The iPad grows up: Apple's $799 iPad Pro could be the beginning of the end for the laptop

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The iPad has grown up. 

When it was first unveiled in 2010, Apple's 9.7-inch tablet defined an entirely new category of device - and with the iPad Pro, Apple is doing it again.

The iPad Pro is, for some, a real laptop replacement - and a way to combine work and play in a gadget that will last all day and won't break your back to carry.

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The iPad Pro is, for many, a real laptop replacement - and a way to combine work and play in a gadget that will last all day and won't break your back to carry Here, the split screen view allows you to have two apps side by side on screen - and even a video running in a window at the same time.

When it was unveiled, and indeed even the first time you see one in the flesh, the iPad Pro just looks absurdly large.

With its 12.9-inch screen, it dwarfs the previous iPad Air 2 and its tiny 9.7-inch screen.

However, as with many Apple products, pick it up, use it for a few minutes, and things fall into place.  

You quickly realise that the iPad Pro is now more than 'just' a tablet - it's a machine you can work on all day.

This isn't your toddler's iPad, but is a real working, professional machine that for some can, and will, replace their laptop.

It's light, at 1.57 pounds, and 6.9mm thin - and in fact, doesn't weigh much more than the original 9.7inch iPad.

More importantly, it is perfectly balanced - it just doesn't feel heavy or chunky in any way, even when used for reading or watching a movie in bed. 

The screen is superb, boasting 5.9 million pixels, and is bright and sharper than anything else we've seen on a portable device - and the highest-resolution display of any iOS device.

Load up some HD content, and it's simply stunning - your holiday videos won't look better anywhere else. 

Perhaps more to the point, editing your holiday videos won't look as good anywhere else - and Apple's own iMovie is a great examplof how good an app can be on the iPad Pro. 

They'll also sound great, thanks to four speakers - and iOS automatically adjusts the orientation of the bass and higher frequencies according to how you’re holding it. 

Each speaker produces rich bass, but only the top two produce the mid and high frequencies. 

The Pro is also blindingly fast, with a new processor called the A9X, which Apple says is almost double the speed of the one in the iPad Air 2. 

Apple said the iPad Pro is faster than 80 per cent of the PCs that shipped in the past six months, and graphics are faster than 90 per cent of those PCs. 

And that power is needed - load up some of the latest games and photo editing software, and its apparent just why Apple boosted the power so much.

These are not cut down iPad apps, but fully featured versions of everything from Microsoft Office to Adobe's image editing tools. 

The iPad Pro has a range of specially adapted apps that are fully featured versions of everything from Microsoft Office to Adobe's image editing tools - and they mean this can be a real workhorse

With apps, there are some issues - using apps not designed for the larger screen, in particular some iPhone apps such as Instagram, is simply annoying. 

While on a smaller iPad they can be magnified twice and look just about OK, on the Pro there isn't (thankfully, as it would look awful) an option to blow them up more, so you are left with a small window in the middle of the screen.

Thankfully, for most of these apps there is an iPad alternative that works brilliantly (in the case of Instagram, we'd recommend the excellent Flow). 

Most recent iPad apps, however, will look great off the bat. 

For the most part, the iPad Pro is every bit as straightforward to use as the first iPad, and also has the same 10 hour battery life as previous iPads.

APPLE'S $169 SMART KEYBOARD COVER - IS IT WORTH IT? 

Apple’s official keyboard for the iPad Pro and the first it designed specifically as a companion product for the iPad is superb - but pricey. 

It doubles as a cover for the front of the iPad when closed and not in use, and a water and stain resistant design with no crack between keys. 

The top of the keyboard itself is crafted from a custom woven fabric that’s embossed and laser ablated to form the shape of each key. 

This single sheet of material was specially designed to optimize key feel and stability, and not only serves as a cover for the keys, but also acts as part of the key mechanism - and it shows. 

The iPad Pro is, for many, a real laptop replacement - and a way to combine work and play in a gadget that will last all day and won't break your back to carry

In use, it's wonderful, and one particularly neat feature are the shortcuts - just hold down one of the option keys and they'll appear on screen if you're aren't sure whats available.

The keys have a real feeling of travel, and its on a par with most laptop keyboards - and a lot of cheaper desktop ones. 

It also makes keyboard shortcuts easily usable, and really is something you can type on all day. 

It also includes Apple’s new Smart Connector technology that allows it to easily attach to the iPad and charge, no wires required. 

