Apple iPad Air M4 (2026) review: Do we even need an iPad Pro when the Air is this powerful?

The iPad Air M4 (2026) has arrived, and it's been put through its paces against the flagship iPad Pro M5 and last-gen iPad Pro M4. The M4 model still looks like an iPad Air, retaining its thin aluminum rectangle design. However, inside, it boasts a 13-inch Liquid Retina display with a 2732 x 2048 resolution and 12GB of unified memory. For this review, the focus was on how well it handles professional photography work, using the Sony A7R V camera to test its capabilities.

The reviewer, a working creative and lecturer, uses the iPad Air M4 daily and was eager to see how it performs in heavy photographic tasks. The main question was whether this latest Air could compete with the flagship iPad Pro M5 and the older iPad Pro M4.

Specifications-wise, the 12GB of unified memory is a significant upgrade from the 8GB found in the previous Air models. This additional memory provides breathing room for handling large files, multiple applications, and complex edits. During testing with Sony A7R V RAW files, the iPad Air M4 handled the high-resolution images exceptionally well, demonstrating its ability to cope with a demanding photographic workload.

The reviewer notes that while the iPad Air M4 doesn't have the same OLED display, HDR brightness, or nano-texture display as the iPad Pro M5 and the last-gen iPad Pro M4, it still delivers a superb viewing experience. The 600 nit brightness is adequate for most editing scenarios, even though it may not be as impressive as the Pro's brighter display for HDR content.

Nonetheless, for photographers who don't regularly edit in bright sunlight or require critical HDR grading, the iPad Air M4 is an attractive alternative to the best MacBooks for photo editing, offering ample screen space and excellent color reproduction.