The best iPad 2017: how to choose the right Apple tablet for you

For many, the word tablet is synonymous with the word iPad, but even if you've decided that Android and Windows slates aren't for you that's only half the battle, as Apple's ever growing range of portable powerhouses provides a lot of options.

Do you want a compact 7.9-inch screen, a well-rounded 9.7 inches, the new 10.5-inch variant or a massive 12.9-inch monster?

Get past the best iPad screen size for you and there are more questions. Do you need top tier power or are you fine with more modest specs? Are you looking for a laptop replacement or just a convenient way to browse the web?

Whatever the case there's an iPad for you, and to make it easier to sift through them and find the right one we've highlighted all the choices, in a clear, concise way, so boot up your old tablet one last time, read through our rundown and get ready to upgrade.

And if you prefer to watch than read, we've also put four of the best options head to head in a video showdown.

For everyone else (or if four options aren't enough), you'll find a rundown of all the readily available iPads below, including the brand new iPad (2017) and second generation iPad Pro duo.

These come complete with full spec lists, their good and bad points and a look at what makes them tick, so you can make an informed purchase decision.

Looking for an Android tablet instead? Check out our best tablet ranking.

Apple's latest iPad isn't its best, but it might just be its best value. The new iPad (2017) replaces the iPad Air 2 in Apple's lineup, slotting in below the Pro range.

As such it lacks their Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil support and misses out on some of their power, but its A9 chipset is still very speedy and the 9.7-inch 1536 x 2048 screen is sharp, bright and high-quality.

It also has the same luxurious metal unibody as the rest of Apple's iPad range, though notably it's slightly thicker than the iPad Air 2 or iPad Pro 9.7 at 7.5mm.

With Touch ID included, iOS 10 under the hood and up to 10 hours of battery life when web browsing or watching videos, the new iPad (2017) is a great media player and a strong tablet choice if you're not planning to use it heavily for productivity.

When you consider that it starts at just $329/£339/AU$469 too that makes it a real bargain.

Read the full iPad (2017) review

It's a tough decision over whether the new iPad Pro is the best iPad, or the more recent (and more basic) iPad - but the new Pro is in second solely on its higher price.

If you can see past that, or you really need a tablet that can truly keep up with any app you want to throw at it while using a dedicated Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, this should be the device you look at.

The new ProMotion screen adds an impressive layer of fluidity to daily use - if not strictly necessary - and the smaller bezels means you're getting far more display in a footprint not much bigger than last year's 9.7.

It's an iPad for the professionals - but also one that media munchers will adore using.

Read the full review: iPad Pro 10.5

iPad Pro 9.7

For the average user the iPad Pro 9.7 is one of the best all-round options, or it is if money is no object anyway, as it starts at $599/£549/AU$849 and if you want more than 32GB of storage or cellular connectivity the price rises steeply.

But it does a good job of justifying that outlay, as the iPad Pro 9.7 is the greatest entry in Apple's 'main' line of slates.

The 9.7-inch screen strikes a great balance between being big enough to get far more out of than a phone screen and small enough to still be fairly portable.

And although Apple has ditched the Air moniker, at 240 x 169.5 x 6.1mm and 437g the iPad Pro 9.7 is every bit as thin and light as the iPad Air 2.

But it lives up to the Pro name, with plenty of power afforded by its A9X chipset and 2GB of RAM, four speakers for serious media potential, a beautiful True Tone screen, which adapts the color and intensity to your environment, and of course the ability to use the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil with it, if you want to use the slate to actually get things done.

The iPad Pro 9.7 also comes with up to 256GB of storage if you're prepared to pay, so you needn't feel limited by the lack of a microSD card slot, and it's likely to remain a powerful and versatile tablet for years to come, so while it's expensive you might not feel the need to upgrade for a long time.

Read the full iPad Pro 9.7 review

iPad mini 4

Big screens aren't for everyone, and that's where the 7.9-inch iPad Mini 4 comes in. The screen size means it's far more portable than Apple's larger tablets, especially as it's light at 299g. It's not quite small enough that you can use it one handed, but you can comfortably hold it for a lot longer than most of Apple's slates, or throw it in a bag and forget about it.

