Compare tablets
Apple iPad 3
32 GB VerizonApple iPad Air
Wi-Fi Only 128 GB| Global Score | |
| 69.5 | 77.7 |
| Basic Information | |
| Apple | Apple |
| iOS 7.x, 6.1, 6, 5.1 | iOS 8.x, 7.x |
| 2012-03-07 | 2013-10-22 |
| 9.50 x 7.31 x 0.37 inches | 9.45 x 6.67 x 0.30 inches |
| 23.35 ounces | 16.86 ounces |
| Black and White | Black, Gray and White |
| -- | Aluminium |
| Scratch-Resistant Glass | -- |
| $ 270.00 | $ 280.00 |
| Display / Screen | |
| 9.7 inches | 9.7 inches |
| 2048 x 1536 pixels | 2048 x 1536 pixels |
| IPS LCD | IPS LCD |
| 264 pixels per inch | 264 pixels per inch |
| Capacitive, Multi-touch | Capacitive, Multi-touch |
| 8 | 8.2 |
| Performance | |
| Apple A5X chipset | Apple A7 chipset |
| ARM Cortex-A9 (Dual-Core 1000 MHz) processor | 64-bit Cyclone (Dual-Core 1400 MHz) processor |
| 1 GB RAM | 1 GB RAM |
| Quad core PowerVR SGX543MP4 GPU | PowerVR G6430 (600 MHz) GPU |
| 7.83 | 9.27 |
| Storage | |
| 32 GB internal memory | 128 GB internal memory |
| No SD card slot | No SD card slot |
| 5.8 | 10.1 |
| Camera | |
| 5.00 MP + 0.30 MP | 5.00 MP + 1.20 MP |
| f/2.40 aperture | f/2.40 aperture |
| 35.00mm focal length | 33.00mm focal length |
| 1920 x 1080 (30 fps) (Full HD) video resolution | 1920 x 1080 (30 fps) (Full HD) video resolution |
| 7.81 | 7.92 |
| Networks | |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Mobile Hotspot | Mobile Hotspot |
| LTE (4G), HSPA+ (4G), HSDPA, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS and GSM | LTE (4G), HSPA, EV-DO A, EV-DO B, EDGE and GPRS |
| Micro SIM | Nano SIM |
| 6.9 | 6.5 |
| Battery Life | |
| 11560mAh Li-Polymer Battery | 8820mAh Li-Polymer Battery |
| Non-Removable Battery | Non-Removable Battery |
| 11.2 | 9.52 |
| Other Features | |
| Bluetooth 4.0 | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| GPS | GPS |
| Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope and Light Sensor | Accelerometer, Compass, Gyroscope and Light Sensor |
Comparison review
The iPad Air is better than the iPad 3, having a overall score of 77.7 against 69.5. The iPad Air design is newer, noticeably lighter and thinner than iPad 3. Both of these tablets have iOS OS (operating system), but the iPad Air has the newer 8.x version while iPad 3 has iOS 7.x. The iPad Air has a greater performance than iPad 3, and although they both have the same RAM amount and 2 cores, the iPad Air also has a 64-bits processing unit and an extra GPU.
The iPad Air has a little sharper screen than iPad 3. Both have a higher amount of pixels per inch in the screen, exactly the same 1536 x 2048 pixels resolution and a same size display. Apple iPad Air captures clearer pictures and videos than iPad 3. Both of them have a camera in the back with a 5 mega-pixels, a F2.4 aperture, the same 1920x1080 video resolution and the same video frame rates.
The iPad Air has a superior memory for apps and games than Apple iPad 3, because it has 128 GB internal memory. The iPad 3 features improved battery performance than Apple iPad Air, because it has 11560mAh of battery capacity against 8820mAh.
Apple iPad Air costs a bit more money than the Apple iPad 3, but it's still a good choice, as you can get a lot more features for that extra money.
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