The iPad Air has been Apple’s cut-down version of the iPad Pro for a while now. The first ever iPad Air with desktop silicon was the M1 iPad Air. It has the same performance overall as the much more expensive iPad Pro model. When the iPad Air got a bump to M1, it was one of the best tablets ever for longevity.
Some rumors state the next iPad Air could come with the M3 chipset. The latest generation of the iPad Pro entirely skips the M3 chipset. It uses the M4 instead, a step up from the M3 in many ways.
It has a better NPU, more AI features, better efficiency thanks to a new TSMC 3nm fabrication process (probably the N3E), and more. However, the next iPad Air (7th Generation) might not get the M4 chip. Apple might equip it with the M3 instead.
A desktop-class chipset is extremely useful for a variety of tasks. It helps in gaming, video rendering times, batched photo edits, multitasking, especially with multiple large applications, and battery efficiency. The Stage Manager feature on the M1 iPad Airs makes it a compelling laptop alternative for someone who wants a touchscreen display.
In 2024, Apple took this lead one step further. The latest iPad Air now has the M2 chip. This is a substantial upgrade over the already overkill M1 chip. This tablet gives the competition a run for the money.
The similarly priced Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ has some of the worst-ever performance for the money and a terrible SOC. It lags even with very basic daily use and is unsuitable for longevity. This makes the M2 iPad Air one of the best purchases for 599$. It also helps that there’s a bump to 128GB of internal storage on the base model.
As per a leak from MacRumors, the iPad Air 7th Generation will carry the M3 chipset as the key upgrade. We have been waiting for a long time. Apple might refresh the iPad Air about two years from now. There’s no point in increasing CPU horsepower.
iPadOS absolutely cannot utilize all the capabilities of a desktop-class SOC. The software severely limits it since iPadOS is designed for touch-first use. Slapping a keyboard and trackpad on doesn’t make it a very intuitive experience. As a result, the upgrades are always incremental and unsubstantial for most.
Apple has to focus on much better displays. The iPad Air M2 has a 60Hz LCD panel with rather poor brightness. Apple could have used this chance to bump it up to Mini LED or a regular LCD panel with 120Hz. Instead, Apple has chosen the rather lazy chip bump.
Since the Pros have moved to an OLED panel, it would’ve been far better if Apple also introduced Mini LED on the Air models. We also need brighter screens for better outdoor visibility.
The source remains sketchy. We’ll take this information with a grain of salt until we obtain more leaks, images, specifications, and benchmark information.
