Pros
- Fantastic performance
- Well-designed as always
- Price is low for its chip’s horsepower
Cons
- Accessories like case and Pencil Pro add up
- iPadOS is versatile but lacks some advantages of MacOS
I think, after a weekend using the latest iPad Air, that this is the best iPad right now for its price. But it might not be by the end of the year.
I’ve always recommended cheaper iPads. As I said in a recent story, I expected the base iPad would get an upgrade this spring. So did others. It didn’t happen. Meanwhile, the iPad Air got a chip bump to an M4 processor and updated wireless specs. I’ve been living with the 11-inch model as my everyday home-casual computer for the past week, and it’s a wonderful little powerhouse. I don’t miss the more expensive iPad Pro at all.
The iPad Air doesn’t come with a keyboard case and Pencil Pro in the box, but that’s almost entirely how I’ve been using it.
I could say I want the iPad to be even more like a Mac, but I’ve come to accept that moment just isn’t 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 bit of a lifestyle choice.
The funny thing is that, while this iPad Air starts at $599, which is $250 more than the entry iPad, it’s also exactly the same price as the MacBook Neo, Apple’s new entry-level MacBook. Apples and oranges, so to speak, but which should you get?
Oceanhorn 3 is one of the newest games on Apple Arcade. The iPad Air’s M4 has no lack of graphics power for its size.
The iPad Air’s processor is a powerhouse. The M4, in a $600 device, is a fantastic value. But you’ll have to get the keyboard case, or any other case, and the Pencil Pro that works with this iPad separately. That could realistically bump the total to nearly $1,000. If you care about getting those things.
What I love about the iPad, and always have, is how instant and casual it feels. I love the focus of full-screen apps, I love how it handles media and games. I also love the Magic Keyboard case, even though it’s expensive and doesn’t fold back easily. iPadOS 26 has also flexed the iPad out enough to give it a Mac-esque sense of versatility. Not a Mac, but approaching one.
And I also love its size. The MacBook Neo is a bigger laptop, a standard sort of 13-incher. The 11-inch iPads feel compact and cozy and perfect for a quick commute or a little work while traveling. I love the intimacy. The 13-inch models have a lot more screen room, but cost more and have a taller aspect ratio than laptops that I’m not wild about personally.
The 11-inch iPad Air is my preferred size.
Compared with the iPad Pro, the Air is a much better buy
If you’re comparing it with the iPad Pro, this Air’s M4 for $599 is a much better deal than the Pro’s M5 for $999, in my opinion. And now that the entry iPad still hasn’t been updated, and still doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, the Air makes more sense to me as a future-proof upgrade.
That could change in the fall, if Apple does release a chip-bumped entry iPad that runs Apple Intelligence. Which is why I say this is the best “for now.” But that “for now” could be for half a year…or even longer.
I never felt Apple Intelligence was a big deal, at least in its current form. That’s likely to change soon, though. Apple’s plans to fold Google Gemini into Apple Intelligence could mean onboard AI coming this year that ups what all Apple products can do. I’d assume you’d want an iPad that’s ready for whatever comes, and this Air is more than ready for it.
I don’t draw much. But if you do, you’ll want an iPad Air or better.
Performance: Overkill or ideal?
One thing, though: This M4 is almost too much for most people. Consider the MacBook Neo is running MacOS on an A18 iPhone chip. The iPad Air, which feels like a more “casual” computer, outmuscles it. For graphics work or photo editing, or creating things like music, that’ll be a huge help. It depends on whether your workflow demands it.
I’ve been living with the iPad Air for whatever I’d normally do: taking work meetings on video, watching movies, playing Settlers of Catan, news, Slack, writing this review and playing with a bunch of apps at once. I even filed a story completely from it. It’s easygoing and versatile. Battery life is hard to judge early on, but it seems to be fine. iPads no longer outlast MacBooks, but it’s good enough to handle a good chunk of the day. Early on, though, I’m finding I need a midday recharge.
Performance-wise, the benchmarks for the M4 chip on the $1249 cellular-enabled 1TB iPad Air M4 I’m reviewing match the M4 iPad Pro from 2024. It’s a fantastic processor, even if it’s technically a step behind M5. It doesn’t matter on iPadOS, though, not for me. For what I use it for, it’s far, far beyond my needs. It’s considerably faster than my everyday M2 MacBook Air I use at home for everything. But, as you can see from that sticker price at this tier, when you’re all the way up at $1,249, you’d expect some serious performance. iPadOS is still not as flexible for me as MacOS, though, so that level of power does have limits unless you’re in some serious graphics-heavy apps.
This Air’s internals don’t have a ton of upgrades, but better wireless is appreciated (even if I’m not really taking advantage of it). The Air’s Wi-Fi 7 compatible now, and a new C1X modem inside promises better 5G performance if you get the cellular model (an extra $150). I’m testing that part soon.
It might be the same price as a MacBook Neo, but the iPad Air doesn’t come standard with the Magic Keyboard Case or Pencil Pro. Add those, and you’re going to spend about $1,000 at least.
iPads aren’t Macs
I’ll say it again: The iPad is a polished, successful product, and Apple is slowly evolving it by degrees. I think the hardware’s clearly there to turn keyboard-equipped iPads into Macs, and that may very well happen someday. For now, consider the iPad a surprisingly versatile device that’s still its own thing, distinct from Macs. And for me, it’s also a better travel device, art tool and casual home/media computer. And the iPad 11-inch with keyboard is the smallest travel Apple computer that exists.
Just keep in mind that iPads aren’t the cheap laptop doorway anymore. The MacBook Neo serves that purpose, and for its all-in price with keyboard attached, it’s the clear proposition for that. Even if, well, I’d say iPad Air surpasses it on hardware power. But the Air’s keyboard costs extra.
I’d get an Air over a Pro for its price. And I’d also get an Air over an entry iPad, too. But come 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 has.
