The iPad Air is undoubtedly the best iPad that Apple has produced yet, and is by far the most comfortable full-sized tablet we've used.

Much thinner and lighter than before; great screen; slight improvement in performance; great battery life

Cameras are still disapointing; very few 64-bit optimised apps; Nothing

We have no hesitation in saying that this the best 10-inch iPad Apple has ever made. It feels like a milestone: the first iPad was a game-changer, but it was bulky and slow. The iPad 2 refined the design but didn't radically alter our perception of what an iPad could be.

Excellent design; brilliant screen; battery life is superb; extremely powerful even versus the previous iPad 4; App Store is populated with high-quality games and tools; bundled productivity software; good camera; excellent value for money

There are still improvements that can be made to the camera; or to bring iPhone technology to the iPad; but nothing that hinders this incarnation competitively in any way

It's been tempting lately to conclude that Apple doesn't have it anymore, and tablets in particular is where Cupertino does need to silence the prophets of doom and gloom after an iPad 4 that was more like a 3.1 and a mini that should've had a retina display.

9.7" LED-backlit IPS LCD touchscreen, 1536 x 2048 pixels, ~ 264 ppi; scratch-resistant, oleophobic coating, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity with MIMO dual antennas, LTE connectivity (data only, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support (for the Cellular model only, Dual-core A7 64-bit 1.3 GHz Cyclone...

Non expandable memory; Price of storage climbs steeply; and storage is largely overpriced; Tied into iTunes for uploading most of the content; iOS 7 could've made better use of the bigger screen; No standard USB port; No GPS receiver in the Wi-Fi-only version

With its 1-pound weight and slimmed-down design, the iPad Air marks the biggest leap forward for Apple's trend-making slate since the Retina display. It's rightly the standard by which all other tablets will, and should, be judged.

Slim; lightweight design; Super-sharp; bright screen; Long; all-day battery life; Demonstrably improved performance

Battery takes a while to recharge; Speaker placement isn't ideal

Calling this device lighter, thinner, and more powerful may sound like some buzzwordy, marketing nonsense. We thought so ourselves at first. But after using it for a week and comparing it to last year's iPad 3, we're convinced this was exactly what the aging iPad lineup needed more than anything.

Gorgeous; crisp display;  Very lightweight and portable;  Impressive performance with no notable issues;  Long battery life;  An endless amount of available content to consume

The iPad Air was released on November 1 with a base price of $499 plus tax for the 16GB model; Each higher-capacity model increases in price by $100, meaning the 32, 64, and 128GB will set you back $599, $699, and $799, respectively

This is the best version of the iPad we've seen to date with fantastic performance from a light, slim chassis. The Retina display is as it always has been, but the iOS has had an overhaul, which was much needed.

Light, slim chassis; speedy A7 processor; slick new iOS 7; Impressive battery life

Pricey; iTunes; no memory card slot

Summary: Apple's large-format tablet is thinner, lighter and faster than ever, and delivers good battery life. We'd like to see the biometric home button and a wi-fi upgrade as soon as possible, but it's still a high-quality, if premium-priced, device.

Thin and light; Classy design; Fast 64-bit A7/M7 platform; Excellent LTE frequency band support; Good battery life

No Touch ID; No 802.11ac wi-fi or NFC; Expensive; especially when accessorised for maximum business productivity

After a lot of speculation and waiting Apple finally revealed a set of new iPads to the world a few weeks ago. While we still are waiting for the new iPad Mini we have gotten our hands on the new iPad Air and are putting it through the test to see if it is a worthy successor for the previous...

Excellent screen; Much improved design; Fast; Excellent app-selection; Perfect for reading comics and magainzes

iOS needs a bit more innovation; No fingerprint sensor

Ever since the iPad was first launched, Microsoft and other PC manufacturers have dismissed it as a little more than a toy for entertainment, arguing that it simply isn't capable of running productivity software such as Microsoft Office.

Apple makes the best tablets, and the sleeker, lighter iPad Air maintains its lead over the competition.

Screen; Speed; Size; Weight; Battery life

Price