Is the M1 iPad Air 5 the Best Value Tablet in 2026?

The Entry Point

I made a video on the iPad Air 5 last year, and back then, I called it the best way to get a flagship experience without spending flagship money. Now that we’re in 2026, I still think that’s true, but only if you’re smart about which model you pick up.

At launch, this tablet won people over because it was the first time Apple put a desktop-class M1 chip inside an "affordable" device. Since it’s been out for a while, the used prices have finally dropped to a point where it's a steal—but there are some fatal mistakes you need to avoid if you’re looking to buy one now.

First Impressions (and my 64GB Mistake)

Looking at the exterior, the 2022 design still holds up. It looks exactly like the newer Airs, so nobody is going to know you're rocking a four-year-old device. I got mine in Space Grey with 64GB of storage and a SIM tray.

That 64GB was a huge mistake.

Seriously, I’d recommend against it. Putting only 64GB on a device this powerful is frustrating. I ended up solving it with a splitter so I could edit off my hard drive while charging, but save yourself the headache and go for the 256GB version if you can. My unit has also picked up a few scuffs, mostly because I was too slow to buy a case, so don't be like me—get protection early.

The Display

The 10.9-inch Liquid Retina screen still looks great. It’s only 60Hz, which is standard for the Air lineup, so I can’t complain too much, even though I’d love 120Hz for my competitive games. I also tried one of those paper-texture screen protectors to see if it would help my drawing skills. It didn't. I'm still bad at drawing, but the texture feels nice.

Performance: Desktop Power in Your Bag

This iPad is fast. Like, crazy fast. For the last six months, every single video on my channel was edited on DaVinci Resolve using this tablet.

To give you some perspective, my PC—which is admittedly a bit of a "dog poo" build 😪—couldn't even handle a basic 1080p timeline. This iPad? It edits 4K footage on the fly. This performance is the main reason I skipped the iPad 10th or 11th gen; they can run Resolve, but you won't be doing anything beyond 1080p without it struggling.

Device	Logic	Video Capability
iPad Air 5 (M1)	8GB RAM / M1	4K Editing / No Throttling
iPad 11th Gen	4GB RAM / A16	1080p Only
Budget PC	Struggles	Needs an upgrade 😪

Even after long sessions of Call of Duty: Mobile at max FPS, it never throttles. The only weird thing I’ve noticed is a slight battery drop after updating to iPadOS 26.2, so I’m really hoping a patch fixes that soon.

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The Camera and Software Bugs

The cameras are "passable." You get a 12MP ultrawide on the front for video calls and a 12MP on the back that actually shoots 4K at 60fps. They aren't mind-blowing, but they work for what they are.

However, I have a bone to pick with the software. Does anyone know why I can’t play a game and listen to Spotify at the same time anymore? I used to be able to swipe down and hit play manually, but that doesn't work now. If you’ve found a fix for this, please let me somehow.

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The Used Market Value

The price is the biggest reason this is the value king of 2026. I originally bought mine for 600,000 Naira (around $390) when it was still expensive. Right now, you can find them for much less.

• 64GB Base Model: $330 – $350/₦495,000 - ₦525,000
• 256GB Model: ~$420/₦630,000

I’m definitely keeping mine through the year. It was my best purchase of last year, and it’s still the best move you can make for your creative setup today.