iPad · Retina & Beyond · 2019
iPad Air (3rd generation)
After a four-year gap the Air returned as the sensible middle iPad: a bigger 10.5" laminated screen, the A12, and accessory support, minus the Pro price.
iPad Air (3rd generation): key facts
When was the iPad Air (3rd generation) released?
The iPad Air (3rd generation) was released in March 18, 2019. Apple discontinued it in September 2020.
How much did the iPad Air (3rd generation) cost?
The iPad Air (3rd generation) launched at $499 in 2019 — about $614 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What are the iPad Air (3rd generation)’s specs?
The iPad Air (3rd generation) used a Apple A12 Bionic running at 2.49 GHz, with 3 GB of memory and 64 GB of storage. It ran iPadOS 12.2.
Why does the iPad Air (3rd generation) matter?
Revived the Air at 10.5" with Smart Keyboard and Pencil support.
Full specifications
| CPU | Apple A12 Bionic · 2.49 GHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 6 |
| Memory (RAM) | 3 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Display | 10.5" Retina IPS, 2224×1668 (True Tone) |
| GPU | Apple 4-core GPU |
| Ports | Lightning |
| Weight | 456 g |
| Dimensions | 250.6×174.1×6.1 mm |
| Operating system | iPadOS 12.2 |
| Released | March 18, 2019 |
| Discontinued | September 2020 |
| Launch price | $499 |
How the iPad Air (3rd generation) compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 5.3× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 2.49 GHz, the clock is roughly 1.3× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro — and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 16,400 modern phone photos — a respectable library even today.
Launched at $499 in 2019 — about $614 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.
Did you know?
It inherited the body of the discontinued 10.5" iPad Pro.
Related iPad models
Open the iPad Air (3rd generation) in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-06-25