I return to the iPad after 7 years with the 2017 9.7 model, which is now available at very reasonable prices due to replacement. Although I would never buy an Apple phone as I consider them overpriced, I believe the company offers decent machines in tablets.

This particular one has a beautiful screen, a fast processor, good build quality, and the widest range of applications and games on a tablet. For the use I want it for (browsing on the couch, reading books and comics, and games, maybe some series), it is flawless and I don't think there is an Android device that offers the same at this price. Of course, if someone wants a device to use for writing text and other tasks, there are probably better tablets. However, maybe a tablet is not the best choice overall.

Addition after 7 months of use:

Not much has changed. Its battery life remains excellent and it proved quite durable after 2 falls. I also bought a cheap Bluetooth keyboard, which turned out to be quite useful and I ended up using it for writing texts (essays, assignments, etc.) more than I expected.

Addition after 16 months of use:

It remains a good tablet and meets my needs without any major issues. The battery life has decreased slightly but not significantly. The A9 chip and 2GB on some websites show their limits, but overall, the usage is easy and smooth. It is no longer a good purchase, but I believe the '18 model with the upgraded processor is still recommended.

Personally, I have been involved with technology for years now, both as a hobby and for work. Many devices have passed through my hands, including several tablets, but I never found something that could serve me without making any compromises! One had good cameras and a screen, but it was so overloaded with bloatware that it became dysfunctional after a while. The other had a decent screen but strong specs... but it had good hardware on paper that didn't perform well in practice... and almost all of them had unacceptable batteries!!! What's the point of having a tablet, a purely mobile device meant to work without external power, if it doesn't have good battery life? What good is a super processor and 6GB of RAM if it can't give me 5 hours of continuous use? The iPad is the perfect balance. It doesn't have perfect hardware, a perfect screen, or 4K resolution, nor does it have the ultimate sound, but it is the ultimate tool!!! How is that possible? Well, it's because it is designed to serve you and not to give you a hard time! It may not have a tremendous CPU, but it will never freeze on you. It doesn't have 4GB of RAM, but it handles multitasking perfectly. It doesn't have an amazing camera, but you can easily make video calls! Everything works flawlessly, without annoying glitches, without excelling in one aspect and lacking in another, and all of this with a huge battery life and a truly amazing screen!!! It is made to facilitate the user, to simplify everything, without limitations, without compromises!!! It has no competition in its price range! And one more thing, we all deserve a touch of luxury, we all want to have something beautiful to feel like we spent our money well and got something premium... The iPad is something premium, it is a small luxury, and it gives you everything even at the price it asks for!!! There is no comparison with Android, don't even go there, the iPad is in a category of its own. I could compare it to a good Windows tablet, but they don't cost the same! To find a good Windows tablet that performs like the iPad, you have to pay double or triple the price, but if you do pay double or triple, there is the iPad Pro, which again has no competition in that category! I am not an Apple fan, I have never had an Apple device before, I am a fan of my wallet and I want what I pay for to perform at its best, not to disappoint me, and not to make me look for ways to make Android look like iOS... A device like the iPad can meet the needs of a regular user and a professional, the same device can target two different target groups without the user making the slightest compromise!!! The market is definitely worth it!

I may not be a fan of Apple, but until Android Tablet manufacturers wake up and optimize their devices, the iPad is the only way to go.
-The CPU and GPU are unmatched. My PC performs worse on Geekbench (sad life).
-The build quality is Apple's standard, no cheap plastics that will break over time, no flimsy glass, and I was surprised by how lightweight it is. VERY LIGHT. As a former iPad 2 user, I noticed a big difference.
-Tell me where you can find a screen with such resolution and viewing angles (although non-laminated) at this price. And if you do find one, there will be compromises elsewhere.
-Speakers? Stereo. Now find me stereo speakers at this price with decent bass.
-The headphone jack is here and thankfully so, because in this price range, it's not a given for someone to have wireless peripherals.
-2-day minimum battery life with heavy usage.
-Regarding the software, I'll transition to the negatives by saying that it's not completely flawless (obvious bugs), but it won't disappoint you either.
-Touch ID 1st gen? Well, that's not a cheap move, really.
-Cameras only for the beach with plenty of sunlight, and still mediocre (I'm exaggerating a bit, but...).
-If you buy official peripherals, you'll be ripped off. I recommend everything from eBay.
Finally, I must say that the pricing of this particular iPad (I'm talking about the €350 I paid) is what makes it unbeatable. At €400, look for other options.
If there's a possibility to buy from the US, do it blindly because it comes close to €280. But you know, with a relative on a plane, because from Amazon it's the same or more expensive than here.

