Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) (#2, best value) vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra (#4): in our Performance Tablets scoring the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) totals 9.2/10 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra 8.5/10.
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Side by side
| Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) | Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz | 14.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960×1848, 120Hz |
| Processor | M4 (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU) | MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB |
| Storage | 128GB | 256GB + 256GB microSD card (bundled) |
| Battery | 28.93Wh, up to 10 hours | 11,600mAh, 45W charging |
| Weight | 464g | 692g |
| Thickness | 6.1mm | 5.1mm |
| Brightness | 500 nits | — |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | — |
| Biometrics | Touch ID | — |
| Peak Brightness | — | 1,600 nits (HDR) |
| Water Resistance | — | IP68 |
| Stylus | — | S Pen included |
| Price | Check price → | Check price → |
How they differ in real use
Built from our best performance tablets scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra made our Top 5 Performance Tablets, at #2 (best value) and #4. Apple's current iPad Air, which replaced the discontinued M3 model in March 2026. Its M4 and 12GB of RAM post about 3,700 single-core and 13,300 multi-core in published Geekbench 6 results, ahead of the OnePlus Pad 3's Snapdragon 8 Elite (3,125 and 9,553 in GSMArena's testing), at a far lower price than the iPad Pro and sold by Amazon itself. The trade-offs are a 60Hz LCD and 128GB of base storage. Samsung's fastest tablet: in GSMArena's testing its Dimensity 9400+ scored 2,741 single-core and 8,861 multi-core in Geekbench 6, slightly behind the OnePlus Pad 3's 3,125 and 9,553, and held 78% of peak CPU and 71% of peak GPU performance in sustained stress tests. It ranks below the OnePlus on raw speed and RAM, but offers microSD expansion, an IP68 rating and a 14.6" 120Hz AMOLED screen.
We score performance tablets on CPU Performance (30%), GPU Performance (30%), RAM & Storage (20%), Sustained Performance (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) totals 9.2 out of 10 and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra 8.5. The widest gap is CPU Performance, where the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) scores 9.5 against 8.5 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra: benchmarks. GPU Performance also separates them: 9.5 for the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 8.5 for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra claws back ground on RAM & Storage.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Display: 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 14.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960×1848, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra; Processor: M4 (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU) on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus MediaTek Dimensity 9400+ on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra; Storage: 128GB on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 256GB + 256GB microSD card (bundled) on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra; Battery: 28.93Wh, up to 10 hours on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 11,600mAh, 45W charging on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra; Weight: 464g on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 692g on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra; Thickness: 6.1mm on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 5.1mm on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. They match on RAM.
Check current pricing at the merchant links below. Owners praise the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) for M4 chip (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU) posts about 3,700 single-core and 13,300 multi-core in published Geekbench 6 results and 12GB of unified memory, 50% more than the M3 iPad Air's 8GB; the most common complaint is 60Hz Liquid Retina LCD, with no ProMotion or OLED. Owners praise the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra for 14.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960×1848, 120Hz, the largest display in this list and anti-reflective coating plus a 1,600-nit peak rating, measured at about 1,600 nits in GSMArena's lab; the most common complaint is amazon itself does not sell it in the US; this is a third-party listing bundled with a microSD card.
Apple iPad Air 11" (M4)
- M4 chip (8-core CPU, 9-core GPU) posts about 3,700 single-core and 13,300 multi-core in published Geekbench 6 results
- 12GB of unified memory, 50% more than the M3 iPad Air's 8GB
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via Apple's N1 chip
- Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard support
- 60Hz Liquid Retina LCD, with no ProMotion or OLED
- 128GB base storage and no storage expansion
- Trails the iPad Pro in multi-core performance
Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
- 14.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960×1848, 120Hz, the largest display in this list
- Anti-reflective coating plus a 1,600-nit peak rating, measured at about 1,600 nits in GSMArena's lab
- Dimensity 9400+ kept 78% of peak CPU and 71% of peak GPU performance in GSMArena's stress tests
- S Pen included, IP68 dust and water resistance, 5.1mm thin
- Amazon itself does not sell it in the US; this is a third-party listing bundled with a microSD card
- 692g and a 14.6" footprint make it awkward to hold one-handed
- A full charge took 95 minutes at 45W in GSMArena's test
Which should you buy?
The Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) is the better fit for most iPad buyers who want Pro-class speed and students and creatives using Apple Pencil Pro; it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for CPU Performance and GPU Performance. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the better fit for large screen needs and digital artists, and the stronger choice if RAM & Storage matters more to you than the overall score. The Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) is a poor fit for 120Hz or OLED display needs; the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is a poor fit for portability priority.
Choose the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) if
- Most iPad buyers who want Pro-class speed
- Students and creatives using Apple Pencil Pro
- Magic Keyboard productivity
Skip it if
- 120Hz or OLED display needs
- Large local storage without paying for upgrades
Choose the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra if
- Large screen needs
- Digital artists
- DeX productivity
Skip it if
- Portability priority
- Single-hand use
Common questions
Is the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra?
In our Performance Tablets ranking the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) scores higher overall, 9.2 to 8.5, with the biggest advantage in CPU Performance. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is stronger on RAM & Storage, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
What is the main difference between the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) and the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra?
The headline spec difference is Display: 11" Liquid Retina LCD, 2360×1640, 60Hz on the Apple iPad Air 11" (M4) versus 14.6" Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2960×1848, 120Hz on the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra. In use, the gap that matters most is CPU Performance (9.5 vs 8.5 in our scoring): benchmarks.