Amazon usually sells this Kenke Rose Gold 9.7-inch iPad Smart Cover for around $9, which is very affordable considering its glowing customer reviews. However, today you can drop the cost to just $3.60 when you use code 60OBUB68 during checkout. That price is so good it's silly, but the deal is only around for a limited time, so I suggest moving quickly if you're interested.

This slim smart case is thin and lightweight, and the tri-fold shell acts as a cover and built-in stand. The magnetic strip keeps the cover closed and it also automatically wakes up your iPad or puts it to sleep depending on whether it's open or closed. This case isn't the most protective on the market, but it'll do the job just fine, protecting your 9.7-inch iPad from things like scratches, bumps, and bruises. For additional safety, add a screen protector.

Apple gave us a new iPad Pro this year at WWDC, but along with upgraded insides, the outside got a little beefier. Unfortunately, that means some of your favorite accessories may not fit the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro. If you're looking to get the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro as an upgrade to last year's 9.7-inch model, you're going to need to buy a new case. I'll give you a quick breakdown of why you'll need to shell out the extra moolah.

Size Comparison

Obviously, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro has a bigger screen than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but what does that mean for the size of the body?

9.7-inch iPad Pro - 9.45-inches long x 6.67-inches wide x 0.24-inches thick

10.5-inch iPad Pro - 9.8-inches long x 6.8-inches wide x 0.24-inches thick

Looking just at the numbers it may not seem like a giant difference, but cases are almost always designed to fit nice and snug around your iPad Pro. But when you place the 9.7-inch model on top of the 10.5-inch model, you can clearly see that the tablet size and shape is different enough that your old 9.7-inch iPad Pro case won't be able to hold the new 10.5-inch model.

New Camera

On top of the slight difference in size, the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro is sporting a new camera! The 9.7-inch iPad Pro had the 12MP camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture and five-element lens that was found on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. Meanwhile, the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro has the 12MP camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture and six-element lens that is found on the iPhone 7. This makes the camera on the back of the 10.5-inch iPad Pro slight bigger than the camera found on last year's 9.7-inch model.

Bottom line: some 9.7-inch iPad Pro cases have a very narrow cutout for the camera on the back, meaning even if you somehow magically fit your new 10.5-inch iPad Pro into an old case (which you definitely wouldn't be able to), there's a chance that case won't be able to accommodate the bigger camera.

Wait it out

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro has nearly a one-inch larger screen, but is only about 13 % bigger than the 9.7-inch model. It's incredible that Apple could give so much more while keeping the size practically the same. But, the dimensions of the 10.5-inch model are significant enough that there is no way most 9.7-inch cases will fit. Sleeves, bags, soft covers, heck - even skins, will fit just fine, but hard and silicone cases are just not shaped the same as the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.

Although the selection of cases for the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro is slim right now, if the past releases of new products have taught us anything it's that will be a bunch more to hit the market in the coming weeks that will fit your new iPad Pro perfectly!

Do you plan on upgrading your 9.7-inch iPad Pro to the new 10.5-inch model?

Let us know in the comments below!

I've been writing exclusively on the iPad Pro for close to eight months now. And for the last three of those months, I've been using the "Baby Pro," Apple's 9.7-inch iPad model, and Apple's Smart Keyboard. I've come to love the portability of the tinier device, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the Apple Smart Keyboard: While it was certainly serviceable, I found myself repeatedly hitting the top numeral row in search of function buttons, or squinting at the backlit-less keyboard in the darkness. In short: I missed the best part of my 12.9-inch iPad, the Logitech Create keyboard case.

Thankfully, those days are now over: Logitech recently released the 9.7-inch model of its Create Keyboard Case, and it's just as good — if not a good deal better — than its larger cousin. I got my model around the same time as iMore Canada editor Daniel Bader, and we sat down to have a chat about the keyboard's pros, cons, and why we both think it's the best keyboard case you can buy for the Baby Pro.

The keyboard

Bader

I think one of the biggest compliments you can give to a hardware keyboard that didn't come pre-installed on the device is that it feels natural. And the Logitech Create keyboard for the iPad Pro 9.7 feels natural to the point where I feel comfortable recommending it over Apple's own Smart Keyboard, which is itself quite a competent product.

Serenity

It downright blows the Smart Keyboard out of the water. Apple's own product has some things going for it, including a soft-cover fuzz to protect the screen when not in use and cool folding animations in commercials, but it wasn't ever a perfect solution for me. The Create is heavier and bulkier than the Smart Keyboard, yes, but it brings with it all the features I want in an iPad keyboard.

The keys have just the right amount of travel, pushing back against my fingers with the subtle reflexivity of a Mac keyboard. In some ways, Logitech's mimicry of the traditional MacBook keyboards — not the new MacBook, but the one still found on the Pro and Air models — is better suited for the baby Pro's cramped nature. Despite the relative narrowness of the keys themselves, and the product as a whole, the Create keyboard engendered itself to longer typing sessions better than Apple's Smart Keyboard and, indeed, many standalone Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad.

Completely agreed. I've been a fan of Logitech's iPad keyboards for a long time, and the Smart Connector models take a pretty great thing (a Bluetooth keyboard case) and make it dead simple, and comfortable to use, to boot. Backlit keys are a nice feature on a portable keyboard, but they often come at the expense of battery life; with the Create and Smart Connector, you don't have to worry about charging times for your keyboard if it runs out of juice from using the backlight. (It's also a helpful way of telling whether your keyboard is connected and ready to type, especially given the Smart Connector's temperamental nature when it comes to connections at certain angles.) And Logitech's built-in function row is a godsend: Yes, you can use keyboard shortcuts to bring up options like Spotlight or the Home screen, but having a single button available to you is much easier.

The casing and Apple Pencil sleeve

I do have one criticism of the CREATE: It adds a fair amount of thickness to a product that is billed as an ultra-portable computer. At its thickest, the iPad Pro nestled into the case is around 23mm, slightly less than four times that of the iPad on its own. This does mar some of the iPad's appeal, but not enough to overcome the fact that, with it installed, the Pro is truly a laptop replacement.

