After being neglected in 2015, Apple's 9.7-inch iPad has received a much-needed professional makeover, gaining key features from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and even outperforming it in a few ways.

Brings the best of the 12.9-inch model; including Smart Connector and A9X; Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil make this iPad more versatile than ever; New True Tone screen and glare reduction make it Apple's best-ever mobile display; Still amazingly thin and light despite numerous hardware...

Starting price of $599 may be too steep for some; RAM stays at 2 gigabytes; matching iPad Air 2; Lightning port is USB 2; only 12.9-inch model has faster USB 3; Ugh; the camera bump

Apr 15 2016 - Apple made a fairly big mistake by not upgrading the iPad Air 2 last year but the new iPad Pro 9.7-inch is very much the successor to their premium tablet. It is far more affordable and portable than the full 12.9-inch model while even getting some better features such as the camera.

The iPad Pro - y'know, last year's mammoth, near 13-inch, stylus-sporting mega slate that was part iPad, part laptop, part second TV - has a new little brother. Slick, sleek and super speedy, the iPad Pro 9.7 is where Apple's attempts to "do a Microsoft Surface" and upgrade the iPad Air 2 collide.

Iconic if familiar design; Powerful and versatile with stylus-friendly screen; Great display and speakers for movie-watching

Seriously expensive; Keyboard not as good as the big iPad Pro; iOS / Mac OS hybrid not quite there yet

The same question surrounding the 12.9-inch iPad's release last year, clouds the 9.7-inch iPad: who is it really for? If only the 9.7-inch iPad Pro was capable of dual-booting iOS and OS X, then it would likely be one of the best laptop/tablet hybrid devices available, but unfortunately this is not...

Sleek and small; More manageable than the 12.9-inch iPad; Worthy upgrade over the iPad Air 2

Expensive; Runs iOS; Not a laptop replacement for most

The iPad Pro 9.7 isn't just a slightly smaller version of the original Pro tablet. It's a more portable tab that boasts the same great performance in a much more comfortable-to-use form, at a much lower price.

Super portable; Crazy power; Great accessories; Sharp; gorgeous screen; Strong battery life

The 9.7 inch iPad Pro offers the same high performance as the full-size Pro, but in a more affordable and portable form. It's more capable than an iPad Air 2, with the new A9X processor, 32GB of RAM, and the 12 megapixel iSight camera borrowed from the iPhone 6s.

When Apple launched the iPad Pro back in September 2015 , many liked the idea of the beefed-up iPad, but many also wished its large 12.9-inch scale was squeezed down into the 9.7-inch chassis of the iPad Air 2. Those wishes have now come true.

Size; power; capabilities

Tighter typing experience

The first thing to note about the 9.7-inch iPad is that it isn't a replacement for your laptop – no matter how much Apple wants you to believe it is. However, there's no doubt this is the finest tablet Apple has ever made.

True Tone display is stunning; Perfect size; Apple Pencil is great; Stong tablet ecosystem; Power to get things done

Expensive; 32GB option isn't enough space; iOS could be better

My rose gold review sample is absolutely stunning. I bet you didn't expect me to start the review with that statement, but it is. I am not usually a big fan of pink gadgets, but there is something so striking about this 9.7-inch screen slate that I have found it quite distracting (in a good way!

Beautiful build; Great battery life; True Tone display; Fantastic camera

Expensive

released last autumn was a powerful, impressive machine that did a number of things no Apple tablet previously had done.

Impressive sound from internal speakers; Colourful and detailed picture; Beautiful design; Good camera

Sound through the headphone jack lacks sparkle