Side-by-side technical data
Apple iPhone Air vs Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
Comparison between Apple iPhone Air and Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max: 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 value a brighter screen and a lighter phone; the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the more versatile pick for cameras and endurance. The Air reaches 3,000 nits and weighs 165 g, versus 2,000 nits and 227 g for the Pro Max. Their overall scores are 7.4 and 8.1, respectively.
The Air leads on performance, with an Apple A19 Pro, 12 GB of RAM, and 2,095,100 AnTuTu points, compared with the Pro Max’s Apple A18 Pro, 8 GB, and 1,740,422 points. The Pro Max has the larger display at 6.9″ versus 6.5″, with 1320 × 2868 px resolution against 1260 × 2736 px.
For photos, the Pro Max adds telephoto and ultrawide cameras, and its main sensor is 1/1.3″ versus 1/1.56″. Its 4,685 mAh battery is rated for 48 h per cycle according to the EU energy label, while the Air has 3,149 mAh and 40 h; charging is also faster at 25 W versus 20 W. The Air favors screen brightness and low weight, while the Pro Max offers a more versatile camera system.
Apple iPhone Air
The Apple iPhone Air is the better buy for buyers who prioritize a brighter screen and a lighter phone: it reaches 3,000 nits and weighs 165 g.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is the better buy for buyers who want more camera versatility, with telephoto and ultrawide cameras.
The verdict
Your pick: Apple iPhone Air, ahead on Design & display, Performance & hardware and Connectivity. Unless Camera or Battery & charging decides it for you.
| Category | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Design & display | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| Performance & hardware | 8.9 | 8.3 |
| Camera | 6.7 | 8.8 |
| Connectivity | 9.4 | 9.0 |
| Battery & charging | 4.4 | 6.2 |
Which one is for you?
Apple iPhone Air, if you care about…
- AnTuTu Score
- 2,095,100
- against 1,740,422
- 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 Max, if you care about…
- Battery Capacity
- 4,685 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 Max |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1,740,422 |
| Geekbench 6 Single-Core | 3,895 Best value | 3,681 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi-Core | 9,746 Best value | 9,012 |
| CPU Description | Hexa-core processor with two cores at 4.26 GHz and four cores at 2.60 GHz. | Hexa-core (2x4.05 GHz + 4x2.42 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 | — | 4,731 |
Design
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Body Colors | Black, White, Gold, Blue | Black, White, Silver, Bronze, Titanium |
| Body Thickness | 5.6 mm Best value | 8.3 mm |
| Body Width | 74.7 mm | 77.6 mm |
| Body Height | 156.2 mm | 163 mm |
| Weight | 165 g Best value | 227 g |
| Usable Surface | 89.9 % | 92 % 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 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Battery Efficiency Rating | A Best value | B |
| Battery Capacity | 3,149 mAh | 4,685 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, Fast Charging, Wireless 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 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 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″ | 6.9″ Best value |
| Display Horizontal Resolution | 1,260 px | 1,320 px Best value |
| Display Vertical Resolution | 2,736 px | 2,868 px Best value |
| 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, Capacitive Touch, Multi-Touch, Oleophobic Coating, LTPO |
Sensor
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | iOS 26 | iOS 26 |
| OS Family | iOS | iOS |
| OS Version | 26 | 26 |
| OS Update Support | 7 years | 7 years |
| Direct OS Updates | Yes | Yes |
Connectivity
| Specification | iPhone Air | iPhone 16 Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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, LTE B28, 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 n28, 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) | USB Charging, USB Mass Storage, USB OTG, USB Host 3.2, USB Type-C, NFC, eSIM, VoWiFi, VoLTE, Satellite Connectivity, Tethering, OTA Sync, Infrared, 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 | 1.01 W/kg Best value |
| SAR American Body | 1.19 W/kg | 1.15 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) head | 1.49 W/kg | 1.22 W/kg Best value |
| SAR (EU) body | 1.49 W/kg | 1.45 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 Max |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Launch price | 1,219 € Best value | 1,469 € |
| Model numbers | iPhone18,4, A3517, A3260, A3518, A3516 | A3296, A3084, A3295, A3297, iPhone17,2 |
Related comparisons
- Apple iPhone Air vs Honor X9d
- Apple iPhone Air vs Realme P4 Pro
- Apple iPhone Air vs Xiaomi Redmi Note 17 Pro Max
- Apple iPhone Air vs Motorola Razr 70 Plus
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Asus Zenfone 11 Ultra
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Xiaomi Redmi K70 Pro
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Honor GT Pro
- Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max vs Infinix Note 50 Pro+
