iPad Air (M4) vs iPad (11th generation)
Verified 2026-10-03
A factual specification comparison between the iPad Air (M4) and the iPad (11th generation).
Image: Apple
Fully verifiedTabletReleased · 2025-03-12Announced 2025-03-04
Specs: source
View full specsKey differences
| Specification | iPad Air (M4) | iPad (11th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 11-inch: 464g (Wi-Fi) / 465g (Cellular); 13-inch: 616g (Wi-Fi) / 617g (Cellular) | 477 g (Wi-Fi) / 481 g (Wi-Fi + Cellular) |
| Resolution | 11-inch: 2360×1640 (264 ppi); 13-inch: 2732×2048 (264 ppi) | 2360×1640 pixels (264 ppi) |
| Chipset model name | M4 | A16 |
| Wired charging | USB-C (charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 up to 10Gb/s) | 20W USB-C power adapter, USB 2.0 (480 Mb/s) |
| Video recording | 4K video recording at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p HD at 25/30/60 fps; 720p HD at 30 fps; slo-mo 1080p at 120/240 fps | 4K video recording at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p HD at 25/30/60 fps; 720p HD at 30/60 fps; slo-mo 1080p at 120/240 fps |
| SIM | eSIM | eSIM (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only; not compatible with physical SIM cards) |
| Speakers | Landscape stereo speakers, dual microphones | Landscape stereo speakers; Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos playback |
| Biometric authentication | Touch ID | Touch ID (top button) |
| Colors | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray | Silver, Blue, Pink, Yellow |
| Display | Liquid Retina (LED-backlit IPS), True Tone, antireflective coating — 11-inch and 13-inch sizes | 11-inch Liquid Retina (IPS), True Tone, fingerprint-resistant coating |
Facts shown above are the specifications where both devices have a confirmed value and those values differ — not an indication that either device is better. Showing 10 of 19 differing facts, spread across categories — see the full specification table below for the rest.
Configurations
iPad Air (M4)
- 128GB
- 256GB
- 512GB
- 1024GB
iPad (11th generation)
- 128GB
- 256GB
- 512GB
Cameras
iPad Air (M4)
- Rear · Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
- Front · Center Stage: 12MP, ƒ/2
iPad (11th generation)
- Rear · Wide: 12MP, ƒ/1.8
- Front · Center Stage: 12MP, ƒ/2.4
Specifications
| Specification | iPad Air (M4) | iPad (11th generation) |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Build | ||
| Weight | 11-inch: 464g (Wi-Fi) / 465g (Cellular); 13-inch: 616g (Wi-Fi) / 617g (Cellular) | 477 g (Wi-Fi) / 481 g (Wi-Fi + Cellular) |
| Colors | Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray | Silver, Blue, Pink, Yellow |
| Dimensions | 11-inch: 247.6 × 178.5 × 6.1 mm; 13-inch: 280.6 × 214.9 × 6.1 mm | 248.6 × 179.5 × 7 mm |
| Stylus support | Apple Pencil Pro; Apple Pencil (USB-C) | Apple Pencil (USB-C); Apple Pencil (1st generation) via USB-C adapter |
| Keyboard accessory support | Compatible with Magic Keyboard | Compatible with Magic Keyboard Folio |
| Display | ||
| Resolution | 11-inch: 2360×1640 (264 ppi); 13-inch: 2732×2048 (264 ppi) | 2360×1640 pixels (264 ppi) |
| Peak brightness (nits) | 500 | 500 |
| Display | Liquid Retina (LED-backlit IPS), True Tone, antireflective coating — 11-inch and 13-inch sizes | 11-inch Liquid Retina (IPS), True Tone, fingerprint-resistant coating |
| HDR support | Dolby Vision, HDR10+/HDR10, and HLG | — |
| Performance | ||
| Chipset model name | M4 | A16 |
| Chipset | Apple M4 (8-core CPU: 3 performance + 5 efficiency, 9-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) | Apple A16 (5-core CPU, 4-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine) |
| Battery & Charging | ||
| Wired charging | USB-C (charging, DisplayPort, USB 3 up to 10Gb/s) | 20W USB-C power adapter, USB 2.0 (480 Mb/s) |
| Battery capacity (Wh) | 11-inch: 28.93 Wh, 13-inch: 36.59 Wh | 28.93 Wh |
| Camera | ||
| Video recording | 4K video recording at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p HD at 25/30/60 fps; 720p HD at 30 fps; slo-mo 1080p at 120/240 fps | 4K video recording at 24/25/30/60 fps; 1080p HD at 25/30/60 fps; 720p HD at 30/60 fps; slo-mo 1080p at 120/240 fps |
| Connectivity | ||
| SIM | eSIM | eSIM (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only; not compatible with physical SIM cards) |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2x2 MIMO | Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 2×2 MIMO, dual-band |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 6 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Cellular technology | 5G (sub-6GHz) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only) | 5G (sub-6GHz) with 4x4 MIMO; Gigabit LTE with 4x4 MIMO (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only) |
| Positioning | GPS/GNSS (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only); digital compass, Wi-Fi, and iBeacon microlocation (all models) | GPS/GNSS and cellular positioning (Wi-Fi + Cellular models only); digital compass, Wi-Fi, and iBeacon microlocation (all models) |
| USB | USB-C (USB 3, up to 10Gb/s) with DisplayPort support | USB-C (USB 2.0, up to 480Mb/s) with DisplayPort support |
| Audio | ||
| Speakers | Landscape stereo speakers, dual microphones | Landscape stereo speakers; Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos playback |
| Software | ||
| Operating system at launch | iPadOS | iPadOS |
| Security & Sensors | ||
| Biometric authentication | Touch ID | Touch ID (top button) |
Sources & verification
iPad Air (M4)
Verified 2026-10-01- Apple Inc.ManufacturerTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
iPad (11th generation)
Verified 2026-09-30- AppleManufacturerTier 1
- Apple Inc.Manufacturer specificationsTier 1
Tier 1 sources are the manufacturer's own product pages, technical specification sheets, or support documentation. Tier 2 sources are reputable independent technical references, used only for facts that couldn't be confirmed from official documentation.