Apple iPad Air 13" M4 Starlight 2024

The M4 iPad Air is a speed demon trapped behind a 60Hz screen. If you can ignore that dated refresh rate, it's the best all-around tablet on the market right now.

The iPad Air finally gets the M4 chip, and it's ridiculously fast. This 13-inch model packs the same processor as the latest MacBook Pro, 12GB of RAM, and a huge 1TB of storage. The big headline: for most people, this is the iPad to buy. It handles photo editing, 4K video, and games without breaking a sweat. But there's a catch that's impossible to ignore. Apple locked the display to 60Hz. In a world where even budget phones push 120Hz, that feels like a deliberate slap on the wrist to push you toward the Pro. If you can get past that, you're getting a gorgeous 13-inch Liquid Retina screen, all-day battery life, and Apple Pencil Pro support. It's a powerhouse that's just one spec away from perfection.

What surprised us most is how smooth everything feels despite the 60Hz ceiling. The M4's 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU are absolute monsters, sitting in the 94th and 92nd percentiles respectively in our database. Apps launch instantly, and even heavy layers in Procreate or DaVinci Resolve feel buttery. The real head-scratcher is that with 12GB of unified memory and a storage score in the top 2% of all tablets we've tested, this thing has the guts of a pro workstation. Yet every time you swipe between home screens or scroll a webpage, that 60Hz panel reminds you it's the 'Air.' It's like driving a supercar with a 40mph speed limiter in city mode. The M4 is so efficient we pushed the battery to a 97th percentile life despite it being a modest 37Wh cell. That's best-in-class territory, and the fanless design stays cool under load. The performance is incredible; the screen refresh just isn't.

Value is tricky when the price spread across vendors is over $1,100. For the 1TB model reviewed here, you're looking at the high end of that range. If you need that much built-in storage, it's arguably the best large-screen tablet for creatives, but most people should buy the 256GB or 512GB version and save a fortune. The M4 chip makes this machine incredibly future-proof, and at the lower-capacity models it's a steal. Just be sure to shop around; some storefronts are charging nearly $2,000 for what you can find for under $1,500 with a little digging.

The 13-inch iPad Air faces its stiffest competition from the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra and the Microsoft Surface Pro. The Tab S11 Ultra has a stunning 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED screen that makes this Air's 60Hz IPS look sad in comparison, and the S Pen comes in the box. But Samsung's One UI still doesn't match iPadOS for app quality, especially in creative tools. The Surface Pro runs full Windows 11, making it the no-brainer for anyone needing desktop apps and true multitasking, though its Arm-based chips can't touch the M4's raw performance. For pure tablet experience, media consumption, and art, the iPad Air is the most polished option, but if you're a gamer or screen snob, the Samsung wins.

If you're a gamer or a digital artist who values buttery smooth motion and immediate touch feedback, the 60Hz panel will drive you nuts. Get the 13-inch iPad Pro with ProMotion instead. Also, if you need a desktop browser and full file system, the Surface Pro is a better fit.

The 13-inch iPad Air M4 is the best big-screen tablet for the money, as long as you aren't allergic to 60Hz. Its performance, battery, and app ecosystem are best-in-class. Get the 512GB configuration for the sweet spot, and pair it with an Apple Pencil Pro for a creative setup that rivals the Pro at a lower cost. If you need a laptop replacement or a high-refresh-rate panel, look elsewhere. For everyone else, this is the iPad to get.