Hands on: New iPad Pro sets sights on replacing home laptops

The existence of the iPad Pro was no real surprise. The rumours that Apple was planning a pro version of its popular tablet have been doing the rounds for some time now. It was really a matter of when rather than if the company released it.

So here it is, in all it’s 12.9 inch glory. My first impression? It’s big. It’s really big. Take two iPad Air’s, lay them side by side and you have an idea of the size of the iPad Pro. If you are looking for a compact tablet to use around the house, keep looking; this isn’t it.

But that’s ok, because the iPad Pro is trying to be your home tablet. This is being pitched at more serious users, perhaps professional ones, and given that its speed relative to portable computers was being seriously talked up at the launch, it could be a replacement for some – not all – home laptops.

The first thing you notice, apart from the size, is the screen. It’s pin sharp, with vivid colours, and it’s almost a surprise when you swipe at it and the icons move.

It weighs a similar amount to the original iPad. That doesn’t sound like the worst thing in the world; after all, the original tablet wasn’t exactly a wrist breaker. However, it’s all about balance. The iPad Pro is a lot bigger than its predecessor, so when you’re holding it in one hand, it tends to put a bit more pressure on your wrists. Skip the inevitable and just hold it with two hands.

Multitasking on the iPad Pro is probably how it was meant to be done. You effectively have two iPad Air tablets side by side, so you can have two decent sized app windows open side by side. It makes reading, checking email or just browsing a lot more comfortable.

The other difference with the iPad Pro is the Pencil. This isn’t a dumb stylus used to point and click. It can be used to write, draw or doodle, and like a real pen, the amount of pressure you put on it will determine the end result.

It looks like lightweight plastic, but there’s enough tech inside it – including a lightning connector for charging it – to make sure that it feels more like a pen in your hand. At $99, it’s an expensive pen though.

The verdict? The iPad Pro won’t be for everyone, but if you have a spare $800 burning a hole in your pocket and you find tablets generally too small to work on, this could be for you.