It’s been a huge month for Apple fans with the arrival of an all-new MacBook Neo, the upgrades to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, the introduction of AirPods Max 2, see below, and the two new Studio Display models.
The Cupertino tech giant has long since offered the very best in ultra-premium personal computers and smartphones, but now with products such as MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e it has broadened the company’s appeal with products that make the Apple experience more affordable.
READ MORE: Apple announces AirPods Max 2: same premium design but heaps of new features in huge upgrade
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The iPad range has been catering for consumers in this way for a long time. The ridiculously powerful €1,129 iPad Pro M5 with its 120Hz Ultra Retina XDR display is the ultimate in tablets, while the entry level 11th generation €399 iPad is a perfect introduction for anyone who needs a larger device for everyday media consumption, web browsing and online video calls.
All of which makes the new €679 iPad Air with M4 the perfect pro-level tablet experience for most people. The upgraded chip, coupled with 12GB of RAM, delivers excellent performance with enough headroom to ensure this iPad will be plenty capable for several years yet to come, a key consideration when buying a tablet as it is a device many people will only change once every five years.
Apple iPad Air M4 in everyday use
The ultra-portable 11in iPad Air I’ve been testing absolutely flies along, whether I’m multitasking in an array of windows in the excellent iPadOS 26, editing hi-res photos or videos, gaming, taking notes with Apple Pencil or attaching Magic Keyboard to see if iPad Air can replace my laptop which it can for almost everything in my personal life. It breezed effortlessly through everything I could throw at it.
The greatly improved multitasking features on iPadOS 26.3 include a Mac-style menu bar at the top of the screen, the ability to size and move windows around the desktop freely, the three-dot window buttons and the inclusion of the firm’s Preview app for viewing and editing files, PDFs and images.
I tested out Apple’s new Creator Studio, which is a much more affordable subscription option than Adobe’s Creative Cloud package. I was impressed by how capable and usable the Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro and Logic Pro apps are on iPad Air.
The vibrant colourful Liquid Retina screen is pin-sharp even though it only has a 60Hz refresh rate. It’s got an anti-reflective coating that works well. In landscape mode, the all-important front-facing camera sits in the middle of the top edge, which means you’ll appear properly framed for FaceTime video calls or if recording a vlog, for example. Apple’s Centre Stage tech will help too, keeping you in the frame if you move around.
Apple iPad Air M4 other features
The iPad Air’s aluminium build with its matte finish looks and feels as premium as ever. The 11in device I tested weighs 464g and is just 6.1mm thick, slimmer than many flagship smartphones. A larger 616g 13in model with all the same features is also available.
This year’s iPad Air includes the WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6 and support for the Thread smart home protocol. Both the WiFi and cellular connectivity are boosted with the inclusion of Apple’s N1 and C1X 5G chips which not only enhance performance now but future-proof the tablet considerably. Other features include Touch ID which is fast and reliable for unlocking the device or authenticating purchases. Battery life remains a solid 10 hours of continuous use.
The USB-C port enables fast data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps and enables you to connect external displays, SSDs and other accessories.
Apple iPad Air M4 verdict
Overall, Apple iPad Air with M4 is one of the easiest devices of 2026 to recommend and I love the new iPadOS 26 upgrade as much as the tablet itself.
Pricing and availability
Apple iPad Air 11in is available in blue, purple, starlight or space grey from €679 for the 128GB model. It is available from the Apple store or from Amazon.ie. Magic Keyboard costs €329, Apple Pencil USB-C costs €89 or Apple Pencil Pro costs €149. For comparison, the 11in Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 costs €949 from Samsung.
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