M3 iPad Air with cellular drops to $499 at Best Buy
The 128GB 11-inch iPad Air with Wi-Fi and 5G is selling for $499 after Apple price increases lifted the base iPad to $449.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
Best Buy is selling Apple’s 11-inch iPad Air with an M3 chip, 128GB of storage, Wi-Fi and 5G cellular support for $499, according to The Verge. The deal stands out after Apple price increases pushed the base iPad to $449, up from $349, The Verge reported.
Best Buy lists the iPad Air model at $499, down from $749, a 33% discount. The configuration covered by the deal is the space gray, unlocked model with 128GB of storage and both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity.
The Verge framed the offer as a stronger buy than the base iPad for shoppers trying to stay near the $500 mark. At $50 more than Apple’s entry iPad under the new pricing cited by The Verge, the Air brings a faster processor and a higher-end display.
What the iPad Air adds
The M3 iPad Air uses the same 11-inch screen size as the base iPad, but The Verge noted several display differences. The Air has a laminated screen, an antireflective coating and a wider color gamut, features The Verge said make it better suited for entertainment and creative work.
The tablet also has Apple’s M3 processor rather than the A16 chip in the base iPad. The Verge said the M3 has more cores and supports Apple Intelligence, as well as iPadOS 27, which is expected later this year.
Apple Pencil Pro support is another difference. The Verge also noted that the iPad Air works with Apple’s newest Magic Keyboard, which has a larger build and a 14-key function row.
Price changes shape the comparison
The discount comes after many of Apple’s recent price increases took effect, The Verge reported. Those increases have made iPads and other Apple products cost hundreds more than they did days earlier, according to The Verge.
The higher base iPad price changes the gap between Apple’s entry tablet and the discounted Air. The Verge said the base iPad is now $449, while the M3 iPad Air deal sits at $499.
The Verge described the M3 iPad Air as a faster and more capable tablet than the base model. Best Buy’s listing shows the sale price for the 128GB Wi-Fi and 5G version at $499.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.