Comparison

Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M4, 2026) vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra

TabletsAvailable

Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M4, 2026)

From $949

TabletsAvailable

Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra

From $1,199

The short verdict

The Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M4, 2026) offers a 12.9-inch Liquid Retina display and the M4 chipset, while the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra features a larger 14.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 120Hz screen, an included S Pen, and expandable storage via a microSDXC slot. Users prioritizing top-tier processing power and the Apple ecosystem should select the Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M4, 2026), while those seeking a larger, high-refresh-rate display, desktop-like versatility with Samsung DeX, and IP68 durability should opt for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra.

AI summary, written from the specifications on this page.

Specifications

34 of 35 rows differ

Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M4, 2026)Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra

Network

Technology: Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi + Cellular (GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G, Apple C1X modem); Wi-Fi only, or Wi-Fi + 5G (region dependent)

Body

Build: Glass front, aluminium back; Armour aluminium frame
SIM: eSIM only (cellular models); Nano-SIM + eSIM (5G model only)
Dimensions: 280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1 mm (11.04 x 8.46 x 0.24 in); 326.4 x 208.6 x 5.4 mm (12.85 x 8.21 x 0.21 in)
Weight: 616 g (21.73 oz) Wi-Fi; 617 g (21.77 oz) cellular; 718 g (25.32 oz), Wi-Fi model
Stylus: Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) supported, with hover; S Pen included (magnetic)
Rating: Not listed; IP68 dust/water resistant

Display

Type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 60Hz, wide color (P3), True Tone, 600 nits, antireflective and oleophobic coating; Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, anti-reflective
Size: 12.9 inches; 14.6 inches
Resolution: 2048 x 2732 pixels, ~4:3 ratio (~264 ppi density); 1848 x 2960 pixels, 16:10 ratio (WQXGA+)

Platform

OS: iPadOS 26.3, upgradable to iPadOS 27; Android 16, One UI 8
Chipset: Apple M4; MediaTek Dimensity 9400+
CPU: Octa-core (3 performance + 5 efficiency); Not listed
GPU: Apple GPU (9-core), 16-core Neural Engine, 120 GB/s memory bandwidth; Not listed

Memory

Card slot: No; microSDXC (dedicated slot)
Internal: 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB, 12GB RAM; 256GB / 512GB / 1TB, 12GB / 16GB RAM

Main Camera

Single: 12 MP, f/1.8, AF; Not listed
Features: Smart HDR; LED flash, HDR, panorama
Video: 4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p; Not listed
Dual: Not listed; 13 MP, f/2.0, wide, AF8 MP, f/2.2, ultrawide

Selfie camera

Single: 12 MP, f/2.0, landscape (Center Stage); 12 MP, f/2.2, ultrawide
Video: 1080p; Not listed

Sound

Loudspeaker: Yes, stereo speakers (landscape); Yes, quad speakers, Dolby Atmos
3.5mm jack: No; No

Comms

WLAN: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2x2 MIMO (Apple N1); Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct
Bluetooth: 6, Thread; 5.4, A2DP, LE
Positioning: GPS (cellular models); GPS, GLONASS, BDS, Galileo (5G model)
NFC: No; Yes
Radio: No; Not listed
USB: USB Type-C 3 (10 Gbps), DisplayPort (external display up to 6K@60Hz); USB Type-C 3.2, OTG

Features

Sensors: Touch ID (top button), accelerometer, gyro, barometer, ambient light sensor; Fingerprint (under display), accelerometer, gyro, compass
Extras: Magic Keyboard support; S Pen included, Samsung DeX desktop mode, Galaxy AI

Battery

Type: Li-Po 36.59 Wh (non-removable), up to 10 h (Wi-Fi) / 9 h (cellular); Li-Po 11600 mAh (non-removable)
Charging: 20W wired (USB-C); 45W wired

Misc

Colors: Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray; Moonstone Gray, Platinum Silver

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