So it's finally arrived - Apple's iPad Pro. I've had mine for a few weeks, courtesy of the good folks at Apple, and I have to say it's an amazing device. Now there is no getting around it, in the words of Donald Trump, "It's huuuuuuuuge!".

I mean this is like your iPad Air went on a protein-shake, bodybuilding binge. Or got hit by gamma rays. But when held naked in the hand it's surprisingly light.

Add the keyboard cover to it however and you're practically carrying around a Macbook Pro. I opted for the Logitech CREATE keyboard case over the Apple Smart Keyboard cover, just because the latter does not provide any rear protection for the iPad Pro.

The Logitech CREATE also has the added benefit of being back lit and still uses the Smart Connector to draw it's power from the iPad, so no need for additional charging cradles etc.

Roberto's iPad Pro should come with a pencil, but there's a backlog of demand to clear

I've been using the Pro almost constantly over the last few weeks and here are my first impressions, in no particular order.

1. It's HUGE. But in a beautiful way.
2. The screen is amazing. Typing emails, viewing web content and reading magazines and newspapers is just a joy. No eye strain and this has to be the best resolution screen of all the Apple devices I own.
3. It's super fast. Absolutely no lag, Apple were not kidding when they said this thing is as good as if not better than desktop class performance.
4. Watching movies on it is going to be sheer joy when travelling.
5. The speakers are amazing. We are at a client wedding this weekend and last night I realised I had forgotten our Bose Soundlink speaker. Turns out it wasn't needed. The four speakers in the iPad Pro give crystal clear sound and playing a mix from Apple Music filled our hotel room - incredible and again another claim made by Apple that it has backed up 100%.
6. In it's keyboard case it becomes quite heavy and a little cumbersome, so I'm not sure how that is going to affect me during a normal working week with everything else I have to carry.
7. Typing on the Logitech CREATE keyboard is a pleasure. In fact I am tapping out this review on it right now. All though it's a 12.9" screen compared to my Macbook Pro's 13" retina display, this is actually much better to use. Significantly better in fact and I think my poor Macbook is about to take a back seat for a while.
8. It is quite intimidating on the boardroom table. In a meeting yesterday with a national housebuilder and the NHBC which was quite contentious, this thing immediately gave me the dominant position around the table when I put it on the table. Spinning it around to show facts and evidence left no one in doubt as to who was boss!
9. Carolina, my wife, thought it was a stupid idea initially but having jumped on to look at some properties on Rightmove this morning, she now has that thoughtful "should I get one of these" looks that she has also given me just before converting to the iPhone and Apple Watch.

Initial verdict

If you want ultimate portability, stick with the iPad Air 2. If you don't mind lugging something twice as big around for the benefits of being able to finally have a tablet that you can both consume content on and REALLY WORK WITH then the iPad Pro is a must buy.

This thing is just screaming at me to open it up and type, I think it is one piece of technology that is going to change my professional life for the better. Another home run for Apple!

NB: at the time of writing there is a 4-5 week delay on Apple Pencil, I didn't even get mine despite having the device itself in advance of launch. As soon as I have my hands on the Pencil rest assured it will be reviewed!