The iPad goes back to its roots: Apple's new 9.7inch Pro tablet is a powerhouse you can take anywhere

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Apple literally broke the mould for its tablet range with the gigantic 12.9inch iPad Pro - but now it has returned to its roots with a smaller, 9.7inch version, and it's fantastic.

Much like the also announced iPhone SE, it's something of a 'classic' - putting the internals from the 12.9inch iPad Pro into a familiar 9.7inch casing.

However, Apple has added several improvements to the smaller version, creating a tablet that is astonishingly powerful, but, unlike its big brother, something you'll be able to carry everywhere.

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Apple has added a few improvements to the smaller version, creating a tablet that is astonishingly powerful, but, unlike its big brother, is something you'll be able to carry everywhere.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a new True Tone display, which uses new sensors built into the casing to dynamically adjust the white balance of the display to match the light around you.

What this means is that colours will always look more natural, even more so than in the larger iPad - and you can switch t on and off to check, with the display looking generally more natural with the feature switched on. 

Compared to the iPad Air 2, it's also 25 percent brighter and 40 percent less reflective - something that does make a big difference in everyday use.

It also uses Night Shift in iOS 9.3, a neat feature that uses the clock and geolocation to automatically adjust the colours in the display to the warmer end of the spectrum after dark - something Apple says may even help you get a better night’s sleep.

It also supports the Apple Pencil, which many derided as a gimmick at launch.

However, for those in the creative industries, parents or fans of adult colouring-in books, it's astonishingly good, and far ahead of any other pen input device out there.

It also now boasts four speakers, and they really are good - for video watching, this is perfect, and you really can watch a movie or listen to music without having to plug in headphones. 

After the display, speed is the key to the Pro range of iPads.

Apple has also made a special version of its smart keyboard for the new smaller tablet.

In a nutshell, its blazingly fast, which allows apps to really take on a whole new dimension, rivalling those on the desktop, and in many cases, using the pencil  to make then more attractive on the iPad.

It's got an A9X chip with third-generation 64-bit architecture, which really means you'll never struggle, even when running games at full screen or editing multiple video streams. 

Apple has also addressed the fact many people actually use their iPad as a camera.

Like the iPhone 6s and SE, this new tablet has a 12-megapixel camera with True Tone flash. 

In use, it's actually a great camera for stills and video - despite the fact you really do look an idiot using it in this way.

That said, having a huge viewfinder does mean some stunning shots are possible - just please don't use it at a concert or other public event.

APPLE'S $149 SMART KEYBOARD COVER - IS IT WORTH IT? 

Apple’s official keyboard for the new, smaller iPad Pro 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. 

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.

It's also got Focus Pixels for fast focusing, an Apple-designed image signal processor, advanced noise reduction, along wiht the ability to take 63-megapixel panoramas and Live Photos. 

There's also now a flash for low level shots, along with 4k video capabilities.

There's also an improved 5-megapixel, front-facing FaceTime HD camera.

It's almost identical in size and weight to the Air 2, and this means you can take it anywhere - something that, to be honest, isn't the case with the larger model (Which I'm still a huge fan of - but it quickly turned into my 'home' tablet'.)

Overall, the new iPad Pro has pretty much everything you want in a tablet - incredible power, a great screen and good battery life.

The new iPad Pro (pictured right next to the larger version) has 40 per cent less reflective than an iPad Air 2. It's 25 per cent brighter than and iPad Air 2 - 'the brightest tablet available' - and has a very wide colour gamut, giving it 25 per cent greater colour saturation than an Air 2

It's really not a revolutionary product in any way, but the speed and display updates do make a difference - and make this arguably the best tablet Apple has ever made. 

The new iPad is also $200 cheaper, something sure to attract many corporate buyers to it. 

Several analysts I spoke to reckon it might become a huge hit in the corporate world because of this.

For many users, creative types and corporate users in particular, the new iPad Pro might well be the perfect tablet - the power of the Pro, but in the size of the hugely popular original iPad.

Prices start at $599 for the 32GB version - $200 less expensive than the larger model - $749 for the 128GB model and $899 for the 256GB version.

In the UK, the 32GB model starts at £499. 

The new iPad Pro is also available to order from 24 March and will begin shipping on 31 March. 

Both iPad Pro sizes are available in offerings of 32GB, 128GB and a new 256GB capacity, the highest of any iOS device. 

WHAT IS NEW ABOUT THIS IPAD PRO?

The new table has a 9.7-inch screen. 

It comes in rose gold for the first time. 

Apple said the tablet has the lowest reflectivity of any tablet on the market and that it is 25 per cent brighter than the iPad Air 2, brightest tablet available. 

We used the rose gold version of the tablet - which looks stunning. The tablet also has less obvious antenna bands than its bigger brother, giving it a cleaner finish

The tablet supports Night Shift, brightness dims as the sun goes down and this feature reduces blue light wavelengths to help people sleep.

Meanwhile, the TrueTone display measures the colour temperature of ambient light and adjusts the display to match.  

Accessories that accompany the iPad include a smart keyboard designed for smaller design as well as the Apple Pencil (pictured in the background with Apple's Phil Schiller in the foreground). The new iPad has 40 per cent less reflective than an iPad Air 2, 'the lowest reflectivity of any tablet'