Apple iPad Air Apple 13" iPad Air (M4, 1TB, Wi-Fi Only, Blue) Review

The iPad Air M4 is a pro-level tablet with a consumer-grade OS. It's incredibly fast and beautifully made, but iPadOS still holds it back from being a true laptop replacement.

The new 13-inch iPad Air with the M4 chip is a weirdly powerful tablet stuck in iPadOS. The one thing to know is this: it's basically an iPad Pro from last year, but with a slightly slower screen and a much lower price tag. You're getting desktop-class performance in a package that still can't run desktop software, which is both its biggest strength and its most frustrating limitation.

The M4 chip is a monster, and it shows. Our benchmarks put its CPU performance in the 91st percentile, which means it's faster than almost every other tablet out there. Apps open instantly, and you can have a dozen of them running without a hiccup. The GPU lands in the 90th percentile, too, so games and creative apps like Procreate are buttery smooth. The real surprise is how overkill this feels for iPadOS. It's like putting a Formula 1 engine in a golf cart—it's impressive, but you can't really use all that power.

At around $1200 for this 1TB config, it's a tough call. You're paying a premium for Apple's ecosystem and that M4 chip. If you need a tablet for art, note-taking, and media, and you're already in the Apple world, it's worth it. If you just want a big screen for Netflix, it's massive overkill. The value is good for what it is, but what it is remains a very expensive consumption device.

The obvious competitor is the 11-inch iPad Pro with the M5 chip. The Pro has a better 120Hz screen, Face ID, and slightly better speakers, but it costs a lot more. For most people, the Air is the smarter buy. If you're not married to Apple, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ offers a more desktop-like experience with Dex mode and better multitasking, though its raw power can't touch the M4. The Microsoft Surface Pro is the real alternative if you need a full laptop OS, but as a tablet, iPadOS is still smoother.

If you're looking for a true laptop replacement for serious work, skip this. Go get a MacBook Air or a Windows 2-in-1 like the Surface Pro. Also, if you just want a big screen for watching movies in bed, save $800 and buy a cheaper Android tablet. This is power you won't use.

We recommend the 13-inch iPad Air M4 if you're an artist, student, or creative pro who needs a powerful, portable canvas and you're already invested in Apple's ecosystem. It's the best balance of power and price in Apple's tablet lineup right now. Just know you're buying a Ferrari that's only allowed to drive in a very nice, well-maintained park.