iPad mini (6th generation) vs iPad Air (M3)
Compare iPad mini (6th generation) and iPad Air (M3): display, weight and key specifications. Exact configurations, sources and Difluma's interactive comparison.
iPad mini (6th generation)
8.3″ · 64 GB
iPad Air (M3)
11″ · 128 GB
Key differences
- Chip: A15 Bionic → M3.
- Screen size: 8.3″ → 10.86″.
- Resolution: 2266 × 1488 → 2360 × 1640.
- Weight: 293 g → 460 g.
| Feature | iPad mini (6th generation) | iPad Air (M3) |
|---|---|---|
| Chip | A15 Bionic | M3 |
| Screen size | 8.3″ | 10.86″ |
| Resolution | 2266 × 1488 | 2360 × 1640 |
| SDR brightness | 500 nits | 500 nits |
| Weight | 293 g | 460 g |
| CPU cores | 6 | 8 |
| GPU cores | 5 | 9 |
| RAM | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB | 128 GB |
| Refresh rate | 60 Hz | 60 Hz |
| Display type | LCD | LCD |
| Hardware ray tracing | No | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | 6 | 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 |
Considering an upgrade
iPad Air (M3) scores approximately 44% higher in the single-core test (Geekbench 7 Single-Core): 1905 versus 2744.
iPad Air (M3) scores approximately 136% higher in the multi-core test (Geekbench 7 Multi-Core): 4993 versus 11799.
Score differences help compare the selected configurations. Application speed depends on the workload; these percentages do not imply the same FPS increase or time saving in every task.
Screen diagonals are 8.3″ and 10.86″. iPad Air (M3) has the larger display, useful when space for spreadsheets, documents or multiple windows matters. This comparison covers the stated sizes; a different chassis size may change the conclusion.
iPad mini (6th generation) is 167 g lighter (293 versus 460 g). That is a concrete advantage when carrying the device frequently, and usually matters less at a desk.
This table covers the configurations shown; other screen sizes and capacities may differ. Specifications come from the project catalog, with original sources linked below.
Sources and methodology
- Apple — iPad mini (6th generation)
- Geekbench 7 Single-Core
- Geekbench 7 Multi-Core
- Notebookcheck WiFi v1.3 / 150 nits
- Apple — iPad Air (M3)
- Notebookcheck WiFi v1.3 / 150 nits
- How we compare devices