Even with its added bulk, it's nowhere near as clunky as Logitech's 12.9-inch version, which I used for months before switching to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and Smart Keyboard. I loved the keyboard on the 12.9-inch model, but I couldn't really recommend it to casual users who needed the occasional keyboard entry due to its heft and weight. The 9.7-inch model bests the original in every way: The added weight feels less awkward on a hardcover-sized item than a picture book-sized tablet, and the company has made some smart improvements to the exterior, too. (For one, the volume buttons are now actual raised plastic buttons, rather than flimsy stickers.) The 9.7-inch iPad's form-factor also means that the case was constructed without the need for empty plastic in a palm rest and keyboard frame — it makes a huge difference where weight and heft are concerned.

The Create also has room to hold an Apple Pencil in its spine, an ingenious use of space that would have been necessary to accommodate the product's slightly thicker shell.

Can I just say how much I love this extra detail? As someone who's carrying around the Apple Pencil constantly, it gives you the perfect place to hide it without requiring a separate accessory bag. If I want to go write and draw at my local Starbucks, all I have to do is grab the iPad in its case and go. I have occasionally had problems with the Create case closing fully when the Pencil is in its sleeve, but that's largely because of the Micron clip I added to the Pencil's rear side — if you've added extra attachments to your stylus, it's something to think about.

Angles and flaws

I can't say I find the case perfect. It still only has one angle for typing — though its less steep incline is considerably more comfortable than Apple's Smart Keyboard case — and I found the iPad to be less secure in the holder than I would have liked. A few times the tablet unfastened itself from its confines and came tumbling out, though thankfully none of those occurrences happened over cement.

The single-angle is my biggest critique of the Smart Connector line of keyboards in general. I know it likely has something to do with the way the Connector lines up with the accessory, but there has to be a fix in there somewhere. (Maybe a piece that connects directly to the Smart Connector and rotates on a hinge with the rest of the case.) Like you, Daniel, I found the iPad easier to pop in and out of the holder than the bigger Create, but I wouldn't call it unstable — I actually prefer its easier removal. Oftentimes it felt like I had to pry the 12.9-inch tablet out of its shell if I wanted to use it freely; this is a much gentler action. I also really appreciate that when you fold the Create and iPad on top of the keyboard, it creates a nice angle for drawing — it's no adjustable angle for a keyboard or anything, but it's a nice additional touch, and one that's a lot easier to get to than trying to maneuver the Smart Keyboard's folds and flips.

Bottom line

There are always going to be people who roll their eyes at the prospect of "turning an iPad into a work machine," and this case isn't for them. There's a lovely line of MacBook Pros coming that I'm sure they'll enjoy. But for me, I love the portability and flexibility of working on Apple's tablet, especially when the Pencil is involved.

Me too. I have written almost every piece of longform content on my iPad and Create over the past few weeks, and but for a few desperate moments that made me long for a trackpad and a macOS carousel, I found it easy to make the device my full-time laptop. That satisfaction was compounded by the fact that my iPad Pro is a cellular model, hooked up to an ultra-fast Canadian LTE network that lets me work from practically anywhere with no concern for Wi-Fi or an outlet.

Really, this case unifies all of my wants for a great iPad accessory: It's a great keyboard, it holds my Pencil, it protects it from both the elements and my occasional clumsiness, and it's not too bulky. Since getting the Create, I haven't gone back to the Smart Keyboard once, nor do I plan to.

And at $129.99, it's $20 cheaper than the Smart Keyboard. Apple's version has its place, especially where size and weight are a factor, but to my mind, Logitech has developed a superior product for less money, even despite its extra girth.

See at Logitech

Since early Spring, I've been without a Mac laptop. As a result, my 12.9-inch iPad Pro has become — for better and worse — my main laptop computer.

There's a lot to like about having an iPad as your primary work machine. My photo editing workflow is faster, for one, and I love the lack of visual noise that comes with writing on an iPad. But it's far from perfect. My keyboard case makes the iPad weighty and awkward-looking, and activities like podcasting are all but impossible without extra devices and apps.

In short: While I've found many sweet spots for iPad productivity, I miss having a Mac. The lack of major iPad updates coming to iOS 10 — Swift Playgrounds aside — has only cemented that feeling.

But I like the flexibility of having an iPad. After the Pencil, I can't go back to sketching or image correcting on a Wacom, and editing quick 4K video is still much faster on my iPad than my one-year-old iMac.

So I'm not willing to give up an iPad, I need a Mac, and the 12.9-inch iPad is just too big to dual-carry alongside a new laptop. That means that when I get a new MacBook Pro, my baby Pro needs to come out of living room retirement and become one-half a daily driver.

To ease myself into the process, I've been forcing myself to get used to the baby Pro. It's (surprisingly) working.

Small is strange

In portrait, the 9.7-inch iPad feels like plenty of screen real estate. In landscape and with Split View enabled, my first thought was "CRAMPED."

It's not surprising: Split View on a 9.7-inch iPad is the equivalent of two fatter iPhone Plus screens, while the 12.9-inch model offers two slightly-smaller-than-normal 9.7-inch iPad-in-portrait views. I'm losing a quarter of the space, and I feel it.

Mostly, I notice it when doubling up Safari alongside 1Writer or another notes app. In Split View on the baby Pro, Safari renders as a large mobile screen, not a small desktop screen, and unfortunately, many websites still look stretched and awkward in that view. It's a little trippy on the eyes.

But as I keep reminding myself, I'm not using the baby Pro to do the jobs I'd do on my 12.9-inch iPad. It's going to be a supplemental device alongside a Mac laptop. That means a lot less Split View, and a lot more single-screen tasks. And when viewing apps full screen, the 9.7-inch screen is a lot more tenable.

