Apple Introduces the New iPad Air with M4 Chip: A Familiar Design, Now More Powerful

Apple has kicked off a series of product announcements with the introduction of a new iPad Air. While the design remains largely unchanged from last year’s model, the device now features the more powerful M4 chip, replacing the previous M3 processor.

At the heart of the new iPad Air, the M4 chip delivers improved performance and efficiency. Whether for everyday productivity, multitasking, or creative workloads, the tablet aims to provide a smoother and more capable experience. It is somewhat surprising how frequently Apple updates the Air lineup with new chips, especially considering that even the M2 and M3 models were already more than sufficient for most users. Still, gaining additional performance at the same price point is certainly a welcome upgrade.

Apple is also incorporating its in-house N1 and C1X networking chips, covering Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread, and cellular connectivity. As a result, the iPad Air now supports Wi-Fi 7 for the first time, offering improved speed and reliability. Additionally, the device now comes standard with 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB in the previous generation — a meaningful boost for demanding multitasking and advanced workflows.

The display remains unchanged. The iPad Air continues to offer 11-inch and 13-inch LCD panels with up to 500 nits of brightness and a 60Hz refresh rate. Storage options still range from 128GB to 1TB. The dual stereo speaker system and both front- and rear-facing cameras also remain the same.

On the software side, the new iPad Air runs iPadOS 26, released last fall. This update marked one of the most significant evolutions of the iPad operating system, introducing a far more robust multitasking system, improved window management, and enhanced background task capabilities. These improvements are especially noticeable on the larger 13-inch display. Meanwhile, the Liquid Glass visual redesign has sparked mixed reactions among users.

Pre-orders for the new iPad Air M4 begin on Wednesday, March 4, with full availability starting March 11. Pricing remains consistent with previous models: $599 for the 11-inch version and $799 for the 13-inch model.