A pessimist might dismiss the iPad Pro as a "gamble," but to do so would be foolish. What the iPad Pro does and what it promises feel like inevitabilities, in many ways. Rather than a gamble, the iPad Pro is instead a bold statement from Apple about the future of computing.

The A9X chip is powerful and capable of anything you can throw at it; The 12.9-inch Retina display is gorgeous; and the new four-speaker array is welcome; Ultraportable form factor and 10-plus hours of battery life in a beautiful; svelte package; Smart Connector opens the iPad Pro to a world of new...

iOS 9 needs more consistent cross-app support and a easy file system to replace OS X for power users; Apps don't yet properly utilize the larger screen size; even some of Apple's own; Apple cheaped out with last-gen cameras and Touch ID

So, does iPad Pro do enough to replace a laptop (even a MacBook)? Some might be quick to say no, but we think it depends on the user. There are many out there who wouldn't wish to leave behind the extended power capabilities of OS X or Windows, and certain heavy laptop users may dismiss the notion...

A big, beautiful screen that improves many tablet experiences, including watching videos and looking at photos; Extremely fast; Very good, intelligent speakers for an unparalleled audio experience on iPad; Smart Connector opens up new accessory possibilities and adds to device's versatility.

Expensive; Can be unwieldy and uncomfortable to use at times; Accessories add to price, making it no less expensive than a laptop; Portability suffers due to larger size; Some apps look "off" on huge screen.

Apple's iPad Pro: the WIRED verdict.

Phenomenal Retina screen; excellent stylus support; thin, light and adaptable

Relatively expensive; not quite a laptop; Pencil and keyboard complement Multi-Touch, but don't replace it

The iPad Pro is the natural choice if you want a tablet that can handle intensive office tasks and creative suites on the go, thanks to its spacious screen, impressive performance, precision control and all-day battery life.

Spacious; sharp screen; Impressive power; Well-designed accessories; All-day battery

We've seen iPads before. We've seen keyboard cases. We've even seen lots of styli. But as happens so often, Apple has remixed existing elements into something new, driven by design, ease-of-use, and compelling third-party apps.

Laptop-level power; Surprisingly light; Pencil accessory is the best stylus experience on a mainstream tablet

Very expensive; Touch-centric UI with keyboard is awkward; Apps don't quite complete your workflow

The iPad Pro is Apple's response to the growing demand for notebooks that double as tablets. It is an iPad supersized to 12.9-inches and it benefits from the support of a ‘Smart Keyboard' and the Apple ‘Pencil' stylus.

Four speakers; 5 million pixel display; Excellent split-screen multitasking; Powerful innards for a tablet

Smart cover has a poor form factor and is uncomfortable to use; Pencil Stylus needs to be recharged and cannot be stowed; Heavy users will have to settle for less than ordinary battery life; Accessories are overly expensive

The Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch pushes the capability of the iPad into new territory. The Pro is significantly larger, faster and more powerful than other tablets, and comes close to the potential of a MacBook, especially with the addition of the optional Smart Keyboard.

During my time with the iPad Pro I couldn't help but draw comparisons with other devices out there, like the Microsoft Surface series, that are trying to bridge the laptop-tablet divide, some of which offer both tablet and full OS interfaces.

An excellent choice for artists, graphic designers and doodlers – a little more unbalanced and therefore not a perfect fit for everyone else

High quality screen; Excellent stylus; Very fast performance

Can be unwieldly; Heavy; Flawed keyboard cover; Stylus is pricy

Apple's original iPad made the tablet a mainstream device, and for more than five years 9.7 inches was the largest diagonal iOS device available. Not anymore - we now have the iPad Pro, all 12.9 inches of it.