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Title

Article: $599 M4 iPad Air is a lot like the old one, but with a substantial RAM boost

Impact Score

3 / 10

AI Summary (Processed Content)

Apple has announced an updated iPad Air, featuring a new M4 chip and an increase in RAM from 8GB to 12GB. The tablet maintains its 11-inch and 13-inch sizes with starting prices of $599 and $799, though the base models still offer only 128GB of storage.

The design is unchanged from recent models, but the shift to the M4 chip continues the incompatibility with older accessories like the second-generation Apple Pencil. Preorders for the new iPad Air begin on March 4, with availability starting on March 11.

Main topics: iPad Air update, M4 chip and RAM upgrade, pricing and storage options, design and accessory compatibility, release date.

Original URL

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/apple-keeps-the-ipad-air-fresh-with-m4-chip-upgrade-and-12gb-of-ram/

Source Feed

Ars Technica

Published Date

2026-03-02 15:06

Fetched Date

2026-03-04 14:27

Processed Date

2026-03-04 15:36

Embedding Status

Present

Cluster ID

Not Clustered

Raw Extracted Content

As expected, Apple has announced a mild update for the iPad family’s middle child today. The new iPad Air is a lot like the old one, but it replaces the Apple M3 chip with an M4. That M4 also comes with a less-expected upgrade: a jump from 8GB of RAM to 12GB, which should be helpful for those using iPadOS 26’s multi-window multitasking features.
The iPad Air still comes in 11-inch and 13-inch versions that start at $599 and $799, respectively; the only disappointment is that these entry-level models still come with 128GB of storage. A 256GB storage upgrade will run you $100, and 512GB (+$300) and 1TB (+$500) versions are also available. Preorders go live on March 4, and the tablet will be available on March 11.
The M4 iPad Air uses the same design as the M2 version from 2024 and the M3 version from last year. The M2 version of the Air was a gently tweaked version of the M1 iPad Air, but it was different enough not to be compatible with all the same accessories; most notably, the M2-and-later Airs use the Apple Pencil Pro accessory and aren’t compatible with the second-generation Pencil.