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Tablet comparison

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026 vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus

Compare screen, performance, battery and accessories.

Compared products
01Selected
Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026

  • 12.9 inch screen.
  • Apple M4 processor.
  • 12 GB RAM in this version.
  • Runs iPadOS.
  • Bluetooth 6 connection.
KSh 113,000Out of Stock
02
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus

  • 120 Hz display refresh rate.
  • Screen: 2800 × 1752 pixels; 16:10 aspect ratio; approximately 262 ppi.
  • MediaTek Dimensity 9500 (3 nm) processor.
  • 12 GB RAM in this version.
  • Wi-Fi 6E support.
KSh 105,000Out of Stock

Add to comparison

2 spaces available

Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2024 M2KSh 112,000
iPad Air 13 M2 (2024)KSh 111,000
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusKSh 100,000
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraKSh 121,000
Xiaomi Pad 8 ProKSh 87,000
Alexa Tablet 12 Pro (2026)KSh 75,900
Lenovo Idea Tab Plus 5GKSh 59,000
2 of 4 products

Our quick verdict

Choose the Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026 if you want a larger 13-inch screen and Wi-Fi 7. Choose the Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus if you want longer rated battery life (21 hours per charge), a lighter build (553 g) and a slimmer 5.3 mm body.

Display

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026
2732 x 2048 pixels at 264ppi
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
2800 × 1752 pixels; 16:10 aspect ratio; approximately 262 ppi

Performance

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026
Apple M4 processor
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
MediaTek Dimensity 9500 (3 nm) processor

Connections

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026
Wi-Fi 7 support
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Wi-Fi 6E support

Battery life

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026
Up to 10 hours per charge
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Up to 21 hours per charge

Weight

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026
616 g
Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
553 g

Key differences

The main differences to help you choose.

Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026

  • Larger 13-inch screen (vs 12.6-inch).
  • Newer Wi-Fi 7 (vs Wi-Fi 6E).
  • Video output to a monitor over USB-C (DisplayPort).

Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus

  • Rated for up to 21 hours per charge (vs 10).
  • Lighter: 553 g (vs 616 g).
  • Slimmer: 5.3 mm thick (vs 6.1 mm).
  • 120 Hz display.

What matters most to you?

Choose any priorities

How each product answers the questions buyers ask most. Tick a topic to add it, untick one to hide it.

More topicsFewer topics
6 priorities selected.
How each product answers the selected priorities
PriorityApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Display13-inch display, 264 ppi12.6-inch OLED display, 120 Hz, 262 ppi
PerformanceApple M4 processorMediaTek Dimensity 9500 processor
Battery lifeUp to 10 hours per chargeUp to 21 hours per charge
Weight616 g553 g
ConnectionsWi-Fi 7Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0
SoftwareiPadOSAndroid 17 with One UI 9, 7 OS upgrades promised

Detailed comparison

Explore the full specifications, section by section.

General

General specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
BrandAppleSamsung
ModeliPad Air 13-inch (M4, 2026)Galaxy Tab S12+ (Galaxy Tab S12 Plus)
Announced202630 September 2026; global availability from 7 October 2026 in selected markets. Local store stock is shown separately.
ConnectivityMobile network: 5G, Wi-Fi; Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2x2 MIMO, dual band; Apple N1 wireless chip; Bluetooth: Bluetooth 6; USB: USB-C with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 data up to 10GbpsNo verified value available; this is an unknown authoring state, not a manufacturer-backed specification.Wi-Fi 6E; Bluetooth 6.0; USB-C; 5G on cellular models
CamerasRear: 12MP wide camera, f/1.8; Front: Landscape 12MP Center Stage camera, f/2.0No verified value available; this is an unknown authoring state, not a manufacturer-backed specification.Rear: 13 MP wide; front: 12 MP ultrawide

Design

Design specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Dimensions280.6 x 214.9 x 6.1mm289.5 × 187.8 × 5.3 mm
Weight616g (Wi-Fi); 617g (Wi-Fi + Cellular)553 g (Wi-Fi); 555 g (5G)
Build materials—Glass front; aluminum frame and back; Enhanced Armor Aluminum; 3D vapor chamber cooling.

Display

Display specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Display13-inch marketed size; 12.9 inches measured as a rectangle, with less viewable area12.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X; 120 Hz
Screen resolution2732 x 2048 pixels at 264ppi2800 × 1752 pixels; 16:10 aspect ratio; approximately 262 ppi
Display protectionFingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating—
Display featuresLiquid Retina IPS display; P3 wide colour, True Tone, full lamination and antireflective coating; 600 nits; Apple Pencil Pro / USB-C support and hoverHDR10+; up to 1,600 nits peak brightness and 1,000 nits in High Brightness Mode. S Pen included; BLE / Bluetooth remote features are not supported.

