March 2, 2026
Hotter than the M4: the comments
Apple introduces the new iPad Air, powered by M4
Apple’s M4 iPad Air lands with big power and 'value' vibes — commenters ask why, weight, and colors
TLDR: Apple unveiled a new iPad Air with the M4 chip, more memory, and Wi‑Fi 7 at the same starting price. Commenters are split: some applaud the specs, while others mock the “value” pitch, question why a tablet needs that much power, gripe about weight, and beg for fun colors.
Apple just dropped a souped‑up iPad Air with the new M4 chip, more memory, and Wi‑Fi 7 — all at the same starting price, according to Apple’s announcement. Sounds like a win, right? Not so fast. The comments are on fire, and they’ve turned this launch into a roast session with a side of applause.
Skeptics clocked the marketing first: one user counted the word “value” four times and called it out like a drinking game. Another grumbled the Air is still heavier than the iPad Pro, asking why the “lighter” tablet keeps bulking up. The hottest debate: does a tablet need car‑engine power? One commenter says their laptop with an older chip runs multiple virtual machines, so M4 on an iPad feels like overkill for Netflix and note‑taking.
But there are cheers too. The bump to 12GB memory had some nodding at “reasonable pricing,” and power users are eyeing the AI tricks and gaming boosts. Meanwhile, aesthetic drama flared: fans want those fun Air colors on the pricier Pro — “why do pros get grayscale?” Memes flew about an iPad that can edit Hollywood movies but still struggle to replace a laptop for work. Two sizes, four finishes, Apple Pencil Pro support, and preorders next week — but the real show is the comment section, where power meets pettiness.
Key Points
- •Apple launched a new iPad Air with the M4 chip, claiming up to 30% faster performance than the M3 model and up to 2.3x faster than the M1 model.
- •Two sizes are offered: 11-inch and 13-inch, with the same starting prices of $599 and $799; education pricing starts at $549 and $749.
- •The device adds more memory (now 12GB unified memory) and 120GB/s memory bandwidth, with a 16-core Neural Engine said to be 3x faster than M1 for on-device AI tasks.
- •New Apple-designed connectivity chips N1 and C1X bring faster wireless and cellular connections, including support for Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.
- •Preorders open Wednesday, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11; supports iPadOS 26, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard.