▶️ Apple has unveiled the third new iPad Air in as many years. The 2026 model is powered by the Apple M4 chip, features additional RAM, and is the first iPad with Apple's N1 and C1X wireless chips.

▶️ Cupertino briefly mentions last year's iPad Air with the M3 chip, but it's clear that this model is designed to encourage owners of the iPad Air with the M1 chip (2022) and regular iPad users to upgrade to the new model.

▶️ The new iPad Air (2026) with the M4 chip is 30% faster than the 2025 version with the M3 chip. Not bad, but the upgrade alone is hardly worth it. However, compared to the 2022 models with the M1 chip, the new version is 2.3 times faster.

▶️ But here's something that might interest you, even if you own a 2025 MacBook Air: the 2026 model has RAM increased from 8GB to 12GB. Additionally, it runs faster thanks to 120 GB/s bandwidth.

▶️ Let's look at some features. The M4 chip in the new iPad Air features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. The 16-core Neural Engine is 3 times more powerful than the M1's Neural Engine. Combined with more and faster RAM, this will significantly boost on-device AI performance. Before you say, "I don't care about AI," note that this also applies to things like background removal in Final Cut Pro.

▶️ For local network connectivity, the tablet uses the Apple N1 chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread (a smart home protocol). If you choose the Air version with 5G support, it will feature the Apple C1X modem, which provides 50% faster wireless speeds and consumes 30% less power than the modems used in M3-based Air tablets.

▶️ Despite rumors, the new models still use Liquid Retina displays — Apple's name for its LCD panels. And yes, they still run at 60 Hz.

▶️ The Apple iPad Air 2026 is available in 11-inch and 13-inch models priced at $600 and $800, respectively. This is the base version with 12/128 GB of storage (yes, storage starts at 128 GB). Below are prices for other configurations. For the 5G-enabled tablet, you'll pay an extra $250 / €170 / £200 / ₹15,000.

#Apple

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