Apple iPad Air 13" M4 Starlight 2026

A recent price drop makes the M4 iPad Air an even better deal. The 60Hz screen is still the only real compromise, but at these new prices it's the best all-around tablet on the market.

What surprised us most is how smooth everything feels despite the 60Hz ceiling. The M4's 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU are absolute monsters, sitting in the 94th and 92nd percentiles respectively in our database. Apps launch instantly, and even heavy layers in Procreate or DaVinci Resolve feel buttery. The real head-scratcher is that with 12GB of unified memory and a storage score in the top 2% of all tablets we've tested, this thing has the guts of a pro workstation. Yet every time you swipe between home screens or scroll a webpage, that 60Hz panel reminds you it's the 'Air.' It's like driving a supercar with a 40mph speed limiter in city mode. The M4 is so efficient we pushed the battery to a 97th percentile life despite it being a modest 37Wh cell. That's best-in-class territory, and the fanless design stays cool under load. The performance is incredible; the screen refresh just isn't.

The 13-inch iPad Air now faces fresh competition from the Apple iPad Pro M5 and the Microsoft Surface Pro 11. The iPad Pro M5 brings a tandem OLED 120Hz display and the next-gen M5 chip, making it the obvious choice for screen snobs and anyone who needs peak tablet performance, though it costs significantly more. The Surface Pro 11 runs full Windows 11 with a 120Hz screen and is the no-brainer for desktop app users and true multitasking, but its Arm-based chip still lags behind the M4 in raw speed. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra remains a strong contender with its stunning 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED and included S Pen, though One UI can't match iPadOS for creative app polish. For pure tablet experience, media consumption, and art, the iPad Air is the most refined option, and the recent price drop makes it an even sharper value against these rivals.

Value has improved dramatically with the new price range of $612 to $1450. The 1TB model reviewed here now sits at the high end of a much more reasonable spread, making it a genuinely compelling large-screen tablet for creatives who need onboard storage. If you can live with 256GB or 512GB, the lower-capacity models are an outright bargain for the M4 performance you get. The price drop makes the 60Hz screen sting a little less, and at these numbers the Air is hard to beat for anyone who wants a future-proof iPad without paying Pro money.

The iPad Air finally gets the M4 chip, and it's ridiculously fast. This 13-inch model packs the same processor as the latest MacBook Pro, 12GB of RAM, and a huge 1TB of storage. The big headline: for most people, this is the iPad to buy. It handles photo editing, 4K video, and games without breaking a sweat. But there's a catch that's impossible to ignore. Apple locked the display to 60Hz. In a world where even budget phones push 120Hz, that feels like a deliberate slap on the wrist to push you toward the Pro. If you can get past that, you're getting a gorgeous 13-inch Liquid Retina screen, all-day battery life, and Apple Pencil Pro support. It's a powerhouse that's just one spec away from perfection.

If you're a gamer or a digital artist who values buttery smooth motion and immediate touch feedback, the 60Hz panel will drive you nuts. The 13-inch iPad Pro M5 with ProMotion is the upgrade you want. If you need a desktop browser and full file system, the Surface Pro 11 is a better fit. And if you already own a recent 120Hz Android tablet, the Air's display will feel like a step backward.

The 13-inch iPad Air M4 is now an even smarter buy thanks to a significant price cut. Its performance, battery life, and app ecosystem remain best-in-class, and the lower entry price makes the 60Hz display easier to forgive. The 512GB configuration is still the sweet spot, paired with an Apple Pencil Pro for a creative setup that rivals the Pro at a much friendlier cost. If you need a high-refresh-rate panel or a true laptop replacement, the new iPad Pro M5 or Surface Pro 11 are waiting. For everyone else, this is the iPad to get.