Apple iPad Air (M4, 2026) Review

The 2026 iPad Air is an internal upgrade to a familiar tablet. The exterior design is unchanged from the M3 model. What's new is inside: the M4 chip, 12GB of RAM across every configuration, and Apple's own N1 and C1X connectivity chips with Wi-Fi 7 support. Apple kept the starting prices at $599 for the 11-inch and $799 for the 13-inch, with education pricing from $549 and $749.

This is the iPad for people who want more than the entry-level model, such as students, note-takers and creatives using the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, but who don't want to pay Pro prices. If you already own an M3 Air, there is little here that changes the day-to-day experience. Owners of older or M1-era models are the ones who stand to gain the most.

Our assessment rests on Apple's announcements and on early reviews from Tech Advisor, The Guardian and SlatePad. Some performance and battery figures come from single sources or from Apple's own claims, so treat them as indicative.

What works:

• Apple claims the M4 is up to 30% faster than the M3 Air and up to 2.3x faster than the M1 Air. For a mid-range tablet, that is plenty of headroom.
• Every model has 12GB of RAM, 50% more than the previous generation. That should help with multitasking and keep the tablet usable for longer.
• Wi-Fi 7 and the new connectivity chips modernise an area where the Air had started to look dated.
• The Guardian reports at least 9 hours of heavy use, which is solid all-day endurance.
• Holding the price steady makes the upgrade feel like a free bonus rather than an upsell.

What doesn't:

• The 60Hz LCD is unchanged. With no ProMotion or OLED, the screen is the clearest sign of where Apple draws the line between the Air and the Pro.
• It still uses Touch ID instead of Face ID, which reviewers continue to criticise.
• 128GB of base storage feels stingy, especially on a device this capable. Many buyers will need to move up a tier.
• Charging is slow, there is no charger in the box and there is no IP rating.

Verdict: The M4 iPad Air is a capable, well-priced tablet that does almost everything well. Its weaknesses are the same ones it had last year. It is an easy recommendation for new buyers and upgraders from older iPads, but it is a chip bump rather than a reinvention. Apple's refusal to touch the display or add Face ID keeps it from greatness.