Apple iPad review - World's greatest tablet just got a lot more affordable

5 / 5 stars
Apple iPad

APPLE'S all-new iPad has just gone on sale and brings quality features at a much lower cost. It might not be groundbreaking but there's plenty of reasons to buy one.

By David Snelling , Technology Editor

REVEALED: Apple to overhaul their iPad line up

ProsAffordable price, Plenty of power, Excellent build quality, Access to Apple's milllions of apps

ConsNo anti-reflective coating on display, Not compatible with iPad Pro accessories

If your old iPad feels like it’s running out of steam or you are thinking of buying a tablet for the first time, Apple may have the ultimate answer.

The US technology firm has just launched an updated handheld computer that packs plenty of punch at a price that won’t give your credit card nightmares.

Simply called iPad, this new tablet lands in your hand at an affordable price but with all the features and quality design you’d expect from Apple.

For your money you get a stunning Retina display which packs an impressive 3.1 million pixels in to its 9.7-inch size.

Whilst it’s not as good as some of the latest AMOLED screens hitting the market, Apple’s Retina display still produces a decent viewing experience with content appearing bright, sharp and packed with colour.

Apple iPad 2017 reviewEXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Apple's latest iPad packs plenty of punch for its affordable price

Sadly, this display doesn’t include anti-reflective coating which is mildly annoying and, unlike the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, there’s no True Tone technology built-in.

True Tone changes the white point of the iPad Pro’s display and adjusts brightness to compensate for the lighting in the room.

It’s clever stuff and it’s a shame Apple hasn’t featured it on this latest tablet.

The new iPad is also not compatible with Apple's new Smart Keyboard Cover or the Apple Pencil, so if you want these features you'll have to splash out and opt for the more expensive iPad Pro.

Powering this latest iPad is Apple’s A9 processor which, despite being a few years old, still provides a slick performance.

During our time with the new iPad we’ve found it to feature plenty of power for surfing the web and playing the latest apps.

This processor is also pretty efficient which means you’ll get around 10 hours of continuous usage without the battery running flat.

If you fancy taking some pictures on the iPad there’s a reasonably decent 8-megapixel rear camera.

Apple iPad 2017 reviewEXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

There's no anti-reflective coating on the new iPad which can cause some issues in daylight

Apple iPad reviewEXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The new iPad land on your lap for under £350

The front-facing snapper is a little less impressive with Apple only including a 1.2-megapixel camera for selfies and FaceTime calls – it certainly could be better but it’s not a deal-breaker.

Other features include an aluminium unibody design, Touch ID fingerprint scanner and there’s either 32GB of 128GB of memory to store all of your photos and content.

Another nice extra tucked inside this tablet is the clever Apple SIM.

Coming as standard if you opt for the more expensive cellular iPad, this in-built mobile data chip allows users to access local networks in countries all across the globe and can save a fortune when wanting to get your fix of Facebook abroad.

On a recent trip to New York, Express.co.uk was able to buy 5GB of data for around £7 via the Apple SIM - our UK operator wanted to charge us £100 for just 2GB.

Apple iPad reviewEXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Apple's iPad feature and 8 megapixel camera which takes reasonable photos

Apple iPad 2017 reviewPH

VERDICT:

It might not be groundbreaking but the new iPad could be exactly what many people have been waiting for.

Apple’s latest tablet offers a fabulous user experience at a price that won’t break the bank.

It may not have all the power and bonus features of an iPad Pro but at just £339 it’s really hard not to recommend.

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