Apple launches new iPad Air with M4 chipset, N1 and C1X wireless chips | Infinium-tech
Apple has unveiled the third new iPad Air in as many years – the 2026 version brings the Apple M4 chip, adds extra RAM and is the first iPad to feature Apple’s N1 and C1X wireless chips.
Cupertino briefly mentions last year’s iPad Air, which has an M3 chip, but it’s clear this model is aimed at tempting owners of the M1-powered Air (from 2022) and users of the vanilla iPad to upgrade.
Apple iPad Air (2026) Colors: Space Gray • Blue • Purple • Starlight
The new iPad Air (2026) with the M4 chip is 30% faster than the 2025/M3 version. Not bad, but upgrading in itself is hardly worth it. However, compared to the 2022/M1 model, the new version brings a massive 2.3x speedup.
But here’s something that might interest you, even if you have a 2025 Air – the 2026 model has 12GB of RAM, up from 8GB. And it’s fast too, with 120GB/s bandwidth.
Let’s look at some special points. The M4 chip inside the new iPad Air has an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU. The 16-core Neural Engine delivers 3x the performance of the M1 NPU. This combined with larger, faster RAM will have a massive impact on running AI on the device. Before you say “I don’t care about AI,” note that this includes things like removing backgrounds in videos in Final Cut Pro.
Apple iPad Air (2026)
For local connectivity, the tablet uses Apple’s N1 chip, which supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread (Smart Home Protocol). If you choose the 5G-enabled version of the Air, it will have Apple’s C1X modem, which delivers 50% higher wireless speeds while using 30% less power than the modem used in the M3-powered Air.
Despite the rumors, the new models still use Liquid Retina displays, which Apple calls its LCD panels. And yes, they still run at 60Hz.
The Apple iPad Air 2026 is available in 11” and 13” models, priced at $600 and $800 respectively. This is for the base 12/128GB variant (yes, storage still starts at 128GB). Below we’ve listed the prices of other storage options. For a 5G tablet, add $250 / €170 / £200 / ₹15,000.
| iPad Air (2026) with M4 | 128gb | 256 GB | 512GB | 1TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11″ | $600 | $700 | $900 | $1,100 |
| €650 | €780 | €1,030 | €1,280 | |
| £600 | £700 | £900 | £1,100 | |
| ₹65,000 | ₹75,000 | ₹95,000 | ₹115,000 | |
| 13″ | $800 | $900 | $1,100 | $1,300 |
| €850 | €980 | €1,230 | €1,480 | |
| £800 | £900 | £1,100 | £1,300 | |
| ₹85,000 | ₹95,000 | ₹115,000 | ₹135,000 |
Note that Apple offers its usual $50 discount for teachers and students. Pre-orders will begin on Wednesday (March 4) and availability will begin next week on Wednesday (March 11).
The new iPad Air can be paired with the Magic Keyboard and/or the Pencil Pro
Additionally, you’ll be able to pick up an Apple Magic Keyboard ($270 for the 11″ model and $320 for the 13″ model), an Apple Pencil ($80) or an Apple Pencil Pro ($130). These are also subject to education exemption.
The standard retail package includes a 20W charger and a USB C-to-C cable.
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