It's also big enough to enjoyably browse the net or watch videos on when you're away from home and bigger screens, but it's obviously not quite as strong an experience for most visual media as Apple's larger 9.7 and 12.9-inch slates.

The small size and lack of Smart Connector also makes it worse for productivity than the iPad Pro range, but this isn't designed as a laptop replacement.

It's still fairly powerful thanks to 2GB of RAM and the aging but still impressive Apple A8 chip, while the screen is sharp, rich and easy to see even in bright sunlight.

The iPad Mini 4 is also a fraction of the price of Apple's Pro range, starting as it does at $399/£379/AU$569 and with up to 128GB of storage you needn't be terribly limited in that area – though it's no match for the 256GB you can get in the iPad Pro.

Read the full iPad Mini 4 review

iPad Pro

The iPad Pro 12.9, or simply the iPad Pro as it's sometimes known, is in many ways a bigger and better version of the iPad Pro 9.7.

It matches that slate's four powerful speakers, accessory options and storage capacity, but at 12.9 inches the screen is significantly larger, while its 2048 x 2732 resolution ensures it retains the same 264ppi pixel density. It's also more powerful than its smaller sibling, combining the same Apple A9X chipset with a massive 4GB of RAM.

That power is undeniably a good thing, but the screen size will be more divisive, as while all that space is great if you plan to use it as a real laptop replacement, for running apps in split screen, or for watching a lot of movies, it leaves it a little unwieldy in other ways, especially as it makes the slate a hefty 713g. If you want the ultimate in portability this isn't it.

But if you can afford the high price and want the very biggest and most powerful tablet Apple has to offer there can be no other choice than the iPad Pro 12.9.

Read the full iPad Pro 12.9 review

iPad Air 2

The iPad Air 2 is the predecessor to the iPad Pro 9.7 and the difference in name gives a hint of what it's lacking – namely compatibility with the Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil, along with the four powerful speakers found on the Pro range.

It's not as strong for productivity then, but in many other ways the iPad Air 2 can almost match up to the iPad Pro 9.7 and all for a much lower price.

For one thing it has the same premium metal body, along with the same weight and dimensions, leaving it a slim and light 6.1mm thick and 437g.

It also has the same size and resolution 9.7-inch 1536 x 2048 screen, though behind the scenes more vivid colors and the True Tone tech (for dynamically adjusted white balance) in the iPad Pro 9.7 make the display altogether more impressive.

But when the screen is already so good on the iPad Air 2 you might not miss those things, especially if you've not seen them in action.

The slate sports plenty of power too, matching the iPad Pro 9.7 for 2GB of RAM and finding a middle ground between that and the iPad mini 4 with its A8X chipset. In short, if you don't need the productivity potential of the iPad Pro and can live with slightly dated but still solid specs, the iPad Air 2 is a strong choice.

Read the full iPad Air 2 review

iPad mini 2

Apple no longer sells the iPad Mini 2, but it was only discontinued recently and it's still available from some retailers.

And it's easy to see why. The iPad Mini 3 (which has also been discontinued) offered little that the Mini 2 didn't, only really adding Touch ID, and in being so conservative secured a mediocre 3-star review from us.

The iPad Mini 2 though was and is impressive. It's every bit as powerful as the iPad Air and has a compact 7.9-inch display, with the same resolution as the iPad Mini 4. The overall quality isn't quite as high, but it's still a strong tablet screen.

At 7.5mm thick and 331g it's not quite as slim and light as Apple's latest Mini, but it's still compact enough to comfortably cart around with you and it sports a similarly premium design.

It has an older chipset and half as much RAM, which combined with its age means you might feel the need to upgrade sooner rather than later if you do invest in the iPad Mini 2.

But right now it still offers a quality experience and is an ideal option if you want a highly portable and low cost tablet, just as long as you can live without the secure convenience of Touch ID.

Read the full iPad Mini 2 review