With the tablet market slowing down, and upgrade cycles being so long, Apple could perhaps have been forgiven for focussing mostly on its laptop-challenging Pro series. In fact, it's been almost two and a half years since the regular full-size iPads got a refresh.

Great app ecosystem; easy to use interface; slick and reliable performance; long lasting battery

Screen not quite as good as the iPad Air 2

Quietly, and without the fanfare of a press event, Apple has launched its latest iPad, branded in most cases simply 'iPad'; the Air branding is no more.

Check out our full comparison with the iPad Mini ! Launched at the same time as the Apple iPad Mini , the fourth generation iPad came as a bit of a surprise, mostly because the third generation iPad hit our shelves just six short months ago.

Impressive Retina display; Surprisingly good battery life; Great range of apps; 4G support; Updated FaceTime camera

Not very portable; No memory card slot

that's too big to be considered a portable media player, yet is also too limited to completely replace the laptop.

Beautifully made; big screen; sound is good through speakers and excellent via headphones

Speakers are too quiet; attracts fingerprints; still no Flash support

It has its limitations but as long as you know this before you buy, the iPad is sexy, slick, fast and a real object of desire.

Email and web were made for the iPad; games look great and play smoothly; the operating system is solid; speedy and oh-so-easy to use

Flash player for webpage videos; no camera or webcam; costs a small fortune

It's a very expensive but essentially fun toy. Not quite mobile, not quite PC, but engaging anyway.

Fantastic design Easy to use Lends itself well to the average consumer

Incredibly expensive Doesn't know what it wants to be Tough for work No Flash support; But you knew that

T he Apple iPad… There it is, after months of rumors and speculations with Steve Jobs' keynote speech, last January, as the highlight, Apple's newest product is on our desk, to play the leading role in this Apple iPad review.

There are two conclusions to be made about the Apple iPad. As a product you could buy, it's a tempting but ultimately unconvincing device. Anyone with a particular penchant for Apple, or enough money to burn and a love of shiny tech, are likely to buy into it.

A review of the 2017 9.7in iPad to find out if it's a good upgrade for anyone still using an older iPad.

The iPad is a great tool if you only need the capabilities of an iPhone with a large screen. Sure, email and the browser excel here, but to make it perfect for everything else, it needs much better security and you'll have to purchase the extra dock and keyboard to make working on the move viable.