There are issues - it can feel a little unbalanced when on your lap, and isn't backlit. It's also a little fiddly to fold into place, and can feel a little like an origami puzzle at times.

Despite this, the thin form factor and feel of the keys meanwhile it's definitely not cheap, but this is the best alternative to lugging round a larger bluetooth keyboard.

But paired up with the smart keyboard, for instance, this really does become a laptop replacement - and a really good one at that.

Apple has been quietly adding features to iOS to make this happen - and they work wonderfully well.

For instance, the 'split screen' view that lets you run two apps side by side, and the ability to run video in a small window on screen while you're doing something else - and resize it and move it anywhere you want.

They both change the way the iPad feels in use, turning it into a true multitasking device - and meaning you can read your email, break off to Google something, and watch the Muppets - all from the same screen.

On the smaller iPads, these features never quite made sense - but here, they propel the iPad from being a consumption device to being something you can work on all day with no problems (and then use as a REALLY good entertainment device in the evenings).

There is still a long way to go before this is a laptop replacement for everyone - but for some, particularly those not tied to particular desktop apps, its surprisingly easy to switch to the Pro to get all your work done - especially for those who live most of their lives on a smartphone anyway. 

It's also got all the usual Apple features, such as Touch ID, and a HD front and rear camera (although you'll only be able to record HD, and not 4K video, as you can on the iPhone 6s).

The Complete Anatomy App (left) allows you to replace heavy medical textbooks, while Procreate (right) allows you to sketch using a finger or Apple Pencil

THE APPLE PENCIL 

While some derided Apple for its $99 Pencil, for a certain segment of the market, it is undoubtedly the killer feature of the iPad Pro.

Videos have already surfaced of Apple showing it off the artists and photographers,

It's incredibly simple to use, as you'd hope, but hugely responsive and quick. 

Writing on screen, even for a left hander like myself, is natural, and in particular Apple has eradicated the problem of your wrist resting on the screen. 

In fact, its the first time I've been able to use a (virtual) fountain pen properly without smudging ink.

While the iPad Pro is a great productivity tool, its also an awful lot of fun.

The hugely powerful speakers and razor sharp screen make it the ultimate way to watch TV in bed, and its a joy to travel with, giving you a perfect toll to whilke away long haul flights without squinting at a small screen.

And while some derided Apple for its $99 Pencil, for a certain segment of the market, it is undoubtedly the killer feature of the iPad Pro.

The iPad Pro knows whether you’re using your finger or Apple Pencil, and when it use, it scans for its unique tip signal at an astounding 240 times per second, giving it the ability to collect twice as many data points as it would with your finger.

Videos have already surfaced of Apple showing it off the artists and photographers,

It's incredibly simple to use, as you'd hope, but hugely responsive and quick. 

Writing on screen, even for a left hander like myself, is natural, and in particular Apple has eradicated the problem of your wrist resting on the screen. 

In fact, its the first time I've been able to use a (virtual) fountain pen properly without smudging ink.

It's set to be a huge hit with creative types, and also children - it's just good fun to use, experimenting with the shading and drawing tools of everything from pencils to crayons. 

In typical Apple fashion, its a product most people wont know they want until they try one - and after a week with one, my iPad Air 2, previously used an awful lot at home, has remained stuck in a corner. 

Overall, the iPad Pro isn't for everyone - and for office workers and those who grew up in the age of the desktop PC, perhaps its a bit of a struggle to switch. 

But as more apps get optimised for the Pro, and more people get to use one, the generation that has has grown up living their lives on a smartphone will see this as a real alternative - 

Paper is one of the most impressive apps to show off the Apple Pencil, and a great sketchpad, while adobe's Creative Clous apps bring the power of Photoshop to the tablet

Apple fans will be able to get their hands on the firm's 'monster' iPad Pro from Wednesday 11 November. 

Online orders will begin in 48 countries on this day before the tablet goes on general sale at Apple's retail stores, select networks and authorised Resellers 'later this week'.

The Apple Pencil and Apple's new Smart Keyboard will also be available to order on Wednesday.

Its width is the same height as the iPad Air, and is marginally thicker than the iPad Air 2 at 6.9mm, compared to 6.1mm. 

Prices for the iPad Pro start at £679 for the 32GB with Wi-Fi model and £899 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular 128GB model in the UK. 

In the US, prices start at $799 for 32GB up to $1,079 for the 128GB Wi-Fi and Cellular version. 

Apple Pencil will be available for £79 ($99 in the US) and Smart Keyboard will be available in charcoal grey for £139 ($169 in the US).