting its new babies in the smallest detail, with their complete technical sheets and many attractive arguments. We can thus admire and order the new iPad Air M3 and iPad 11 today, for delivery from March 12. Note also that the iPad Air M3 and the iPad 11 also exist in “cellular” models to connect directly to the 5G network. It is enough to add 170 euros to the invoice and to subscribe to a suitable package, of course.