Apple just announced a new iPad Air with M4 — here's what's changed
A better chip in a still modern build
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
- Apple has announced a new iPad Air
- The iPad Air now features the M4 chip alongside the N1 and C1X
- It keeps the starting price as the previous iPad Air with M3
Well, Tim Cook teased a big week ahead of Apple’s invite-only March 4, 2026, event, and the Cupertino-based tech giant is wasting no time. Apple has just announced an upgraded iPad Air with the M4 chip inside.
Now, while there isn't much to speak about in terms of design, Apple is supercharging things under the hood with better-equipped, more powerful silicon. And that’s really something we’ve come to expect from Apple’s now-annual refreshes of its mid-range iPads.
The iPad Air still sports a modern design, available in two sizes – 11-inch and 13-inch – with Face ID support and support for the Apple Pencil Pro, but the real upgrade here is the swap to Apple’s M4 chip from the M3. Apple promises a big boost, even generation over generation, as the M4 iPad Air is up to 30% faster than the M3.
It’s also not just the M4 chip, though; Apple is also upgrading connectivity with its own in-house chips – the N1 and C1X – for fast Wi-Fi 7 and LTE or 5G connectivity. All of this should make iPadOS 26 run smoothly and, honestly, continue to position the iPad Air as the Pro-level iPad for most consumers.
It still comes in four color options – blue, purple, starlight, or space gray – and starts at the same price in the United States. That’s $599 for the 11-inch iPad Air and $799 for the 13-inch iPad Air, both with 128GB of storage and Wi-Fi connectivity. We’re working to confirm international pricing as well.
This is a breaking story — we'll be updating it with more information as soon as we get it...
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.

Jacob Krol is the US Managing Editor, News for TechRadar. He’s been writing about technology since he was 14 when he started his own tech blog. Since then Jacob has worked for a plethora of publications including CNN Underscored, TheStreet, Parade, Men’s Journal, Mashable, CNET, and CNBC among others.
He specializes in covering companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google and going hands-on with mobile devices, smart home gadgets, TVs, and wearables. In his spare time, you can find Jacob listening to Bruce Springsteen, building a Lego set, or binge-watching the latest from Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.