iPad Air (M4) review

iPad Air with M4 is the balanced pick for people who split time between video, handwritten notes and office apps. Apple's spec sheet lists the M4 chip with an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU and 12GB of unified memory, which is more headroom than the base iPad for split-screen work and larger documents. It comes in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes; the 13-inch model reaches 600 nits and gives note-takers a page-sized canvas. Apple Pencil Pro and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air are both supported, so it can act as a notebook or a small laptop. Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and USB-C at up to 10Gb/s with 6K external display output round out the connections. The tradeoffs are the screen and the battery: the display is LCD without ProMotion, and Apple rates battery at up to 10 hours, the same as the base iPad. At $749 for the 11-inch 128GB model it costs $300 more than the iPad (A16), so buyers who mainly stream video can save money there.

Who it is for

most people who want one tablet for streaming, notes and light work

Price

From $749 for the 11-inch model with 128GB.

iPad Air Serious performance in a thin and light design. From $749
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 13, 2026.

Key features

• Apple M4 chip with an 8-core CPU, 9-core GPU and 12GB of unified memory
• 11-inch (2360 by 1640) or 13-inch (2732 by 2048) Liquid Retina display, 500 or 600 nits
• Supports Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Magic Keyboard for iPad Air
• Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 through Apple's N1 wireless chip
• USB-C at up to 10Gb/s with one external display up to 6K at 60Hz

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: 12GB of memory is the same amount Apple lists for the 256GB and 512GB iPad Pro
• Strength: 13-inch size gives a larger canvas without paying iPad Pro prices
• Strength: Storage options run from 128GB to 1TB
• Weakness: LCD screen without ProMotion, which only iPad Pro has among the iPads here
• Weakness: Up to 10 hours of battery, no more than the $449 iPad
• Weakness: $300 more than the base iPad at the US starting price

Key facts

• Starting price: $749 (11-inch, 128GB)
• Chip: Apple M4, 12GB memory
• Screen: 11-inch or 13-inch Liquid Retina (LCD)
• Battery: Up to 10 hours web or video on Wi-Fi
• Weight: 464 g (11-inch Wi-Fi)

Where it ranks

iPad Air (M4) is No. 1 in our Best Tablets verdict.