The Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4) is a 27.59 cm tablet with an M4 chip, 12GB of memory, a Liquid Retina LCD, Touch ID and Wi-Fi 7, and it is a strong pick if you want a laptop-class iPad that is still easy to carry. It suits students, note-takers, light creators and anyone who wants years of iPadOS updates without paying for the Pro. The short verdict: excellent all-round tablet, but the display is not OLED, there is no Face ID, and accessories cost extra.
How this article was written: it is based on Apple’s official India specification pages and on published reviews, which we have named wherever we use them. It is not based on hands-on testing, and we make no claims about how a unit behaves in our own use. Specifications were checked on 29 October 2026. We do not quote prices because they change often; use the link below to see today’s listing.
Check the current price of the iPad Air 11-inch (M4) on Amazon.in
Quick verdict
- Best for: students, professionals and creators who want a light, fast tablet with Apple Pencil Pro support and long software support
- Skip if: you want an OLED or high-refresh screen, Face ID, or you only browse and stream and could manage with a cheaper iPad
- Key strengths: M4 chip with 12GB memory, laminated anti-reflective display, USB-C with up to 10 Gbps, Wi-Fi 7, 464 g weight
- Key limitations: reviewers note a 60Hz LCD, battery life unchanged from the previous generation, and a Magic Keyboard that is a separate and costly purchase
Key specifications (11-inch, as listed by Apple India)
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | 11-inch Liquid Retina (27.59 cm), LED-backlit IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264 ppi |
| Brightness | 500 nits, P3 wide colour, True Tone, anti-reflective coating |
| Chip | Apple M4: 8-core CPU (3 performance and 5 efficiency), 9-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine |
| Memory | 12GB unified memory, 120GB/s bandwidth |
| Storage options | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Rear camera | 12MP wide, f/1.8, 4K video up to 60 fps |
| Front camera | 12MP Center Stage, f/2.0, landscape position |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) with Apple N1, Bluetooth 6, Thread |
| Port | USB-C with DisplayPort and USB 3 up to 10 Gbps |
| Security | Touch ID in the top button |
| Battery | 28.93 Wh, up to 10 hours of web or video on Wi-Fi (Apple’s claim) |
| Weight and size | 464 g (Wi-Fi), 247.6 x 178.5 x 6.1 mm |
| Pencil support | Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) |
| Colours | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Grey |
| In the box | 20W USB-C power adapter and 1 m USB-C charge cable |
The Amazon listing we were given is titled “Apple iPad Air 27.59 cm (11″) (M4) … 128 GB … Wi-Fi 7 with Apple N1, Touch ID … Space Gray”. That points to the 128GB, Space Grey configuration. The title does not say whether it is the Wi-Fi-only or the cellular model, so check that on the listing before ordering. See the 128GB Space Grey iPad Air 11-inch on Amazon.in
Design and display: what the panel does and does not offer
At 464 g and 6.1 mm thick, the 11-inch iPad Air is easy to hold one-handed for short stretches and slides into most backpacks next to a laptop. Apple’s specification page gives the 13-inch version as 616 g, so the weight gap between the two sizes is large enough to affect how often you will actually carry it around.
The screen is a Liquid Retina IPS LCD at 2360 x 1640 (264 ppi) with P3 wide colour, True Tone and an anti-reflective coating. It is fully laminated, meaning there is no air gap between the glass and the panel. In practice that makes drawing and handwriting feel closer to the pen tip and reduces the reflections that make glossy tablets hard to use near a window.
Apple rates the 11-inch panel at 500 nits. In its review, Tom’s Guide measured a top brightness of 489 nits on the 11-inch model and reported colour coverage of 116.2% sRGB and 82.3% DCI-P3. Those are the outlet’s own measurements and a single unit; they suggest the panel is bright enough for indoor use and shaded outdoor use but will not compete with an OLED in direct sun.
Business Today, which reviewed the 13-inch model, points out that the Air has a 60Hz LCD panel and calls that a compromise, with lower brightness and less deep blacks than OLED. Apple’s own specification page does not state a refresh rate, so treat 60Hz as the reviewer’s description. If smooth scrolling and deep blacks matter more than anything else, this is the main reason to look elsewhere.
Performance: M4 and 12GB of memory
Apple lists the M4 with an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine, along with 12GB of unified memory and 120GB/s of memory bandwidth. The chip also has hardware ray tracing and a media engine with hardware acceleration for H.264, HEVC, ProRes and ProRes RAW, plus AV1 decode.
The numbers matter mostly at the edges. Tom’s Guide reported Geekbench 6 scores of 3745 single-core and 13342 multi-core for the M4 Air, against 3042 and 11804 for the M3 Air it compared. The same reviewer notes that the gain over the M3 is modest and unlikely to be noticed in day-to-day use unless you edit video heavily. So the M4 is less a reason to upgrade from last year’s Air and more a reason to buy now if you are coming from an older iPad.
Business Today adds that the 12GB of RAM is up from 8GB on the M3 model, and says it helps with heavier multitasking such as many Safari tabs, Canva and AI features. That reviewer also found gaming smooth, although the 13-inch size was tiring for BGMI after about half an hour; the 11-inch is naturally lighter for that purpose, but that is an inference rather than something the review tested.
