So, Apple released new iPads. As we’ve come to expect in the smartphone/tablet space, there is nothing groundbreaking to talk about here.
iPad Air M3
The latest iPad Air now has Apple’s M3 chip. To be fair, this is somewhat of a big deal because we are talking about a chip used in some of the best laptops out there. However, we have seen M series chips in iPads before, so, as spoiled as we are, we just snark at it.
The new iPad Air comes in two sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch, priced at $600 and $800, respectively. Also, if you’re a glutton for punishment, a new Magic Keyboard attachment is available, priced at $269 for the 11-inch model and $319 for the 13-inch model.
Base iPad upgraded
Apple has also updated its standard iPad, now featuring an A16 chip and starting with 128GB of storage—double the capacity of the previous model. Yes, Apple was still shipping its base iPad with 64GB of storage in 2025.
The chip upgrade delivers a 30% increase in speed without compromising battery life.
My phone, which came out in 2022, has that A16 chip, though, so it’s hardly an awe-inspiring choice—especially when you consider that the A16 in the iPad is binned. It has both a CPU and GPU core deactivated, which simply means it is a handicapped/weaker A16.
Oh, I almost forgot. The base iPad will not be getting Apple Intelligence. The A16 chip it has does not support it—whatever that’s worth.
The starting price for the updated iPad remains at $349.
That means, although none of the above is exactly mind-bending, these iPads remain some of the best on the market. I would especially consider that $349 iPad a good deal if you’re in the market for a tablet.
I have played around with too many ultra-budget Android tablets that are unusable. There are some brilliant ones, but for those, you will be shelling out close to what the base iPad costs. At that point, you should shortlist the iPad too.
I guess all I’m saying is that when it comes to tablets, Apple’s products are not obscenely priced. Not the keyboards, though—those are stupidly overpriced.
Consider this: the iPhone 14, which comes with the A16 chip, costs about $400 brand new on sites like eBay and Amazon, and more like $500+ in Zimbabwe.
Yet, the new iPad, with the same chip, starts at $349. So, the next article will get into why tablets are cheaper than phones in general.
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