iPad Air (M4)

If you want a tablet for streaming, note-taking, video calls, light creative work and real multitasking, the 11-inch iPad Air with M4 is the one that makes the most sense for most buyers. It sits between the basic iPad and the iPad Pro, but in practice it already does the everyday tablet jobs most people care about. ## What makes it worth it The M4 chip gives it proper headroom for heavier apps, split-screen work and years of iPadOS updates without feeling dated too soon. Apple’s 11-inch Liquid Retina display is sharp and colour-rich, with True Tone and P3 wide colour, so it’s easy on the eyes for long reading or Netflix sessions. The 12MP Center Stage front camera is genuinely useful for calls because it keeps you framed, and the 12MP rear camera is good enough for scanning documents and casual photos. Wi-Fi 7 with Apple’s N1 chip is also a real upgrade if you have a modern router and want faster, steadier wireless transfers. Compared with the iPad Pro, you give up OLED and 120Hz, but you also avoid the price jump. ## Where it falls short The display is still 60Hz, so scrolling doesn’t feel as fluid as on an iPad Pro. The base 128GB storage is fine for casual users, but it can feel tight if you keep lots of offline media, large games or creative files. Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard support help, but they turn this into an expensive setup fast. Buy this if you want the best all-round iPad for work, study and travel without paying Pro money. Skip it if you care about OLED, 120Hz or you need more than 128GB without stepping up immediately.

£578.99