Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 16 Pro: 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
Apple iPhone 16 Pro is the more complete choice for cameras and battery; iPhone Air stands out for its display and performance. The overall scores are close: 7.4 to 7.8.
Air pairs the Apple A19 Pro with 12 GB of RAM, while the 16 Pro has an Apple A18 Pro and 8 GB. Its display is also larger and brighter at 6.5″ and 3000 nits, versus 6.3″ and 2000 nits. Air is 5.6 mm thick and weighs 165 g; the 16 Pro measures 8.3 mm and 199 g.
The 16 Pro adds telephoto and ultrawide cameras, both absent from Air, and has a larger main sensor: 1/1.28″ versus 1/1.56″. Its 3582 mAh battery exceeds Air’s 3149 mAh, and wired charging is 25 W versus 20 W; endurance per cycle is 37 h against Air’s 40 h.
Apple iPhone Air
Apple iPhone Air is for buyers who prioritize display and performance, with 3000 nits and an Apple A19 Pro chip.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Apple iPhone 16 Pro suits buyers who prioritize cameras: it has telephoto and ultrawide cameras, plus a 1/1.28″ main sensor.
The verdict
Neither runs away with it: each wins something.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 8.6 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.2 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 8.4 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 9.3 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 5.2 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 2,095,100
- against 1,810,929
- RAM Capacity
- 12 GB
- against 8 GB
- Bluetooth Version
- Bluetooth 6.0
- against Bluetooth 5.3
- Peak Display Brightness
- 3,000 nits
- against 2,000 nits
Apple iPhone 16 Pro, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 3,582 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Processor Model | Apple A19 Pro | Apple A18 Pro |
| Processor Process Size | 3 nm | 3 nm |
| Graphics GPU | Apple GPU (5-core graphics) | Apple GPU (6-core graphics) |
| Storage Type | NVMe | NVMe |
| Maximum CPU Clock | 4.26 GHz Best value | 4.05 GHz |
| Maximum Storage Capacity | 1 TB | 1 TB |
| AnTuTu Score | 2,095,100 Best value | 1,810,929 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 3,570 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 8,897 |
| 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 4.05 GHz and 4 efficiency cores at 2.42 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 | — | 4,898 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White, Natural Color, Titanium, Silver, Bronze |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 8.3 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 71.5 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 149.6 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 199 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % | 90.1 % Best value |
| Body Materials | Glass, Titanium | Glass, Titanium |
| 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A Best value | B |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 3,582 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 | Fast Charging, Wireless Charging, Reverse Charging, Non-Removable, Rechargeable, 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Display Aspect Ratio | 19.5:9 | 19.5:9 |
| Display Technology | LTPO OLED | LTPO OLED |
| Peak Display Brightness | 3,000 nits Best value | 2,000 nits |
| Display Diagonal | 6.5″ Best value | 6.3″ |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px Best value | 1,206 px |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px Best value | 2,622 px |
| Display Pixel Density | 460 ppi | 460 ppi |
| Display Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 26 | — |
| OS Family | iOS | — |
| OS Version | 26 | — |
| OS Update Support | 7 years | 7 years |
| Direct OS Updates | Yes | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| SIM Configurations | Dual eSIM, eSIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM, Dual Nano-SIM, Dual eSIM, Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| 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 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) | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB OTG, USB Type-C, NFC, eSIM, Tethering, OTA Sync, Computer Sync, Infrared, VoLTE, VoWiFi, UWB, Satellite Connectivity, USB Host 3.2, DisplayPort output, UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) |
| USB Version | USB 2.0 | USB 3.2 Gen 2 Best value |
| SAR American Head | 1.19 W/kg | 1.09 W/kg Best value |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg | 1.19 W/kg |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.24 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | 1.48 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 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone Count | 3 | 4 Best value |
| Audio Features | Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone | Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, Noise-Cancellation Microphone, A2DP, LE |
Technical
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € | 1,219 € |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | A3293, A3083, A3292, A3294, iPhone17,1 |
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