Introduction

Apple’s latest iPad Air M3 comes with a 28.93Wh battery, offering up to 10 hours of video streaming on a single charge. It ships with a 20W charger, but the packaging indicates support for up to 45W input (15V 3A).

So, what is the actual maximum charging power of the iPad Air M3? How well does it work with Apple’s original chargers, third-party adapters, and power banks? Let’s find out.

Compatibility Test of Apple iPad Air M3-Chargerlab

Charging Compatibility Test

Original Chargers

First, we tested the included 20W charger. The measured charging power at the iPad's input end was 8.65V 2.13A, or 18.45W.

Interestingly, when switching to a 70W Apple charger, the power only increased to 14.64V 2.01A, or 29.50W, which is far below the 45W indicated on the packaging.

To provide a clearer comparison, we compiled a summary of charging performance across multiple Apple original chargers. As expected, Apple’s chargers generally offer excellent compatibility.

Visualizing the data in a bar chart, we observed that all Apple chargers, except for the 87W model, were able to deliver either their own maximum power output or the iPad’s actually charging limit. The highest recorded power was 29.81W.

Third-party Chargers

If you ever forget your charger, you might have to rely on a third-party power adapter. So, how well does the iPad Air M3 work with non-Apple chargers when using the original USB-C cable?

We tested a Lenovo ThinkPlus 65W charger, which delivered 14.75V 2.12A, or 31.32W—even higher than Apple’s own chargers.

fter compiling data from multiple third-party chargers, we found that most chargers successfully triggered the 15V power profile, while a few operated at 9V or 12V.

Plotting this data in a bar chart, we saw that nearly all third-party chargers reached either their own maximum output or the iPad’s peak supported charging speed. The overall compatibility was excellent, and surprisingly, some third-party chargers even outperformed Apple’s original ones, with a maximum recorded power of 31.32W.

Power Banks

Finally, we tested power banks. The ZMI No.20 power bank charged the iPad at 14.59V 2.04A, or 29.81W.

The Xiaomi 20,000mAh 50W power bank delivered 14.62V 2.01A, or 29.31W.

Summarizing the results, we found that all tested power banks charged the iPad Air M3 at either 9V or 15V, with currents ranging from 1A to 2A.

A graphical comparison revealed a pattern similar to third-party chargers: most power banks achieved their highest possible PD fast-charging power, demonstrating excellent compatibility.

Summary of ChargerLAB

iPad Air M3 comes with a 20W charger, and the packaging states that it supports up to 45W input. However, actual testing shows that the maximum charging power is only around 31W.

In terms of charging compatibility, Apple’s original chargers continue to perform excellently, with most of them reaching either their own maximum power output or the iPad’s supported limit of around 30W. As for third-party chargers and power banks, the iPad also demonstrates excellent compatibility, achieving the highest PD fast-charging power supported by either the charger, power bank, or the iPad itself.

Compatibility Test of Apple iPad Air M3

Introduction