Which is better for drawing?

The iPad Air M3. It supports Apple Pencil Pro, which adds squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback, and its P3 wide-color screen shows color more accurately. The A16 iPad works only with Apple Pencil (USB-C).

Is the iPad Air M3 worth the extra money?

Yes if you edit video, draw, or run several apps at once. The M3 chip and 8GB RAM are a large step up. For streaming and browsing, the A16 iPad covers it for less.

The iPad Air M3. The faster M3 chip and 8GB base RAM will stay useful for more iPadOS updates and heavier apps. Both list 10 hours of battery life.

Do both have the same screen size?

Yes. Both are 11-inch Liquid Retina at 2360 x 1640 resolution (264 ppi). The Air M3 adds P3 wide color and lower reflectivity.

Which is better for video calls?

The iPad Air M3. Its 12MP front camera has Center Stage, which keeps you in frame as you move, plus Retina Flash with True Tone. The A16 iPad has a 12MP front camera without Center Stage.

Which has more storage?

The iPad Air M3, which goes up to 1TB. The iPad (A16) tops out at 512GB.

Apple iPad (A16) 11-inch vs iPad Air M3

Buy the iPad Air M3 for serious work, drawing, and long-term use. Its M3 chip, 8GB base RAM, P3 wide-color screen, and Apple Pencil Pro support put it well ahead of the A16 iPad. Buy the iPad (A16) if you mainly stream, browse, and take notes on a budget. The Air M3 has ranged from $299.99 on October 28, 2026 to $599.99 on November 2, 2026, while the iPad (A16) is $399.99 at Amazon as of November 5, 2026.

Today the Apple iPad (A16) 11-inch costs $150.00 less at its best price.

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