iPad Air M1 vs iPad Air M4

By Billy G. · Founder & Lead EditorVerified Jun 27 by Billy G.

iPad Air M1
iPad Air M1
iPad Air M4
iPad Air M4

Verdict: iPad Air M4 wins decisively with superior M4 chip, 16GB RAM, and OLED 120Hz display versus the M1's 8GB and LCD panel. The M1 remains viable for basic tasks at lower cost but trails in every benchmark category. M4 beats M1 on Geekbench multi-core by over 60% and adds Thunderbolt per Apple's specs.

Winner: iPad Air M4

iPad Air M1: 6.5/10

iPad Air M4: 8.5/10

Spec-by-spec comparison

iPad Air M1iPad Air M4
chipApple M1Apple M4
display10.9-inch Liquid Retina, 2360x164011-inch or 13-inch Tandem OLED, 120Hz
ram8GB16GB
storage_options64GB/256GB128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB

iPad Air M1

What works

  • M1 chip delivers strong performance for productivity and light creative work
  • Supports Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard
  • Affordable used/refurbished pricing

What doesn't

  • Only 8GB RAM limits future-proofing for heavy multitasking
  • No Thunderbolt, limited to USB-C 3.1 speeds

iPad Air M4

What works

  • M4 chip with 16GB RAM handles demanding apps and AI features
  • Tandem OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion
  • USB-C with Thunderbolt support

What doesn't

  • Higher starting price than prior Air models
  • No nano-texture display option

Bottom line

Our pick: iPad Air M4.

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