Apple Says iPad Air Performance Details Are Accurate Despite 9-Core GPU Mistake

Though Apple mistakenly listed the M2 chip in the iPad Air as having a 10-core GPU instead of a 9-core GPU, the performance claims that it shared during the ‌iPad Air‌ launch and in marketing materials are accurate.

m2 iPad Air Horizontal Feature Orange
In a statement provided to 9to5Mac, Apple said that the details it shared on the ‌iPad Air‌'s performance were always based on a 9-core GPU.

We are updating Apple.com to correct the core count for the M2 iPad Air. All performance claims for the M2 iPad Air are accurate and based on a 9-core GPU.

Apple's website says that the ‌M2‌ chip is "nearly 50 percent faster than the previous generation," and that it specifically has "25 percent faster graphics."

Apple recently updated its technical specifications website for the ‌M2‌ ‌iPad Air‌ to state that the device has a 9-core GPU. Prior to the update, it listed a 10-core GPU. The prior-generation iPad Pro had a 10-core GPU, so it is a surprise that the ‌iPad Air‌ version is limited to a 9-core GPU.

Other ‌M2‌ chip specifications have not changed. The ‌iPad Air‌ has an 8-core CPU with four performance cores and four efficiency cores, along with 8GB RAM and a 16-core Neural Engine.

Because it took Apple several days to correct the chip error on its website, some users may have purchased the ‌iPad Air‌ believing it had a 10-core GPU. The two week return period has expired for those who bought on launch day, but customers would have a good argument for a return exception.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iphone 16 apple intelligence

Apple Aiming to Release 'Breakthrough' New iPhone Accessory

Wednesday February 18, 2026 12:43 pm PST by
Apple is looking for a "breakthrough" with its push into wearable AI devices, including an "AirTag-sized pendant," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the pendant is reminiscent of the failed Humane AI Pin, but it would be an iPhone accessory rather than a standalone product. The pendant would feature an "always-on" camera and a microphone for Siri voice...
Apple Watch 15 Tips Every Owner Needs to Know Feature

Apple Watch: 15 Tips Every Owner Needs to Know

Thursday February 19, 2026 7:38 am PST by
Apple Watch is now eleven generations in, and packed with useful features that are easy to miss at first glance. To help you get more out of your new device, we've rounded up 15 practical tips you might not have discovered yet, including a few that long-time users often overlook. Bounce Between Two Apps On your Apple Watch, double-press the Digital Crown to see a deck of all currently...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

10 Reasons to Wait for Apple's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday February 18, 2026 5:12 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Multicolored Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature

Low-Cost MacBook Expected on March 4 in These Colors

Wednesday February 18, 2026 5:42 am PST by
Apple will announce its rumored low-cost MacBook at its event on March 4, with the device coming in a selection of bold color options, according to a known leaker. Earlier this week, Apple announced a "special Apple Experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET. Posting on Weibo, the leaker known as "Instant Digital" said that the...
iphone 17 pro green

iPhone 17 Pro Max Curiously Becomes Most Traded-In Smartphone

Wednesday February 18, 2026 9:13 am PST by
New trade-in data indicates that Apple's iPhone 17 Pro Max has rapidly become the single most traded-in smartphone. According to a new report from SellCell, Apple's latest flagship iPhone has quickly risen to the top of the independent trade-in market, accounting for 11.5% of all devices appearing in the top-20 trade-in rankings just months after release. The analysis is based on SellCell...

Top Rated Comments

JPack Avatar
23 months ago
Of course it's the "same" performance when Apple delivers fewer GPU cores.

But when Apple charges $50 for an extra core, they'll tell you it's much faster. 😄
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aknabi Avatar
23 months ago
I couldn’t core less
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
23 months ago
Nothing to see here
Buy with confidence


-Tim
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
23 months ago

They really use the iPads to get rid of chips that are unwanted. That’s why they are so overpowered. They get chips that were designed for something else, but since it works and allows Apple to get basically free SoC instead of tossing them in a landfill, why not.
Sounds great!
Let's toss some into an updated Apple TV!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
23 months ago
That's why the ad that crushed everything was for the Pro. The Air didn't have enough processing power for that.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
23 months ago
Sorry but why would this matter so much if the performance claims are still the same? No one buys an iPad because they want to make direct use of GPU cores. If you do buy an iPad because of performance reasons, you do it based on benchmarks or performance claims or whatever and that hasn’t changed, right?

Is it extremely dumb and does it show bad hierarchy in the company? Sure. But a reason to return your iPad or to file a claim? Not to my non-US brain at least, no offense.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)