Apple’s all-new, all-powerful M5 iPad Pro is set to release on October 22, but if you’re looking for a tablet that can act as a laptop replacement, you don’t need to spend the AU$1,699 minimum it demands. Apple’s M3 chip still is still mighty-powerful, and this Amazon deal cuts the 11-inch iPad Air with M3 by 27% – down to just AU$727.
This is the lowest price we’ve seen on the latest iPad Air in Apple’s arsenal, released in March of this year. In our 11-inch iPad Air with M3 review, we said it “stretches the value even further” – taking what was already a winning recipe in the Apple iPad Air 13-inch (2024), and giving it a powerful boost with the M3 chip, and all for the same price.
Cutting AU$272 off its high-value price, it’s easily the iPad to buy no matter your use-case.
Launching less than 12 months after its predecessor, this tablet retains the M2 model’s design and vibrant Liquid Retina display, and just receives a welcome boost of power to make everyday use slicker than ever. Even with Black Friday on the horizon, we can’t imagine you’ll find it much cheaper than AU$727.
Not convinced the M3 chip offers much of an advantage over the M2 it replaces? As soon as you attempt intense tasks like editing 4K video or playing AAA titles such as Death Stranding and Resident Evil, you’ll soon realise it handles them all with ease. Our tester was able to edit photos in Photoshop and Pixelmator, draw in ProCreate, edit a movie in Final Cut Pro and then swiftly export those files. It even sometimes outpaced his MacBook Air.
It can do all that without dying on you, too, as its battery life is one of its most impressive assets – lasting the day even with extended gaming sessions. And, while most people would wear headphones in most environments, the M3 iPad Air’s stereo speakers offer an impressively loud, immersive audio experience.
It might not come with the Magic Keyboard, which you’ll want to pick up if you plan to use this as a productivity device, but this is still a stellar buy for most people. Since it’s already a fantastic-value iPad for high-power users, grabbing it at this lowest-ever price is a must if you need more from your tablet.
