Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 144 Hz |
| Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB |
| Peak brightness | 500 nits | 800 nits |
| RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB |
| Weight | 460 g | 500 g |
| Screen size | 11 " | 11.2 " |
Between the iPad Air 11 M3 and Pad 7 Pro, the iPad Air 11 M3 comes out ahead in weight, while the Pad 7 Pro wins on refresh rate / storage. Overall, the iPad Air 11 M3 scores 57.4 and the Pad 7 Pro scores 63.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Pad 7 Pro edges ahead on the Mars Score (57.4 vs 63.9), but the 6.5-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 you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 40.00 g less. 460 vs 500.
Pick the Pad 7 Pro if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are refresh rate, storage, peak brightness, among others. The single most decisive one: Refresh rate — 140.00% more. 144 Hz vs 60 Hz.
Both ship with comparable stylus support, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Pad 7 Pro is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 or Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro?
Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro leads the current Mars Score by 6.5 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare screen size, ram, storage, refresh rate against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 if…
Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 has the measurable edge on weight g.
Choose Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro if…
Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro has the measurable edge on refresh rate hz, storage gb, peak brightness nits.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 wins
- ▲Weight — 40.00 g less. 460 vs 500.
Why Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 140.00% more. 144 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲Storage — 100.00% more. 256 GB vs 128 GB.
- ▲Peak brightness — 60.00% more. 800 nits vs 500 nits.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Screen size — 1.82% more. 11.2 " vs 11 ".
Spec comparison
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 11 " | 11.2 "lead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 144 Hzlead |
| Panelⓘ | LCD | LCD |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 500 nits | 800 nitslead |
Performance
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPad Air 11 M3 | Xiaomi - Pad 7 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 460 glead | 500 g |
| Stylus support | true | true |
| Cellular | truelead | false |
| OS | iPadOS | Androidlead |