M4 iPad Air review: A tablet that thinks its an AI laptop

Apple announced a ton of new products during its March 4 event, including an update to last year's iPad Air. The new M4 iPad Air isn't a shiny new thing like the colorful MacBook Neo, nor does it have any exciting new hardware features like the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Instead, it delivers iterative updates that improve an already stellar tablet.

Iterative updates are never the most exciting products to review, but they've been unavoidable in recent years as companies like Apple churn out new products every 12 months.

I've been testing the M4 iPad Air ahead of its official March 11 release date, and so far, I've been impressed. I'll continue to update this review as I spend more time with the tablet.

The new iPad Air: What's new, and what's not?

The latest Apple tablet looks identical to its predecessor, and if I put them side by side, I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. And guess what we said about last year's M3 iPad Air in our review? That it delivers only "the smallest of upgrades." So, again, iterative is the key term here.

That said, this premium Apple tablet is still remarkably thin and lightweight, with the same gorgeous Liquid Retina display. It even comes in the same four colors: Starlight, space grey, blue, and purple.

However, there are some improvements under the hood. The M4 chip has a faster Neural Engine that can better handle AI processes on-device. Apple says it's 30 percent faster than the M3 iPad Air, with twice the unified system memory.

Apple has also given the connectivity chips a more serious upgrade, retiring the old Qualcomm modem. The new iPad Air features the N1 wireless connectivity chip introduced with the iPhone 17 and the C1X 5G chip introduced with the iPhone Air.

The C1X chip is really fast

In my 5G speed tests, the C1X outperformed every device I compared it to. It left Samsung's best mobile devices in the dust (though Verizon vs. T-Mobile could also have played a part here, as the Air I tested had a Verizon eSIM card). It was also faster than the other Apple mobile devices I tested. The new iPad Air achieved download speeds of 593 Mbps and upload speeds of 109 Mbps. Qualcomm modems just couldn't keep up.

The new iPad Air can function as a laptop (if that's your thing)

With all its powers combined — iPadOS 26, Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil, M4 silicon — the iPad Air can function as a tablet and laptop in one. Now, personally, I'm sticking with my MacBook Pro when I want a true laptop experience. But if you're interested in pushing the iPad Air to the limit, it can function as an ultra-portable laptop.

The best tablets have been getting more laptop-like for a while. But, again, in a world with the MacBook Neo, which has the same $599 price tag, you may also prefer a true laptop.

Still, iPadOS 26, Liquid Glass, and Apple silicon make multitasking easy. You can get a sense of the performance and user experience in a screen recording I took. Notice how many apps are open at once, and how easy it is to switch between them.

As I covered in my iPadOS 26 review, you can easily adjust window sizes and go splitscreen. With the M4 chip, I was able to run Google Docs, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator, YouTube, Notes, ChatGPT, CollaNote, Safari, and other apps all at the same time, and never felt like the tablet was slowing down.

So, if you're an artist or creator who wants to run complicated Adobe programs and editing software like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro, the iPad Air can handle the load. That said, professionals will be able to get even better performance with the M5 iPad Pro or the latest MacBooks.

Pro tip: The new Apple Creator Studio subscription is absolutely worth the investment.

Liquid Glass is beautiful and controversial

I don't mind Liquid Glass like some of my colleagues in the tech world. Design nerds have been particularly critical of Apple's new design language, and the lack of contrast can be a problem at times. In programs like ChatGPT, the new red-yellow-green traffic light buttons in the upper left sometimes overlap with app menus, which is a major pain.

However, in my experience, practical problems like these are few and far between. On the whole, I like the translucent elements and more modern aesthetic, design nerds be damned.

The iPad Air handles AI processes smoothly

Why is Apple pushing out a new version of the iPad Air, when the 2025 version with the M3 chip is still powerful enough for 99 percent of users? I suspect the company wants to make sure its mid-range tablet can handle as many AI features as possible.

I tried to test its AI capabilities using apps like Final Cut Pro's auto-captions, Voice Memo's transcription features, and CollaNote's AI image generation. Even with WiFi and cellular data turned off, these processes happened almost instantly, and without any big mistakes.

In CollaNote, the popular note-taking app, you can use the Magic Pen to circle a doodle and turn it into an actual graphic. Record a note or interview with Voice Memos, and you'll get an accurate transcription at the push of a button. In Pixelmator, you can upscale images and remove backgrounds from photos practically instantly.

I also feel like I'm barely scratching the surface of what you can do with the iPad Air's Neural Engine, particularly when it comes to utilizing Apple Shortcuts and open-source models.

I need to keep stress-testing the tablet, but based on my initial review of the M4 iPad Air, I can say that its performance is impressive. I think artists, photographers, and editors will be able to do even very complex work on the Air.

Cameras, speakers, and accessories? Same as it ever was.

As I said before, Apple hardly went back to the drawing board with the iPad Air, and that's a good thing. It's hard to imagine a thinner or lighter tablet, and I think the 11- and 13-inch sizes are just right for most users. The new Air has the same 12MP rear and front cameras as the previous model, and they're still very underwhelming. But, come on, are you taking pictures with your iPad? If so, I have to give you an obligatory, OK, boomer. The cameras are good enough for video conferences and FaceTime calls, and that's all you really need.

Otherwise, the speakers, controls, and accessories remain unchanged from the 2025 model. You'll want an Apple Pencil to get the most out of the experience, and the Magic Keyboard will be essential for using it like a laptop. Of course, with the cost of an Apple Pencil Pro ($129) and Magic Keyboard ($269), you could just buy an actual laptop.

The bottom line: Another iterative upgrade, but who cares?

Ultimately, the changes between the M3 and M4 iPad Air are negligible. I can't imagine many people upgrading from one to the other. However, if you're an artist or creative professional in need of a new tablet, I think you'll be pleased with this $599 device.

One last caveat: If you're a casual user just interested in browsing and streaming, stick with the base iPad with the A16 chip. The M-series iPads are, frankly, way overpowered for most users.

The new iPad Air comes in 11 and 13-inch models, with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB versions. Prices start at $599 and $799, respectively — though you can already save up to $50 if you pre-order at Amazon.

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