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Apple iPad (2025) vs. iPad Air (2025): Which one suits you best in the age of AI?
Apple made a significant announcement earlier this month by introducing two new iPads. While the redesigned entry-level iPad was long anticipated, the company also took the chance to release a slightly upgraded M3 iPad Air just ten months after the launch of the previous version.
Neither of these tablets offers groundbreaking upgrades compared to their predecessors. In fact, we were more surprised by the omissions in the budget iPad (2025) than by the new features it introduced: in an age of Apple Intelligence, the new iPad is the first device introduced without any of Apple's latest AI functionalities.
In a similar fashion, the new iPad Air comes equipped with a robust M3 chip but offers little else over the M2 version. While it's a commendable enhancement, it isn’t compelling enough to prompt users to upgrade from last year's iteration.
That said, this isn’t the main focus. Apple's latest iPads may not strongly entice those who recently purchased tablets, but they present solid upgrades for anyone using an older model or for first-time iPad buyers. If you are in the market for a new iPad, the more complex question isn’t if you should choose one of these models (the answer is a definitive yes), but rather which of the two would be the better fit. Let’s explore how they differ.
Apple iPad (2025) vs. iPad Air (2025): specifications
**iPad (2025)**
- **Size**: 248.6 x 179.5 x 7 mm (9.79 x 7.07 x 0.28 inches)
- **Weight**: 477-481 grams (1.05–1.06 pounds)
- **Screen**: 11-inch, sRGB color
- **Resolution**: 2360 x 1640 pixels at 264 ppi
- **Brightness**: 500 nits (SDR)
- **Operating System**: iPadOS 18
- **Storage Options**: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
- **Processor**: A16
- **RAM**: 6GB
- **Cameras**: 12MP wide rear and 12MP front, both with Smart HDR 4
- **Video Capabilities**: Up to 4K at 60fps, 1080p Slo-Mo at up to 240fps
- **Bluetooth**: 5.3
- **Ports**: USB-C, Smart Connector
- **Authentication**: Touch ID
- **SIM Card**: eSIM
- **Audio**: Landscape stereo speakers, two microphones
- **Battery Life**: Up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi or video playback
- **Network**: Wi-Fi 6 / 5G (sub-6GHz)
- **Keyboard Support**: Magic Keyboard Folio, Bluetooth Keyboards
- **Colors**: Blue, pink, yellow, silver
- **Price**: $349
**iPad Air (2025)**
- **Size**: 11-inch: 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm (9.74 x 7.02 x 0.24 inches), 13-inch: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1 mm (11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 inches)
- **Weight**: 11-inch: 460 grams (1.01 pounds), 13-inch: 616-617 grams (1.36 pounds)
- **Screen**: 11-inch or 13-inch, Wide color (P3), fully laminated with antireflective coating
- **Resolution**: 11-inch: 2360 x 1640 pixels at 264 ppi, 13-inch: 2732 x 2048 pixels at 264 ppi
- **Brightness**: 11-inch: 500 nits (SDR), 13-inch: 600 nits (SDR)
- **Operating System**: iPadOS 18
- **Storage Options**: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
- **Processor**: Apple M3
- **RAM**: 8GB
- **Cameras**: 12MP wide rear and 12MP front, both with Smart HDR 4
- **Video Capabilities**: Up to 4K at 60fps, 1080p Slo-Mo at up to 240fps
- **Bluetooth**: 5.3
- **Ports**: USB-C, Smart Connector
- **Authentication**: Touch ID
- **SIM Card**: eSIM
- **Audio**: Landscape stereo speakers, two microphones
- **Battery Life**: Up
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