Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G
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iPad Air 11-inch M3 2025KSh 80,000 – KSh 115,000
Apple iPad Air 11 M2 (2024)KSh 78,000 – KSh 149,500
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusKSh 97,500 – KSh 100,000
Lenovo Idea Tab Plus 5GKSh 59,000.00
Quick comparison
At a glance
Key specifications and important differences. Full details follow below.
| Feature |  Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 |  Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Price | KSh 82,000 – KSh 115,000 | KSh 87,000.00 |
| Display | 12.9-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD | 11.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, HDR10+ |
| Processor | Apple M3 | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB or 12 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 128 GB or 256 GB; configurations: 128 GB/8 GB RAM, 256 GB/8 GB RAM, 256 GB/12 GB RAM |
| Battery | 36.59 Wh rechargeable lithium-polymer; up to 10 hours web/video | 8400 mAh non-removable Li-Po |
| Charging | USB-C; fast charging supported | 45 W wired charging |
| Weight | 616 g (Wi-Fi); 617 g (Cellular) | 498 g |
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Full specifications
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General
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Apple | Samsung |
| Model | iPad Air 13-inch (M3, 2025) | Galaxy Tab S9 5G (SM-X716B) |
| Announced | March 2025 | 26 July 2023; released 11 August 2023 |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi; 5G on cellular models; Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), dual-band, MIMO; Bluetooth: 5.3; USB: USB-C, USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s, DisplayPort | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G; Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE; USB: USB Type-C 3.2; magnetic connector |
| Cameras | Rear: 12 MP Wide, f/1.8, autofocus; Front: 12 MP Ultra Wide landscape camera | Rear: 13 MP, f/2.0, 26 mm wide, 1/3.4-inch sensor, 1.0 µm pixels, autofocus; Front: 12 MP, f/2.4, 120° ultrawide |
Design
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1 mm | 254.3 × 165.8 × 5.9 mm |
| Weight | 616 g (Wi-Fi); 617 g (Cellular) | 498 g |
| Build materials | Aluminum unibody | Glass front, aluminium frame, aluminium back |
Display
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 12.9-inch Liquid Retina IPS LCD | 11.0-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz, HDR10+ |
| Screen resolution | 2732 x 2048 pixels, 264 ppi | 1600 × 2560 pixels |
| Display protection | Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating; fully laminated; anti-reflective coating | Corning Gorilla Glass |
| Display features | Liquid Retina IPS LCD, True Tone, P3 wide color, 500 nits (11-inch) / 600 nits (13-inch) | 16:10 aspect ratio; approximately 274 ppi |
Performance
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple M3 | Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| CPU | 8-core CPU (4 performance, 4 efficiency) | Octa-core: 1×3.36 GHz Cortex-X3, 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A715, 2×2.8 GHz Cortex-A710, 3×2.0 GHz Cortex-A510 |
| GPU | Apple 9-core GPU | Adreno 740 |
Memory & Storage
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 8 GB | 8 GB or 12 GB |
| Storage | 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB | 128 GB or 256 GB; configurations: 128 GB/8 GB RAM, 256 GB/8 GB RAM, 256 GB/12 GB RAM |
| Storage technology | NVMe | UFS |
| Expandable storage | No | microSDXC |
Cameras
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Rear camera | 12 MP Wide, f/1.8, autofocus | 13 MP, f/2.0, 26 mm wide, 1/3.4-inch sensor, 1.0 µm pixels, autofocus |
| Front camera | 12 MP Ultra Wide landscape camera | 12 MP, f/2.4, 120° ultrawide |
| Rear camera features | Smart HDR 4, panorama, True Tone flash | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Rear camera video | 4K at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p slow motion up to 240 fps | 4K at 30 fps; 1080p at 30 fps |
| Front camera features | Center Stage, Smart HDR 4 | HDR |
| Front camera video | 1080p at 25/30/60 fps | 4K at 30 fps; 1080p at 30 fps |
Battery & Charging
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 36.59 Wh rechargeable lithium-polymer; up to 10 hours web/video | 8400 mAh non-removable Li-Po |
| Charging | USB-C; fast charging supported | 45 W wired charging |
Software
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | iPadOS 18 at launch | Android 13, upgradable to Android 14, One UI 6; up to four major Android upgrades |
Network
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Wi-Fi; 5G on cellular models | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| SIM | eSIM on Wi-Fi + Cellular models | Nano-SIM and eSIM |
Connectivity
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| NFC | No | No |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), dual-band, MIMO | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Positioning | GPS/GNSS on cellular models; iBeacon | GPS, GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB-C, USB 3 up to 10 Gb/s, DisplayPort | USB Type-C 3.2; magnetic connector |
Durability
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Water resistance | No official IP water-resistance rating published by Apple | IP68 dust-tight and water-resistant up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes |
Features
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Touch ID, accelerometer, three-axis gyro, barometer, ambient light sensor | Under-display optical fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass; S Pen accelerometer and gyro |
| Colors | Space Gray, Blue, Purple, Starlight | Beige, Graphite |
Audio
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeakers | Landscape stereo speakers | Four stereo speakers |
| 3.5 mm headphone jack | No | No |
Protection
| Specification | Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2025 M3 | Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Water and dust resistance | No official IP water-resistance rating published by Apple | — |
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