Affordable, capable tablet with A18/A19 processor for everyday use and content consumption.
Students, casual users, families, and budget-conscious buyers seeking reliable tablet performance for entertainment and light productivity.
Apple's mid-range tablet with M4 chip, offering excellent performance and value for everyday users.
Creative professionals, video editors, digital artists, developers, and power users who demand maximum performance, display quality, and advanced features for professional workflows.
The iPad Air (M4, 2026) delivers laptop-class performance with advanced features like Wi-Fi 7 and OLED displays at $599, making it ideal for creative professionals and power users. The entry-level iPad with A18/A19 chip remains the smart choice for everyday tasks, content consumption, and budget-conscious buyers seeking reliable performance at a lower price point.
Choose the iPad if you prioritize value and need reliable performance for browsing, streaming, and light productivity at an affordable price. Choose the iPad Air if you're a creative professional, content creator, or power user who demands cutting-edge performance, superior display quality, and advanced connectivity features—the M4 chip justifies the premium for demanding workflows.
Choose iPad if
Students, casual users, families, and budget-conscious buyers seeking reliable tablet performance for entertainment and light productivity.
| Metric | iPad | iPad Air | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU Core Count(cores) | 6 (estimated) | 8 | -25% |
| GPU Core Count(cores) | 5 (A18 estimated) | 9 | -44% |
| RAM(GB) | 8 | 12 |
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Choose iPad Air if
Creative professionals, video editors, digital artists, developers, and power users who demand maximum performance, display quality, and advanced features for professional workflows.
| -33% |
| Battery Capacity(mAh) | 7,698 | 8,500+ (estimated) | -9% |
| Charging Speed(W) | 25-30 | 35+ (estimated) | -21% |
| Starting Price(USD) | $329-$349 | $599 | -43% |
| Performance Gain vs Previous Gen(% faster) | ~15-20% (estimated) | 30% | -42% |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated May 2026.
iPad
A18/A19 chip
iPad Air
M4 chip (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU)🏆
iPad
Mid-range tablet performance
iPad Air
Laptop-level performance (30% faster than 2025 iPad Air)🏆
iPad
Standard LCD
iPad Air
OLED panel (2026 upgrade)🏆
iPad
Standard Wi-Fi 6
iPad Air
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread (N1 chip)🏆
iPad
8GB (expected)
iPad Air
12GB LPDDR5X🏆
iPad
$329-$349 (estimated)🏆
iPad Air
$599
iPad
~7,698 mAh
iPad Air
~8,500+ mAh (estimated)🏆
iPad
Everyday tasks, media consumption
iPad Air
Professional creative work, video editing
The iPad Air features Apple's M4 chip with 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU, delivering 30% faster performance than the 2025 iPad Air and laptop-class processing power. The entry-level iPad uses the A18 or A19 chip with 6-core CPU and 5-core GPU, providing solid mid-range performance suitable for everyday tasks but insufficient for professional creative work.
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| Attribute | iPad | iPad Air |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | A18/A19 (6-core CPU expected) | M4 (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU) |
| RAM(GB) | 8 | 12 |
| CPU Core Count(cores) | 6 (estimated) | 8 |
| GPU Core Count(cores) | 5 (A18 estimated) | 9 |
| Performance Gain vs Previous Gen(% faster) | ~15-20% (estimated) | 30% |
| Display Type | IPS LCD | OLED |
| Wi-Fi Standard(generation) | Wi-Fi 6 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 6 |
| Battery Capacity(mAh) | 7,698 | 8,500+ (estimated) |
| Charging Speed(W) | 25-30 | 35+ (estimated) |
| Starting Price(USD) | $329-$349 | $599 |
| Target User Segment | Casual/Budget-conscious | Professional/Power User |
Side-by-side comparison of numeric attributes