Tim Cook has confirmed it: Apple has new hardware being unveiled next week, starting Monday morning. Among the many products rumored to launch, two are new iPads: a base iPad with A18 and an M4 iPad Air. Here’s what to expect.

Next week, the base iPad is getting a big upgrade thanks to its new chip.

Across Apple’s current lineup of iPhones, iPads, and Macs, the base iPad is the only product Apple sells that doesn’t yet support Apple Intelligence.

But with the A18 chip, that will change.

Apple Intelligence support will unlock all of the existing AI features in iPadOS 26, but also upcoming ones like Siri’s long-awaited improvements.

The A18 chip will come with another benefit for the iPad: 8GB of RAM.

Apple’s current iPad with A16 only has 6GB of RAM.

Another potential change to look out for is the new N1 wireless chip. First launched with iPhone 17, the N1 enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. It also, per Apple, “improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.”

Otherwise, the same basic iPad design is expected to stick around—though maybe we’ll get new color options.

If you want an iPad that’s more powerful than Apple’s base option, or perhaps need a larger screen size, the new iPad Air might be your best option.

iPad Air’s biggest upgrade next week, per rumors, will be gaining an M4 chip.

The iPad Air was updated with an M3 chip last March, and Apple’s new version isn’t expected to differ much from that existing model.

The M4 chip should help the new iPad Air better power iPadOS 26, perform AI tasks, and run pro apps like what Apple Creator Studio offers.

Apple’s N1 wireless chip is another likely upgrade coming to the iPad Air. We may see a switch to C1X for cellular models, too.

Those possibilities aside, expect the same 11-inch and 13-inch size options, Touch ID, and overall very similar feature set to what the current model offers.

If you’re holding out for a different iPad model, the iPad mini is expected to get an update later this year with an OLED display, while a new iPad Pro isn’t likely until 2027.

Are you planning to buy a new iPad soon? Which model, and why? Let us know in the comments.

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