In addition, the more time I've spent with the baby Pro, the more I've gotten used to those smaller screens — after a few weeks with the 9.7-inch, going back to the 12.9 felt almost like too much screen real estate. It reminds me a lot of my switch between the 15-inch MacBook Pro and the 11-inch MacBook Air: I was horrified at the screen real estate of the latter for about a week, then refused to use anything else because of the weight and portability. The baby iPad transition has been much the same

Adjusting to the intricacies of the Smart Keyboard — and reveling in the new Logitech Create

So far, I've been using the baby Pro largely for writing. I wrote the entirety of my watchOS 3 preview on it, and I'm writing this article, too. It's surprisingly comfortable to do so, though the Smart Keyboard is a necessary accessory, especially with the smaller screen real estate for the virtual keyboard.

I'll be the first to admit: I don't like this keyboard nearly as much as the Logitech Create. It has some benefits, to be sure; it's not nearly as heavy to tote around, and the material is flexible enough that I can tilt the iPad to a better screen angle than the Create's — which had a tendency to give me migraines if I worked from my lap too often.

I do find myself missing the function row. I used the brightness and volume toggles daily, and the Lock and Home buttons allowed me to trigger Siri or take screenshots without ever lifting my hands from the keyboard. The Smart Keyboard's texture also leaves something to be desired, though I'm hoping that will wear down a bit as I use it more. And while it has a better viewing angle than the Create, a fixed angle is never going to be the best for working at long periods of time. Everyone's desks, laps, and necks are different.

Once I got over my initial gripes, however, I found writing on the baby Pro quite pleasant. I'm nearly as fast on the Smart keyboard as I am on my iMac's Magic Keyboard or the Logitech Create, and though I get a little bounce on the iPad's screen while writing on an unsteady surface (laps, cars, couches), it's manageable.

More than manageable is Logitech's 9.7-inch Create case: I've only been using it for a short time, but it's already replaced my Smart Keyboard for all things typing. The viewing angle is better than its big sibling, and best of all: It has a sleeve for my Apple Pencil, and an artist's drawing angle. Winning.

Of course, distraction-free writing is what really sells working on this tiny iPad. I was able to bring the baby Pro to my fiancé's roller derby practice and write on the benches with nothing but the tablet, Smart Keyboard, and glorious Bose QC35s blocking out exterior noise.

Draw time

As an artist's tablet, the baby Pro is the perfect size for a digital sketchbook. It's small enough to hold in one arm while sketching or writing, and the True Tone screen actually makes it a little better at outdoor drawing than the 12.9-inch. (Not by much — this is still an LED screen we're talking about — but it's enough in most situations.)

I thought I'd miss the extra screen real estate when drawing, but instead, I just spend more time zoomed on the digital canvas. The display is still large enough that my palm isn't falling off the side of the iPad while I'm sketching, and there's no discomfort drawing with the Apple Pencil or other third-party styluses.

All the apps I regularly draw inside work well on the baby Pro's screen, including feature-heavy programs like iFontMaker.

My tiny iPad future

I don't think I'll ever use the baby Pro as a full-time work machine — the screen size is just too small for me to enjoy doing so comfortably. But as a writing and sketching tablet that can pinch-hit for my laptop, I'm liking it more and more.

Back in March Apple slipped something into the 9.7-inch iPad Pro announcement that opened some eyes, but not nearly wide enough — DCI-P3 color gamut and dynamic "True Tone" color balance. The former was introduced with the Retina 5K iMac. The latter was all new. Both matter a great deal.

Craig Hockenberry, famed developer of Twitterrific, writing for The Iconfactory:

Apple's been individually calibrating iOS device displays for a while. It's why iPhone and iPad Pro are so consistent. The company had to take it to the next level and introduce OS X-caliber color management, though, to get True Tone to work. Especially under the more rigorous demands of the DCI-P3 — what digital movies now use — color space.

Once cameras are capturing in deep color, photos and videos are rendered in it, and every phone, tablet, PC, and projector can display it, we'll be well on our way to a more colorful future.

It won't be like the shift from black and white to color, but it will be like the shift from stereo to surround sound.

Craig's article includes a ton of explanation along with photo differentials, so check it out.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Apple's newest addition to its tablet line, is almost an exact internal replica of its big brother, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Why am I going for the smaller Pro? Size matters.

See at Apple

Smaller = more portability

The primary reason I'm buying a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the same reason why I didn't buy the 12.9-inch iPad Pro last year: portability. A 13-inch tablet is just too much real estate for my needs. I have yet to trust the iPad to do the work of my laptop (although iMore Managing Editor Serenity Caldwell proves it is possible), and the only reason I have for needing a larger screen is to do work that requires a more useful computing device. For now, if I need the benefits a 13-inch screen provides, I'll use my MacBook Pro.

That brings me back to the portability factor. If I'm on a trip and I know I'll be working hard on my MacBook Pro, I'm not going to want my tablet to take up too much additional space in my bag. If I owned a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I'd probably leave it behind whenever I took my MacBook Pro — too many devices with similar bag footprints weighing down my carry-on. In contrast, with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, I can take both and not feel either is redundant.

Smaller = better camera features

Apple has added a few features to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro that aren't available on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro — primarily ones that relate to the camera. The iSight camera on the smaller iPad Pro is 12 megapixels, as opposed to the 12.9-inch iPad's 8-megapixel sensor, and the Facetime camera is 5MP rather than 1.2MP. In addition, the Baby Pro can record and play back 4K video at 30FPS. That makes the quality of the tablet's camera as good as the iPhone 6s.

Say what you will about shooting photography with an iPad, but the truth is, lots of people do it — myself included — and with a huge viewfinder, capturing 4K video on an iPad Pro is almost like looking at an HD professional monitor on a film set.

Smaller = lower cost

I try not to think too much about cost when purchasing Apple products; I'm happy to pay a premium for great hardware. When the 12.9-inch iPad Pro first launched, however, I just couldn't justify paying the same price for a tablet as I could for a laptop. It seemed like overkill.

In contrast, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro starts $200 cheaper than its larger counterpart — and just $100 more than 2014's iPad Air 2. $599 is still a hefty chunk of change, but it's much closer to the kind of change I'm willing to shell out when it comes to tablets.

