Apple has shot down speculations of the M4 iPad Air by releasing the M3 version recently. While the design remains the same on the outside, the company claims that the processor is quite fast. Apple's words aside, we were anxiously waiting for the first benchmarks of the M3 iPad Air, and it appears that the new chip delivers computational as well as graphical output.
Apple's M3 iPad Air is around 20 percent faster than its predecessor
The first Geekbench 6 results for the new iPad Air with an M3 chip are not surprising at all, as we have previously judged the performance of the chip in Apple's MacBook Air lineup. We already know that the M3 chip is about 20 percent faster than the M2 chip in multi-core CPU performance, and the latest benchmarks show similar results.
The average Geekbench 6 multi-core score of the M3 iPad Air is 11,605, while the previous iPad Air with an M2 chip scored 9,817 in the same test. If we do the math, the M3 iPad Air is around 18 percent faster than the M2 chip. While the performance gains are a welcome addition, the rest of the device is pretty much the same as the previous version.
In terms of design, there are little to no changes, which is not bad, as the company recently upgraded the design of the lineup, which is in line with the rest of the models, except the OLED iPad Pro. Apple also unveiled the new M3 Ultra chip recently, which is possibly the fastest chip Apple has ever made, and we are anxiously waiting for its benchmarks to go online.
The M3 Ultra chip is only available on the Mac Studio, which Apple announced yesterday alongside the M4 Max variant of the machine. It was a busy week for Apple, and the company also announced the new iPad 11 with an A16 chip, and it remains to be the only device that does not feature Apple Intelligence upgrades. Apart from the AI features, the rest of the experience is pretty much the same as the rest of the lineup.
We will keep a close eye on the benchmarks for Apple's new products, so be sure to stick around. Are you planning to upgrade to the M3 iPad Air? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
About the author: Ali Salman is a technology reporter for Wccftech mobile section with a specialized focus on Apple and the intellectual property that drives mobile innovation. He has cultivated a unique expertise in analyzing and deconstructing complex technology patents, translating dense legal and technical documents into clear, insightful reports on future products.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
