iPad Air M4 in the Digit Test Labs: Mac muscle in a tablet body

It’s been a while since I last lived with an iPad, and there’s no better way to jump back in than with the new iPad Air M4 2026. Before I get into the technical bits, I should probably give you some context on my history with these things.

I’ve used plenty of iPads over my decade-long career in consumer tech, and the one constant has usually been the ‘Air’. I still vividly remember picking up the iPad Air 2 back in 2015, long before the M-series chips were even a thing. I also spent a lot of time with the iPad Air 4, which was the last A-series powered iPad before the M1 model showed up. Most recently (May 2024), I reviewed the M2 version, so I’ve spent enough time with Apple silicon to know exactly what it can do inside this thin sandwich of metal and glass.

Also read: iPhone 17 Pro Max review: Brilliance at a price

That brings us to the iPad Air M4. As I’m writing this, I’m still in the honeymoon phase. I’ve only just finished setting up my unit. I’ve loaded it with my essential apps, the usual OTT streaming stuff, and everything in between. Apple sent over the fully decked-out 1 TB Wi-Fi + cellular model in purple, which retails for a jaw-dropping Rs 1.5 lakh. Now, obviously, you don’t need to spend that much to get this kind of speed. You can get the same power in the 11-inch Wi-Fi model starting at Rs 64,900, or Rs 84,900 if you want the 13-inch screen.

Look, the Air isn’t exactly ‘affordable’. If you want the budget experience, you can always settle with the entry-level iPad and that’s going to be solid for a lot of folks. But people who pick the Air are usually looking for that sweet spot. It isn’t the best iPad Apple makes; that crown stays with the iPad Pro. But if you ask me which tablet in the lineup actually makes the most sense for your wallet and your productivity, it’s always the Air.

After I finished testing the M2 model, I actually moved away from iPads for a bit. That review unit went to a colleague, and in the past couple of years, I spent my time testing a string of Android tablets. None of them quite felt like this, though. Despite the huge 13-inch footprint, it is remarkably sleek, something you have to see, hold and feel in person. At 617 grams for the cellular version and just 6.1mm thin, the weight distribution is so spot-on that you honestly forget you’re holding such a massive slab of screen.

Familiar looks, massive internal upgrades

Beyond the ergonomics, what are we really looking at? Honestly, the design is just ‘typical iPad Air.’ It’s a look we’re all used to by now. The display is pretty bright with True Tone tech, the quad-speakers are some of the loudest I’ve tested, and you get all the usual bits you’d expect for your money. But the real shift, whether you’re a first-time buyer or upgrading from an older model, is how this thing actually runs.

I have to pause for a second because it’s still wild to me that an iPad Air has an M4 chip inside. Keep in mind, the M4 chip is the same Apple silicon found in the much more expensive iPad Pro. My unit has 12 GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1 TB of NVMe storage. Once again, this is the kind of hardware you are used to on a MacBook.

Then there’s iPadOS 26. I saw the demos last year at WWDC, but this will be my first time actually using it. For me, and I am sure for folks who are in the Apple ecosystem, iPadOS 26 clearly tries to blend the simplicity of an iPhone with the ‘do-everything’ nature of a Mac. I’m really curious to see if it can finally be a proper alternative to my laptop for those days when I just don’t want to carry a heavy bag.

Bridging the gap to the Mac

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the iPad Air is going to replace my Mac. I’ve never been the guy who thinks a tablet can fully replace a laptop; they just do different things. But if I’m opening Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, I want all the power I can get. The M4 has it in spades. In fact, on paper, it should even beat out plenty of high-performance Windows machines. For me, I just like having that raw power at my disposal, even if I’m just using it for fun stuff like gaming or watching content.

Of course, it isn’t all perfect with the iPad Air M4, though. In 2026, the lack of ProMotion is a big miss. Since the hardware is so fast, everything is buttery smooth; you’d definitely notice the 60Hz limit if you’re used to high-refresh screens on your phone or laptop. Having 120Hz ProMotion would’ve definitely sealed the deal for me. I also think it’s time for FaceID. TouchID is again perfect and it works flawlessly. But at this price, I just want to look at the screen and get to work.

Also read: Apple AirPods Max 2 vs Sony WH-1000XM6: Specs, features, and key differences explained

What I’m watching for

There are a few other things I’ll be watching. The endurance, for one. I want to see how that M4 power actually drains the battery during a long day. I also wish Apple had refreshed the colours; it’s basically impossible to tell this apart from the older M3 version. That said, the new N1 and C1X chips mean we’re getting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, plus 38 TOPS for on-device AI, so it’s definitely future-proof.

I’ll be putting the iPad Air M4 through its paces in the Digit Test Labs to see how this machine holds up in the real-world. Stay tuned for the full review.