A year back, Apple introduced the M3 iPad Air. Almost a year to the day thereafter, Apple is enhancing its sleekest tablet by replacing the M3 chip with the M4. At first glance, you might not notice any differences between this iPad Air and its predecessor, not solely due to the identical design and color options, but also because Apple has retained some of the same visuals from the M3 version on the product page.
Regardless, Apple aims for consumers to recognize the “fantastic value” that elevated performance, increased memory, and enhanced connectivity can provide for this tablet. In numerous respects, the M4 iPad Air stands up closely to the newest M5 iPad Pro, yet comes at a more budget-friendly cost.
“iPad Air presents users with more opportunities than ever to express creativity and productivity, delivering robust performance and remarkable versatility to assist them in transforming their ideas into reality,” remarked Bob Borchers, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With its rapid performance thanks to M4, outstanding AI features, and revolutionary iPadOS 26 enhancements, there’s never been a more opportune moment to select or upgrade to iPad Air.”
Apple amplified the iPad Air with the M4 chip
Upon launching the M4 iPad Pro in 2024, Apple unveiled a redesign, a novel display, and enhanced accessories. With the iPad Air now acquiring this potent processor, Apple chose to concentrate on an internal overhaul instead, as externally, the M4 iPad Air appears almost identical to the last two versions.
Owing to the M4 chip, Apple claims the new iPad Air is as much as 30% quicker than its predecessor. This tablet has also embraced several of the fresh internal specifications from the M5 iPad Pro, such as Wi-Fi 7 compatibility and Apple’s proprietary connectivity chips, including the N1 wireless networking chip and C1X modem. These upgrades enhance Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance between Apple devices and broaden the variety of products that can obscure their location from providers, a feature recently incorporated in the iOS 26.3 update.
Regrettably, the iPad Air still commences with 128GB of storage, whereas the iPad Pro offers a minimum of 256GB. Nevertheless, while most companies are boosting prices of their gadgets due to the ongoing RAM scarcity, Apple declared that the new iPad models will feature 12GB of memory — 50% more than the earlier version — along with 120GB/s of memory bandwidth. All these enhancements will ensure the iPad Air M4 feels more responsive, better equipped to tackle demanding tasks, and more prepared to utilize the new multitasking capabilities of iPadOS 26.
Another uninspiring iPad upgrade
Even though Apple consistently rolls out some of the most sought-after and powerful tablets available, the frequent updates to its lineup make it challenging for customers to rationalize upgrading regularly. In a press announcement, Apple highlights the superior aspects of the M4 iPad Air in comparison to the M1 model, but it’s essential to acknowledge that the M1 iPad Air remains an exceptionally capable tablet. After all, the 2022 model still features many of the same capabilities as the 2026 iteration, and all these tablets are compatible with the same iPadOS 26 software.
With a redesign anticipated in the future, Apple’s approach is to ensure customers can obtain the finest hardware available whenever they are prepared to upgrade. The 11-inch model starts at $599, while the 13-inch variant continues to start at $799. This tablet is also compatible with the identical accessories as the iPad Pro, including the Magic Keyboard ($269), the Apple Pencil Pro ($129), and the USB-C Apple Pencil ($79). Consumers will be able to pre-order the iPad Air commencing this Wednesday, March 4, with the official release set for March 11.