Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 vs Apple - iPad mini (7th gen)
Between the iPad Air 11 M3 and iPad mini (7th gen), the iPad Air 11 M3 comes out ahead in screen size, while the iPad mini (7th gen) wins on weight. Overall, the iPad Air 11 M3 scores 50 and the iPad mini (7th gen) scores 44.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The iPad Air 11 M3 edges ahead on the Mars Score (50 vs 44.7), but the 5.3-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the iPad Air 11 M3 if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. The biggest gaps in its favor are screen size.
Pick the iPad mini (7th gen) if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight.
Both ship with comparable ram, storage, refresh rate, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the iPad Air 11 M3 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 wins
- ▲Screen size — 32.53% more. 11 " vs 8.3 ".
Why Apple - iPad mini (7th gen) wins
- ▲Weight — 167.00 g less. 293 vs 460.
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Apple - iPad mini (7th gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 11 "lead | 8.3 " |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | LCD |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 500 nits | 500 nits |
Performance
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Apple - iPad mini (7th gen) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 460 g | 293 glead |
| Stylus support | true | true |
| Cellular | true | true |
| OS | iPadOS | iPadOS |
Frequently asked
Spec-level deep dives
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