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Apple iPad Air (2026) Review: Enhanced Performance with Familiar Design

Published

2 hours ago

March 9, 2026

BTI Team

At a Glance

Expert’s Rating

Pros

Familiar, premium build quality and slim design

Excellent performance and battery life

Extra RAM allows for more demanding tasks

Connectivity upgrades ensure future-proofing

Cons

Still no Face ID

60Hz LCD panel remains unchanged

Slow charging with no brick included

Accessories sold separately (and they’re pricey)

Our Verdict

The Apple iPad Air (2026) or the iPad Air (M4) is an excellent tablet for the right person – likely someone upgrading from an older iPad Air, such as the M1, or someone buying an iPad for the first time. The design and display haven’t changed from the iPad Air (M3), and some long-standing omissions remain, but that doesn’t stop this from being the most compelling iPad Air yet. If you want a tablet that will handle everything you throw at it today, while still feeling relevant a few years from now, this is it.

Price When Reviewed

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Best Pricing Today

Price When Reviewed

$599

Best Prices Today: Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4, 2026)

The iPad Air has occupied a peculiar space in Apple’s tablet lineup since its debut over a decade ago. It’s never been quite the powerhouse of the iPad Pro, but it’s always been a step above the entry-level iPad in areas that matter. That hasn’t changed with the M4 generation.

The iPad Air (M4) slots neatly between the regular iPad (A16) and the iPad Pro (M5) in Apple’s current tablet portfolio. It’s available in 11-inch and 13-inch versions, and while the exterior is identical to the M3 model that launched in early 2025, and consequently almost the same as the 2020 M1 model too, the internals tell a different story.

There’s a faster processor, more memory, and a fresh set of wireless chips, making this the most capable iPad Air yet. But does it do enough to retain the iPad Air’s position as the best iPad for most people?

Design & Build

Same design and colour options

No IP rating

Slim aluminium body

Stand the iPad Air (M4) next to the iPad Air (M3) and a game of spot the difference would be entirely pointless. It looks and feels exactly like its predecessor but, while there isn’t anything new to say on the design, it’s still a polished and premium one with very little wrong with it.

The dimensions are identical to the iPad Air (M3) with the 11-inch model measuring 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1mm and weighing 460g, while the 13-inch version comes in at 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm at 616g. All buttons and ports are identical, too, and its slim, flat-edged aluminium frame remains a pleasure to hold.

Britta O’Boyle

The same four colour options are also unchanged from the iPad Air (M3) with Space Grey, Starlight, Blue, and Purple available. If you were hoping for a new shade to accompany the new processor this year, then sorry I don’t have better news for you. The existing palette is lovely though, with my personal favorites blue and purple.

I can’t help being disappointed at the absence of Face ID

The unibody construction feels solid, with no flexing or creaking no matter how you hold this tablet, while Touch ID continues to sit within the power button for unlocking and authenticating passwords and payments. Touch ID works quickly and reliably, but I can’t help being disappointed at the absence of Face ID for yet another year on this model.

It’s one of the features that clearly marks the divide between the Air and the iPad Pro (M5), and given that Face ID is available on Apple’s entry-level iPhone, it feels about time the iPad Air got it.

Britta O’Boyle

At the bottom of the iPad Air (M4), USB-C handles charging and data transfer, while the landscape-positioned front camera introduced on the iPad Air (M2) remains on the edge, making video calls more natural.

The last thing to mention about the design is that there’s still no IP rating for any iPad model, including the iPad Air (M4). That’s not really an issue for day-to-day use on the sofa or at a desk, but if you like to use a tablet near a pool or in the bath, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab range would be a safer bet.

Screen & Speakers

11-inch or 13-inch

IPS LCD

Pencil Pro support

Stereo speakers

Just as there was little new to say about the iPad Air (M4)’s design, there’s little to say about its display. Both the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air (M4) models use the same Liquid Retina IPS LCD panels found in their predecessors. Full lamination and an anti-reflective coating are standard on both.

Lamination makes using an Apple Pencil with the iPad Air (M4) feel more natural than on the iPad (A16), while the anti-reflective coating is useful when working outside or near a large window. The coating doesn’t compare to the Nano-texture coating option available on the iPad Pro (M5), and I’m disappointed not to see this as an option again here, but what you get is sufficient.

Britta O’Boyle

Meanwhile, the P3 wide color support ensures accurate, vivid reproduction for creative work, and watching content on the iPad Air (M4) is a pleasure. Colors are rich and consistent, and detail is crisp, though the LCD panel doesn’t deliver quite the same inky blacks and depth you get with the iPad Pro (M5)’s tandem OLED display.

The absence of Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion tech is a compromise to be aware of here

The 60Hz refresh rate is a notable limitation, too, especially given the iPad Air (M4) ‘s price. Anyone who has used a phone with a 120Hz refresh rate will likely notice the difference when scrolling – it’s not jarring, but it’s not as smooth when gaming or reading menus or documents.

For video, productivity, and casual browsing, 60Hz is perfectly functional, but the absence of Apple’s 120Hz ProMotion tech is a compromise to be aware of here.