Apple’s Snappy M3 iPad Air at $449 Is Practically a Steal Right Now
If you've missed picking up an iPad from the last Labor Day or back-to-school sale, now is another chance to finally invest. Apple's latest M3 iPad Air is now back to its record-low price of $449, down from $599 at Amazon and Best Buy. This means you get to save $150, or 25%, on the 11-inch base model with 128 GB of storage.
A similar $150 reduction applies to the 256 GB option, dropping it to $549 from $699. All colorways of the iPad Air are available, including Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray.
Why We Recommend Buying the M3 iPad Air 2025
The iPad Air is a device we consider the best tablet for most types of users, catering to both power-demanding and casual users, such as students. The M3 model or iPad Air 7 is a refresh of the M2 iPad Air, but a more modest upgrade from the M1 version.
The M3 SoC is the primary highlight in the tablet. It is configured with an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. These offer a notable performance jump from the M1, bringing a 25% better processor and 50% better graphics. There are also vital enhancements in the latter, including hardware-accelerated ray-tracing for smoother and richer graphics. With this entire setup, even power-hungry tasks like photo and video editing should feel stable, while it is more than sufficient for general processes.
Elsewhere, the iPad Air has an impressive 11-inch Liquid Retina display. It is very sharp and bright, while colors are accurate and content is legible even when you use it outdoors in the park for reading your e-books or managing documents. The panel is compatible with the upgraded Apple Pencil Pro, which offers pressure sensitivity, barrel roll, and customizable actions. There's a flexible and reliable 12 MP FaceTime camera that is now in landscape orientation.
Its slimness and lightweight build are other factors it's preferred by many, making it easy to pack or handle. The tablet weighs about a pound and measures 0.24 inches on its side. We like the solid feel, though it is missing water resistance that you often find in Samsung's tablets. The M3 iPad Air has a solid battery life, lasting a whole day or more with modest settings.
Do you think the M3 iPad Air is now worth it at this price? We want to hear if you plan on getting one.
