This is a long-term review after months of use of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro for designers and artists – whether you’re a hand-drawn illustrator, a graphic or digital/UX designer, 3D artist, creative director or other creative pro. For a more general review of the iPad Pro, see our sister site Macworld .

Nearly a year and a half after the release of the iPad Air 2, Apple recently unveiled a new 9.7-inch iPad. However, this was not the iPad Air 3, but rather a new member of the iPad Pro family.

I’ve tired of tablets, and I’m not alone. The glorious days of finger-computing arrived, certainly, but it was big-screen smartphones that benefited most from them, and persuading new or existing tablet owners to take the plunge or upgrade has proved harder than manufacturers expected.

Apple's newest iPad is a budget model that samples the best parts from past hits. We've got the original iPad Air's body stuffed with the iPhone 6s's A9 chipset and paired with a brighter version of the iPad Air 2's display. We have no complaints about performance, and battery life is excellent.

Conclusion One other thing to point out is that the new iPad does not include the Smart Connecter found on Apple's two current iPad Pro models. As such, it is incompatible with the company's Smart Keyboard attachment.

Affordable price (for an Apple product; Fast and capable A9 system-on-a-chip; 1.3 million apps specifically designed for the iPad

Non wide-gamut display that isn't fully laminated; Dated camera technology; Not compatible with Smart Keyboard or Apple Pencil

Here's what you need to know about the new iPad: it is an iPad, and it is good. Apple has named it simply iPad but we have to refer to it as "iPad (2017)" or "iPad (5th generation)" or "new iPad 9.7" because the world is a broken place. I am just going to call it the iPad.

It is an iPad; The price is reasonable; It's fast

Screen could be nicer; No smart connector for keyboards; Speakers only on one side

I've focused a lot in this review on what the new Apple iPad (2017) doesn't have and, although the existence of the iPad Pro series makes that inevitable, it isn't a particularly fair way to view it.

Old wine in new bottles – we hear this quite often when a manufacturer refreshes a supposedly old product. Especially when it is equipped with dated technology. This is also the case for Apple's latest iPad. The iOS tablet from 2017 is just that: recycled, dated hardware in an even older chassis.

bright display; accurate colors; precise touchscreen; excellent build quality; long battery runtime; high browser performance

outdated SoC; very glossy screen; old LTE standard; slightly increased black value; no support for Apple pencil

The 2017 9.7-inch iPad isn't intended to revolutionize Apple's tablet offerings, but it does go a long way to unifying the product line, and paving the way for the future of the platform -all starting at just $329.

With its epic battery life, speedy performance and brilliant display, the 2017 iPad is the best tablet for the money and one of the best tablets overall. It may be a tad heftier than the competition, and it doesn't break new ground, but people who want a long-lasting, large-screen slate with plenty...