Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 16
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 16: camera, battery, fast charging, display, performance and colors, side by side. More phones from Apple.
NeoTeo's verdict
Which of the two is the better buy
The Apple iPhone Air suits buyers who want a larger, smoother, brighter display; the iPhone 16 is the pick for an ultrawide camera and more battery capacity. Air also leads in performance, though their overall scores are close: 7.4 to 7.2.
Air’s display measures 6.5″ and reaches 3,000 nits, against 6.1″ and 2,000 nits on iPhone 16; it also runs at 120Hz where iPhone 16 tops out at 60Hz. Air is thinner at 5.6 mm versus 7.8 mm. Its A19 Pro outperforms the A18 in performance tests; it also has 12 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of storage, compared with 8 GB and 512 GB.
The iPhone 16 adds a rear ultrawide camera that Air lacks. Its battery is 3,561 mAh versus 3,149 mAh, and wired and wireless charging reach 25W against Air’s 20W. The EU energy label lists 40 hours per cycle for Air and 37 hours for iPhone 16.
Apple iPhone Air
The iPhone Air is the better buy for a 120Hz, 3,000-nit display and 12 GB of RAM.
Apple iPhone 16
The iPhone 16 is the better buy for an ultrawide camera and a larger, 3,561 mAh battery.
The verdict
Your pick: Apple iPhone Air, ahead on Design & display, Performance & hardware and Connectivity. Unless Camera decides it for you.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 8.0 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.2 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 7.3 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 9.1 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 4.5 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 2,095,100
- against 1,943,548
- RAM Capacity
- 12 GB
- against 8 GB
- Display Technology
- LTPO OLED
- against OLED
- Bluetooth Version
- Bluetooth 6.0
- against Bluetooth 5.3
Apple iPhone 16, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 3,561 mAh
- against 3,149 mAh
- RAM Type
- LPDDR5X
- against DDR5
- Fast Charge Power
- 25 W
- against 20 W
- Wireless charging power
- 25 W
- against 20 W
Specification comparison
Performance
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A18 |
| Processor Process Size | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) |
| Storage Type | NVMe | NVMe |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 4.26 GHz Best value | 4.04 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 1 TB Best value | 512 GB |
| AnTuTu Score | 2,095,100 Best value | 1,943,548 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 2,981 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 7,590 |
| CPU Description | Hexa-core processor with two cores at 4.26 GHz and four cores at 2.60 GHz. | Hexa-core CPU with 2 performance cores at 4.04 GHz and 4 efficiency cores at 2.20 GHz |
| Processor Type | Hexa-Core | Hexa-Core |
| 64-Bit Processor | Yes | Yes |
| RAM Capacity | 12 GB Best value | 8 GB |
| RAM Type | DDR5 | LPDDR5X Best value |
| AnTuTu version | v10 | v11 |
| 3DMark Wild Life Extreme | — | 4,295 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White, Pink, Cyan, Blue, Green |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 7.8 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 71.6 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 147.6 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 170 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % Best value | 86.8 % |
| Body Materials | Glass, Titanium Best value | Glass, Aluminium Alloy |
| Resistance Features | IP68 | IP68 |
| Waterproof Depth | 6 m | 6 m |
| Drop Resistance Class | B Best value | C |
| Repairability Class | C | C |
| Drop Test Count | 180 Best value | 90 |
Battery
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A Best value | B |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 3,561 mAh Best value |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion | Li-Ion |
| Fast Charge Power | 20 W | 25 W Best value |
| Battery Features | Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Battery Level Indicator Best value | Non-Removable, Rechargeable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Battery Level Indicator |
| Battery Endurance | 40 h Best value | 37 h |
| Wireless charging power | 20 W | 25 W Best value |
| Charge cycles | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Display
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| Display Technology | LTPO OLED Best value | OLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 3,000 nits Best value | 2,000 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.5″ Best value | 6.1″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px Best value | 1,179 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px Best value | 2,556 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz Best value | 60 Hz |
| Touch Sampling Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Display Contrast Ratio | 2,000,000 :1 | 2,000,000 :1 |
| Display Features | Hole-Punch Notch, Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 5, Anti-reflective coating, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Always-On Display, LTPO, DCI-P3, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless, 120Hz | Ceramic Shield, Mohs Level 4, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Always-On Display |
Sensor
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Light Sensor, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner |
Software
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 26 | iOS 18 |
| OS Family | iOS | iOS |
| OS Version | 26 Best value | 18 |
| OS Update Support | 7 years | 7 years |
| Direct OS Updates | Yes | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual eSIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby, eSIM |
| Cellular Bands | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 | 2G GSM 850, 2G GSM 900, 2G GSM 1800, 2G GSM 1900, 3G UMTS B1, 3G UMTS B2, 3G UMTS B3, 3G UMTS B4, 3G UMTS B5, 3G UMTS B8, 4G LTE B1, 4G LTE B2, 4G LTE B3, 4G LTE B4, 4G LTE B5, 4G LTE B7, 4G LTE B8, 4G LTE B12, 4G LTE B13, 4G LTE B17, 4G LTE B18, 4G LTE B19, 4G LTE B20, 4G LTE B25, 4G LTE B26, 4G LTE B28A, 4G LTE B28B, 4G LTE B30, 4G LTE B32, 4G LTE B34, 4G LTE B38, 4G LTE B39, 4G LTE B40, 4G LTE B41, 4G LTE B42, 4G LTE B48, 4G LTE B53, 4G LTE B66, 5G NR n1, 5G NR n2, 5G NR n3, 5G NR n5, 5G NR n7, 5G NR n8, 5G NR n12, 5G NR n20, 5G NR n25, 5G NR n26, 5G NR n28a, 5G NR n28b, 5G NR n30, 5G NR n38, 5G NR n40, 5G NR n41, 5G NR n48, 5G NR n53, 5G NR n66, 5G NR n70, 5G NR n75, 5G NR n76, 5G NR n77, 5G NR n78, 5G NR n79 |
| Cellular Technologies | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, LTE, 5G | GSM, CDMA, HSPA, EVDO, LTE, 5G |
| Wi-Fi Standards | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) |
| Wi-Fi Features | Tri-Band, Dual Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing | Tri-Band, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Dual Band, MIMO, Wi-Fi Password Sharing |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 6.0 Best value | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Profiles | A2DP, LE | A2DP, LE |
| Navigation Systems | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NavIC |
| Connectivity Features | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, NFC, eSIM, UWB, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Tethering, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Satellite Connectivity, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) | UWB, Satellite Connectivity, NFC, USB Type-C, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, eSIM, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Tethering, OTA Sync, Computer Sync, DisplayPort output, USB 2.0, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| SAR American Head | 1.19 W/kg | 1.08 W/kg Best value |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg | 1.17 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.24 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | 1.41 W/kg Best value |
| Max. download speed | 10,000 Mbps | 10,000 Mbps |
| Max. upload speed | 3,500 Mbps | 3,500 Mbps |
Audio
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 3 | 3 |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone, A2DP, LE |
Technical
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € | 959 € Best value |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | A3287, A3081, A3286, A3288, iPhone17,3 |
