Forget the iPhone Duo — the M4 iPad Air is a lot cheaper even at full price but it's now 21% off
We called the 2026 iPad Air with the M4 chip the 'pro model tablet for most people’ for its excellent performance, vibrant and sharp screen and great connectivity, and it’s much better value than Apple's AU$3,499 foldable.
Pre-orders are slated to begin for the eagerly-anticipated iPhone Duo, but even the most devoted Apple followers may find its AU$3,499 starting price a bit steep. The iPhone Duo can be compared to an unfolded iPad, so a better option might be the 2026 iPad Air paired with your existing iPhone. Amazon Australia currently offers a rare 21% discount on the 2026 iPad Air, which brings the 128GB model down to a surprisingly affordable AU$987. This is an excellent deal for a tablet often marketed as a "pro model" for the majority of users.
This 21% discount on the 2026 11-inch iPad Air with Apple's new M4 chipset is the largest price reduction since a recent July price hike. The iPad Air is available in Purple and Starlight for this price, while Space Grey and Blue models are priced AU$1 higher. The 256GB version is AU$200 more expensive, while the 13-inch model starts at AU$1,287, also 20% off.
Although there were no significant design changes from the previous model, the inclusion of the M4 chip, additional RAM, and improved connectivity makes the 2026 release a much more powerful tablet than previous generations. These enhancements should facilitate photo and video editing, gaming, multitasking, or general computing tasks effortlessly. However, the display's frame rate remains capped at 60Hz, unlike the iPad Pro's impressive 120Hz ProMotion display.
The 11-inch screen makes this iPad less portable than the iPhone Duo, even when unfolded. Yet, the additional screen real estate provides a larger canvas for entertainment and Apple Pencil note-taking. While this iPad Air may not be a must-have upgrade if you already own the M3 or M2 models from past years, it offers a significant performance boost compared to older iPad Airs, base model iPads, and even some older iPad Pros.
Consider the following calculation: purchasing the latest iPad Air with the 256GB iPhone 18 Pro Max discount of AU$2,297 amounts to a total of AU$3,287. This is cheaper than the starting price of the iPhone Duo!
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
