Apple iPad Pro 10.5 inch and 12.9 inch review reveals whether bigger is better for new flagship tablet computer

APPLE has always been set on liberating people from the monotony of a life spent in front of ugly desktop computers and offering a passport to a sunny Californian world of boundless creativity and kale-fuelled hyper-productivity.

But the new iPad Pro could be its boldest step yet in pointing us to a future free from the tyranny of boring old black boxes and, by extension, the boring old jobs we do with them.

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The fruity firm started selling two new models of iPad Pro which seem deliberately designed to wean the working world off its addiction to desktops and laptops.

All the signs and oracles emanating from the iCloud appear to suggest that Apple wants you to think of the iPad as a proper workhorse, rather than just a cool-to-have but not totally necessary gadget that's a bit like a big iPhone.

At its annual WWDC conference, Apple showed off iOS 11, a new version of the operating system which powers its mobiles gadgets, which this year had a special emphasis on the iPad.

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When iOS comes out later this year, the iPad will be given several new apps and tweaks designed to allow people to drag files, split the screen to multitask and perform the sort of tasks which were impossible with the old iPad.

This software update will make the device feel like a real, organic notepad, because you'll be able to use the Apple Pencil to scribble notes without having to unlock the iPad.

Apple's iOS 11 will then use artificial intelligence to learn how to read your handwriting and your notes will be fully searchable - even though it's written in your own indecipherable scrawl.

Pretty cool. But you won't be able to try out these features unless you join in the public beta next month or wait until September.

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Until then, you'll have to be satisfied with the already excellent iOS 10 and the impressive power, form and build of the iPad Pro.

We tried out the larger iPad Pro, which has a 12.9 inch screen compared to the smaller model's 10.5 inch screen, a new size of iPad Pro that's slightly bigger than the 9.5 inch previous equivalent model.

Both models are more or less identical, although the larger model obviously has a bigger screen.

The iPad Pro is now more powerful than ever before, with a super beefy 64-bit A10X Fusion chip with six cores which is faster that most PC laptops and offers 30 percent faster CPU and 40 percent faster graphics than the A9X chip used in the last range.

The screen also performs substantially better, using a technique called ProMotion to "refresh" the screen at up to 120hz - which means playing games, watching videos and browsing the web are much smoother.

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To be honest, you might not necessarily notice the speed boost until you go back to older iPads, which suddenly feel a bit sluggish by comparison.

One thing which always annoyed me about the previous models was the slight lag when swiping with three fingers to switch between apps, which always seemed to take ages (even though the time it actually took was actually less than a second).

Now app-flipping is mega-smooth and instantaneous, giving you just one sense of how much Apple has boosted the performance.

The Apple Pencil continues to take on a mouse-killing role, offering a very accurate way to draw, handwrite and interact with apps.

Founder Steve Jobs famously said Apple would never introduce a stylus, but it's becoming indispensable for iPad Pro owners.

It was already fun and precise on the old iPad Pro. Now it works as quickly as a real pen, thanks to ProMotion.

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The power of the iPad Pro can also be felt in its apps, which can be bought incredibly cheaply and now perform the same tasks as software which once costs hundreds or thousands of pounds.

There's something fun about working with the iPad and the Pencil, which make you feel like you could do literally all manners of tasks whilst sitting on your sofa, before bounding out in the world to slam down a few macchiatos and dream up your next big masterpiece whilst sitting in the midday sun.

The iPad is also light, elegant and well-built, with the power to let you do everything from edit films to making music or playing games.

It's basically the polar opposite of the boring grey Dell computer, hinting at a brave new world where we're all liberated from the office and can work out in the real world with little more than an iPad - and a boss that's understanding (and brave) enough to let you loose.

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Just like the past and the present, however, this exciting future belongs to the rich - for now.

Earlier this year, Apple released a cheaper version of the iPad which we described as "a bit of a steal" because it was both affordable and powerful.

There's nothing cheap about the new iPad Pro, which starts at £619 for the 10.5 inch model and £769 for the larger 12.9 inch version.

You'll also want all the cool accessories, which are fantastic but pricey.

The keyboard doubles as a screen protector and protective case, but it costs £159.00 for the 10.5 inch iPad Pro and £169 for the 12.9 model .

There will probably be a bit of wailing and gnashing of teeth from anyone who has upgraded from the previous smaller iPad Pro, which was a wee bit smaller at 9.5 inches.

Now, as many men will try to tell you, you shouldn't really quibble about a few inches here and there - unless you own one of the 9.7 inch smart keyboards, which won't fit the new 10.5 inch model.

You'll also want an Apple Pencil (£99) and might be tempted by the very cool leather sleeve (£129), a really luxurious case which also has a cool Pencil holder at the top and makes the gadget feel a bit like a very expensive Moleskine notebook.

To get this (admittedly amazing) package, you'll have to shell out more than £1,000 for the smaller iPad with all its accessories and basic 64 gb of storage.

That's a lot of dosh. But this is a serious machine that costs as much as a laptop but is easily as powerful and might just push you to work, play and create in a different way.

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Frankly, there's absolutely nothing to fault with the new iPad Pro, which really is the Rolls Royce of tablet computers.

We'd advise you to get the larger model if you can because - sorry chaps - those extra inches really do add to the experience.

You are also well advised to upgrade from the older iPad Pro if you've got the cash, because the performance bump and improved form factor gives the new tablet a huge boost over its predecessor.

If you fancy getting a new iPad and haven't got enough cash, you could just eBay your old one and get a decent price, because Apple gadgets always hold their value much better than competitors' products.

Overall, this is yet another win from Apple.

If you have the cash and are in the market for a new tablet, just buy an iPad Pro because there really is no competition.