Apple iPad Air Apple 11" iPad Air (M4, 128GB, Wi-Fi + 5G, Space Review

The 11-inch iPad Air with the M4 chip is a powerhouse tablet that brings Pro-level performance down to a more accessible price. It excels for creative work, multitasking, and gaming, though battery life is average and the base storage is tight. It's the best choice for most people who need serious tablet performance but don't require the iPad Pro's top-tier display.

The new 11-inch iPad Air with the M4 chip is the tablet to get if you want Pro-level power without the Pro price tag. It's a serious upgrade over the previous M2 model, bringing the same chip that's in the latest iPad Pro to a more affordable package. You're looking at an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, 12GB of RAM, Wi-Fi 7, and 5G cellular connectivity, all wrapped in a sleek, 454-gram body. It's built for Apple Intelligence and is positioned as the go-to tablet for creatives and professionals who need a portable powerhouse but don't need the absolute top-tier screen or speakers.

Let's talk about that M4 chip. In our database, its CPU performance lands in the 91st percentile and the GPU hits the 90th. That means this thing is fast, period. It chews through photo and video editing in apps like Lightroom and LumaFusion without breaking a sweat, and gaming performance is excellent. The 12GB of RAM (in the 80th percentile) is a huge win for multitasking, letting you run multiple pro apps side-by-side without slowdowns. The only real performance letdown is the battery, which scores in the 48th percentile. It'll get you through a day, but heavy users will need to plug in by evening.

Priced between $709 and $749, the iPad Air M4 sits in a tricky spot. It's significantly more expensive than the base iPad, but also a fair bit cheaper than the OLED iPad Pro. For the money, you're getting nearly all the raw processing power of the Pro in a more accessible form. The value really depends on what you prioritize. If the absolute best screen and speakers are non-negotiable, save up for the Pro. If you just need immense power for work and play, the Air is the smarter buy.

The obvious competitor is Apple's own 11-inch iPad Pro. The Pro gives you a stunning OLED display with ProMotion, better speakers, and a slightly more powerful M4 configuration. But you pay a hefty premium for those extras. Against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+, the iPad Air wins on pure app optimization and processor performance, but the Samsung offers a more desktop-like multitasking experience and expandable storage. The Microsoft Surface Pro is a different beast entirely—a full Windows laptop replacement. The iPad Air is more portable and has a far better touch-first app ecosystem, but the Surface can run full desktop software.

Skip the iPad Air M4 if your tablet life is mostly about watching videos, browsing the web, and reading. The base iPad is a much better value for that. Also, hardcore mobile gamers or video editors who demand the smoothest possible visuals should spring for the iPad Pro's 120Hz ProMotion display. And if you need a true laptop replacement for running full desktop applications, a lightweight laptop or a Surface Pro is still a better fit.

So, should you buy the iPad Air M4? If you're an artist, student, or mobile professional who uses demanding apps and values portability, this is probably the best iPad for you. It answers the question 'is the iPad Air good for digital art?' with a resounding yes, thanks to the M4 and Pencil Pro support. The performance is overkill for just streaming and browsing, but if you actually push your tablet, it's a fantastic tool. Just be honest about your storage needs—128GB fills up fast with projects and apps.