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iPad Air 11 (M3) — M3 · 11″ · Pencil Pro · Apple Intelligence
Apple

iPad Air 11 (M3)

M3 · 11″ · Pencil Pro · Apple Intelligence

90
/ 100
From $599
VS
iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi wins by 3
iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi — M5 · Tandem OLED · Wi-Fi
Apple

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi

M5 · Tandem OLED · Wi-Fi

93
/ 100
From $1,399
Specdex verdict

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, iPad Air 11 (M3) lands at 90 and iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi at 93. That puts iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi ahead by 3 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick iPad Air 11 (M3) if…

  • ✓M3 silicon at iPad Air pricing
  • ✓Pencil Pro support
  • ✓Apple Intelligence eligible

Pick iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi if…

  • ✓M5 performance in a tablet
  • ✓Tandem OLED display
  • ✓Apple Pencil Pro support
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Display

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi

Compared on the display sub-score

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi leads on display (98 vs 84).

Battery

Tie

Compared on the battery sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Software

iPad Air 11 (M3)

Compared on the software sub-score

iPad Air 11 (M3) leads on software (90 vs 82).

Value for money

iPad Air 11 (M3)

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

iPad Air 11 (M3) more score per dollar ($599 vs $1,399).

iPad Air 11 (M3) 90
vs
93 iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi

Score breakdown

iPad Air 11 (M3)
90
cpu 92
gpu 88
display 84
battery 88
software 90
performance 0
portability 0
iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi
93
cpu 0
gpu 0
display 98
battery 88
software 82
performance 97
portability 92

Specs side-by-side

iPad Air 11 (M3) versus iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi — full spec comparison
Spec iPad Air 11 (M3) iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi
Display
11″ Liquid Retina, 60Hz
—
Chipset
Apple M3
—
RAM
8 / 16 GB
—
Storage
▲ 128 / 256 / 512 / 1 TB
1TB
Battery
28.93 Wh
—
Weight
460 g (Wi-Fi)
—
Chip
—
M5
Display size
—
11"
Connectivity
—
Wi-Fi
Release year
—
2025

iPad Air 11 (M3)

Pros
  • +M3 silicon at iPad Air pricing
  • +Pencil Pro support
  • +Apple Intelligence eligible
Cons
  • −No ProMotion 120Hz
  • −No Tandem OLED
  • −Single rear camera

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi

Pros
  • +M5 performance in a tablet
  • +Tandem OLED display
  • +Apple Pencil Pro support
Cons
  • −iPadOS multitasking still limited
  • −Keyboard sold separately
  • −Pricey for casual use

FAQ: iPad Air 11 (M3) vs iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi

Which is better, iPad Air 11 (M3) or iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi? +

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi scores 93 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 3. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is iPad Air 11 (M3) worth the price? +

At $599, iPad Air 11 (M3) delivers a Specdex score of 90 — strongest in cpu.

Is iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi worth the price? +

At $1,399, iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi delivers a Specdex score of 93 — strongest in display.

Does iPad Air 11 (M3) or iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for display, iPad Air 11 (M3) or iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi? +

iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi — leads on display (98 vs 84). Compared on the display sub-score.

Which is better for software, iPad Air 11 (M3) or iPad Pro 11" (M5) · 1TB · Wi-Fi? +

iPad Air 11 (M3) — leads on software (90 vs 82). Compared on the software sub-score.