Apple iPad Air Apple 11" iPad Air (M4, 128GB, Wi-Fi Only, Purple) Review

The M4 iPad Air is all engine, no suspension. It's blisteringly fast but held back by a mediocre screen and limited storage. Get the iPad Pro or look at a Windows convertible instead.

The iPad Air with the M4 chip is a weirdly powerful tablet stuck in a weirdly limited body. The one thing you need to know is this: it's got a pro-level brain in a decidedly non-pro package. The M4 chip is an absolute monster, but the rest of the experience—from the basic screen to the lack of ProMotion—feels like Apple is holding it back on purpose. It's built for Apple Intelligence, sure, but it's also built to make you want the iPad Pro.

The performance is the only thing that isn't surprising, because it's exactly as fast as you'd expect from an M4 chip. Our database shows its CPU and GPU land in the 92nd and 90th percentiles, which is insane for a tablet at this price. It'll crush any app you throw at it. The real surprise is how that power feels wasted on a 60Hz screen and a chassis that doesn't fully unlock what the chip can do. It's like putting a race car engine in a commuter sedan.

At $559, it's a tough sell. You're paying a premium for that M4 chip, but you're getting mid-tier everything else. If raw processing power is your only metric, it's a value. If you care about the overall experience, it's not.

This sits in a frustrating middle ground. The 11-inch iPad Pro is the obvious upgrade if you want the full Apple tablet experience—120Hz ProMotion, better speakers, Thunderbolt. It's worth the extra cash. But the real competition is external: the Microsoft Surface Pro with Snapdragon X Elite is a full Windows PC that can actually replace your laptop, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10+ offers a far better screen for media. The iPad Air is the fastest tablet that still feels like just a tablet.

If you're looking for a true laptop replacement for serious work, skip this. Our data shows its productivity score is abysmal. Go get a Microsoft Surface Pro instead. Also, if you watch a lot of video or play fast-paced games, the 60Hz screen will feel like a downgrade. Look at the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+.

We can't give a full-throated recommendation. Buy this only if you are deeply committed to the Apple ecosystem, you absolutely need M4 power for specific apps, and you refuse to spend more on the iPad Pro. For everyone else, the compromises—especially that screen—are too big to ignore. It's a spec sheet hero that stumbles in real-world use.