At its core, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro feels a lot like an updated version of the iPad Air. I could probably get away with calling it the iPad Air 3, but I won't — mostly because I like Serenity's "Baby Pro" moniker too much.

Let's not forget about the new True Tone system

True Tone is the one brand-new feature that Apple debuted with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. It's not yet available on any other device, including the iPhone 6s. And call it silly, but I really get a kick out of having a feature that no one else has.

The feature is a lighting display system for the smaller iPad Pro that adjusts your display depending on the lighting and color in a room. It uses two four-channel sensors to measure ambient light and color, then automatically tunes the white balance of the screen to your surroundings. Apple claims the feature brings a more natural "paper-white" viewing experience to the iPad, which could be something special indeed: Many of us have been staring at harsh blue digital screens for so many years, we often forget the feeling of resting our eyes on paper affected by natural light.

What it all comes down to

My 32 GB Rose Gold 9.7 iPad Pro (which will match my iPhone SE, natch) will be on my doorstep March 31. Portability won this round of decision-making for me, but price and a better camera didn't hurt the baby Pro's prospects, either.

What is your preference? Do you think the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is the perfect size, or will you be getting the Baby Pro? Let's discuss in the comments!

And if you're looking for more iPad Pro reading, you can also check out Serenity's reasons for sticking with the bigger model elsewhere on iMore.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro concentrates almost everything that's great about the 12.9-inch version into a device as easy to carry around as the iPad Air 2. That includes not only the ludicrously powerful A9X processor but the Smart Connector-enabled Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, which for my money remains the best digital writing and drawing implement on the market. Oh, and it's got an even better camera than its bigger sibling.

But can you really take the size out of the Pro and keep it "pro"? Let's take a look!

See at Apple

9.7-inch video review

Give us just over five minutes and we'll give you the 9.7-inch iPad Pro!

Going Pro

After a decade of lackluster tablet PCs, the original iPad was a revelation. Apple followed it with lighter, more powerful, higher-density models, and with smaller, even more portable minis. Over time, iPads became useful enough that most people didn't feel a pressing need to upgrade. iPhones also got bigger and more productive, and laptops, including Apple's own MacBook, got lighter and more portable.

All of that put the squeeze on iPad. Like a McLaren suddenly caught in rush-hour traffic, massive initial acceleration didn't matter any more. So, late last year, Apple introduced iPad Pro. Tim Cook called it, "the clearest expression of our vision of the future of personal computing". With a 12.9-inch display and a starting price of $799, though, that future wasn't yet mainstream.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro, starting at $599, just might be.

About those 9.7-inches…

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro has a resolution of 2732 x 2048 pixels. The 9.7-inch version, on the other hand, sticks to the same 2048 x 1536 pixels as the iPads Air. Both Pro displays are 264 pixels per inch (ppi), so they're still equally sharp. The new 9.7-inch version, though, packs a few all-new surprises.

The first is a DCI-P3 color space, the same as digital theater projectors and the late 2015 iMac with Retina 5K display. According to Apple, it allows for 25% greater saturation, is 25% brighter, and has a new, custom anti-glare coating that makes it 40% less reflective than the already impressive iPad Air 2.

Beyond the numbers, colors do look slightly better and more vibrant to my eyes, especially reds and magentas. We're still limited by bits-per-channel, memory bandwidth, and source material, but I love that we're moving towards deep, high-dynamic color on displays.

What's especially clever, though, is the new True Tone system. It uses two ambient light sensors to detect the color temperature of the environment around you, and then adjusts the iPad Pro's display to match that temperature, making whites look really, naturally, white.

If you've ever seen pictures of a screen that looked too blue or too yellow, then this fixes that. It makes a screen look more like paper, and it makes my inner artist deliriously happy. I hope this goes everywhere. Hell, I hope it can sync to my TV one day...

Pro performance

I've been using a 12.9-inch iPad Pro as my primary travel computer for several months now and, while there are a few things I still feel much more comfortable and efficient doing on the Mac, there are many I prefer doing now on iPad. With many tasks, including editing up to three streams of 4K video, it just flies. So too the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Both iPads Pro have the same third-generation 64-bit A9X system-on-a-chip, combining a custom dual-core processor with a monstrous 12-core graphics processor to very really redefine what it means to be "mobile" silicon. They're also both paired with an integrated M9 coprocessor which handles the motion sensors.

The major difference here is that, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro has whopping-for-Apple 4 GB of memory, the 9.7-inch version has only the same 2 GB as the previous generation Air. For a variety of reasons, iOS is nowhere nearly as memory dependent as some other platforms. The A9X also has far fewer pixels to push around on the 2048 x 1536 display than it does on the 2732 x 2048 version — 5.601,280 vs. 3,145,728. I've yet to see any hint of slow down, excessive tab reloading, or aggressive app jettisoning.

But less is less, and it makes the future-proofer in me sad.

On the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, like the iPhones 6s and SE, the M9 also allows for "Hey Siri!" unplugged — that's full, hands–free, voice control. While it may seem like more of an iPhone feature, being able to use it with an iPad in the kitchen, for example, is aces. I wish the 12.9-inch Pro allowed for it as well.

Touch ID is first generation, like every device save the iPhones 6s. I do like the faster fingerprint identity sensor, so hopefully that goes wide at some point. For unlock, authorization, and in-app Apple Pay, though, it works well enough, but again, better would be better.

Storage starts at 32 GB, like the bigger Pro, with 128 GB for those who want to step up. If you'd rather leap up, though, there's now a 256 GB option for both versions. That way you can really take everything with you on the go.

Curiously, Apple doesn't seem to have given the 9.7-inch iPad Pro the same USB 3.0 speeds as the 12.9-inch. I seldom connect over a cable any more, but if you do, and you want the speed, it's something you'll need to consider when and if choosing between the two sizes.

With either size Pro you can use Apple's updated adapters — available separately — to transfer photos from your camera or SD card. The USB to Ethernet adapter also works, so you can go wired if you really want or need to. The Lightning to USB adapter can provide power now as well, which opens it up to even more accessories — including podcasting mics!

