M4 iPad Air Hands-On: What’s Actually New?
▼ Summary
– Apple’s recent announcements primarily featured spec-bump refreshes that retain previous designs, with the MacBook Neo being the sole exception.
– The new M4 iPad Air models are physically identical to their M3 predecessors, sharing the same design, colors, cameras, and accessory compatibility.
– The key upgrade in the M4 iPad Air is its chip, offering a 20-30% faster CPU and a 15% faster GPU compared to the M3.
– The M4 iPad Air also includes an increase in unified memory, from 8GB to 12GB, which benefits demanding tasks like AI features and creative apps.
– The overall assessment is that the new products, including the iPad Air, are not groundbreaking but represent mature hardware receiving routine performance improvements.
Apple’s latest M4 iPad Air arrives as a polished refinement rather than a radical redesign, offering meaningful performance gains within a familiar and proven chassis. This approach mirrors the company’s broader strategy for its recent product updates, focusing on internal upgrades over external changes. For users invested in the Apple ecosystem, the new model presents a compelling, if evolutionary, step forward.
During a recent hands-on session, the new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models felt immediately recognizable. They share the same sleek aluminum build, available in the four standard colors: space gray, blue, purple, and starlight. The bezels, displays, and camera systems are identical to the previous generation. You still get the Liquid Retina display, a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage, and a 12-megapixel rear camera. The Touch ID sensor remains in the top button, and the tablets are fully compatible with the existing Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro accessories.
The core of this update is the new M4 chip. While the CPU and GPU core counts match the M3, Apple’s latest silicon delivers noticeably faster performance. The CPU sees gains of roughly 20 to 30 percent, while the GPU is about 15 percent faster. For everyday tasks like browsing or streaming, the difference may be subtle. However, creative professionals working with large files in apps like Final Cut Pro or Pixelmator Pro will appreciate the extra horsepower for smoother editing and manipulation.
A more significant change comes in the form of increased memory. The new iPad Air now features 12GB of unified RAM, a boost from the 8GB found in the prior model. This additional memory is particularly beneficial for emerging workloads. It will better support future Apple Intelligence features and enhance performance when using demanding AI applications or large language models. During demonstrations, apps felt exceptionally responsive, a benefit of the combined effect of the faster M4 and the extra RAM. This makes the new Air a substantial upgrade for anyone moving from an older, slower iPad.
Ultimately, the M4 iPad Air is a solid, incremental update. It doesn’t reinvent the tablet, but it meaningfully improves the experience under the hood. This mirrors the current state of much of Apple’s hardware lineup: mature, highly capable, and receiving regular performance refreshes to stay at the forefront. For most users, the decision will come down to whether their current device feels limiting, as the new model excels by building upon an already excellent foundation.
(Source: Gizmodo)
