Like the iPhone SE, which has the body of an iPhone 5s and the mind of an iPhone 6s (more or less), the new 9.7in iPad Pro looks very much like an iPad Air 2. Their dimensions are identical. Their screen sizes are identical.

If you're Apple, how do you decide what constitutes a "Pro" device? Is it in the specs? Usually Pro products are faster and offer more storage and RAM than their non-Pro counterparts. Is it something special about the hardware and software?

Great performance; The A9X is still a fast chip, and it's a big upgrade over the A8X in some important ways, Characteristically great build quality, Great screen with a wide color gamut.

Smart Keyboard is more cramped; which makes typing more frustrating; Aside from Apple Pencil support; it doesn't offer a ton of features that the now-cheaper iPad Air 2 doesn't also offer; iOS is still a limiting operating system in a lot of ways; and using an iPad as your primary computer still...

The original iPad Pro helped tablets evolve beyond mere consumption devices, thanks to its desktop-grade A9X processor and powerful Apple Pencil for creative professionals. But not everyone wants a huge 12.9-inch screen .

So said Tim Cook at the introduction of the new iPad Pro 9.7 last week. It's exactly the kind of phrase you expect from Cook's Apple: spoken humbly, but revealing a huge ambition. It mixes a thing that's familiar (the good ol' iPad) with an idealistic goal.

Fast; True Tone display; Great camera

Expensive; Smart Keyboard needs some work; Reach slightly exceeds its computing grasp

When Apple released the 9.7-inch iPad Pro , the iPad lineup became a little more complicated. Which model should you get? A product review can help you make a decision.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is more powerful than the iPad Air 2, but I'm having trouble justifying the increased price for most buyers. For $499, you can get a 64GB iPad Air 2 with similar size, shape, and performance. The Pro's sweet spot is the 128GB model, which costs $749 (or $879 with cellular).

Fast; Top-notch Pencil stylus and keyboard accessories; Loud speakers; Great-looking screen

Expensive; iOS apps fall short of Mac and Windows apps in traditional business functionality

Apple's new iPad Pro is the best tablet you can buy. But it's still not a laptop

Best tablet cameras and speakers ever; Powerful enough for real productivity; Thin and portable; Apple Pencil is the best stylus available; iOS has best tablet apps; frequent updates

Expensive at every option level; Cramped screen for multitasking; Not a true laptop replacement

It isn't cheap, but the 9.7in iPad Pro is perhaps the perfect tablet

Exceptionally powerful; Timeless; near flawless design; True Tone makes for a very natural display; A great tool for arty types

True Tone really needs to be turned off for videos; photos etc; Far from cheap

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

Apple once again offers an excellent product with the iPad Pro 9.7, which convinces with familiar virtues and suffers from old quirks. We get a great display, good battery runtimes, best cameras in a tablet, eSIM support, optional support for the Apple Pencil or a Smart Keyboard.

very good display; stable Wi-Fi; Apple SIM (eSIM; great GPS module; good speakers; good battery runtimes; fast SoC

NFC only for Apple Pay; power adapter is too weak and gets hot under load; storage of the 32 GB version is slower; no quick-charge; long loading times; high price