Apple unveiled a new iPad Air on Monday, powered by the M4 chip. The company states the device is designed to be faster, thanks to an updated neural engine and more memory, making it better for AI tasks. This new iPad Air is reported to be 30 percent faster than the M3 iPad Air and 2.3 times faster than the M1 version.
The new device retains its starting price of $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model. Educational customers receive a discount, lowering the price to $549 for the 11-inch iPad Air, while the 13-inch model starts at $749 for them.
The iPad Air now features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU, positioning it as a solid choice for gaming, image editing, and photo editing. The device’s unified memory has increased by 50 percent to 12GB, and memory bandwidth is now up to 120GB per second, which Apple says will help users run AI models faster than on older devices.
The 16-core Neural Engine is also stated to be three times faster than the one in the M1, aiding in the performance of on-device AI models.
The refreshed Air adds support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and is powered by the company’s new connectivity chips for wireless and cellular, the N1 and C1X. The physical dimensions remain unchanged at 9.74 by 7.02 inches for the 11-inch model and 11.04 by 8.46 inches for the 13-inch model.
It includes a front 12MP Center Stage camera and a 12MP Wide camera on the back. As always, the device is compatible with Apple accessories like the Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil, and Apple Pencil Pro.
The updated iPad Air will be available for preorder on Wednesday, March 4, on Apple.com and via the Apple Store app in 35 countries and regions, including the United States. Four finishes are available: blue, purple, starlight, and space gray. Storage options are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
The new iPad is one of several announcements planned for this week, alongside the new iPhone 17e and expected upgrades to the MacBook lineup. These launches have been timed to coincide with Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where Apple’s smartphone rivals like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Honor are showcasing their latest innovations.
Apple does not participate in MWC or other trade shows, preferring to introduce its products at its own events. This week, it is releasing a series of new products with hands-on events in select cities.