Apple has introduced the new iPad Air, the next generation of its popular tablet series. What's special this time is the powerful M3 chip. There have already been Macs with this processor, but now it has also arrived in the iPad Air. The first benchmark results show how much faster the new model is compared to the previous version.
The iPad Air has proven itself to be a powerful, yet lightweight and affordable tablet. With the introduction of the M3 chip, its performance is once again getting closer to that of the iPad Pro. Expectations are high, as the M3 chip is expected to provide significantly improved performance. Initial results from Geekbench 6 already provide a clear direction. They show that the M3 in the new iPad Air delivers around 18 percent more performance than the M2 chip. This could be particularly noticeable in demanding applications.
The performance of the new iPad Air with M3 chip
The first benchmark results for the new iPad Air show an average multi-core CPU score of 11,605 points. For comparison: The iPad Air with M2 chip came in at 9,817 points. This means the performance increase is around 18 percent. This is not a revolution, but a solid step forward. The difference should be particularly noticeable in applications that benefit from high processor performance. This particularly affects areas such as:
- Multitasking – use multiple apps simultaneously without sacrificing performance
- Graphics editing and video editing – better performance in computationally intensive applications
- Gaming – smoother display and higher frame rates
- Overall speed – faster app launches and less lag
These values are consistent with the results from other M3 devices. The MacBook Air with M3 already showed a performance increase of around 20 percent compared to the M2.
Comparison with the iPad Air M2
If you already own an iPad Air with M2, you probably won't notice the difference in everyday tasks like surfing or streaming. The M2 model was already fast enough here. Things are different if you frequently use demanding software. The M3 chip not only offers more power, but is also more efficient thanks to an improved architecture. This can have a positive effect on battery life, although there are no detailed measurements available yet. For users of an older iPad, especially with an A chip, the jump is much bigger. An upgrade to the M3 iPad Air is noticeably worthwhile here, as both the CPU and GPU offer significantly higher performance.
M3 chip in the iPad Air – faster, but not revolutionary
The new iPad Air with M3 is faster than its predecessor, but the difference is not groundbreaking.
- 18 percent more power compared to the M2 model
- More efficient architecture, which may have a positive impact on battery life
- Particularly useful for users of older iPad models
- For everyday use no mandatory upgrade from M2-Air necessary
If you already own an iPad Air with M2, you will hardly notice the difference. However, if you have an older model or need more power for creative work or gaming, the iPad Air with M3 is a sensible choice. (Image: Apple)
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