Apple Unveils iPad Air With M4 Chip, Increased RAM, Wi-Fi 7, and More

[BorisDG]

Although I love my M3 iPad Air, I do feel like I am gutted that I missed out on Wi-Fi 7.

Shame the colours are still the same, nice but too muted for my liking.

Then again, this is a parts bin upgrade with minimum changes to the production line.

Mainline iPads stuck in 2020's design (Air 4) now for 6 years.

 

[Elwe]

Be advised—while the memory (amount and bandwidth) are definitely increased, the CPU is a bit more complicated/mixed. The base numbers of cores from M3 to M4 have changed. And this is a “triple” binned version (one disabled/defective CPU core of each type, and that is not counting the GPU that is also binned but at least the GPU core count remains the same number from last year). So compared with the M3, the M4 has one fewer performance core (three) and one more efficiency core (five). The M3 was four and four, I believe. This might mean that in some edge cases, the M3 iPad Air might be faster. I doubt very much most people or workloads would see this, though. More than anything, this might tell us a little bit about chip yields for that generation of Apple Silicon.

 

[bryn0076]

They are seriously going to drag out the M5 Pro/Max release until Wednesday?

C’mon. You build up, not down. Put a second of thought into your comment to look like you’ve put a second of thought into your comment.

 

[Big_D]

Where's the new Cinema Display and HomePod minis? An Apple TV would be nice, but an M4 Air isn't enough of a jump from my M2...

 

[satchmo]

Ι’m off to find a discounted M3 iPad Air.

But do we think the additional 4gb of RAM on the M4 is signifcant?

 

[macbookj0e]

They are seriously going to drag out the M5 Pro/Max release until Wednesday?

Possibly though they might come tomorrow if they’re saving the shiny new 12” MacBook for last?

 

[kaspurr]

This is a rough one to me putting it so high in price for 13" with a half way decent amount of storage putting it over $1000 in 2026 and still having a mid grade 60hz display. That's the miss imo.

 

[macbookj0e]

Ι’m off to find a discounted M3 iPad Air.

But do we think the additional 4gb of RAM on the M4 is signifcant?

I did notice the extra 4gm ram when I moved from my 15 pro to iPhone air with apps not reloading etc but it’s not major so it could go unnoticed…

 

[revfife]

All I want is the mini to be updated.

 

[joeblow7777]

Would have been nice to have some new colours and start at 256GB, but other than that it seems fine.

Maybe it's finally time to upgrade my 2020 Air 4. It still meets my performance needs, but the battery capacity has declined to the point where it's noticeable.

 

[joshwithachance]

Still 128GB base storage and 60Hz? In 2026? Really?!

 

[minhrom]

anything with a 60hz is a skipped for me

 

[Alameda]

I know it's a downgrade but I don't use the Pro features on my 11 inch M4 iPad Pro at all. I've been wanting a 13" so I am considering swapping it in for the 13" Air M4.

I think it'd end up costing me like $150 or so. I realize I'm getting the same chip and a worse screen but size matters!

That’s because the iPad Pro has no Pro features.

 

[Biro]

So… does the existence of 12GB of RAM with the M4 processor on this new iPad Air bode well for 12GB of RAM with the A18 Pro chip in the upcoming base MacBook? So many people have been saying the new laptop has to come with 8GB of RAM because that's what the A18 Pro has had up to now. I wonder.

 

[kaspurr]

anything with a 60hz is a skipped for me

This is the correct answer, there isn't an excuse for it. These devices are becoming way too expensive to be running displays that are suited for cheap Chromebooks.

 

[awshucks]

They need to bring back the green color from the iPad Air 4.

 

[Biro]

anything with a 60hz is a skipped for me

Then you are free to overpay for the iPad Pro.

 

[joeblow7777]

Although I love my M3 iPad Air, I do feel like I am gutted that I missed out on Wi-Fi 7.

Why?

 

[BorisDG]

Be advised—while the memory (amount and bandwidth) are definitely increased, the CPU is a bit more complicated/mixed. The base numbers of cores from M3 to M4 have changed. And this is a “triple” binned version (one disabled/defective core of each type, and that is not counting the GPU that is also binned but that last remains the same number from last year). So compared with the M3, the M4 has one fewer performance core (three) and one more efficiency core (five). The M3 was four and four, I believe. This might mean that in some edge cases, the M3 iPad Air might be faster. I doubt very much most people or workloads would see this, though. More than anything, this might tell us a little bit about chip yields for that generation of Apple Silicon.

It's like iPad A16. They binned that too much.

 

[Phonzoxd]

All I want is the mini to be updated.

this makes me concerned the Mini8 will only get a spec bump, no 120hz or OLED or face ID.

 

[hajime]

They are seriously going to drag out the M5 Pro/Max release until Wednesday?

Always announce unimportant products first for average consumers to torture us. Then at the end of a series of announcements, hopfully not this time, no M5 Pro/Max.

Why they continue to waste resources to make new iPad when the software is way behind the hardware?

 

[turbineseaplane]

this makes me concerned the Mini8 will only get a spec bump, no 120hz or OLED or face ID.

Which will mean it will flounder around like the Mini 7 and probably get axed by Apple.

God I hope they don't flub this up.

 

[joeblow7777]

anything with a 60hz is a skipped for me

I switch between my 60hz iPad and 120hz iPhone all the time and to be perfectly honest, I don't really notice a difference. 🤷‍♂️

 

[ScubaCinci]

Still no face ID? 🤷‍♂️

 

[turbineseaplane]

Still no face ID? 🤷‍♂️

Not technically possible until Neural Engine Air Pro Max 9