Apple has introduced the refreshed iPad Air powered by the M4 chip, delivering performance gains while maintaining the same starting prices as the previous generation. The new model arrives alongside other anticipated spring announcements, including the iPhone 17e. The updated iPad Air is available in both 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, with the same Liquid Retina LCD display (up to 500 nits brightness, 60Hz refresh rate) and overall design as the M3 model launched last year.
In the US, the 11-inch starts at $599 for the Wi-Fi model, the 13-inch (Wi-Fi model) starts at $799, while the cellular models add $150–$200 depending on configuration. The education pricing puts the 11-inch at $549 and the 13-inch at $749. Pre-orders open March 4 on Apple.com and the Apple Store app, while the general availability of the devices begins March 11 in select markets, including India. The iPad Air M4 joins a busy spring lineup that includes the iPhone 17e and likely refreshes to MacBook Air and entry-level iPad. Apple is hosting “special Apple experience” events on March 4 in New York, London, and Shanghai, where invited media and creators will get hands-on time with the new hardware. For buyers, the iPad Air M4 brings performance, ecosystem integration, and local pricing advantages all under one aegis, especially as Apple continues to ramp up manufacturing and retail presence in the country.
The core upgrades focus on internal performance and connectivity, and comes with an M4 chip, an 8-core CPU, 9-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine. Apple claims up to 30% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the M3 iPad Air and up to 2.3 times faster than the M1 version. The GPU supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading for improved graphics in games and creative apps.
It also comes with 12GB unified memory, marking a 50% increase from the 8GB in the prior model, paired with memory bandwidth boosted to 120GB/s. Apple says this enables faster on-device AI model execution and smoother multitasking. The N1 wireless networking chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while the cellular models contain the C1X modem, which enables 50% faster cellular data performance, according to Apple. “iPad Air gives users more ways than ever to be creative and productive, offering powerful performance and incredible versatility to help them turn their ideas into reality,” Bob Borchers, Apple’s VP of Worldwide Product Marketing, commented on the matter. “With its blazing performance thanks to M4, incredible AI capabilities, and game-changing iPadOS 26 features, there’s never been a better time to choose or upgrade to iPad Air.”
In addition to this, the device also comes with a front 12MP Center Stage camera located along the landscape edge, support for iPadOS 26, with Apple Intelligence features, landscape stereo speakers, and more. Storage options are unchanged: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Color choices remain Blue, Purple, Starlight, and Space Gray. Comparing it to other devices in the market – Samsung offers superior display options (AMOLED with 120Hz refresh rate vs. iPad Air’s LCD at 60Hz), the iPad Air edges ahead in raw performance, ecosystem integration (Apple Pencil Pro, Magic Keyboard, seamless iPadOS 26 multitasking, and more).
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