The new iPad Air’s M4 chip makes it more powerful than ever. Early benchmarks suggest a serious boost

The new iPad Air hasn’t even hit shelves yet, but early benchmark results suggest it could be the most capable Air to date, making it a contender for our list of the best iPads in 2026.

According to Geekbench scores spotted by MacRumors (via 9to5Mac), Apple’s freshly announced tablet – powered by the company’s M4 chip – is showing noticeable performance gains over the previous iPad Air M3 model.

Two benchmark listings, tied to the 13-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular variant (iPad16,11), paint a promising picture. In one test, the device scored 3438 in single-core tests and 12,885 in multi-core CPU performance. Another result clocked 3714 single-core and 12,296 multi-core.

Put that into context, and things get interesting. The 13-inch M3 iPad Air typically scores around 3048 in single-core tests and 11667 in multi-core runs. That suggests the new iPad Air could deliver roughly 13 to 22 per cent better single-core performance, and around 5 to 10 per cent gains in multi-core tasks.

We’re not one to get bogged down in numbers, but in practical terms, that should translate to snappier everyday responsiveness and stronger performance in demanding workflows, from video editing, gaming, or juggling multiple heavy apps at once.

Spec fiends should, however, take note – unlike the M4 chip inside the 2024 iPad Pro, which can feature up to a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the new iPad Air’s M4 comes with an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU. That means it doesn’t quite match the Pro on paper.

For reference, the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro has posted Geekbench scores around 3704 in single-core tests and 13,805 in multi-core. That puts the new iPad Air roughly on par or up to 7 per cent slower in single-core, and around 7 to 11 per cent behind in multi-core performance compared to its Pro sibling.

Still, for a device positioned below the Pro line, those numbers are hardly disappointing. And honestly, unless benchmarking is a serious hobby of yours (no judgement here), you’re unlikely to notice anything but slick, speedy performance.

With the new iPad Air landing in shops on 11 March, it won’t be long before we find out for ourselves…

• Read more: Best tablets in 2026 for all budgets

Esat Dedezade Contributor

About

Esat has been a gadget fan ever since his tiny four-year-old brain was captivated by a sound-activated dancing sunflower. From there it was a natural progression to a Sega Mega Drive, a brief obsession with hedgehogs, and a love for all things tech. After 7 years as a writer and deputy editor for Stuff, Esat ventured out into the corporate world, spending three years as Editor of Microsoft's European News Centre. Now a freelance writer, his appetite for shiny gadgets has no bounds. Oh, and like all good human beings, he's very fond of cats.