M4 iPad Air (2026) review: The best option at the moment

I think, after a weekend with the latest iPad Air, that this is the best iPad right now for its price. But it may not be by the end of the year.

I have always recommended it Cheap iPads. As I said in a recent story, I was expecting Basic iPad You will get a promotion this spring. And so did others. It didn’t happen. Meanwhile, the iPad Air got… Bump chip to M4 Updated processor and wireless specifications. I’ve been living with the 11-inch model as my daily computer at home for the past week, and it’s a great little powerhouse. I don’t miss it The iPad Pro is more expensive Absolutely.

I can say that I want the iPad to be more like a Mac; But I came to accept That moment is not happening now. Judged as an iPad, and by what it does, it’s still great. It’s just that now you have to make a little lifestyle choice.

The funny thing is that even though the iPad Air starts at $599, which is $250 more than the initial iPad, it’s also exactly the same price as the iPad Air. MacBook NeoApple’s new entry-level MacBook. Apples and oranges, so to speak, but which should you get?

The iPad Air’s processor is a powerhouse. At a $600 device, the M4 is a great value. But you’ll have to get the keyboard case, or other case, and the Pencil Pro that works with this iPad separately. This could realistically bring the total to closer to $1,000. If you care about getting those things.

What I love about the iPad, and what I’ve always loved, is how in-the-moment and spontaneous it feels. I like the focus on full-screen apps, and I like the way it handles media and games. I also like the Magic Keyboard case, although it’s expensive and doesn’t fold easily. iPadOS 26 has also flexed the iPad just enough to give it a Mac-style feel of versatility. Not a Mac, but close to one.

I also like its size. The MacBook Neo is a larger laptop, the standard 13-inch variant. 11-inch iPads are compact, convenient, and perfect for a quick commute or a little work while traveling. I love intimacy. The 13-inch models have a lot more screen real estate, but they cost more and have a taller aspect ratio than laptops, which I’m not personally excited about.

Compared to the iPad Pro, the Air is a much better buy

If you’re comparing it to the iPad Pro, the Air’s M4 for $599 is a much better deal than the Pro’s M5 for $999, in my opinion. Now that the iPad hasn’t been updated, and still doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, the Air makes more sense to me as a future upgrade.

That could change in the fall, if Apple releases an iPad with an Apple Intelligence operating chip. That’s why I say this is best “for now”. But this “for now” could be for half a year…or even longer.

I never felt like Apple Intelligence was a big deal, at least in its current form. But this will likely change soon. Apple Planning to fold Google Gemini The incorporation of AI into Apple this year could mean that AI will enhance what all Apple products can do. I suppose you want an iPad that’s ready for whatever comes along, and this Air is just as ready for it.

Performance: exaggeration or perfection?

However, there’s one thing: this M4 is almost too much for most people. Keep in mind that the MacBook Neo runs MacOS on the A18 iPhone chip. The iPad Air, which looks like a “casual” computer, beats it. For graphic work, photo editing, or creating things like music, it will be a big help. It depends on whether your workflow requires it.

I’ve been living with the iPad Air for everything I normally do: attending business meetings via video, watching movies, playing Settlers of Catan, news, Slack, writing this review and playing with a bunch of apps simultaneously. I even Perfectly presented story From him. It’s easy and versatile. It’s hard to judge battery life ahead of time, but it seems to be good. iPads don’t last as long as MacBooks, but they’re good enough to handle a good chunk of the day. But early on, I discovered that I needed to recharge my batteries midday.

Performance-wise, the benchmarks for the M4 chip on the $1,249 1TB iPad Air M4 with cellular connectivity that I’m reviewing match the M4 iPad Pro from 2024. It’s a great processor, even if it’s a step behind the M5 technically. It doesn’t matter on iPadOS, but not for me. As for what I use it for, it’s way beyond my needs. It’s much faster than the everyday M2 MacBook Air I use at home for everything. But, as you can see from the sticker price in this class, when you’re at $1,249, you expect some serious performance. iPadOS is still not as flexible to me as MacOS, so this power level has limits unless you’re using some serious graphics-heavy apps.

The internals of this Air don’t have a lot of upgrades, but the better wireless connectivity is appreciated (even if I don’t really take advantage of it). The Air’s Wi-Fi 7 is now compatible, and the new C1X modem inside promises better 5G performance if you get the cellular model ($150 more). I’ll test this part soon.

iPads are not Macs

I’ll say it again: The iPad is a polished, successful product, and Apple is slowly, incrementally improving it. I think it’s clear that the hardware exists to turn keyboard-equipped iPads into Macs, and it might happen one day. Nowadays, the iPad is an amazingly versatile device that still has its own edge, different from the Mac. For me, it’s also a better travel device, art tool, and casual home/media computer. The 11-inch iPad with keyboard is Apple’s smallest travel computer out there.

Just keep in mind that iPads are not the gateway to a cheap laptop anymore. The MacBook Neo serves this purpose, and given its all-in price with the keyboard attached, it’s the obvious demonstration of that. Even if, well, I’d say the iPad Air beats it in hardware power. But the Air’s keyboard costs more.

I would take the Air over Pro for its price. And I’ll also get the Air via my iPad as well. But by this fall, if there’s a new entry-level iPad, my opinions will likely change. Are you ok with that or would you rather wait? Apple doesn’t make it easy with iPad upgrades. It never happened.