Now if only iOS could handle two streams of mic audio so one app could conference you in and another record at the same time...

Smaller but just as smart

Before this week, the smallest Apple keyboard I'd ever used was the 11-inch MacBook Air. Or 12-inch New MacBook. Or maybe Smart Keyboard on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. I'm not fussy about keyboards, so they've all been great for me. It takes about 5 minutes for me to acclimatize and then I'm flying.

I've used plenty of third-party iPad Air and even iPad mini keyboards over the years, some less than stellar, but others surprisingly good.

That's how I'd classify Apple's Smart Keyboard for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The laser ablated fabric Apple uses, which along with MacBook-style domes forms the structure of the keys, holds up really well, even at the smaller scale. I've been typing on it for a few days now and while I feel like I make a few more errors than I otherwise would, autocorrect fixes most of those without me having to slow down — or be slowed down.

For those who dislike the Smart Keyboard regardless of size, there's the exact same Smart Connector as the bigger Pro, which means third-party keyboards will be available as well.

Notebook vs. sketchbook

As someone who used Wacom tablets for graphic design for decades, and stylus pens on iPhone and iPad for almost that long, the Apple Pencil remains best in class. It simply over performs in every category. It's available on a 9.7-inch iPad now as well. And I love it.

Sure, the canvas isn't as big — but that's the point. In my real-world art kit, I have both very large sketchbooks and much smaller, more portable notebooks. The large sketchbooks are great for working on the drafting table, but the notebooks are the ones I take out and about with me. That's the same feeling I get with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.

It does take some getting used to, but only if you're used to the 12.9-inch version. If not, I suspect you'll simply start writing and drawing without a first thought, much less a second.

Responsiveness and palm-rejection remain excellent — as good to my eyes and hands at on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and the apps all work just as well.

The best camera

Back in early 2014, when I first wrote about my iPad Pro hopes and dreams, alongside keyboard covers, wide color gamut, and pressure sensitivity, I asked for 4K video. At the time, I'd just finished hosting CES Live, and we'd used an iPad as the close-up video cam. The large viewfinder and connectivity made it good for the job. 4K video would have made it terrific.

So, having a 12-megapixel iSight camera in the 9.7-inch iPad Pro that shoots 4K video? — terrific.

Sure, some might still make fun of the very idea of iPad photography, but for others the best camera they have with them will be the one on their iPad, and now Apple is making sure "the best" is also the best.

And for professionals, many of whom love shooting with iPhones but do want bigger viewfinders for certain projects, Apple's making sure the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is delivering exactly that as well.

It does come with a price, though — an iPhone 6-style bump around the lens. Blame physics. Cameras want depth, and customers need lightness, which causes thinness. I haven't had any problems with it, though, even when resting it flat and drawing with the pencil. The other corners keep everything solidly in place.

There's even a 5-megapixel FaceTime camera replete with Retina Flash, so you can take your iPad selfie game to the next level as well.

And yes, you can do iPhone 6s-style Live Photos as well, so your every moment can animate at a touch-and-hold.

Bring the noise

The 12.9 inch iPad Pro has four big, booming speakers. I'll be honest — I wasn't expecting Apple to be able to fit the same class of audio into the 9.7-inch version, but they did.

No matter which way you hold or turn it, iPad Pro delivers deep bass to all four speakers and mids and highs to the top two speakers. With iOS 9.3, there's even support for Dolby Digital Plus audio streams and multi-channel output with the Lightning Digital AV adapter.

Together with the display, it makes for a superlative entertainment experience even when you don't want or have to use earphones.

The only downside is having to choose between watching Daredevil season 2 and getting your writing done…

Radio stars

Both Wi-Fi and cellular networking are first-class on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Wi-Fi is 802.11ac with multiple-in, multiple-out (MIMO) that supports up to 866 Mbps.

Cellular is even more exciting, though. Unlike the bigger iPad Pro, LTE is an option on every 9.7-inch iPad Pro storage tier. So, you no longer have to go big or go without.

And if you do go with LTE, you get ultra-fast 300 megabit-per-second (Mbps) LTE Advanced with support for up to 23 bands, meaning you can connect at higher speeds in more places than ever before.

You also get an embedded "Apple SIM". That way you can use your local carrier SIM if you're on an existing plan, but when you travel you can choose from a variety of plans in over 90 regions.

Dual SIM slots isn't a new idea, but a manual SIM slot and a built-in, flexible SIM certainly is a novel one.

iOS 9.3

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes with iOS 9.3 installed. The latest point update to Apple's mobile operating system, it includes the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, but also more than the usual share of new features.

There's Night Shift, which can ease you into the evening by slowly changing the color temperature of the display from cold (blue) to warm (yellow). That helps preserve dopamine and prevent histamine build-up, ensuring your evening screen-time doesn't adversely affect your sleep time.

Secure notes let you set a password to protect any financial, health, or personal information you choose to store in the built-in Notes app — though only the built-in Notes app for now. News has improved recommendations and curations as well.

The big news for iPad, though, is in education.

Other companies have been doing a great job at providing cheap or free, tools for kids in schools. They typically do it, however, by ingesting large amounts of data into their cloud. Even if we can trust them completely with the privacy and security of our children's' data, some people simply won't want to. And it's precisely there that Apple can offer an invaluable alternative.

From an easy, integrated login and unlock for the very young, to multi-user accounts with ubiquitous iCloud storage, to easy administration and interaction for schools and teachers, to Apple's strong stand on Privacy, it looks like the beginnings of an exceptional system.

The proof, however, will have to come with the deployments. (And, hopefully, with similar features for home and businesses in the future…)

Bottom line

After kicking off the modern tablet revolution, showing the world technology alone was not enough, and then becoming light as Air, the 9.7-inch iPad is once again being reinvented — this time by going Pro.

When the 12.9-inch model felt like it was filling a really important niche and growing Apple's addressable market, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro feels like it's bringing everything great about that device — the power, the connectability, the Pencil, the speakers and, most importantly, the attitude.

