Apple has just unveiled the first two entries in its 2025 iPad lineup, but choosing the right one feels tougher than ever in today's landscape.

Less than a year after updating it with the M2 chip and introducing a larger-screen option, Apple gave the iPad Air another hardware refresh with a power bump. To boost its already formidable productivity chops, Apple also treated the iPad Air to a new, more affordably priced Magic Keyboard with a dedicated function row.

The familiar flat all-aluminum design with fairly thick bezels (especially when compared to the iPad Pro) is identical on both. Both the iPad Air M3 (2025) and the iPad Air M2 (2024) are available in two sizes, an 11-inch and a 13-inch.