Launched a few days ago M4 iPad Air Although it hasn’t officially gone on sale yet, the first benchmark results have already appeared in the Geekbench database! Anyone interested will surely be curious about this time’s M4 The number of CPU and GPU cores is the same as on the M3, and the actual performance really is just like Apple So, is the performance really that much better? Based on the Geekbench scores, not really—it’s only about a 17.3% improvement. Of course, the final scores won’t be confirmed until we can test it ourselves after it goes on sale.
First Geekbench scores for the M4 iPad Air: Single-core performance is about 17.3% higher than the M3
Earlier, two entries for the M4 iPad Air (Wi-Fi + Cellular model, model number iPad16,11). The average single-core score was approximately 3,576 (with individual test scores of 3,438 and 3,714), and the average multi-core score was approximately 12,591 (with scores of 12,885 and 12,296, respectively). The single-core score primarily reflects the smoothness of everyday operations such as launching apps and browsing the web; the multi-core score represents the device’s ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, such as video editing or running professional software. (Geekbench First Payment / Second Payment）
Compared to the previous-generation 13-inch M3 iPad Air:
- Single-core performance improved by approximately 17.3% (the M3 version averaged approximately 3,048 points).
- Multi-core performance improved by approximately 7.9% (the M3 version averaged approximately 11,667 points).
Although it’s not as much as expected, the 17.3% increase still represents a significant improvement for the M4 in single-core tasks.
As for the comparison with the M4 iPad Pro, since the Pro model has higher-end specs (more CPU and GPU cores), the M4 iPad Air’s benchmark scores are naturally slightly lower:
We’d also like to note that these are just preliminary benchmark results; actual performance after the official launch may be even better due to system optimizations.
Pre-orders for the 4th-generation iPad Air will begin on March 4, 2026, with the official launch set for March 11; the release date for Taiwan has not yet been confirmed. Pricing remains the same as the previous generation, with the 11-inch Wi-Fi model starting at NT$19,900 and the 13-inch Wi-Fi model starting at NT$26,900; the cellular models are priced higher, starting at NT$24,900 and NT$31,900, respectively.
M4 iPad Air Overview
Apple officially unveiled the new M4 iPad Air on March 2, 2026, marking an update to the previous-generation M3 model. It continues to offer both 11-inch and 13-inch models, features a Liquid Retina display, and has a design similar to its predecessor, available in four colors: blue, purple, starlight, and space gray.
The key upgrade in core specifications is the M4 chip, which features an 8-core CPU (3 performance cores + 5 efficiency cores), a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. This chip not only supports hardware-accelerated ray tracing but also makes the iPad Air more powerful in graphics processing and AI computing. Unified system memory has been increased to 12GB—a 50% increase over the previous generation—and memory bandwidth has been boosted from 100GB/s to 120GB/s, helping the device handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Other specifications include the all-new N1 wireless chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, as well as the C1X chip in the cellular model, which delivers faster and more stable connectivity. It features a 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage support for more natural video calls, and the rear camera is also 12MP. The battery lasts all day, and the device is compatible with accessories such as the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. Storage options start at 128GB and go up to 1TB.
Source: KOCPC Chinese