This can still be your everyday iPad, and better so than ever, but it can also be your ultra-mobile productivity machine, with little in the way of compromises. Sure, you lose some display and keyboard real estate, but you gain portability and an excellent camera system.

For people who've had a 9.7-inch iPad for a while but haven't seen a need to upgrade, and for those with aging Windows system looking for a modern alternative, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be compelling.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is available for order starting March 24 and ships starting March 31. You can get it in silver, space gray, gold, and rose gold, with 32, 128, or 256 GB of storage, and optional LTE cellular networking. Prices start at $599.

If you need OS X, you'll still need a Mac. If you want the bigger screen, the 12.9-inch iPad remains for you. If you want all the power of a Pro in the original, super-portable format, though, get the new 9.7-inch.

I'll be getting a 128 GB rose gold with LTE, and I think I'll be drawing and traveling with it for a long while to come.

See at Apple

If you're looking to get a new iPhone but you're not sure which one, here's everything you need to know!

• 9.7-inch iPad Pro FAQ
• How to sell your old iPad — or Android or Surface tablet! — to get the iPad Pro
• Should you upgrade to iPad Pro?
• Which iPad should you get: iPad Pro, iPad Air, or iPad mini?
• iPad Pro or MacBook, which Apple ultra-portable should you get?
• What iPad storage size should you get?
• What color iPad Pro should you get?
• Which iPad Pro carrier and plan should you get?
• Should you get AppleCare+ or insurance for your iPad?

Here's a little tidbit you likely weren't aware of. Did you know you could take advantage of Microsoft Office apps on the smaller 9.7-inch iPad Pro for free? Thaks to the way Microsoft structures its Office suite offering, those with the new iPad Pro won't have to pay for the Office 365 subscription. The Office apps on iOS will be freely available fo download.

The reason behind Microsoft's decision to offer a free suite of apps for what the company considers mobile devices is due to the fact these lightweight apps are developed for on-the-mobile productivity. While the full version of Office apps available for Windows and Mac will always be utilized for powerful content creation, mobile apps are seen as tools for light editing. How does Microsoft distinguish between the two? Screen size. As reported by MacWorld:

It's an interesting bonus of Microsoft's own Office strategy, which will enable those of the new iPad Pro to get the Office suite of apps for free, while those who opt for the larger variant will need to fork out for a subscription. When making the comparison against Surface tablets, this addition of Office makes the 9.7-inch iPad Pro appear more competitive even with the inability to run a full blown version of Windows.

• Everything you need to know about the 9.7-inch iPad Pro

This is the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro. In a box. Coming out of the box. Getting compared to iPad Air 2 and the 12.9-inch iPad Air. With and without Smart Keyboards. And a Pencil.

Seriously. Just watch it!

It looks like the new iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro both pack 2GB of memory. That's not something Apple normally divulges in its product announcements — meaning those interested usually have to wait for benchmarks for stats and tear-downs for chip analysis.

We've got the former from several sources now, including our own senior editor, Daniel Bader, editor-in-chief, Rene Ritchie, as well as Matthew Panzarino from Twitter, who all have both devices in hand.

For comparison, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro packs double the RAM of the 9.7-inch version, coming in at 4GB. Popular benchmarking app Geekbench also shows the CPU is running at a slightly lower clock speed of 2.16GHz compared to its 12.9-inch sibling's 2.24GHz:

We have also confirmed that the iPhone SE's processor is clocked at 1.85GHz, which matches the A9 processor in the iPhone 6s. Combined with matching RAM totals, it appears that the iPhone SE's internals are in fact identical to the iPhone 6s.

What do you think of these memory specs? What you expected?

Last fall Apple took the iPad Pro by introducing a new 12.9-inch model with a smart keyboard and connector, pressure sensitive pencil, and four big, booming speakers. This spring, Apple is condensing as much of that as possible down to the original 9.7-inch size.

So, how does the 9.7-inch size handle going Pro? Here are some hands-on first impressions!

The "baby" pro

What goes up in size must come down, at least if you want to make it to the mainstream. And while small compared to the 12.9-inch display, 9.7-inches was still big enough for the original iPad. That's because it was, and still remains, a great balance between productivity and portability.

In other words, while there's less screen to work and play on, there's also less weight to lug around. So, for some it might be a baby Pro, for others it'll be Pro made perfect.

Display magic

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a few features new and unique, even compared to its bigger sibling. First is the DCI-P3 color gamut. That's the wider space used by digital cinema projection and the new Retina 5K iMac. Think of it as higher dynamic range on the display.

There's also a new True Tone feature that uses two sensors to detect the ambient color temperature and adjust the display so that white looks white. Not yellow white. Not blue white. But white white. The artist in me loves it so much.

First class camera

The original iPad size also leap-frogs the bigger's camera. The iSight here is the same 12-megapixel marvel found in iPhone 6s, and that includes 4K video.

Some people still make fun of those who take video with iPad, but professionals know a bigger viewfinder can come in incredibly handy, especially for production work. This camera elevates iPad to a first class photographic and video citizen. About time.

Smart Keyboard

I'm pretty resilient when it comes to keyboards. I'm perfectly fine on a MacBook Pro, MacBook, or iPad Pro, and I've used iPad Air and even iPad mini keyboards for years without much trouble.

Apple's first sub-10-inch keyboard — the Smart Keyboard condensed — has the same laser ablated fabric spring and MacBook-style domes, and works almost as well as the full sized version for me. Perhaps surprisingly so.

It goes right to the edge now, and like any new keyboard, it takes some getting used to. But even at the smaller size, I was able to get going fast — and stay going.

Your milage may vary, of course, which is why the Smart Connector should allow for bevy of third-party alternatives.

Apple Pencil

If the 12.9-inch iPad Pro with Apple Pencil was a spacious sketchbook, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro with Apple Pencil is a more like a handy workbook. When I first tried it, I was worried about running out of canvas, but only for a moment. If you've never gotten used to the bigger iPad Pro, you'll likely never worry about 9.7-inch version.

