Tablets · Review
Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4)
The iPad most people should buy, with enough performance for years and only the display separating it from the Pro.
90
out of 100
Our verdict
The M4 iPad Air keeps the previous model's design and screen but adds Apple's M4 chip, 12GB of memory and Wi-Fi 7, with Apple claiming up to 30 percent faster performance than the M3 Air. Reviewers of the M5 iPad Pro point to the Air as the better value for most buyers, since it supports Apple Pencil Pro, the Magic Keyboard and Apple Intelligence. The trade-offs are an LCD without ProMotion, Touch ID instead of Face ID and a plain USB-C port. Apple raised its list price to $749 in June 2026, though retailers sell it for less.
What's good
- M4 chip and 12GB of memory at a mid-range price
- Supports Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Intelligence
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6
- Light at 464g
What's not
- No ProMotion high-refresh display
- Touch ID only, no Face ID
- USB-C without Thunderbolt
- Apple list price rose to $749 in June 2026
How it scores
How we rate →Specifications
- Configuration priced
- Wi-Fi, 128GB, 12GB RAM
- Display
- 10.86-inch Liquid Retina LCD, 2360 x 1640, 500 nits, P3 (no ProMotion)
- Chip
- Apple M4, 8-core CPU, 9-core GPU
- Battery
- 28.93 Wh, up to 10 hours web or video (Apple claim)
- Wireless
- Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 (Apple N1)
- Port
- USB-C
- Weight
- 464g
- Biometrics
- Touch ID (top button)