Performance

Performance specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
ProcessorApple M4MediaTek Dimensity 9500 (3 nm)
CPU8 cores: 3 performance and 5 efficiency coresOcta-core: 1 × 4.21 GHz C1-Ultra + 3 × 3.5 GHz C1-Premium + 4 × 2.7 GHz C1-Pro
GPU9-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracingMali-G1 Ultra MC12

Memory & Storage

Memory & Storage specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
RAM12GB unified memory12 GB
Storage128GB, 256GB, 512GB256 GB or 512 GB (model-dependent)
Expandable storage—Dedicated microSDXC slot; expandable by up to 2 TB

Cameras

Cameras specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Rear camera12MP wide camera, f/1.813 MP wide, f/2.0, autofocus
Front cameraLandscape 12MP Center Stage camera, f/2.012 MP ultrawide, f/2.4, 120° field of view
Rear camera featuresAutofocus with Focus Pixels, Smart HDR 4 and up to 5x digital zoomLED flash; HDR; panorama
Rear camera video4K at up to 60fps; 1080p slow motion at up to 240fps4K at 30 fps; 1080p at 30 fps
Front camera featuresCenter Stage, Smart HDR 4 and Retina FlashHDR
Front camera video1080p at up to 60fps4K at 30 fps; 1080p at 30 fps

Battery & Charging

Battery & Charging specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Battery36.59Wh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery; up to 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing/video, or up to 9 hours of cellular browsing on cellular models. Runtime varies with settings, usage and network.10,600 mAh typical capacity, lithium-polymer; rated minimum 10,392 mAh; up to 21 hours video playback under Samsung test conditions
ChargingCharging through USB-C using a power adapter or computerUp to 45 W wired fast charging; approximately 95 minutes from 0–100%; 45 W adapter sold separately

Software

Software specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Operating systemiPadOSAndroid 17 with One UI 9; up to 7 major OS upgrades and 7 years of security updates. Samsung DeX and multi-window layouts; Galaxy AI availability depends on region, account and network requirements.

Network

Network specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Network5G, Wi-FiWi-Fi models: no cellular; 5G models: GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
SIM—Nano-SIM + eSIM on cellular models; no SIM on Wi-Fi models

Connectivity

Connectivity specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
BluetoothBluetooth 66.0; A2DP; LE
Wi-FiWi-Fi 7 (802.11be), 2x2 MIMO, dual band; Apple N1 wireless chipWi-Fi 6E (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e), tri-band; Wi-Fi Direct
PositioningAll models: digital compass, Wi-Fi and iBeacon; cellular models additionally provide GPS/GNSSGPS, GLONASS, BDS and Galileo; availability depends on connectivity model
USBUSB-C with charging, DisplayPort and USB 3 data up to 10GbpsUSB Type-C 3.2; magnetic accessory connector
NFC—No
Radio—No FM radio

Durability

Durability specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
Water resistance—IP68 dust and water resistance; laboratory test: up to 1.5 m freshwater for up to 30 minutes

Features

Features specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
SensorsTouch ID, three-axis gyroscope, accelerometer, barometer and ambient light sensorOptical under-display fingerprint sensor; accelerometer; gyroscope; proximity sensor; compass
Colors—Gray; Silver

Audio

Audio specifications comparison
SpecificationApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus
LoudspeakersLandscape stereo speakersFour stereo speakers with 4-channel Spatial Audio
3.5 mm headphone jack—No

Similarities

  • Both have 12 GB RAM.
  • Both support 5G networks.
  • Both charge over USB-C.
  • Both have stereo speakers.
  • Both offer up to 512 GB of storage.
  • Both connect over Bluetooth.

In summary

Choose Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Plus for Android, longer rated battery life and a smaller screen; Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026 combines iPadOS, a larger screen and newer Wi-Fi.

Back to compared products ↑

In-stock alternatives

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraFor Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraView product ↗Apple iPad Air 11-inch M4 2026For Apple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Apple iPad Air 11-inch M4 2026View product ↗Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusFor Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 PlusSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusView product ↗

Related comparisons

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Apple iPad Air 13-inch 2024 M2Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 PlusiPad Air 13 M2 (2024)Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 PlusSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusSamsung Galaxy Tab S12 PlusSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraSamsung Galaxy Tab S12 PlusiPad Air 13 M2 (2024)Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026Apple iPad Air 11-inch M4 2026Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 PlusSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 UltraApple iPad Air 13-inch M4 2026iPad Air 13 M2 (2024)Apple iPad Air 11-inch M4 2026
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