Responsiveness, accuracy, palm rejection — all remain phenomenal. After a decade using Wacom as a designer, I'm still blown away by how hard Apple nailed the Pencil right out of the gate.

Pricing and availability

You can get the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in your choice of silver, space gray, gold, and rose gold. With greater power, though, comes greater price points.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro comes in 32, 128, and 256 GB versions, starting at $599. LTE Advanced is an option for all of them.

You can order it starting on the 24th and it'll be in-store starting March 31.

After releasing the iPad Air 2 in 2014, and the iPad Pro in 2015, Apple has finally combined the two products into a fantastic 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Here's what you need to know about Canadian pricing and availability for the iPad Pro 9.7.

When can I buy the iPad Pro 9.7?

The iPad Pro will be available on March 31, 2016.

It goes up for pre-order on March 24.

Where can I buy the iPad Pro 9.7?

The iPad Pro 9.7 will be available at Apple Stores and some Canadian carriers.

In what sizes is the iPad Pro 9.7 available?

The iPad Pro will be available in three sizes:

• 32GB
• 128GB
• 256 GB

How much will the iPad Pro 9.7 cost in Canada?

The iPad Pro 9.7 will cost :

• $799 for the 32GB Wi-Fi
• $999 for the 128GB Wi-Fi
• $1,199 for the 256GB Wi-Fi
• $929 for the 32GB Wi-Fi + Cellular
• $1,179 for the 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular
• $1,379 for the 256GB Wi-Fi + Cellular

In what colours will the iPad Pro 9.7 be available?

Like the new iPhone SE, the iPad Pro 9.7 (aka Baby Pro) will be available in Silver, Gold, Space Grey, and a new Rose Gold colour.

Why did Apple add a new 256GB option?

During the keynote for the new iPad Pro, Apple CEO Tim Cook remarked that customers are increasingly using the iPad Pro as their main computers, and that justifies adding a larger 256GB option, for people who insist on storing large files locally.

Apple also added a 256GB option for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which retails for a very laptop-like $1429 for the Wi-Fi model and $1629 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model.

See iPad Pro at Apple

Last updated March 21, 2016.

Apple has announced the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which packs all of the power of the 12.9-inch model in a smaller, more portable package. It's powered by Apple's A9X system-on-a-chip, and comes with 32, 128, or 256GB storage options.

While Apple's rumored upcoming 9.7-inch tablet was thought to be called the iPad Air 3, a new report claims that it will actually be joining the company's iPad Pro lineup. The tablet is said to feature the same processor as the the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, along with support for the Apple Pencil and a smaller version of the Smart Keyboard accessory that first debuted in fall 2015.

From 9to5Mac:

The new 9.7-inch iPad has previously been rumored to feature the same four-speaker setup as the current iPad Pro as well. The tablet is also said to be launching alongside the rumored iPhone 5se, Apple's new 4-inch iPhone, which will also reportedly debut on March 15.

When Apple introduced the iPad Pro, the company introduced the Smart Connector along with it. A single magnetic port that carriers power, data, and ground, while not as positionable as Bluetooth, has proven much more reliable. With the iPad Air 3 rumors heating up, it's only natural to wonder if Apple would bring its smart new connector to the 9.7-inch screen size.

Better than Bluetooth

Bluetooth Keyboards, which pair and communicate wirelessly, do have some advantages. They can be positioned anywhere, so you can place both your hands and your iPad where it's more ergonomically advantages. That makes them great for standing desks and some table layouts alike.

Pairing doesn't always work, though, and communicating wirelessly isn't without its interruptions. Hence, the Smart Connector. Bluetooth Keyboards also have to be powered independently, which means another battery and charging cycle to manage.

It's physical, so the keyboard does have to be stuck directly onto the iPad, which does limit the flexibility. But when it connects it's rock-solid. Since it carries power as well as data, it runs off the iPad's charge. That might put a small — very small — dent in your iPad's battery life, but it also means you never have to worry about not having the keyboard charged.

Having used the Smart Keyboard since November of 2015, I can attest to how liberating that is. Just flip down, notch in, and start typing.

Size matters

Although some don't like the Smart Keyboard because of how it works — laser-ablated fabric over MacBook-style domes — I've been loving it. I tend to adapt quickly, but a few minutes in I forget what I'm typing on and just keep typing away.

That's on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, though, where the keys are functionally full size. I'm not sure how I'll feel on a Smart Keyboard scaled down to 9.7-inches.

The keyboard on the 12-inch MacBook, which I've used a lot, also has keys that are functionally full size — even if they go edge to edge. I've only used the 11-inch MacBook Air a few times, but it has never seemed too small to me. But those are 12- and 11-inches. This would be 9.7...

Apple famously never made a netbook — many of which were tiny — because the company said it didn't know how to make one that would be any good. When Apple introduced the first 9.7-inch iPad, the keyboard stand the company shipped with it was still almost comically full size.

That doesn't mean Apple will never make a small keyboard, but it does show the company's leaning.

Third parties

While Apple has no history of making smaller keyboards, several third-party accessory vendors do — both for the iPad Air and the tiny iPad mini. The iPad Air keyboards have all been perfectly good. The iPad mini ones haven't been ideal, but have at least been usable.

More importantly for our purposes, they show what's possible even at the 9.7-inch size. They're just currently constrained to Bluetooth.

With a Smart Connector, 9.7-inch third-party keyboards will be just as reliable as the third-party keyboards on the iPad Pro. (Well, hopefully more reliable....)

When the iPad Pro launched, the Logitech Create launched with it. It's not impossible to imagine an iPad Air 3 could launch with third-party keyboards of its own.

iPad Air 3 + Smart Keyboard

Whether or not Apple decides they can make a small keyboard good enough to bear the company brand, I hope the rumored iPad Air 3 includes a Smart Connector. It makes for a much better keyboard experience, and companies including Logitech have shown they can make usable keyboards at any iPad size.

