Apple's newest 2018 iPad is basically the 2017 model with a faster processor and support for the Apple Pencil, a pricey stylus that lets you draw on the screen with remarkable accuracy. It's the same price as last year's model, too, starting at $329, £319 or AU$469 for the 32GB model. 128GB and LTE cellular options cost more, as you can see in the chart below. Don't expect something new here: This is a familiar iPad, with a couple of nice upgrades.

For schools, it's unclear how useful the new iPad is. Apple unveiled the new iPad at a March event in Chicago touting its commitment to education. And insofar as the new iPad's pricing goes, it still feels like a miss compared to its primary Chromebook competitors. Students and educators in the US get a modest $30 break, and another $10 off the price of the $99 Pencil. I'm guessing school boards and taxpayers will grade that pricing plan with a C+ -- maybe a B- at best.

But for average consumers, this updated iPad feels like a solid A, with the iPad Pro remaining the A+. Yes, you're still paying a premium for the iPad versus, say, ultrabudget Amazon Fire tablets. But the addition of Pencil support -- here if you want it, but not required -- is the icing on the cake of what was already a top-notch consumer tablet. The world of iOS apps is chock-full of everything you need, and even without the fancy screen upgrades of the iPad Pro, the Retina screen remains gorgeous and responsive.