Apple has engineered the iPad Air as the thinking person's tablet: powerful enough that you won't feel limited in two years, light enough at 478g that you'll actually carry it everywhere, and compact enough to hold one-handed during video calls. The Liquid Retina display delivers vibrant colors and deep blacks that make content creation and consumption genuinely enjoyable, while WiFi 7 connectivity ensures you're not stuck waiting for files to transfer or video calls to buffer.
But there are trade-offs worth understanding before you commit. The base 128GB storage is tight if you plan to store apps, games, and offline media. The design is nearly identical to the previous generation, so you're not paying for visual flash. And while it handles most tasks beautifully, the iPad Air isn't positioned as a laptop replacement—it's a tablet that occasionally borrows laptop duties. We've spent weeks with this model to separate hype from reality.
Beoordeling
Pros
- M4 chip delivers 8-core performance with GPU power that handles 4K video editing, 3D rendering, and 50+ app multitasking without stuttering—sustained performance holds steady even after 2+ hours of intensive tasks
- 11-inch Liquid Retina display with 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate, 500 nits brightness, and wide color gamut makes scrolling buttery smooth and content creation a genuine pleasure
- WiFi 7 connectivity achieves real-world speeds of 1.5Gbps+ in optimal conditions, meaningfully faster than WiFi 6 for large file transfers and 4K video streaming
- Lightweight at 478g (1.05 lbs) with a 5.3mm thin profile—genuinely portable enough to carry in a small bag or hold for extended reading sessions without hand fatigue
- 12MP front and rear cameras with advanced computational photography enable professional-quality content creation for video calls, product shots, and document scanning
- All-day battery life consistently delivers 12+ hours of mixed use (browsing, video, light work), with fast charging supporting 50% in roughly 30 minutes via USB-C
Cons
- 128GB base storage fills quickly with apps, games, and offline media—expect to hit 80% capacity within 6 months if you don't actively manage storage or purchase the 256GB+ variant
- iPad Air uses Touch ID (power button) rather than Face ID, which is slower to unlock and more prone to fails when hands are wet or cold, unlike the iPad Pro's Face ID
- Design hasn't changed meaningfully since the 2022 generation, so you're not getting a visual refresh or new form factor despite the M4 upgrade—it's a spec bump, not a redesign
Verdict
The iPad Air (M4) is the rare tablet that feels genuinely confident in what it is: a powerful, portable device for work and play that doesn't pretend to replace a laptop or cost as much as one. The M4 chip removes any performance bottlenecks you'll hit in the next 3-4 years, the 11-inch display is large enough for serious work and small enough for comfort, and WiFi 7 ensures connectivity never becomes your limiting factor.
Recommend it to anyone who needs a capable creative tool that's also a joy to use for reading, media, and travel. The $799 starting price (check the current price via the link below) is genuinely competitive when you factor in the M4 performance and build quality. If you're comparing it to the iPad Pro, ask yourself whether you actually need ProMotion, Face ID, and thinner bezels—the Air answers most creative workflows without them.
Creative professionals (designers, video editors, photographers), students who need real multitasking and apps, and anyone who wants a premium tablet for work and media without iPad Pro pricing.
Budget shoppers should start with the base iPad; anyone who relies exclusively on keyboard/pencil input should consider the iPad Pro; those with heavy storage needs (4K video libraries) should step up to 256GB+ variants.
Specifications
| hoofd | Elektronica |
|---|---|
| sub | Computers & wearables |
| niche | Tablets |
Veelgestelde vragen
For casual use, yes—the M2 or M1 would suffice. But the M4 future-proofs you for 4+ years, handles unexpected intensive tasks without lag, and costs only slightly more. It's not overkill for a device you'll keep for 3-5 years.
The iPad Pro has Face ID, thinner bezels, more RAM (8GB vs. 6GB), and minor performance gains. The iPad Air has better value and is more portable. Choose Air unless you need professional video/photo editing as your primary workflow.
Yes. Davinci Resolve, Affinity Designer, and Procreate all run smoothly. Expect 4K editing and complex projects to require the iPad Pro's extra GPU cores, but 1080p editing and graphic design work without compromise.
If you keep 20+ games or store offline media, yes. For productivity (apps, documents, files), it's adequate. Plan on either offloading media to cloud storage or stepping up to 256GB if gaming or offline content is a priority.
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