And I'd love a more reliable and usable keyboard for when I inevitably get it.

Would you prefer an iPad Air 3 with a Smart Connector? Let me know!

Rumor has it Apple will debut the iPad Air 3 this spring, possibly as soon as March. The original iPad Air took the Retina iPad 4 and made it thin as a pencil. The iPad Air 2 got even thinner, lighter, and brighter, with a laminated screen, better cameras, and Touch ID. So where could Apple possibly take the 9.7-inch form factor next?

Design

Rene: I'm of two minds on the iPad Air 3 design. I don't expect any big changes. The original iPad mini established the modern design language back in 2012 and there's little indication anything substantial will change this year. But, that was 2012 and this is 2016, and that's a long time in technology.

You need some curve so people can easily pick the iPad Air 3 up off a table or similar flat surface, and you need some bezel so people can hold it without covering the screen.

But where could it be taken next?

Ren: Agreed with Rene. I suspect the Air's changes this year are going to be internal, not external. But I certainly wouldn't mind a front-facing camera adjustment; moving the small FaceTime camera to the center of the device in landscape, rather than portrait, would make it more usable in chatting apps when using a Bluetooth keyboard or Split View.

Display

Ren: Might we see a better refresh rate on the iPad Air 3's screen this year, in part to support an Apple Pencil? Boy, I hope so. It'd be lovely if we saw OLED, but I'm skeptical it'll come to such a large device first — I'd expect it on the iPhone before the iPad.

Rene: I love the iPad Air 2 display. Apple has really nailed the laminated IPS LCD screen. Sure, there are technologies like OLED and Quantum Dot, and maybe they'd help on battery life or provide other advantages in the future, but the need isn't pressing yet.

I'd be super interested in 10-bit P3 color space, the kind the iMacs just got. Nothing really takes advantage of it yet, and Apple would be fine holding off on it as well for a while. But I'd still love it.

Most of the advances in the display will likely be on the other side this year.

Speakers

Rene: The iPad Pro was the first iPad to get the speakers it deserved. Sure, the Air went stereo back in 2012, but it never boomed, and it never served all orientations. Because it's much smaller, I don't expect the iPad Air to get the same giant, echo-chamber equipped speakers as the Pro, but I do hope it gets the four speaker layout. And some boom.

That way, no matter which way I hold it, the sound will really be stereo.

Ren: Bring on the iPad Pro speaker revolution! Like Rene, I don't think the Air will get the exact speaker configuration that the Pro boosts, but I wouldn't bet against a four-speaker layout — assuming it doesn't take up so much space that it reduces the iPad Air's battery by a noticeable amount. I also wonder if we might see the rumored headphone jack removal on the iPad Air before we see it on the iPhone — that extra space would be a great place to add a speaker or some more battery.

Smart Connector

Ren:The Smart Connector is one of the coolest pieces of third-party connectivity Apple's come up with in recent years. Power and connection with a magnetic seal: What's not to love? But I'm not sure how much it would cost to add it to an iPad Air. I don't know if I'd trade an hour of battery for the Smart Connector, or pay an extra $100. There's also the question of feature differentiation between the Air and Pro: Does the Pro's moniker cement it as the MacBook Pro of the iPad line, offering a bigger screen but also better processor and more features? Or is it just a distinction on screen size? I don't know where Apple's mind is on this topic, and I'm afraid we probably won't know until the Air's release.

Rene: The Smart Connector, which debuted with iPad Pro, carries power, data, and ground to accessories like the Apple Smart Keyboard. In practice, it's much easier and more reliable to use than a Bluetooth keyboard. No pairing, no batteries or charging, and no connection lag or issues.

So, theoretically, I'm all for it on an iPad Air 3 as well. My only curiosity is whether or not Apple will make a Smart Keyboard to go with it, or leave that for third parties like logitech. The reason I'm wondering is the size — Apple's never made a keyboard this small. Could the company nail it?

Apple Pencil and 3D Touch

Rene: 3D Touch uses micro-distortion of the LCD to measure and register pressure, and that doesn't feel like something that would elegantly stretch to a 9.7-inch screen size. At least not right now.

Apple Pencil, on the other hand, uses a combination of the multitouch technology in the display and sensors in the Pencil to deliver something pretty fantastic. At least in how it's implemented on the iPad Pro.

If the iPad Pro + Apple Pencil is a workbook, the iPad Air + Pencil would be a notebook, and that's incredibly attractive.

Want.

Ren: I want 3D Touch on the iPad, but as Rene said above, I'm not sure it's technically feasible at the current iPad Air price point quite yet. Of course, if Apple wants developers to incorporate 3D Touch across their apps, it's going to need devices to support it beyond the iPhone line.

When it comes to the Pencil, technologically all that's stopping Apple is a higher-refresh rate for the display and the processing power to communicate lag-free. From a business standpoint, I don't see why the Pencil wouldn't come to the Air: It's one of the most talked-about accessories for the iPad line, and plenty of people (yours truly included) purchased an iPad Pro primarily to be able to use the Pencil to draw with it.

But I return to my musings over the Smart Connector: What makes the iPad Pro "Professional"? Apple may want to keep the Pencil for the highest-tier iPad as a way to encourage purchases of the larger tablet, and to signify it as something special.

I keep coming back to real-world skeumorphism, however. We draw in paper notebooks of all sizes and shapes; why wouldn't Apple similarly offer its best-selling drawing pen for its full iPad line?

Bottom line

Ren: I can only assume the Air's delay last year was to engineer in some of the goodies that hid in the iPad Pro until last October. By all rights and means, this revision should pack a lot of punch for its 9.7-inch screen. I'm personally hoping to see Pencil support come to the Air, but I wouldn't mind 3D Touch, speaker support, and the Smart Connector to make an appearance, too. We shall see — hopefully very soon!

Rene: Apple didn't update the iPad Air last year, which makes it feel inevitable this spring. Take what is, add an A9 processor, four speakers, some other goodies, and — dare we hope — Smart Connector and Apple Pencil, and we have an amazing tablet in our hands. Again.