Early Geekbench benchmarks reveal M4 iPad Air performance gains

As Apple prepares to launch the new M4 iPad Air on March 11, early Geekbench benchmark results have surfaced, providing our first glimpse at the performance capabilities of Apple's latest tablet chip.

Benchmark Results Show Modest Performance Gains

Two Geekbench test results attributed to the M4 iPad Air have appeared online, both identifying as model iPad16,11 (the 13" Wi-Fi + Cellular variant). The first test recorded scores of 3,438 in single-core and 12,885 in multi-core CPU performance. A second test showed slightly different results: 3,714 single-core and 12,296 multi-core.

For context, the current M3 iPad Air achieves 3,048 in single-core and 11,667 in multi-core tests on Geekbench. This suggests the M4 iPad Air will deliver performance improvements ranging from 13% to 22% in single-core operations and 5% to 10% in multi-core tasks.

Core Count Differences Between iPad Models

One notable aspect of the M4 iPad Air is its core configuration. Unlike the M4 chip in the iPad Pro, which features up to a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the iPad Air's M4 chip includes an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU.

This difference becomes apparent when comparing Geekbench scores with the 13" Wi-Fi + Cellular M4 iPad Pro, which achieved 3,704 in single-core and 13,805 in multi-core tests. The M4 iPad Air appears to be roughly on par to 7% slower in single-core performance and 7% to 11% slower in multi-core performance compared to its Pro counterpart.

Real-World Performance Still Uncertain

As with all pre-release benchmark results, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. Geekbench scores, particularly for unreleased devices, can vary significantly from real-world performance. The true test will come when the devices launch on March 11 and more comprehensive reviews and hands-on testing become available.

These early benchmarks do suggest that the M4 iPad Air will offer meaningful performance improvements over its predecessor, though the gains appear more modest than the leap from M1 to M2 or M2 to M3. The reduced core count compared to the iPad Pro also indicates Apple is positioning the Air as a capable but slightly less powerful option in its tablet lineup.

For those interested in examining the original benchmark results, they can be found here and here.

The M4 iPad Air is expected to be available for purchase starting March 11, with Apple Stores and authorized retailers preparing for the launch of this latest addition to the iPad family.