Apple's full-sized iPad may have a brand new name, but the company's fifth iteration is all about refinement. The iPad Air is thinner, lighter and smaller than the previous model, but still manages to retain the same 9.7in screen and ten hour battery life.

Stunningly thin and light; Excellent performance; Great battery life

Increased price; Speakers easily muffled; Reflective screen

perfect

Two weeks ago I had all but written off the bigger iPad. It was too bulky and just no where near as portable as the iPad mini. Once the latter gets a Retina Display and equal hardware across the board, why would anyone consider the bigger model? The iPad Air changed my perspective on all of that.

The iPad Air is the latest tablet to arrive in Apple's range. It's adopted the Air name, just like the MacBook Air, to show off its thin and light stature. No Apple iPad 5 branding to be found here even though, in essence, the Air is the fifth full-size tablet release from the Cupertino-based...

Thinner; lighter; faster; iLife and iWork apps are great; truly desirable tablet

Same camera as iPad 4; no 802.11 ac; can't realise 64-bit speed yet

Just as the original MacBook Air redefined laptop design, Apple is hoping to do the same thing for tablets with the iPad Air. This 1-pound slate attempts to combine a big-screen experience with a design so compact you can easily use it with one hand.

Our hands-on impressions of Apple's next-generation iPad Air tablet computer

The iPad Air is probably the best 10-inch tablet we've ever used, but if you want one tablet, we recommend holding out for the iPad Mini with Retina.

Thin and light; looks great; Powerful 64-bit processor; New Wi-Fi antennas are fast; iOS 7 runs best on Air; Battery life is a solid 10 hours

Speakers are a step down from iPad 4; Camera quality has not improved; Not as comfortable as iPad Mini

The Good - Stunning, thin, light design - Cutting-edge processor and graphics performance - iOS 7 a beautiful and powerful complement to hardware - Outstanding built-in and free iWork, iLife apps - Retina display remains superb The Bad - Relatively high up-front price - No Wi-Fi 802.11ac support -...

- Stunning; thin; light design - Cutting-edge processor and graphics performance - iOS 7 a beautiful and powerful complement to hardware - Outstanding built-in and free iWork; iLife apps - Retina display remains superb

- Relatively high up-front price - No Wi-Fi 802.11ac support - No Touch ID sensor

Although every Apple product goes through a well-established four-stage life cycle - introduction, growth, maturity and decline - the same is also true of its product families, which begin by building awareness (introduction), begin to increase in sales through advertising (growth), rocket upwards...

A comprehensively superior replacement for 2012's third- and fourth-generation iPads; packing almost twice as much horsepower and noteworthy extra battery life into a considerably narrower and lighter body.

Industrial design is new to full-sized iPad but highly familiar given last year's iPod touch and iPad mini releases, feeling lighter than past 9.7" iPads but heavier than iPad minis, and still not comfortable for truly extended hand-holding; stands are required yet sold separately.

Apple tends to slowly evolve their product lines, instead of making sweeping and drastic changes. I have noticed a trend where users skip a generation because it seems the processor is a bit faster, hardware a bit better, but seldom a WOW factor that compels you to drop everything and buy it.

Smaller Bezel; Does not get as Hot as prior models; Noticeable difference in hues; colors and tones being more defined; Lighter and More Portable; Stereo Speakers; Amazing Battery Life

Still Expensive; Video Quality is on par with 3rd generation iPad; Still no way to bulk delete emails; Camera received no major upgrade