Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 16 Plus
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 16 Plus: 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 smoother, brighter display and more performance; the Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the pick for a larger battery and a rear ultrawide camera.
The Air’s display reaches 120 Hz and 3,000 nits, versus 60 Hz and 2,000 nits on the 16 Plus; it also uses LTPO OLED rather than OLED. The Air runs Apple A19 Pro, while the 16 Plus has Apple A18; their Geekbench 6 multi-core results are 9,746 and 7,578. The Air also offers 12 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of storage, against 8 GB and 512 GB.
The 16 Plus adds a rear ultrawide camera, which the Air lacks, and has 4,674 mAh versus 3,149 mAh, 25 W versus 20 W charging, and 48 h versus 40 h per cycle on the EU energy label. The Air weighs 165 g and is 5.6 mm thick; the 16 Plus weighs 199 g and is 7.8 mm thick. Both have IP68, 460 ppi displays, and 7 years of iOS update support.
Apple iPhone Air
The Apple iPhone Air is better for buyers after a 120 Hz, 3,000-nit display and the performance of Apple A19 Pro.
Apple iPhone 16 Plus
The Apple iPhone 16 Plus is the better buy for buyers who want a rear ultrawide camera and a 4,674 mAh battery.
The verdict
Neither runs away with it: each wins something.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 7.8 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.2 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 7.3 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 9.3 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 6.8 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 2,095,100
- against 1,944,310
- 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 Plus, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 4,674 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 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1,944,310 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 2,942 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 7,578 |
| 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 | — | 4,324 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White, Pink, Teal, Blue, Green, Ultramarine |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 7.8 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 77.8 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 160.9 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 199 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % Best value | 88 % |
| 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 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A Best value | B |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 4,674 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 | Non-Removable, Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Rechargeable, Battery Level Indicator |
| Battery Endurance | 40 h | 48 h Best value |
| Wireless charging power | 20 W | 25 W Best value |
| Charge cycles | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Display
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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″ | 6.7″ Best value |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px | 1,290 px Best value |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px | 2,796 px Best value |
| 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, Always-On Display, LTPO, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Scratch Resistant, Frameless |
Sensor
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Sensor Features | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner | Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Compass, Barometer, Cooling System, 3D face recognition, LiDAR Scanner |
Software
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual eSIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby Best value |
| 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 1700 AWS, 3G UMTS B850, 3G UMTS B900, 3G UMTS 1900, 3G UMTS 2100, 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 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/6/7, Wi-Fi 6E |
| 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, NFC, USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB Host 2.0, USB Type-C, DisplayPort output, eSIM, Computer Sync, OTA Sync, Tethering, VoLTE, VoWiFi, Satellite Connectivity, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| SAR American Head | 1.19 W/kg | 1.13 W/kg Best value |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg | 1.16 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.24 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | 1.33 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 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € | 1,106 € Best value |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | A3290, A3082, A3289, A3291, iPhone17,4 |
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