Apple’s Midrange iPad Gets an M4 Chip Bump, Arriving March 11
If you’re buying a mid-range iPad, Apple is offering an update to the just-arrived Air. And that makes it High-end iPad Pro released last fall perhaps seems a little less necessary. The new iPad Air is available for pre-order on Wednesday March 4 and will arrive on March 11.
The iPad Air’s chip update to an M4 chip is hardly surprising, but it does mean the iPad Air gets a bit better for the same price. THE M3 model released last year was my favorite, more affordable alternative to the better but more expensive iPad Pro. It’s the same price as before ($599 for the 11-inch, $799 for the 13-inch), and still only has 128GB of storage for that price.
There are a few other internal upgrades, though: Apple’s C1X modem is now built into cellular models, and the N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Threads.
If you deeply desire an OLED iPad with a superb display that offers the highest performance at a premium price, go for the Pro. Or look for an old M4 iPad Pro on sale. But for me, until iPads can really become full-fledged Macs At the touch of a button, there’s no reason to have a high-end iPad.
I still think it’s the cheapest Entry-level iPad is a good choice for many, but it looks like this one isn’t getting an update today after all, despite reports. It’s a shame, because this iPad is the only one not yet compatible with Apple Intelligence. The Air update seems to be an indication that Apple is currently trying to push people to buy an upgraded model instead.
