M4 iPad Air Reviews: Faster Chip, Familiar Design

[AppleTO]

The whole iPad lineup feels out of place now with the MacBook Neo…

The MacBook Neo and the iPad Air cost the same (at least in Canada). It's kinda nuts.

 

[jk111]

The MacBook Neo and the iPad Air cost the same (at least in Canada). It's kinda nuts.

I bought a 13" iPad Pro last year and ended up exchanging it for a MacBook Air. With that transaction I got a refund of $1,100. Crazy when you think about it.

 

[viachicago22]

Lack of ProMotion is really ridiculous.

 

[bluecoast]

It's an update designed for those who just need a new nice iPad. And that's OK.

Further thoughts:

At some point soon they'll need to bring pro motion over - ditto to the MBA.

I'm more worried about iPadOS and what the iPad is for really, as the current state of iPadOS means that the iPad is just a 'nice to have' rather than a 'must have'.

Continuing to roll out more features from macOS would be most welcome - especially the advanced early 1970s feature of 'multiple user accounts'.

Or does Apple feel that the lack of it means that they sell multiple iPads per household?

Well, the lack of it means that there is precisely no iPads in my house!

 

[kiranmk2]

Any chance the AirPad could get FaceID any time soon? And while we’re at it, ProMotion?

I understand these are pro features, but anything is possible, now that the base iPhone has ProMotion… 🙂

Lack of ProMotion is really ridiculous.

surely even just a Promotion 1-60 Hz or 1-90 Hz screen would be a decent upgrade on this. Not sure how this has managed to get stuck with a 128 GB base storage when even the iPhone 17e got a boost to 256 GB. Apple definitely phoned this one in.

 

[actcyclist]

I actually can’t tell much difference between the base model iPad and the Air when looking at them next to each other in the store. The screen on the pro models look very different, but the Air not so much.

I think Apple made this purely to have a middle option for those that turn their noses up at buying the cheapest option,

 

[svish]

Overall a small update. The upgrade to 12GB RAM is good. Disappointing that the M4 Air gets it while the M4 iPad Pro (256 and 512) misses out.

 

[BMcCoy]

I think Apple made this purely to have a middle option for those that turn their noses up at buying the cheapest option,

Or those who are looking to buy an iPad at the moment, and want something reasonably future proofed.. and perhaps would have gone with the base iPad had it been updated this month too, to a newer chip that can run apple
Intelligence, etc.
I think it’s a reasonable assumption that an M4 iPad Air (or even the M3 and M2 versions) will stay on the iOS compatibility list for more future years than the A16 base iPad.

 

[jk111]

I have the Gen 4 Air (the first gen of the current design). Would have been an instant buy for me... if they had upgraded the screen alone. Not asking for 120hz but at least 90 would have been nice. Probably just going to wait for the next design refresh on the Air and then consider upgrading.