Apple Brings M4 Power to the iPad Air at the Same Starting Price

This step transforms what was previously a decent mid-range iPad Air into a full-fledged laptop replacement for many more users. The 11-inch model starts at $599, the 13-inch at $799, and the same goes for Wi-Fi models. When you add cellular service, the price goes up by $150. If you are a student, you can save some money: the 11-inch model is just $549. Pre-orders begin on March 4th, 2026, and the devices arrive in buyers’ hands on March 11th.

The M4 chip is put to work inside, the same one that powers the previous iPad Pro. An 8-core CPU can easily manage all of your daily duties as well as larger loads. The 9-core GPU tackles graphics operations with ease before handing off to the 8-core CPU. And with all of that work, Apple claims it’s up to 30% faster than the upgraded M3 iPad Air and up to 2.3 times faster than the previous M1 version. The M4 chip’s 16-core Neural Engine also allows you to do on-device AI work three times quicker than the M1, and it includes Unified Memory, which increases to 12GB per second from 8GB in the previous generation. That increased capacity and power is especially useful when managing many programs, editing images or videos, or running demanding creative software.

Connectivity also received a modest improvement, as a new N1 wireless chip now supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread for smarter home devices. If you choose a cellular model, it is connected with the C1X modem, which provides faster 5G speeds, consumes less power, and improves efficiency by up to 30% over previous modems. Plus, downloads are faster, connections are more dependable, and battery life increases with longer use.


The design appears to be unchanged, as the new sizes retain the sli aluminum enclosure, which is 0.24 inches thick and available in blue, purple, starlight, or space gray. The 11-inch device weighs a pocketable 1.02 pounds for Wi-Fi variants, while the 13-inch model weighs roughly 1.36 pounds. The displays are typical LED-Lit Liquid Retina design, with resolutions of 2360×1640 on the 11 inch and 2732×2048 on the 13 inch, and can achieve up to 500 nits brightness.


Both models have speakers that project from the landscape edges, with the 13-inch model producing substantially more full-bodied sound for movies and music. The front 12MP camera sits along the long edge to make video chats easier with improved framing, and Centre Stage ensures you stay in the center even when you move around. A 12MP camera is located on the back and may be used for casual photography or document scanning.


Storage capacity starts at 128GB and increases to 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. Battery life becomes an all-day affair, which remains the same claim as before, and with the M4 chipping away at things, you can guarantee your real use will be quite similar to that of the previous generation.