iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): are there reasons to upgrade?

Apple occasionally surprises, and that’s the case with the announcement of the new iPad Air 2025, which comes less than a year after the release of the iPad Air (2024). So, what are the reasons to consider an upgrade? Are there any? Let’s take a closer look.

iPad Air (2025) vs iPad Air (2024): specs

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): design and display

As you read this comparison, it will become clear that the iPad Air (2025) and iPad Air (2024) are remarkably similar. In fact, there is only one significant difference between them, and even that might not compel iPad Air (2024) owners to switch. A more worthwhile comparison might be between the iPad Air (2022) and iPad Air (2024), where a few changes have been made, but not many.

The iPad Air (2025) is available in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches. Both models feature Liquid Retina displays with True Tone technology, P3 wide color support, and an anti-reflective coating. The resolution is 264 pixels per inch (ppi) for both sizes. The 11-inch model has a maximum brightness of 500 nits for standard dynamic range (SDR), while the 13-inch model offers a maximum brightness of 600 nits. These specifications remain unchanged from the previous model.

There is only one difference in terms of size and weight between last year’s and this year’s iPad Air. The 11-inch model in 2024 weighs 1.01 pounds, while the previous year’s model weighed 1.02 pounds. The 13-inch models, both this year and last, weigh the same at 1.36 pounds. Height, width, and depth remain the same throughout.

Winner: Tie

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): performance

There is a significant difference between the iPad Air (2025) and the iPad Air (2024). The 2025 model includes an M3 chipset, while the 2024 model has an M2 chipset.

Interestingly, the M3 chip is not entirely new; rumors suggest that the 2025 iPad Air may eventually feature M4 chips currently used in the iPad Pro (2024). The M3 chip is also found in the MacBook Air (2024). However, it has been succeeded by the M4 in the newer iMac and MacBook Pro models.

When comparing the iPad Air (2025) with the iPad Air (2024), which features the M2 chip, there isn’t much of a difference in performance between the M3 chip and the M2 chip when it comes to regular workday tasks. However, the M3 chip works its magic with video editing and graphic design, allowing creatives to export clips and process design changes in the blink of an eye.

The Apple M3 chip represents a notable advancement over the M2, primarily due to its transition to a 3-nanometer manufacturing process. This shift results in a higher transistor density, enhancing performance and improving power efficiency. Both chips feature 8-core CPUs, but the M3 includes architectural enhancements that lead to faster processing speeds. Specifically, the M3 shows improvements in both single-core and multi-core performance.

Regarding graphics, especially for video games, the M3 also boasts upgrades with a new GPU architecture that supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing, mesh shading, and dynamic caching, resulting in superior graphical capabilities, making gameplay more immersive and smoother for gamers.

With the transition to the M3 chip, the iPad Air (2025) features ProRes encode and decode engines missing from the older model. It also includes an AV1 decode.

ProRes is a high-quality video codec developed by Apple that’s widely used in professional video production. It’s designed to balance image quality and file size, making it ideal for editing and post-production workflows. ProRes is considered a “visually lossless” codec, meaning that while it compresses video, the loss of image detail is generally imperceptible to the human eye.

Having a dedicated ProRes encode engine significantly speeds up the process of creating ProRes files, which is crucial in professional workflows where time is of the essence.

Conversely, ProRes decode engines play back ProRes video files. They efficiently decompress the ProRes data, allowing for smooth, real-time playback, even high-resolution footage.

AV1 decode refers to converting video data that has been compressed using the AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) codec back into a viewable video stream. AV1 is a modern, royalty-free video coding format designed to deliver high-quality video at lower bitrates than older codecs. Thus, it can provide better video quality while using less bandwidth. Efficient AV1 decoding is crucial for smooth playback of AV1 videos, especially at high resolutions like 4K and 8K.

Winner: iPad Air (2025)

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): cameras and battery

The iPad Air (2025) and the iPad Air (2024) both have a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel Center-Stage front camera. Additionally, they feature a landscape-oriented front camera. Similar camera specs will likely lead to similar photo-taking experiences between the old and new tablets.

There has been no change in battery life and charging between last year’s iPad Air and this year’s model. The iPad Air (2025) delivers up to 10 hours of web surfing on Wi-Fi or watching videos and up to 9 hours when using cellular data, regardless of the tablet’s size. You can charge your device via USB‑C.

Winner: Tie

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): software

The iPad Air (2024) was introduced in May 2024 and initially shipped with iPadOS 17. When iPadOS 18 was released in September 2024, the iPad Air (2024) began shipping with the updated version. The latest iPad Air will come with the most recent version of iPadOS 18. Users can expect at least five years of iPadOS updates for this device just like you would with the older model. In terms of software, both models support Apple Intelligence.

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): availability and price

Apple elected not to raise the price of the iPad Air this year. Like the previous model, this one starts at $599 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi-only model and $799 for the 13-inch model. Both sizes are available with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage and 8GB of RAM. The new tablet is available now.

In time, you can expect prices to drop on the iPad Air (2024) as retailers begin clearing their inventory. Watch for nice discounts in the coming weeks and perhaps months.

iPad Air (2025) vs. iPad Air (2024): is it time to upgrade?

Apple last released two different generations of the same iPad in less than a year in 2012. In March of that year, Apple announced the iPad 3, which was retired following the launch of the iPad 4 in October. This quick transition was primarily due to Apple’s switch from 30-pin to Lightning connectors.

A similar scenario has recently occurred with the transition between the iPad Air (2024) and the iPad Air (2025), which features a newer chip.

Is upgrading from the iPad Air (2024) to the iPad Air (2025) just for a better chip? Probably not, unless you’re an artist or video editor looking to upgrade from an older model iPad Air so you can get your work done faster than you are now. If you can find an iPad Air (2024) at a significant discount, it might be more economical to stick with that model rather than upgrade to the iPad Air (2025).

Our conclusion: Apple likely had a surplus of M3 chips in storage and chose to use them in the newer iPad Air. However, there were no significant changes beyond the chip upgrade.

For those hoping for an M4 iPad Air this year, your best bet now is to try to find an iPad Pro (2024) on sale.