iPad Air (M4, 2026) review: I benchmarked Apple's tablet with the Pro model, and it's very close

Perhaps one of the most surprising things about the Apple Silicon era is how quickly Apple now updates its products. Take the iPad Air, for example. It’s been less than two years since the company released the M2-powered iPad Air in 11- and 13-inch sizes.

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR ...

PERFORMANCE. We evaluate how fast a tablet can perform calculations and see how long it takes to complete different tasks. The Apple iPad Air 13" Wifi + Cellular has excellent speeds when running everyday tasks, such as web browsing or email. The time to ...

I’ve been an iPad-as-a-computer guy ever since Apple put the M1 silicon inside the iPad Pro. Earlier this year, I dropped $1,800 and got the new iPad Pro with the whole accessory kit in tow. I wish I had the patience to wait and pick the Asus ProArt PZ13 ...

Microsoft and others had at least years, if not more than a decade, to get tablet computers right — but then on January 27, 2010, Apple brought out the iPad and showed them how it should be done. It's well known that Apple likes secrecy, but generally it ...

PERFORMANCE. We evaluate how fast a tablet can perform calculations and see how long it takes to complete different tasks. The Apple iPad Pro 13" has excellent speeds when running everyday tasks, such as web browsing or email. The time to turn on and load ...