Apple Intelligence is listed as available in beta on the iPad Air, with on-device processing for many tasks. Feature and language availability varies by region, so check what is live in India before you count on it.
Cameras, audio and connectivity
Both cameras are 12MP. The rear camera is a wide f/1.8 unit with Smart HDR 4 and 4K video up to 60 fps, which is sensible for scanning documents, whiteboards and the occasional photo. The front camera is a 12MP Center Stage unit placed on the long edge, so video calls look natural when the iPad sits in landscape on a keyboard or stand. Tom’s Guide found photos pleasing but not spectacular, and noted there is no Portrait mode on the rear camera.
Wireless is handled by Apple’s N1 chip: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Wi-Fi 7 only pays off if you have a Wi-Fi 7 router, but it will fall back to older standards without trouble. Cellular models use Apple’s C1X modem with 5G (sub-6 GHz) and are eSIM only, with no physical SIM tray, per Apple’s specification page. Check carrier eSIM support before choosing cellular.
The USB-C port supports DisplayPort and USB 3 speeds up to 10 Gbps, so external SSDs and monitors work properly. Audio comes from stereo speakers with dual microphones, according to Apple.
Battery and charging
Apple claims up to 10 hours of web browsing or video on Wi-Fi from the 28.93 Wh battery, and up to 9 hours on cellular data, with the test run on pre-production units. Tom’s Guide recorded 9 hours 44 minutes in its own battery test of the 11-inch M4 Air, and said battery life was effectively unchanged from the M3 and that it wished it were longer. Business Today reports charging at up to 20W over USB-C, taking about 2.5 hours for the 13-inch model.
In plain terms: expect a full day of mixed use, not a multi-day tablet. The box includes a 20W adapter and a USB-C cable, which is enough for overnight charging.
Accessories to budget for
Apple Pencil Pro (squeeze, barrel roll, haptic feedback and hover) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) both work with this iPad. The Pencil Pro attaches magnetically to the side, charges there and can be found with Find My. Apple’s main product page also lists a Magic Keyboard for iPad Air in black or white, with a 14-key function row and a large glass trackpad. Tom’s Guide called the keyboard snappy but expensive and noted that it lacks backlighting. Neither a Pencil nor a keyboard comes with the tablet, so factor them into your total.
Who should buy it
- Students who want to write, draw and read on one device
- Professionals who want a light second screen or a notes machine
- Casual creators who edit photos, sketch or cut short videos
- Anyone upgrading from an iPad that is several years old
- People who prefer a compact tablet that still has a laminated screen and Touch ID
Who should skip it
- Buyers who only stream and browse, who may be well served by a cheaper iPad
- Anyone who wants OLED, high refresh or Face ID
- Owners of the M3 iPad Air, since Tom’s Guide describes the update as iterative
- People who need a very small tablet, where an iPad mini may be easier to carry
Alternatives worth comparing
- iPad Air 13-inch (M4): the same chip and 12GB of memory in a 32.78 cm, 2732 x 2048 display rated at 600 nits and weighing 616 g with a 36.59 Wh battery, per Apple
- iPad mini (A20 Pro): Apple India’s iPad mini page currently describes an 8.5-inch OLED model weighing 255 g in Wi-Fi form, a much smaller device with a different use case
- iPad Air with M3: the previous generation, which Tom’s Guide says is close to the M4 model in everyday use, though it lacks the N1 chip and Wi-Fi 7
Buying tips before you order
- Check the variant: the listing we were given names 128GB and Space Grey; confirm Wi-Fi-only versus cellular on the page
- Storage: Apple lists 128GB to 1TB; formatted capacity is lower than the label
- Warranty and service: confirm the seller and warranty terms on the listing, and keep the invoice
- Accessories: the Pencil and keyboard are not included; check compatibility with the Air specifically
- Price: see the current figure on Amazon.in, as prices and offers change
Check the current price of the iPad Air 11-inch (M4) on Amazon.in
Frequently asked questions
Is the iPad Air 11-inch M4 good for students?
Yes, on paper. It supports Apple Pencil Pro, has a laminated anti-reflective display and, according to Apple, runs up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi. The Pencil and keyboard are extra purchases.
Does the iPad Air M4 have Face ID?
No. It has Touch ID in the top button, per Apple. Both Tom’s Guide and Business Today list the lack of Face ID as a drawback.
How much RAM does it have?
Apple lists 12GB of unified memory for the M4 iPad Air.
Does it support the Apple Pencil Pro?
Yes. Apple lists support for Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C), both sold separately.
Is the 60Hz display a problem?
Business Today describes the panel as 60Hz and calls it a compromise. Whether it bothers you depends on how sensitive you are to motion smoothness; Apple’s specification page does not state a refresh rate.
Final word
The iPad Air 11-inch (M4) is a mature, well-rounded tablet. The reviews we read describe a modest step from the M3 model, so the strongest case is for people buying fresh rather than upgrading. Check the exact variant on the listing, add accessories to your budget, and compare it with the 13-inch if you want more screen. See the iPad Air 11-inch (M4) on Amazon.in
Sources
- Apple India: iPad Air (checked 29 October 2026)
- Apple India: iPad Air technical specifications (checked 29 October 2026)
- Tom’s Guide: Apple iPad Air M4 review by Mike Prospero, 9 March 2026
- Business Today: iPad Air M4 review, 28 May 2026
