Apple iPad Air 10.9" 4th Generation 2020, A14 Bionic, 4GB, 64GB, Cellular, Silver

The iPad Air 4 is still a solid tablet for art and everyday use, especially at the low end of its USD 265 to USD 478 price range. The A14 chip and Liquid Retina display hold up, but 4GB RAM and 64GB storage feel tight. Battery complaints from owners are a real concern, so buy refurbished from a trusted vendor and keep expectations in check.

The A14 Bionic still holds up fine for everyday tasks. Web browsing, note-taking, streaming, light photo editing, all smooth. The 12MP rear camera shoots 4K video and Smart HDR photos look decent. But the 60Hz display feels dated when competitors are shipping 120Hz panels. And 4GB of RAM means aggressive app reloading if you're multitasking hard. The GPU sits at 17th percentile in our database, so don't expect console-level gaming. It's fine for casual stuff, but this is not a powerhouse by 2025 standards.

Against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11, the iPad Air 4 loses on display refresh rate and RAM. The Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus brings more storage and a bigger battery. The Xiaomi Pad 7 undercuts it on price with newer internals. And the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition runs full Windows, which is a different beast entirely. The iPad Air 4's real advantage is iPadOS and the Apple Pencil ecosystem. If you're already in Apple's world, this makes sense. If you're platform-agnostic, the Android and Windows options look increasingly tempting at this price.

Pricing is all over the map. US listings run from USD 265 to USD 478 across nine vendors. That's a USD 213 spread, which is wild. The cheapest US option is your best bet if you're buying. CAD buyers see a tighter range, CAD 400 to CAD 497, so shop around. At the low end, this is a solid deal for an Apple tablet with Pencil support. At the high end, you're dangerously close to newer iPad territory and should probably just save a bit more.

The iPad Air 4 is Apple's middle child that punches way above its weight class. You get the A14 Bionic chip, a gorgeous 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, and support for the Apple Pencil 2 and Magic Keyboard. It's basically an iPad Pro for people who don't want to pay iPad Pro money.

But here's the thing. This is a 2020 tablet being sold as refurbished in 2025. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB base storage feel tight by today's standards. And our data shows user sentiment sitting at a rough 13th percentile. People like it for art and the color options, but battery complaints are real.

Skip this if you need long battery life or heavy multitasking. The 4GB RAM and aging battery are real limitations. If you're a gamer or someone who keeps dozens of apps open, look at the iPad Air 5 or a current Android tablet with more RAM and a 120Hz display. Also skip it if you're buying at the top of the price range, you'd be overpaying for five-year-old hardware.

Buy this if you want an Apple tablet for drawing, note-taking, or media consumption and you find it at the low end of the price range. The A14 is still capable, the screen is lovely, and Pencil 2 support is excellent. Just know you're buying a five-year-old device with 4GB of RAM and a battery that some owners say needs daily charging. If you can stretch to a newer iPad or find a good deal on an iPad Air 5, do that instead.