Comparison
iPad mini vs iPad Air: Which iPad Size Is Right for You?
The iPad mini (A17 Pro) is an 8.3-inch tablet that weighs 293 g and fits in one hand. The iPad Air (M3) has a bigger 11-inch or 13-inch screen, the faster M3 chip, a Smart Connector for keyboards and up to 1TB of storage. Both support Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Intelligence.
Buy the iPad mini (A17 Pro) if you want a small, light tablet for reading, notes, travel and use in one hand. Buy the iPad Air 11-inch (M3) if you want a bigger screen, the faster M3 chip and a keyboard case for school or work.
You want a bigger screen for work or school
You want a keyboard case with the Smart Connector
You want the faster M3 chip
You want up to 1TB of storage
You want an iPad you can hold in one hand
You read, take notes or travel a lot
You want the lightest iPad
You don't need a keyboard case
Skip both if: you want the biggest screen. The iPad Air 13-inch (M3) has a 13-inch display.
The short version
Both are thin, modern iPads with a Liquid Retina display at 500 nits, an antireflective coating, Touch ID in the top button, a 12MP rear camera, a 12MP Center Stage front camera, landscape stereo speakers, USB-C, Wi-Fi 6E and up to 10 hours of battery life. Both support Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Intelligence.
The real difference is size. The iPad mini has an 8.3-inch screen and weighs 293 g. The iPad Air 11-inch has a 10.86-inch screen and weighs 460 g. The Air also has the more powerful M3 chip, a Smart Connector for keyboards, a landscape front camera and a 1TB storage option.
What's different
See every spec side by side
| iPad mini (A17 Pro) | iPad Air 11-inch (M3) | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
| Screen | 8.3" Liquid Retina | 10.86" Liquid Retina (sold as 11-inch) |
| Resolution | 2266 x 1488 at 326 ppi | 2360 x 1640 at 264 ppi |
| Brightness | 500 nits | 500 nits |
| Chip | A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU | M3, 8-core CPU, 9-core GPU |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Apple Pencil | Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) | Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) |
| Smart Connector (keyboard) | No | Yes |
| Front camera | 12MP Center Stage | 12MP Center Stage, landscape |
| Rear camera | 12MP Wide with True Tone flash | 12MP Wide |
| Battery | Up to 10 hours web or video | Up to 10 hours web or video |
| Size | 195.4 x 134.8 x 6.3 mm | 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm |
| Weight (Wi-Fi) | 293 g | 460 g |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Cellular models | 5G, eSIM only | 5G, eSIM only |
| Apple Intelligence | Yes | Yes |
| Refurbished price | From $709.99 | From $779.99 |
Size and weight
The iPad mini is 195.4 by 134.8 mm and weighs 293 g.
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You can hold it in one hand for a long time, and it fits in a jacket pocket or a small bag. It is a great size for reading, maps, recipes and taking notes standing up.
The iPad Air 11-inch is 247.6 by 178.5 mm and weighs 460 g. It is still thin and light, but it is a two-hand tablet. The 13-inch iPad Air weighs 616 g and has an even bigger screen for drawing, split-screen work and movies.
Screen
Both screens are Liquid Retina displays with True Tone, P3 wide colour, an antireflective coating and 500 nits of brightness.
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Neither has a 120Hz refresh rate.
The mini packs its pixels tighter, at 326 ppi against 264 ppi, so text looks very sharp. But the Air shows more on screen. Two apps side by side, a full web page or a document with a keyboard are much easier on the 11-inch or 13-inch Air.
Performance
The iPad mini uses the A17 Pro chip, the same chip family as the iPhone 15 Pro.
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The iPad Air uses the M3 chip, a Mac-class chip with an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU and hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Apple lists 8GB of RAM for the Air.
For reading, streaming, notes and most apps, both feel fast. The M3 has more headroom for video editing, big photo files, pro drawing apps and demanding games.
Keyboard, Apple Pencil and work
Only the iPad Air has a Smart Connector, which lets a keyboard case connect without Bluetooth.
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If you plan to type essays or use your iPad like a laptop, choose the Air. The iPad mini has no Smart Connector, so you need a Bluetooth keyboard.
Both support Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil hover. The mini is a favourite for handwritten notes because it feels like a paper notebook.
Cameras and video calls
Both have a 12MP rear camera that records 4K video at up to 60 fps, and a 12MP Center Stage front camera.
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On the Air, the front camera sits on the long, landscape edge. That works better for video calls when the iPad is standing sideways in a keyboard case or stand.
Price range
Refurbished, the iPad mini (A17 Pro) starts at $709.99 and the iPad Air 11-inch (M3) starts at $779.99. The iPad Air 13-inch (M3) starts at $1,009.99, and the older iPad mini (6th generation) starts at $419.99. Prices on this page update live from our store.
Browse every model in our iPad collection, or see iPad Air vs iPad Pro if you are thinking bigger. Have an older tablet? You can sell or trade it in.
Should you buy new or refurbished?
iPads get years of software updates, so a refurbished one is a smart way to save.
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Every iPad we sell is inspected and tested and comes with up to a 1-year warranty and 14-day returns. Grades describe looks only. Read new vs used vs refurbished to see how they compare.
FAQ
Is the iPad mini or iPad Air better?
The iPad Air is more powerful and better for work with a keyboard. The iPad mini is better if you want a small, light tablet you can use in one hand.
Does the iPad mini support Apple Intelligence?
Yes. The iPad mini (A17 Pro) supports Apple Intelligence. The older iPad mini (6th generation) with the A15 Bionic does not.
Does the iPad mini work with Apple Pencil Pro?
Yes. The iPad mini (A17 Pro) supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C). The iPad mini (6th generation) supports Apple Pencil (2nd generation) and Apple Pencil (USB-C).
Can you use a keyboard with the iPad mini?
Yes, with a Bluetooth keyboard. The iPad mini has no Smart Connector, so it cannot use keyboard cases that attach that way. The iPad Air has a Smart Connector.
Which has better battery life, iPad mini or iPad Air?
Apple rates both at up to 10 hours of web browsing on Wi-Fi or watching video.
Still choosing? Read our guide to which iPad to buy.
Skip the new-phone price
Get the iPad Air 11-inch (M3) pre-owned from $779.99, tested by real technicians with up to a 1-year warranty and 14-day returns.
