Sky makes the new iPad Pro more affordable if you need an Apple upgrade

If you like the look of Apple's new iPad Pro but balk at the idea of spending at least £999 in one chunk to get one, it's worth considering getting one on contract. Much like is offered for smartphones, a tablet contract spreads the cost over a number of months or years, making Apple's latest gadgets much more affordable upfront.

That's the case when you take a look at how much Sky is charging for the 11-inch iPad Pro, which went on sale on October 22. You can pick up the brand new Apple tablet for just £27 per month on a new contract plan.

This is on a 48-month (four year) contract, so the total cost amounts to £1,296. Though Apple's cheapest 11-inch iPad Pro costs £999, that is for the Wi-Fi only version. The device you'll get for £27 per month from Sky is the 5G cellular version, which sells for £1,199 upfront.

That means over four years you'll pay £97 more than the cost of the tablet.

But as it has a cellular connection, you must also choose a data plan when you purchase the iPad, which lets you use the device online when out and about like you would a smartphone.

You can pick a 100MB plan for £0 per month, which keeps your costs at £27 per month. However, this is a paltry amount of data, and you'll burn through it in no time. If you don't want to use the iPad on a data connection and will only need to connect to Wi-Fi though, this is the option to go for.

Otherwise, Sky is offering 10GB for £7 extra per month, which seems like a sensible amount to go for, but you can also opt for 1GB for £5 per month.

This is still cheaper than rival retailers. EE offers the same tablet for at least £67.50 per month on a 24 month contract. That's half the length of contract, but your expenditure will be well over £1,600.

View the 11-inch iPad Pro at Sky

The iPad Pro is Apple's most premium tablet, and this 11-inch model is the more compact offered - there is a larger 13-inch version too that my colleague Dave Snelling has reviewed.

It's the only iPad with OLED screen tech with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, so things look a lot better than on the entry-level iPad and even better than the iPad Air.

The new iPad Pro has Apple's M5 chipset, making it hands down the most powerful iPad ever. If you add the optional keyboard and Apple Pencil accessories, you can use this iPad as a laptop replacement and even do demanding tasks such as music production, video editing and RAW photo editing.

But of course, if you simply want the best and thinnest iPad money can buy, it's the one to get - and it's more affordable if you get it on contract with Sky.