Apple’s week of new product announcements has officially begun, kicking off with the introduction of the iPhone 17e and a refreshed iPad Air lineup. While the latter maintains its familiar design language, it receives a meaningful internal upgrade with the introduction of the M4 chip, bringing improved performance and enhanced AI capabilities.

Same Design, More Power

The 2026 iPad Air continues to be available in 11-inch and 13-inch variants, retaining the slim aluminium chassis and flat-edge design seen in the previous generation. Apple has made no visual changes this time around, with the device still featuring a Liquid Retina LCD display, 12MP front and rear cameras, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button.

Storage configurations and colour options also remain unchanged from the previous model.

✅Where the real update lies is under the hood.

✅M4 Chip Brings Noticeable Performance Gains

The new iPad Air is powered by Apple’s M4 chip, configured with an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU. According to Apple, the device delivers up to 30% faster performance compared to its predecessor. When compared to the older M1-powered iPad Air, the new model is said to be 2.3 times faster.

RAM has also been increased to 12GB, up from 8GB in the previous M3 variant. Memory bandwidth sees a bump as well, rising from 100GB/s to 120GB/s, which should translate into smoother multitasking and improved handling of creative and productivity workloads.

Enhanced AI and Connectivity

With the M4 upgrade comes stronger AI performance. Apple states that the device can run machine learning models faster, thanks in part to the 16-core Neural Engine, which is reportedly three times faster than the one found in the M1.

The tablet also integrates Apple’s N1 chip, enabling support for WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. For cellular models, the new C1X modem offers up to 50% higher wireless speeds while consuming 30% less power, improving both efficiency and data performance.

No Changes to Cameras or Display

Despite the internal improvements, the hardware elsewhere remains unchanged. The iPad Air continues to use the same Liquid Retina LCD panel, and both front and rear cameras remain at 12MP. This positions the update squarely as a performance-focused refresh rather than a comprehensive redesign.

Pricing and Availability in Malaysia

The M4 iPad Air will be available for purchase starting 11 March 2026, with pre-orders opening on 4 March 2026.

Malaysian pricing is as follows:

11-inch iPad Air

✅WiFi model: From RM2,799

✅Cellular model: From RM3,499

13-inch iPad Air

✅WiFi model: From RM3,699

✅Cellular model: From RM4,399