First of all, if you had in your possession or put them side by side with an iPad Air, apart from the fingerprint reader on the home button, it would be difficult to distinguish any other difference.
They are identical in size, weight, construction materials, and screen, despite having a 4-year difference. Of course, internally they are not the same since this year's model has a much better processor (A9) and double the RAM.

Theoretically, it is a step back in some areas compared to the iPad Air 2 (and of course, all the subsequent models in the Pro series), but the price at which it is sold makes it ideal, as it is impossible to find something equivalent or better for this amount of money, and by acquiring it, you have a mini computer with you that is sure to work exceptionally well for the next few years.

Yes, it is relatively heavy, the gap between the screen and the glass is noticeable, the screen resolution could be higher, and it could also have stereo speakers. It should also charge a bit faster since, although the battery is very large, it takes an exceptionally long time to fully charge the device.
But here is where the negatives end. It is convenient to hold in your hands despite its large dimensions, and the margins help you hold it steadily without touching the screen. The speakers are loud and have good sound quality, and the build quality is excellent. Apple finally offers its devices with a minimum capacity of 32GB, and at least for the basics and a little more, they seem quite sufficient!
It is very fast in whatever you ask of it, and the best is yet to come since with iOS 11, several things will change (for the better) for the iPads that will receive the upgrade (and this particular device will continue to be upgraded for many years to come).
The battery, once again, is excellent! In standby mode, it seems endless, as it remains active for many days (my previous iPad remained active in standby for about 2 weeks), while in use, it provides many hours of browsing, video, and gaming.

As for the cameras, I can't say much since I don't use the tablet other than the front one, which is a typical camera that does its job well in video calls.
Finally, the fingerprint reader is relatively good, but it is first generation (iPhone 5S) and cannot be compared in speed to those that have been included in the latest generations of iPhones. However, it does its job.

Overall, it is an exceptional tablet at an excellent price, ideal for those who want such a device - reliable, fast, high-quality, with support for many years.

First time on iPad. Second on an Apple product. I have it for a day and I don't have a complete and detailed opinion yet. The first thing I noticed is that even though it is a premium Apple product, it lacks the feeling of aluminum on the back, giving a more "plastic" feeling. Not of inferior quality, though, compared to, for example, the chassis of the iPhone 6s. The screen does have a gap (due to it not being laminated) and the black appears more intense, and the touch sensation is of lower quality compared to other Apple products. The screen is not bad, on the contrary, it is sharp with vibrant colors. It can play 1440p videos, which I didn't expect. The sound is very loud with good bass. So far, these are the things I have noticed, along with the strong battery, good rear camera, and basic front camera. In conclusion, I would recommend it to someone who wants to enter the world of iPads for the first time, who wants to upgrade from an old iPad like the 2 or 3 or a mini, or simply wants an affordable yet quality tablet. When buying it, remember that you are also buying the services offered by Apple, such as timely updates for at least 3 years.

I will return to add some things. The battery is amazing, lasting me a whole day with a lot of gaming, browsing, article reading, and music. However, it takes a while to charge, taking me about 2 and a half hours to go from 20% to 90%. Overall, it is a very powerful tool, so don't be afraid if you haven't had a tablet (or any Apple product) until now and you want to spend up to 350, it's the way to go. Also, in my opinion, it's worth the upgrade if you have an iPad Air 1 or older. If you have the Air 2, either keep it or go for a pre-release version to make the change worthwhile. Lastly, it's a chance to experience the world of iOS on a tablet for half the price, just like what happened with the iPhone SE in mobile phones.