The 12.9-inch iPad Pro sits next to my home desktop computer. Its beautifully large screen is a creative canvas I love using, Face ID continues to feel futuristic, and the magnetic, second-gen Apple Pencil is so darn convenient.

Great screen; Strong performance; Portable and compact; Apple Pencil support; Good battery life (so far

Same old design; No second-gen Apple Pencil support; Fast charging adapter and cable not included

This year's iPad mini and the new iPad Air ($499) are basically bigger and smaller versions of each other. Here's how it steps up: The existing $329 iPad (just called iPad) is for all of your basic tablet needs. The $399 iPad mini is for people who specifically need a smaller, lighter tablet.

Powerful processor; Solid screen; Broad LTE options; Apple Pencil support; Light and easy to carry

Compatible Apple Pencil isn't the better model; Aging design

When Apple announced the first iPad mini in 2012, the tablet's purpose was clear: It squeezed just about everything that made the regular iPad such a pleasure to use into a smaller, cheaper package. It's no wonder the mini built such a devoted following.

With a powerful A12 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini (2019) is still the best small tablet yet, and will likely remain so in the coming years.

I've been a convert to Apple's iPad line of tablets with the launch of the astounding iPad Pro 2018 last year. Utilising the iPad Pro daily as a MacBook replacement (but alongside my Mac Pro desktop computer), I've grown accustomed to the quirks and limitations of the iPad family – but also the...

Apple has a reputation for forcing change on us right when we've gotten comfortable with its designs. Sure, we often resist (and sometimes Apple is wrong), but more often than not the Cupertino company proves that breaking out of our comfort zones leads to better user experiences and perhaps even a...

Powerful A12 Bionic chip delivers remarkable performance; Support for first-generation Apple Pencil; Pleasantly portable size

Older design is starting to show its age

The iPad Mini is not the best tablet Apple makes (that's the 11-inch iPad Pro ). It's not the good enough tablet either (that's the iPad Air). It's the awkward one. A little too small, but a little too big, and demanding a fairly radical change to how you operate a tablet if you've been using any...

A mini tablet is great for books; and even movies

It feels a little cramped to use the pencil with

The new 5th-generation iPad mini, then, is pretty much the definition of a mixed bag; on the one hand, the performance improvements are absolutely staggering compared to the previous generation, and the addition of Apple Pencil support will please note-takers, sketchers and digital artists alike.

Outstanding speed; Portable and convenient size; Beautiful display; Apple Pencil support

Few added features over the mini 4; reduced battery life

Had my original iPad mini for over 5 years and was well due an upgrade and I'm pleased to get a new one just after the launch of this new model and although the appearance is still very much like the original it's super fast and does everything the original did but faster and apps are nice and...

Apple decided to leave the 5th generation iPad mini's design untouched, thereby targeting all those interested in refreshing their aging devices with brand-new hardware. And that is exactly what the iPad mini 5 has to offer.

very fast system performance; support for Apple Pencil; 3.5-mm audio port; decent speakers; robust case

high premium for LTE and higher storage tiers; memory not expandable; no GPS